Classic American West Coast Boxing

[kikibalt]

Carlos Ortiz ko Battling Torres

[kikibalt]

George Parnassus & Enrique Bolanos

[kikibalt]

Jerry Quarry & Luis Rodriquez

[dagosd2000]

Granberry . . .

When Napoles fought Monzon, he was at the tail end of a very long career. In addition to that, what people fail to realize concerning Napoles, is that he really was never more than a "blown-up" natural lightweight. I realize that with age, men grow into heavier weight classes, but Napoles ideal weight would have put him at Jr. Welter.

Carlos Monzon was not only a very big middleweight, he was one of the greatest ever, certainly superior to most who have held the title since, save Hagler. He came up at a time when we still had great middleweights (no disrespect to Hopkins, or Pavlik, etc. but they don't really rate as championship quality in comparison to past 160lb. champs.

Monzon was too big, too young, and combined with his own exceptional talent and power, just too much for an aging welterweight, even one as great as Jose Napoles.

Personlly, what I think would be a great fantasy match would be a prime Jose Napoles vs. the Roberto Duran that whipped Leonard in their first fight.

As Duran said, his first fight with Leonard was not his toughest. Duran has always credited some of his earliest opponents as the toughest he ever faced. Many of the boxers Duran claims gave him his toughest fights were names that can be find as KO victims of Napoles. Today there is a great mutual respect between these two great champions.

-Rick Farris

Hey Rick,I read that story awhile back on Napoles. He was quite a character. I saw him fight in Tijuana before coming to LA. He liked to train at the 8th Street Gym next to the fire station in downtown Tijuana. I saw him fight Indian Red and Lewis at the Forum. I always wanted to meet the guy personally,but never got the chance until after he retired. I told this before,but I think you'll get a charge out of this. You to Kiki.

Napoles fashioned himself as a musician. After hanging it up he had this tropical "conjunto" band. Jose played trumpet. Well one day I see this poster saying Napoles's band is going to play at a club called "The Rancho Grande" on Revolution Street in Tijuana.This place isn't exactly the Copacabana. It's upstairs above a bar,but considering Napoles's talent as a musician,the atmosphere was appropriate. I walk upstairs and there's Jose wailing away with his group. They're dancing as they're playing and the crowd is beginning to fill up. Not exactly what you would call your wine and cheese set. I think someone was checking for guns and knives at the door,but I think for a bribe he'd let you bring them in. Well after a few double shots of tequila and some help I got from the drugstore, I feel I belong.

It was summer and the place had a low ceiling. It was like a steam bath in there. Around midnight the place is so crowded you couldn't move on the dance floor,let alone remember who you were dancing with. Jose decides to take a break,so I figure here's my opportunity to introduce myself. Jose and the band walk to this back room and I follow behind. I'm standing in the doorway like a big dummy and Napoles looks at me. I'm about to say something like"How's it going?"(in Spanish),when he breaks out this big smile and says to me"Ven Amigo. Apoyanos" (come join us friend) I make amove to go inside,but Napoles says "Cierra la puerta"(shut the door) I'm sitting with Napoles and the band, and the heat and the booze and the help I got at the drugstore are making me about to fall out of the chair. There's beer bottles and a bottle of Dohn Pedro Brandy on the table,and let me tell you those guys weren't holding back.

The next thing I know one of the musicians breaks out this bag with this white powder and I know it ain't baking soda. They push the mirror towards me and I figure if I get through this night I'll have some story to tell. It's noisy and hot and I don't know if I can get up from the chair. Napoles and his band exit right past me out to the bandstand. I stagger out behind and hear the band firing up again. I see this senorita with a purple dress and a chest that says"Put some mantequilla on these". I'm out there dancing . Jose thinks he's the second coming of Dizzy Gillespie and I'm thinking I'm in heaven or maybe the other place. Just then this dude goes sprawling at my feet and everybody is joining in the carnage breaking bottles on his head,and then bottles on anyone else's head.

Napoles's boys must must be accustomed to this and they start playing the "Gillette Blue Blades Song" like nothing's happening. I'm shoving my way through the melee hoping I don't get shot or stabbed. I finally make it down the stairs and out to the street. I see about 10 Mexican cops with their clubs out running towards the entrance. I can still hear Jose wailing away. I get in a cab and tell the driver to take me to the border. On the way home I thought to myself,I never got to ask Mantequilla what his toughest fight was. Maybe it happened that night at "The Rancho Grande"

[kikibalt]

Sugar Ramos, Roberto Cruz & Luis Rodriquez

[kikibalt]

Hey d-2000, I been to the "Rancho Grande" 2-3 times, but I never had a great nite like you did, LOL!!.

