May 7, 2008
Champions of American Sport - The Life and Exhibit of Sculptures by Joe Brown, Former Princeton professor
Timothy A. Maslyn
Sculptor, Maslyn Studios
Minutes of the 31st Meeting of the 66th Year
The 31st meeting of the 66th year of the Old Guard of Princeton was called to order at 10:15 AM on May 7, 2008 by President Joseph A. Giordmaine. The invocation was led by soon-to-be President-elect George H. Hansen. Guests were acknowledged and President Giordmaine presented the slate of officers and committee chairs for the academic year 2008-9. There was no other nomination from the floor and the slate was duly voted upon and elected by the members in attendance.
The slate is:
President George H. Hansen
Vice President Nicholas B. Van Dyck
Secretary Alfred W. Kaemmerlen
Assistant Secretary Robert L. Thompson
Treasurer Guy Dean III
Assistant Treasurer John R. Lasley
Recording Secretary John B. M. Frederick
Committee Chairs
Program Robert D. Varrin
Membership Charles E. Stenard
Hospitality William L. Walker
Arrangements Gerald Berkelhammer
Historian James J. Ferry
University Relations William E. Bonini
Nominating Joseph L. Bolster, Jr.
Website Bruno J. Walmsley
The minutes of the April 30 meeting with diving Olympic gold medalist Lesley Bush, were presented by Bill Haynes.
Frank Long introduced our speaker Timothy A. Maslyn, a sculptor, whose speech title was Champion of American Sport, the Life and Exhibit of Sculptures by Joe Brown, Former Princeton Professor. But before yielding the floor, Frank described his connection to both Tim Maslyn and Joe Brown. He stated that Tim started as apprentice to Joe in 1973, working with Joe until Joe’s death in 1985 and, since that time, in his own studio in Belle Meade. Joe Brown had come to Princeton as boxing and soccer coach. He started sculpting while modeling for art students at the University of Pennsylvania. He fought as a professional boxer, winning his nine fights and losing none. After several years of coaching, he became an instructor in art and sculpting, especially sports figures. Frank met Joe Brown through one of Brown’s students who babysat for Frank’s children. He and Joe became friends and Frank introduced him to Jesse Owens, whom he later sculpted. Additionally, Frank and Joe shared the same ophthalmologist, Dr. Harold Shays, though he was unable to prevent Joe’s gradual loss of his sight and Joe was nearly blind when he died. Frank owns three Joe Brown statues.
Frank then introduced Timothy Maslyn, who immediately turned the microphone over to his wife, Jennine. Jennine spoke enthusiastically about Joe, explaining that he was born in Philadelphia in March, 1909 and, as a young teenager, had watched his brother Harry win the featherweight boxing championship, along with a $2500 purse. Joe’s goal became to win a million dollars and have a million friends. In 1927 he went to Temple University on a football scholarship, but dropped out in 1929 to fight professionally. He had to quit boxing because of injuries but returned to Temple, working as a boxing team coach and as an assistant in the anatomy lab.
In 1929 he was low on funds and went to work as a model at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. While there he made a sculpture which was considered the best in the class by his instructor. Though he could no longer box, he wrote a pamphlet on boxing as a sport. After graduating from Temple, he found work with Art Tate McKenzie, a renowned sculptor of the ‘boy scout’ done for Baden Powell. McKenzie encouraged him to apply for a job as boxing coach at Princeton University. Told that boxing had been discontinued, Joe sent the pamphlet to the athletic director, Dr. York, and was offered an opportunity to start a boxing class, two hours, three days a week, for $48.00. That year 13 out of 14 championships were won by his freshman class.
Joe suggested to Dean Christian Gauss that art students should have a broad general education before entering the arts. On this basis, Dean Gauss applied for and was given a $75,000 Carnegie Corporation Grant and Joe Brown was invited to become the Princeton Sculptor in Residence. Joe continued to teach until he retired in 1977 and moved to a studio on Canal Street where he worked until his death on March 14, 1985. This is where Tim met him and went to work, first as a sweeper then an assistant. Jennine felt that Joe died having earned his million dollars and garnered his million friends.
Tim finally got to speak. He described his first visit to Joe’s studio as ‘being blown away’ by the more than 400 sculptures all around. Joe gave everyone who so desired a chance to sculpt. He also designed playground equipment, reminiscent of a boxing ring. Tim brought with him ten of Joe Brown’s small sample sculptures and described all Joe’s famous pieces, including The Punter, Tiny Maxwell, Hook Slide, Coach and Swimmer. He noted that Joe’s sculptures are in many private collections as well as around Vet Stadium. Joe made a statue of Jimmy Durante, who asked him if he had brought enough clay for his ‘schnozzola’. He also sculpted John Steinbeck, Robert Frost and Joe Ledbetter. The U of P has a permanent installation of McKenzie and Brown statues, but Joe’s sculptures are hard to find around Princeton.
