Terence "Bud" Crawford Street Naming
Terence "Bud" Crawford street naming ceremony took place on August 3, 2018 at 3:00 p.m.
33rd to 31st Avenue on Larimore is now officially Terence "Bud" Crawford Street.
As I rolled up, M,A,Yah, founder, and publisher of The Heartland News was with one of his junior journalists, Calvin, to address the technical needs of the ceremony. M,A,Yah coordinated the street naming, having paid the necessary fees and making the formal ask to city council.
Yah welcomed me as we shook hands in the heat of the midday sunlight. Sweat beaded above his brow as he tested the microphone and adjusted seating.
Half a block west, up Larimore street, a light blue house sat with two pop-up tents in the front yard. A mix of chairs from lawn to formal wooden dining made for ample seating.
I said hello to a small crowd gathered around the front porch. They responded with kind greetings and told me to grab a seat. As I planted myself on a black folding chair, I was immediately offered a berry-flavored water. I kindly obliged as a young girl brought me a bottle. After a sip, I took in the atmosphere.
Music could be heard coming from the back of the house, Crawford’s childhood home, where the food and drinks were being prepared. Trucks on chrome rims rolled by, subwoofers vibrated car windows and my bones. People cracked jokes and hugged one another as friends and family members arrived.
Children ran through the grass and around the neighborhood. At the street’s edge, youth skipped from one side to another, squealing cheerfully. A little one, two-years-old, waited at the curb for an older kid to walk her across to join the others. It was a vision of community coming together to celebrate their neighbor Terence “Bud” Crawford.
Crawford’s orange Dodge Challenger with contrasting black sports stripes was parked facing the street. He got out of his muscle car to greet his aunt and grandmother, the two women shared broad grins as they took pictures with Bud, their champion fighter, and loved one.
Terence’s grandmother wore an array of purple clothing pulled together by a “Team Crawford” jersey. Purple is a color historically associated with royalty.
A few minutes before the ceremony began, I connected with Miguel Cedillo. A member of Make Believe New Media, Cedillo has been working with Terence Crawford over several years to document his journey. Cedillo detailed the growth of Crawford’s training gym, B&B Sports Academy.
“B&B Sports Academy, the kids train for free. They just have to commit and keep their grades up. And you know, the coaches and other community members, parents, all pull together to help kids with their homework. There’s a lot of kids are not going to end up boxing, but the gym is still a place where they can come. They really envision that to be [a] more comprehensive community center," said Cedillo.
The academy at 3034 Sprague Street was recently remodeled this past spring. Cedillo said a young person can start boxing training around age seven or eight. In addition to boxing, B&B has other training and conditioning classes, including an all women’s fitness group.
Cedillo also explained a few media projects associated with Crawford. First is a YouTube series called TBC 360 which gives a personal look into the life of the boxing champion and hometown hero, following his training regimen and daily life.
TBC 360 starts with Crawford training in Omaha, NE on Monday, May 21, 2018 for one day to attend his nephew's graduation. Meanwhile, the rest of Team Crawford pushes forward in Colorado Springs, CO.
He also described a three-part documentary series entitled Undisputed for Top Rank boxing promotions, that will premiere later this year. The show will explore how Crawford became the first undisputed junior welterweight champion in the four-belt era after his fight against Julius Indongo in 2017.
Shortly after 3:00, the ceremony began. M,A,Yah gave opening remarks and welcomed Councilman Ben Gray to give a few remarks. Gray commended Crawford for his dedication to the community from which he came and pleaded with others to continue the legacy of giving back.
Following Gray, family members, friends, and fellow fighters shared words of affirmation with Crawford. His sister recalled a time Terence was always in trouble and causing a ruckus, now, she said, he’s doing the same but for good instead of bad.
Before the final unveiling, Brian McIntyre, head trainer at B&B and Crawford’s manager, invited affiliates of B&B Training Academy to the stage to salute Terence, who McIntyre called a “fearless leader.”
Crawford’s grandmother, age 75 said she never thought in her old age she would see something like the street naming happen. “I am proud of him,” she said.