Never mind getting shot, your lucky you didn't ended up in Tijuana jail like I did, one nite some buddys and I were in T.J at night drinking, after we left a bar we were walking down an alley an we had to take a piss, well this is around 2:00am, so we started to take a piss right there in the alley, as we're taking a piss the cops drove up, we offer them 10 buck each, one of the cops got mad and he said "Are you guys trying to bribe us" one of my buddys tell him "No we just thought you need new shoes"
Well of to jail we go, we spent about 3 hours there and the cops're telling us that unless we each come up with $100.00, we're going to be in jail for a year, real fast I said here's my 100 bucks, my buddys paid up fast too and we got're ass's out of T.J FAST.

[dagosd2000]

Hey d-2000, I been to the "Rancho Grande" 2-3 times, but I never had a great nite like you did, LOL!!.

Never mind getting shot, your lucky you didn't ended up in Tijuana jail like I did, one nite some buddys and I were in T.J at night drinking, after we left a bar we were walking down an alley an we had to take a piss, well this is around 2:00am, so we started to take a piss right there in the alley, as we're taking a piss the cops drove up, we offer them 10 buck each, one of the cops got mad and he said "Are you guys trying to bribe us" one of my buddys tell him "No we just thought you need new shoes"
Well of to jail we go, we spent about 3 hours there and the cops're telling us that unless we each come up with $100.00, we're going to be in jail for a year, real fast I said here's my 100 bucks, my buddys paid up fast too and we got're ass's out of T.J FAST.

Let me tell you pal,In those days you couldn't get the President of Mexico to get you out of jail for pissin' in the street. It was like the ultimate insult.
Man do I have stories I could tell you about Tijuana in the good old days. Remember "The Blue Fox?"

[kikibalt]

It wasn't a street, it was an alley! LOL!!

[dagosd2000]

Hey Kiki,I noticed you put up a picture of Art Hafey. Burke Emery,who used to train a lot of the Canadian fighters here in San Diego,told me how Art hit Ruben with one of his big left hooks in the solar plexus. He said Ruben doubled over a let out a scream. Fight over. That was the first fight in Monterrey. Burke owns a bar down the street from me. I drop in from time to time to lsten to his stories. Heck of a nice guy.

[dagosd2000]

It wasn't a street, it was an alley! LOL!!

Lucky it wasn't the street,I could come to visit you once in a while.

[Rick Farris]

Granberry . . .

In addition to my belief of "why" Napoles looked bad in the Monzon fight, you provide another, STYLES! Of course, I'm well aware that some greats just don't match up well with other boxers. I've seen great champs embarrassed by prelim fighters. I'll site some examples I witnessed at Main St. later.

What more can be said? Oh, wait a minute, I got one more thing people, aside from fighters, rarely consider. Sometimes, you just get up on the wrong side of the bed, have a bad day, your stars don't line up, the other guy is at his absolute career best, woman problems, etc. etc. Sometimes, there is no logic to boxing, in fact, LOGIC NEVER APPLIES TO BOXING!!!!

-Rick Farris

[dagosd2000]

Rick and Kiki,I knew Archie Moore a little. He had a boy's club here on Federal Bl. Kids would come in and he'd teach them how to box. This was one of the most respected and loved guys I ever met in my life. Once I went to the downtown bull ring to watch Olivares fight a non title scrap against a Japanese fighter. There had to be 10,000 people there. Well before the main event,the announcer is introducing various celebraties and boxers into the ring. He brings up Archie Moore . I'm tellin' ya',like that 10,000 Mexicans rise out of their seats and give him a 5 minute standing ovation. Moore's in the center of the ring blowing kisses out to the crowd. People were going crazy. He got a bigger hand than Olivares. I never saw anything like that again.

[dagosd2000]

I think what a lot of Southlanders don't realize,that before there was major league baseball on the west coast and the Rams and 49ers were still in the American Conference,boxers were the big names in the California sporting community. I remember seeing an old Dragnet on TV and one of the big nights Joe Friday and Detective Smith were looking forward to was "The Aragon Fight". You guys must have some stories about Hollywood celebrities who got close to some of these fighters(Mae West) and how some of these pugs got some acting jobs.

