Wadena resident Bob Tubandt will be inducted into the National Golden Gloves Boxing Hall of Fame in Omaha, Neb., in May of 2018.
Tubandt started boxing in 1959 and finished with 47 wins in 55 fights. He was a five-time region champion before becoming a coach.
In 1969, he took over the Wadena program and served as its head coach for 51 years, retiring in 2016. He remains involved in boxing as Region 4 director of the Upper Midwest Golden Gloves Tournament.
In 1985 and 2010, Tubandt was named Upper Midwest Coach of the Year. During his career, he coached 15 boxers in national tournaments.
"I had no idea that I was going to get this honor," Tubandt said. "It was incredible. I was in a cloud."
Tubandt's time in the ring is special, but that's not what he calls his greatest accomplishment.
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"What I was able to do for the kids and the (Wadena) program stands out to me." Tubandt said. "Being able to help and contribute the way I did was my favorite part of the whole thing."
Les Sellnow, who was involved with the Brainerd Golden Gloves program for many years, said Tubandt deserves to be a hall of famer.
"Bob Tubandt epitomizes what Golden Gloves is all about," Sellnow said. "As a boxer, he was a tough, spirited contender. As a coach, he passed along that competitive spirit, along with deep-seated knowledge gained as a fighter and by learning through the years from other coaches. He taught sportsmanship, fairness, integrity, and respect for others-lessons that would aid them in life long after they completed the boxing program."
Sellnow currently resides in Wyoming but his history of boxing in Minnesota is unmatched.
"My first involvement with organized Golden Gloves came in Windom where I was editor of the weekly newspaper," Sellnow said. "We formed a team and during the four years I was there we had several boxers win regional titles and advance to the Upper Midwest Tournament."
Although Sellnow was heavily involved with boxing, he was never a high-level in-ring competitor.
"I lost sight of one eye in a childhood accident, so I was unable to box competitively," he said. "I became a student of the sport, studying everything from manuals on basic fundamentals to the more intricate moves."
Sellnow took his skills to Brainerd where he worked as city editor, and later editor, of the Brainerd Dispatch.
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"I met Tom Herron, formerly a highly successful Golden Glover," Sellnow said. "Brainerd had a great amateur boxing tradition and Tom was eager to rekindle the old enthusiasm. Tom Herron was the heart and soul of the program. He was the head coach and I assisted, along with other volunteers."
With the revamped boxing program in Brainerd, Herron and Sellnow took the reins and brought back something Brainerd hadn't seen in years.
"The regional tournaments could be moved from one locale to another, which means the regional tournament would be held in Brainerd once again." Sellnow said. "The tournaments held in Brainerd were highly successful, with large crowds attending. Our boxing cards throughout the season were also well attended."
Sellnow's writing ability and knowledge of boxing has made him a published author.
"I have been involved with journalism and writing my entire working life," he said. "My latest book is 'They Came To Fight.' It tells the story of Golden Gloves Boxing in the Upper Midwest from its inception to the present. The book was the brainchild of Upper Midwest Golden Gloves Executive Director Chuck Hales, a two-time Upper Midwest Golden Gloves champion."
Sellnow said success can be traced back to one word.
"As to advice for someone who wants to succeed, whether in sports or the working world, I suggest one approach: commitment," he said. "If you are going to compete, make a commitment that you will train your body and mind in such a way that you can utilize your natural abilities to their fullest. There is no room in success for half measures."
