He made history in boxing as the first black vice president of the World Boxing Association. He was so well-known that Don King was his best man at his wedding in 2002. And he was a real estate mogul that sold some of the first embassy properties in DC to newly independent African countries.
Such was the extraordinary life of York Van Nixon who passed away on August 1 of cancer at the age of 84.
Mr. Van Nixon was born on a reservation in Idaho in 1926. He eventually made his way to DC where he was a semi-pro baseball and also worked as a professional wrestler known as "Vitamin Van," one of the few African-American pro wrestlers in the business in the 50's. Mr. Van Nixon wrestled with Bobo Brazil and "Big Daddy" Lipscomb against the likes of Antonino Rocca and Buddy Rogers.
Mr. Van Nixon graduated from Howard University with a degree in property management and parlayed that degree into becoming a real estate mogul. A February 2009 issue of Hill Rag said Mr. Van Nixon "was living the good life with ninehouses, a Cadillac and a Lincoln, and a 36-foot yacht christened the York V. But this wealth clouded his business judgment when he opened the VIP Lounge, the first African-American supper club in DC. Eartha Kitt headlined opening night. Celebrities crowded through its doors, but employees stole from him to the point of bankruptcy."
In the 70's, DC Mayor Walter Washington appointed Mr. Van Nixon to the DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission, where he led the commission until the early 80's. Mr. Van Nixon also was a judge for numerous world title bouts. He then became the first minority to hold an office with the World Boxing Association, first as a vice president and then as the International Commissioner. Congress also nominated Van Nixon to serve as chair of a Federal Boxing Commission.
On May 13, 2006, DC government proclaimed "York Van Nixon Day" in the city for his more than 50 years of boxing service. Mr. Van Nixon is survived by his wife, Panitda, sons York Van Nixon III and Steven Nixon. three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
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Mr. York Van Nixon is survived by two sons York Van Nixon III, Steven Nixon, three grand children and two great-grand children who reside in the Washington Metropolitan Area.
soon we will be writing dave hollands obituary as a boxing commissioner, tick tock, tick tock,
your time is short dave!
WOW! What a colorful character! And Gary, you are so great at writing this blog! Truly extraordinary!
Not cool whatsoever to be a smart alec on this blog when somebody has passed.
One of the true personalities of DC boxing for years, Gary. You can't make guys like York Van Nixon up! My sympathy to the family, and somewhere a due 10 count will be tolled. -- John Scheinman
He was also married in the 60s and adopted a daughter. He was abusive to both his wife and daughter, and forged his then wife’s signature on documents for their shared property in DC to try and give one of his mistresses capital. There are court documents to support. He has other grandchildren, who he has sexually abused, none of whom were mentioned in this article. He’s done some cool things in his time, but he was a very imperfect human being with a dark side few people spoke of. Nobody is perfect, and it’s only fair to the people who he has abused and exploited, to paint an accurate portrait of who he was in life.
He was also married in the 60s and adopted a daughter. He was abusive to both his wife and daughter, and forged his then wife’s signature on documents for their shared property in DC to try and give one of his mistresses capital. There are court documents to support. He has other grandchildren, who he has sexually abused, none of whom were mentioned in this article. He’s done some cool things in his time, but he was a very imperfect human being with a dark side few people spoke of. Nobody is perfect, and it’s only fair to the people who he has abused and exploited, to paint an accurate portrait of who he was in life.
MY UNCLE VAN WAS A GOOD GIVING MAN HE WAS MY MENTOR
He also had a son Van A Nixon Sr with his wife Julia. Van Sr had three children (Lana, Van Jr, and Brittany) from two Marriages. Which you can add an additional three Grandchildren, who have since had a total of 6 Great Grandchildren, and one Great Great Grandchild from Lana's child.
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