[Rick Farris]

Hey Kiki . . .

Thanks for posting these classic photos. I've seen many of them, like the Pimentel brothers shot. That very pic was featured in the L.A. Herald-Examiner in 1966, on the night Jesse KO'ed Canadian Jackie Burke in 4 rds., at the Olympic. Joe, flattened his opponent in one round, I think it was Memo Guerrero, I recall the look in his face (Guerrero's)as he fell unconcious to the deck.

I was at that fight. I recall clipping that photo out of the Herald, along with Allen Malamud's article, and kept it for years. It must have gotten lost with other items, casulties of two divorces, I guess?

The Quarry-Rodriguez shot. It was taken at the Main St. Gym in late 1965, shortly after Jerry's pro debut. Hey Frank, take a look at Jerry's trunks. If it was in color, they'd be blue with the gold trim, L.A.'s Golden Gloves colors, as you know. Jerry wore that same pair of trunks when he KOed five straight to win the '65 Nat'l GG Hvywt. title in Kansas City, Mo.

[dagosd2000]

Hey Kiki . . .

Thanks for posting these classic photos. I've seen many of them, like the Pimentel brothers shot. That very pic was featured in the L.A. Herald-Examiner in 1966, on the night Jesse KO'ed Canadian Jackie Burke in 4 rds., at the Olympic. Joe, flattened his opponent in one round, I think it was Memo Guerrero, I recall the look in his face (Guerrero's)as he fell unconcious to the deck.

I was at that fight. I recall clipping that photo out of the Herald, along with Allen Malamud's article, and kept it for years. It must have gotten lost with other items, casulties of two divorces, I guess?

The Quarry-Rodriguez shot. It was taken at the Main St. Gym in late 1965, shortly after Jerry's pro debut. Hey Frank, take a look at Jerry's trunks. If it was in color, they'd be blue with the gold trim, L.A.'s Golden Gloves colors, as you know. Jerry wore that same pair of trunks when he KOed five straight to win the '65 Nat'l GG Hvywt. title in Kansas City, Mo.

Speaking of Quarry. He used to train with Joey Orbillo. They were friends. What's Joey up to these days?

[kikibalt]

[kikibalt]

[granberry]

Hey Kiki,I noticed you put up a picture of Art Hafey. Burke Emery,who used to train a lot of the Canadian fighters here in San Diego,told me how Art hit Ruben with one of his big left hooks in the solar plexus. He said Ruben doubled over a let out a scream. Fight over.

Interesting.

An old, end of his career Philadelphia Jack O'Brien was fighting Sam Langford.

O'Brien was a great mover on his feet, like he was on roller skates.

He moved all around Langford for several rounds, looking great.

Then Langford landed one of his patented body shots, O'Brien let out a scream "like an Indian" and was KO'd.

Max Schmeling screamed when Joe Louis hit him on the lower back, damaging some vertebrae.

When guys this tough let out a scream, it must hurt.

.

[granberry]

The great Manuel Ortiz

That stance is a thing of beauty.

.

[kikibalt]

[Expug]

Jimmy Heair

Great to see Jimmy Heair in here.
A real journeyman he was.
Lots of fights!
He went ten rounds with Duran I believe.

[kikibalt]

Davey Moore

[kikibalt]

John Thomas

[elmersalsa]

I don't want you guy to think that by posting this article, I'm doing it to toot my own horn, it is the start of a long series of articles by a very good writer, Rick Farris, who is doing this series on L.A. boxing people, this article was publishe at the CBZ "News" and on a blog.

L.A. Boxing Legends: Frank Baltazar, Sr.

By Rick Farris

Frank "Kiki" Baltazar, Sr. (right) with Rick Farris

By the end of WWII, a new era in Los Angeles boxing had taken life. In the eyes of California boxing historians, such as Gabriel "Hap" Navarro, former promoter and matchmaker at the legendary Hollywood Legion Stadium, the post war years thru the 1950's, are considered the "Golden Era" of Los Angeles boxing.

At the time, L.A. headliners such as Enrique Bolanos, Manuel Ortiz, Art Aragon and dozens more, set box office records at the Olympic Auditorium, Hollywood Legion Stadium and Wrigley Field. In addition, the "City of Angeles" had a number of smaller clubs putting on regular shows, such as Ocean Park in Santa Monica, South Gate Arena and San Bernardino, to name a few.

