With Her Gloves Off

WED 10/29
Hear the words “boxing trainer,” and you’re likely to think of Burgess
Meredith’s Mickey in Rocky (“You’re gonna eat lightnin’ and you’re gonna
crap thunder!”) or of the late, real-life trainer Cus D’Amato, the only man
tough enough to keep Mike Tyson in check. Your first thought probably won’t be Jackie Kallen, Detroit boxing gym owner and handler of pugilists. Kallen
is a rarity for having two X chromosomes in an XY-dominated sport. A former
publicist for Thomas “Hit Man” Hearns, she trained James “Lights Out” Toney
to win the IBF Middleweight Championship. She’s also a former commissioner of
the International Female Boxing Association, a member of the Michigan Jewish
Sports Hall of Fame, a breast cancer survivor and a heart stent implant recipient.Now
she can tack both motivational speaker and movie subject onto the list. Kallen
will stop in Houston this week to read from her autobiography, Hit Me with
Your Best Shot: A Fight Plan for Dealing with All of Life’s Hard Knocks.
And she’s the subject of the upcoming film Against the Ropes, in which
Meg Ryan will play her character (in a dramatic departure from, say, You’ve
Got Mail). 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 29. Borders Books and Music, 9633
Westheimer. For information, call 713-782-6066. Free. — Eric Norvell

The Iceman Cometh
FRI 10/24

Regarded by some pundits as the weak sister of the Bayou City’s pro sports
teams, the Houston Aeros are, in fact, its most successful franchise — that
is, if winning championships (four in three different pro leagues) is any indicator
of success. The fact that the Aeros and not the Rockets will host the first
regular-season game in the new Toyota Center is a just reward, considering that
the puck smackers are the defending American Hockey League champions (they beat
the Hamilton Bulldogs to win the Calder Cup in June). The 2002-03 championship
banner will be raised before the opening face-off of this game — something
the Rockets, Astros and Texans can only dream about for now. The Aeros take
on the Cleveland Barons at 7 p.m. Friday, October 24. Toyota Center, 1510 Polk
Street. For information, call 713-974-7825. $11 to $28. — Greg Barr