Samuel Matsuo Ichinose was a curious candidate to end up as "Mr. Boxing" in Hawai'i.
He had only one bout himself — and lost it on a foul — in the 1930s. But as a fight promoter and Damon Runyon-esque figure, he was central to the sport in Hawai'i for nearly a half-century, and the state's first inductee into the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
He also served in the territorial legislature, was a county supervisor and ran a bar. But his calling was boxing.
Better known by world champions and ham-and-eggers alike as "Sad Sam," he was an internationally known institution in the sport.
Indeed, his cable address was, simply, "Sad Sam, Hawaii."
It was said that until he retired in 1982, Ichinose had either trained, managed or promoted every champion who fought in Hawai'i since the sport was legalized in 1929.
For most of that time his "office" was a worn alligator briefcase propped open on the ring apron or rubdown table at Kalakaua Gym.
Ichinose teamed with Ralph Yempuku to form Boxing Enterprises, which stood as the dominant fight concern in the state for more than 30 years.
In some years, they put on more than 30 shows, mostly at the old Civic Auditorium and then the Honolulu International Center, later renamed Blaisdell.
"He was boxing in Hawai'i," recalled longtime commissioner Bobby Lee. "When he went out of boxing, it went flat."
Ichinose died in 1993 at age 85.