A couple years after the war, a skinny 12-year-old would get his first taste of boxing from inside the ropes. This would be the birth of a life long journey for young Frank Baltazar, and it would take it's first breath at the beginning of Los Angeles boxing's toughest, most competitive era.


Today, six decades later, the skinny kid isn't quite as skinny, and the thick black hair not quite as dark, as when we first met, however, Frank Baltazar Sr. looks pretty much the same. Frank's handsome latino features contradict his seventy-plus years.

The first time I saw Frank was in the mid-1960's, shortly after he'd hung up the gloves, after a sixteen year amateur career. Frank's education in prizefighting took place during the sports most glorious period in California, lessons learned in countless gyms, arenas and clubs thruout the Southland. His teachers were hardened "old school" veterans, and he practiced his skills in the ring, trading blows with some of the greats of the era.

More than forty years after our first meeting, I'd have the honor of being present at a very special day for Frank Baltazar Sr., his family, and L.A. boxing in general. Last summer, Baltazar was inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame. Friends and family from miles away packed the event, and I have to say, the faces I saw that day took me back to a very special time, a time made a little more special for kids like myself, thanks to guys like Frank Baltazar Sr.


When I first crossed paths with Frank, he was nearly thirty, and had just taken over as director of the annual Junior Golden Gloves program, an event that had long been a breeding ground for some of the world's best boxing talent.

Superstars such as Mando Ramos, the Quarry brothers, Albert Davila, the Baltazar boys, the Sandoval's, Frankie Duarte, Randy Shields, Paul Gonzalez and Oscar de la Hoya came out of the Los Angeles Junior Golden Gloves tournaments. All became world class professionals, some World Champions.


What Frank Baltazar Sr. brought to the Junior Golden Gloves was years of experience, not to mention three young sons; Frankie Jr., Tony and Bobby. Frank wasn't just a fighter, he was a father . . . and a master at both. Frank was a dad, a coach and a mentor.

In many ways, Frank Baltazar Sr. would prove to be a surragate father figure to many young boys over the years. Frank taught more than jabs and hooks, he taught young men about courage, character and common sense. These are the true hallmarks of a champion.

In retrospect, it seems as if Frank Baltazar Sr. was destined to be a part of boxing history. Frank was born in 1936, at Los Angeles County General Hospital, and grew up in the nearby city of Montebello. As a boy, Baltazar recalled listening to boxing on the radio.

"I would listen to the all the championship fights when they were broadcast," Frank remembered. "Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Willie Pep. We didn't have television in those days".

Frank recalls how much he loved boxing as a kid, and how much he desired becoming a fighter. "My dad was a baseball fan, and he'd talk to me about baseball, but I was more interested in boxing."


One day, 10-year-old Frankie Baltazar would get the surprise of his life.

"My father came home and told me that he had tickets for a championship fight", Baltazar remembered. "The fight was the first meeting between lightweight champ Ike Williams and Enrique Bolanos, in 1946. My dad and I went with my two uncles and sat about twenty rows back from ringside. Bolanos was up-and-down like a yo-yo that night, he really took a beating."

This would be the first of three classic bouts between the great Ike WIlliams and Mexican legend Enrique Bolanos. All three matches would be held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, between 1946-49, and Frank Baltazar would be ringside for all three.

"Only one of the three fights was close, and that was the second, with no knockdowns, Williams won on a split decision", Baltazar recalled. "In the third match, Williams gave him a beating, knocking him down twice before Bolanos corner stopped it after four rounds. His eye was closed, he was in bad shape."

Like many young boxers, Frank Baltazar started his career right in the neighborhood, thru the training of a "backyard coach," whom the kids called "Tiger." "I never knew his real name", Baltazar recalled, "But he had been a pro, and had a make-shift gym in his yard. We had a couple pairs of old boxing gloves, I remember they were from Sears.

After " Tiger" showed the boys how to punch, the kids would don the gloves and box, practicing their new skills. After boxing, young Frank would pound the heavy bag, which was actually an old navy duffel bag hanging from a tree branch. "We didn't have much equipment, but we learned how to fight."