The Maslyns have created a foundation, ‘Monument to Freedom of Expression’, through which they hope to be able to build a permanent home for Joe Brown’s works. Asked about Joe’s opinion of modern sculpture, Tim quoted him as saying, "if the explanation is larger than the sculpture, the work is a failure."
Respectfully submitted,
Charles L. Rojer, M.D.
Acting Recording Secretary
The slate is:
President George H. Hansen
Vice President Nicholas B. Van Dyck
Secretary Alfred W. Kaemmerlen
Assistant Secretary Robert L. Thompson
Treasurer Guy Dean III
Assistant Treasurer John R. Lasley
Recording Secretary John B. M. Frederick
Committee Chairs
Program Robert D. Varrin
Membership Charles E. Stenard
Hospitality William L. Walker
Arrangements Gerald Berkelhammer
Historian James J. Ferry
University Relations William E. Bonini
Nominating Joseph L. Bolster, Jr.
Website Bruno J. Walmsley
The minutes of the April 30 meeting with diving Olympic gold medalist Lesley Bush, were presented by Bill Haynes.
Frank Long introduced our speaker Timothy A. Maslyn, a sculptor, whose speech title was Champion of American Sport, the Life and Exhibit of Sculptures by Joe Brown, Former Princeton Professor. But before yielding the floor, Frank described his connection to both Tim Maslyn and Joe Brown. He stated that Tim started as apprentice to Joe in 1973, working with Joe until Joe’s death in 1985 and, since that time, in his own studio in Belle Meade. Joe Brown had come to Princeton as boxing and soccer coach. He started sculpting while modeling for art students at the University of Pennsylvania. He fought as a professional boxer, winning his nine fights and losing none. After several years of coaching, he became an instructor in art and sculpting, especially sports figures. Frank met Joe Brown through one of Brown’s students who babysat for Frank’s children. He and Joe became friends and Frank introduced him to Jesse Owens, whom he later sculpted. Additionally, Frank and Joe shared the same ophthalmologist, Dr. Harold Shays, though he was unable to prevent Joe’s gradual loss of his sight and Joe was nearly blind when he died. Frank owns three Joe Brown statues.
Frank then introduced Timothy Maslyn, who immediately turned the microphone over to his wife, Jennine. Jennine spoke enthusiastically about Joe, explaining that he was born in Philadelphia in March, 1909 and, as a young teenager, had watched his brother Harry win the featherweight boxing championship, along with a $2500 purse. Joe’s goal became to win a million dollars and have a million friends. In 1927 he went to Temple University on a football scholarship, but dropped out in 1929 to fight professionally. He had to quit boxing because of injuries but returned to Temple, working as a boxing team coach and as an assistant in the anatomy lab.
In 1929 he was low on funds and went to work as a model at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. While there he made a sculpture which was considered the best in the class by his instructor. Though he could no longer box, he wrote a pamphlet on boxing as a sport. After graduating from Temple, he found work with Art Tate McKenzie, a renowned sculptor of the ‘boy scout’ done for Baden Powell. McKenzie encouraged him to apply for a job as boxing coach at Princeton University. Told that boxing had been discontinued, Joe sent the pamphlet to the athletic director, Dr. York, and was offered an opportunity to start a boxing class, two hours, three days a week, for $48.00. That year 13 out of 14 championships were won by his freshman class.
Joe suggested to Dean Christian Gauss that art students should have a broad general education before entering the arts. On this basis, Dean Gauss applied for and was given a $75,000 Carnegie Corporation Grant and Joe Brown was invited to become the Princeton Sculptor in Residence. Joe continued to teach until he retired in 1977 and moved to a studio on Canal Street where he worked until his death on March 14, 1985. This is where Tim met him and went to work, first as a sweeper then an assistant. Jennine felt that Joe died having earned his million dollars and garnered his million friends.
Tim finally got to speak. He described his first visit to Joe’s studio as ‘being blown away’ by the more than 400 sculptures all around. Joe gave everyone who so desired a chance to sculpt. He also designed playground equipment, reminiscent of a boxing ring. Tim brought with him ten of Joe Brown’s small sample sculptures and described all Joe’s famous pieces, including The Punter, Tiny Maxwell, Hook Slide, Coach and Swimmer. He noted that Joe’s sculptures are in many private collections as well as around Vet Stadium. Joe made a statue of Jimmy Durante, who asked him if he had brought enough clay for his ‘schnozzola’. He also sculpted John Steinbeck, Robert Frost and Joe Ledbetter. The U of P has a permanent installation of McKenzie and Brown statues, but Joe’s sculptures are hard to find around Princeton.
The Maslyns have created a foundation, ‘Monument to Freedom of Expression’, through which they hope to be able to build a permanent home for Joe Brown’s works. Asked about Joe’s opinion of modern sculpture, Tim quoted him as saying, "if the explanation is larger than the sculpture, the work is a failure."
Respectfully submitted,
Charles L. Rojer, M.D.
Acting Recording Secretary