When the boys needed stronger opposition, Tiger would take them downtown to the CYO Gym, at 9th & Figureoa. "This is where I met Johnny Flores," Baltazar smiled.

Johnny Flores was known as "Mr. Golden Gloves" in Los Angeles. A decorated WWII battle hero, Flores was the co-founder of L.A.'s Junior Golden Gloves program, along with Louie Jaurequi of the Teamsters Gym. Flores would manage dozens of top contenders during his career, including former heavyweight contender Jerry Quarry, Ruben Navarro, and Dwight Hawkins.

Baltazar continued to train with Tiger, his backyard coach, for a little over a year, before switching over to the Teamsters Gym, where he boxed under Hoyt Porter, and eventually Juarequi. At the teamsters gym, Frank would be training side-by-side with some of the best boxers in town, including a hot young flyweight named Keeny Teran.

Thinking back on Teran, Baltazar stills remembers the excitement he felt in 1951, when his two favorite fighters, Enrique Bolanos, and his friend Keeny Teran, were both featured on the same card at Hollywood Legion Stadium. "Bolanos fought Eddie Chavez in the twelve round main-event, and Teran fought Gil Cadilli in a six-round semi main."

"Teran and Cadilli were both ten round fighters at the time", Baltazar explained, "however, the Bolanos-Chavez fight was more important, so they stepped down to fight in the six round semi. I'll never forget that night, my two favorite boxers, both fighting on the same card. I was fifteen-years-old. What could be better?"

Baltazar would see thousands of matches during his life, but none better than the six round war that took place between Keeny Teran and Gil Cadilli. "I've never seen a better six round fight. If you remember the Bobby Chacon-Danny Lopez fight, well, that was what it was like. The crowd went crazy and the match declared a draw." In the main event, Enrique Bolanos would defeat Chavez by decision.

When Frank was eighteen, he met his wife Connie. "That was in April, 1954 and eight months later, in December, we were married", Frank said. Less than two years after they married, Connie gave birth to their only daughter, Linda.

In 1958, Frank and Connie would become parents once again, when the first of their four sons was born. The boy was named Frank Jr., and only in the young father's wildest dreams could he have imagined that his namesake would become one of Los Angeles's all-time great prizefighters, a Hall of Famer.

Nearly three years later, the second Baltazar son made his life debut, and like the first, Tony Baltazar would also become one of the greatest boxers to ever hail from L.A. The fans knew him as Tony "The Tiger," but his opponents knew him for his devastating left hook, knockout power that would take him right into the Hall of Fame, with brother Frankie Jr.

It was only natural that Frank and Connie's third son, Bobby, would follow his older brothers into the ring. Born in 1963, Bobby 's accomplishments in amateur boxing were typical of the Baltazar family. Bobby defeated several world champions during his amateur days, including future bantamweight champ Richie Sandoval. Bobby turned professional and was unbeaten after six fights, winnng five by knockout, before getting married and deciding against continuing his boxing career.


In 1974, well into the amateur careers of the Baltazar brothers, Connie would give birth to their fourth son, James. Like his older brothers, the Baltazar's youngest son was an exceptional athlete, but boxing was not his first love. James favorite sport was baseball, and later he was a standout football player. Although James trained for boxing, concussions suffered during his football career put an end to any future in the ring.

A year before James was born, Frank Sr. would travel to Boston with the 1973 Los Angeles Golden Gloves team, representing Southern California in the National Golden Gloves "Tournament of Champions."

Frank was head coach for an all-star Los Angeles team that included future world champ Art Frias, and world title challengers Frankie Duarte and Randy Shields. "Roy Hollis took home the National title in his weight class. He was the only L.A. boxer to do so that year," Frank pointed out.

In 1977, Don King and ABC-TV partnered to promote a televised professional boxing tournament that would crumble under the rumor of corruption, rigged ratings, etc. The ill-fated "U.S. Boxing Championships" may have been a failure for most concerned, but it provided Frank Baltazar Sr. an opportunity to meet and visit with one of his greatest boxing idols.

In April of that year, Frankie Baltazar Jr. had nine pro fights under his belt when Don King invited him to Miami Beach to face Francisco Villegas in the U.S. Championships. Frankie Jr. would knock out Villegas, however, the most exciting part of the trip for Frank Sr. wasn't his son's victory.

"Frankie and I went to Miami with Johnnie Flores, who was one of my cornermen for the fight", Frank Sr. remembered. "We needed somebody to take us around Miami while we were there, so Don King assigned us a driver.

You won't believe who King sent to drive us . . . JOE LOUIS!"

It turned out to be quite a day, because Johnnie Flores and Joe Louis had been friends since the war. "During the fifties, Louis promoted boxing in Hollywood, at the Moulan Rouge night club on Sunset", Frank remembered, "Johnnie Flores had been matchmaker for the former heavyweight champion, so, when they met again, they had a lot to talk about".

Before Joe Louis could take his place behind the steering wheel, Baltazar insisted that Louis allow him to drive, so as the Brown Bomber could sit in the backseat with his friend Flores, and share some incredible stories. "There's no way I could let the great Joe Louis chauffer me around town, he was one of my childhood idols", Baltazar said.

Today the Baltazar kids are long grown, and Frank and Connie are grandparents. Frank no longer trains young kids in the art of boxing, however, he's still teaching. Today, Frank Baltazar Sr. shares his experience, memorabelia, and tremendous boxing knowledge with guys like myself, boxing historians who desire to know the inside story behind the history of Calfornia boxing.

Unlike many "so called historians", Frank Baltazar doesn't just know boxing history, he's lived it, and without question, is a part of it.

Speaking for all who have benefitted from Frank's participation in the Los Angeles boxing community, I wish to say . . . "Thanks, Kiki!"

I enjoyed reading this column...kikibalt was in the time of the Golden Era of California boxing. I wish I could have been in the same time he was in. Remarkable.

I used to belive that one his sons fought Jim Watt for the title in London, England back in 1978 or 1979, but I guess I was hallucinating.

Great article and long live Frankie Baltazar, Jr. .....May Yah bless him!!!

[elmersalsa]

I don't want you guy to think that by posting this article, I'm doing it to toot my own horn, it is the start of a long series of articles by a very good writer, Rick Farris, who is doing this series on L.A. boxing people, this article was publishe at the CBZ "News" and on a blog.

L.A. Boxing Legends: Frank Baltazar, Sr.

By Rick Farris

Frank "Kiki" Baltazar, Sr. (right) with Rick Farris

By the end of WWII, a new era in Los Angeles boxing had taken life. In the eyes of California boxing historians, such as Gabriel "Hap" Navarro, former promoter and matchmaker at the legendary Hollywood Legion Stadium, the post war years thru the 1950's, are considered the "Golden Era" of Los Angeles boxing.

At the time, L.A. headliners such as Enrique Bolanos, Manuel Ortiz, Art Aragon and dozens more, set box office records at the Olympic Auditorium, Hollywood Legion Stadium and Wrigley Field. In addition, the "City of Angeles" had a number of smaller clubs putting on regular shows, such as Ocean Park in Santa Monica, South Gate Arena and San Bernardino, to name a few.

A couple years after the war, a skinny 12-year-old would get his first taste of boxing from inside the ropes. This would be the birth of a life long journey for young Frank Baltazar, and it would take it's first breath at the beginning of Los Angeles boxing's toughest, most competitive era.


Today, six decades later, the skinny kid isn't quite as skinny, and the thick black hair not quite as dark, as when we first met, however, Frank Baltazar Sr. looks pretty much the same. Frank's handsome latino features contradict his seventy-plus years.

The first time I saw Frank was in the mid-1960's, shortly after he'd hung up the gloves, after a sixteen year amateur career. Frank's education in prizefighting took place during the sports most glorious period in California, lessons learned in countless gyms, arenas and clubs thruout the Southland. His teachers were hardened "old school" veterans, and he practiced his skills in the ring, trading blows with some of the greats of the era.

More than forty years after our first meeting, I'd have the honor of being present at a very special day for Frank Baltazar Sr., his family, and L.A. boxing in general. Last summer, Baltazar was inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame. Friends and family from miles away packed the event, and I have to say, the faces I saw that day took me back to a very special time, a time made a little more special for kids like myself, thanks to guys like Frank Baltazar Sr.


When I first crossed paths with Frank, he was nearly thirty, and had just taken over as director of the annual Junior Golden Gloves program, an event that had long been a breeding ground for some of the world's best boxing talent.

Superstars such as Mando Ramos, the Quarry brothers, Albert Davila, the Baltazar boys, the Sandoval's, Frankie Duarte, Randy Shields, Paul Gonzalez and Oscar de la Hoya came out of the Los Angeles Junior Golden Gloves tournaments. All became world class professionals, some World Champions.


What Frank Baltazar Sr. brought to the Junior Golden Gloves was years of experience, not to mention three young sons; Frankie Jr., Tony and Bobby. Frank wasn't just a fighter, he was a father . . . and a master at both. Frank was a dad, a coach and a mentor.

In many ways, Frank Baltazar Sr. would prove to be a surragate father figure to many young boys over the years. Frank taught more than jabs and hooks, he taught young men about courage, character and common sense. These are the true hallmarks of a champion.

In retrospect, it seems as if Frank Baltazar Sr. was destined to be a part of boxing history. Frank was born in 1936, at Los Angeles County General Hospital, and grew up in the nearby city of Montebello. As a boy, Baltazar recalled listening to boxing on the radio.

"I would listen to the all the championship fights when they were broadcast," Frank remembered. "Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Willie Pep. We didn't have television in those days".

Frank recalls how much he loved boxing as a kid, and how much he desired becoming a fighter. "My dad was a baseball fan, and he'd talk to me about baseball, but I was more interested in boxing."


One day, 10-year-old Frankie Baltazar would get the surprise of his life.

"My father came home and told me that he had tickets for a championship fight", Baltazar remembered. "The fight was the first meeting between lightweight champ Ike Williams and Enrique Bolanos, in 1946. My dad and I went with my two uncles and sat about twenty rows back from ringside. Bolanos was up-and-down like a yo-yo that night, he really took a beating."

This would be the first of three classic bouts between the great Ike WIlliams and Mexican legend Enrique Bolanos. All three matches would be held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, between 1946-49, and Frank Baltazar would be ringside for all three.

"Only one of the three fights was close, and that was the second, with no knockdowns, Williams won on a split decision", Baltazar recalled. "In the third match, Williams gave him a beating, knocking him down twice before Bolanos corner stopped it after four rounds. His eye was closed, he was in bad shape."

Like many young boxers, Frank Baltazar started his career right in the neighborhood, thru the training of a "backyard coach," whom the kids called "Tiger." "I never knew his real name", Baltazar recalled, "But he had been a pro, and had a make-shift gym in his yard. We had a couple pairs of old boxing gloves, I remember they were from Sears.

After " Tiger" showed the boys how to punch, the kids would don the gloves and box, practicing their new skills. After boxing, young Frank would pound the heavy bag, which was actually an old navy duffel bag hanging from a tree branch. "We didn't have much equipment, but we learned how to fight."

When the boys needed stronger opposition, Tiger would take them downtown to the CYO Gym, at 9th & Figureoa. "This is where I met Johnny Flores," Baltazar smiled.

Johnny Flores was known as "Mr. Golden Gloves" in Los Angeles. A decorated WWII battle hero, Flores was the co-founder of L.A.'s Junior Golden Gloves program, along with Louie Jaurequi of the Teamsters Gym. Flores would manage dozens of top contenders during his career, including former heavyweight contender Jerry Quarry, Ruben Navarro, and Dwight Hawkins.

Baltazar continued to train with Tiger, his backyard coach, for a little over a year, before switching over to the Teamsters Gym, where he boxed under Hoyt Porter, and eventually Juarequi. At the teamsters gym, Frank would be training side-by-side with some of the best boxers in town, including a hot young flyweight named Keeny Teran.

Thinking back on Teran, Baltazar stills remembers the excitement he felt in 1951, when his two favorite fighters, Enrique Bolanos, and his friend Keeny Teran, were both featured on the same card at Hollywood Legion Stadium. "Bolanos fought Eddie Chavez in the twelve round main-event, and Teran fought Gil Cadilli in a six-round semi main."

"Teran and Cadilli were both ten round fighters at the time", Baltazar explained, "however, the Bolanos-Chavez fight was more important, so they stepped down to fight in the six round semi. I'll never forget that night, my two favorite boxers, both fighting on the same card. I was fifteen-years-old. What could be better?"

Baltazar would see thousands of matches during his life, but none better than the six round war that took place between Keeny Teran and Gil Cadilli. "I've never seen a better six round fight. If you remember the Bobby Chacon-Danny Lopez fight, well, that was what it was like. The crowd went crazy and the match declared a draw." In the main event, Enrique Bolanos would defeat Chavez by decision.

When Frank was eighteen, he met his wife Connie. "That was in April, 1954 and eight months later, in December, we were married", Frank said. Less than two years after they married, Connie gave birth to their only daughter, Linda.

In 1958, Frank and Connie would become parents once again, when the first of their four sons was born. The boy was named Frank Jr., and only in the young father's wildest dreams could he have imagined that his namesake would become one of Los Angeles's all-time great prizefighters, a Hall of Famer.

Nearly three years later, the second Baltazar son made his life debut, and like the first, Tony Baltazar would also become one of the greatest boxers to ever hail from L.A. The fans knew him as Tony "The Tiger," but his opponents knew him for his devastating left hook, knockout power that would take him right into the Hall of Fame, with brother Frankie Jr.

It was only natural that Frank and Connie's third son, Bobby, would follow his older brothers into the ring. Born in 1963, Bobby 's accomplishments in amateur boxing were typical of the Baltazar family. Bobby defeated several world champions during his amateur days, including future bantamweight champ Richie Sandoval. Bobby turned professional and was unbeaten after six fights, winnng five by knockout, before getting married and deciding against continuing his boxing career.


In 1974, well into the amateur careers of the Baltazar brothers, Connie would give birth to their fourth son, James. Like his older brothers, the Baltazar's youngest son was an exceptional athlete, but boxing was not his first love. James favorite sport was baseball, and later he was a standout football player. Although James trained for boxing, concussions suffered during his football career put an end to any future in the ring.

A year before James was born, Frank Sr. would travel to Boston with the 1973 Los Angeles Golden Gloves team, representing Southern California in the National Golden Gloves "Tournament of Champions."

Frank was head coach for an all-star Los Angeles team that included future world champ Art Frias, and world title challengers Frankie Duarte and Randy Shields. "Roy Hollis took home the National title in his weight class. He was the only L.A. boxer to do so that year," Frank pointed out.

In 1977, Don King and ABC-TV partnered to promote a televised professional boxing tournament that would crumble under the rumor of corruption, rigged ratings, etc. The ill-fated "U.S. Boxing Championships" may have been a failure for most concerned, but it provided Frank Baltazar Sr. an opportunity to meet and visit with one of his greatest boxing idols.

In April of that year, Frankie Baltazar Jr. had nine pro fights under his belt when Don King invited him to Miami Beach to face Francisco Villegas in the U.S. Championships. Frankie Jr. would knock out Villegas, however, the most exciting part of the trip for Frank Sr. wasn't his son's victory.

"Frankie and I went to Miami with Johnnie Flores, who was one of my cornermen for the fight", Frank Sr. remembered. "We needed somebody to take us around Miami while we were there, so Don King assigned us a driver.

You won't believe who King sent to drive us . . . JOE LOUIS!"

It turned out to be quite a day, because Johnnie Flores and Joe Louis had been friends since the war. "During the fifties, Louis promoted boxing in Hollywood, at the Moulan Rouge night club on Sunset", Frank remembered, "Johnnie Flores had been matchmaker for the former heavyweight champion, so, when they met again, they had a lot to talk about".

Before Joe Louis could take his place behind the steering wheel, Baltazar insisted that Louis allow him to drive, so as the Brown Bomber could sit in the backseat with his friend Flores, and share some incredible stories. "There's no way I could let the great Joe Louis chauffer me around town, he was one of my childhood idols", Baltazar said.

Today the Baltazar kids are long grown, and Frank and Connie are grandparents. Frank no longer trains young kids in the art of boxing, however, he's still teaching. Today, Frank Baltazar Sr. shares his experience, memorabelia, and tremendous boxing knowledge with guys like myself, boxing historians who desire to know the inside story behind the history of Calfornia boxing.

Unlike many "so called historians", Frank Baltazar doesn't just know boxing history, he's lived it, and without question, is a part of it.

Speaking for all who have benefitted from Frank's participation in the Los Angeles boxing community, I wish to say . . . "Thanks, Kiki!"

I enjoyed reading this column...kikibalt was in the time of the Golden Era of California boxing. I wish I could have been in the same time he was in. Remarkable.

I used to belive that one his sons fought Jim Watt for the title in London, England back in 1978 or 1979, but I guess I was hallucinating.

Great article and long live Frankie Baltazar, Jr. .....May Yah bless him!!!