Classic American West Coast Boxing

[Rick Farris]

CHAMPAGNE MUSIC


He lasted over 40 years. His Champagne Music was his trademark. PBS shows his program on Saturday nights. I try to catch every rerun. I especially like the old black and white episodes. His musical family became a part of many familes on a weekly basis.

When the Big Band Era died,he kept his musicians together. He employed fellas' who normally would be scufflin for gigs. Some younger people thought he was "square".I did once. But think about it. Everyone on that program could dance and were good at it. Christ,it was originally a polka band from South Dakota. Every mother in America wanted to dance with Lawrence Welk.

The program was broadcast from Los Angeles. The older I get,the more I enjoy listening to his music.I remember the Arizona. Radovich's bar in Ocean Beach. Radovich was a Serb and every bartender,cook,or pin boy had some kind of Polack blood in him. George had about a dozen Lawrence Welk songs on the jukebax. My favorite was the "Clarinet Polka". He'd put that on and those old vodka drinkers would tear up the old dance floor.

No one could convince me they were "squares."

Roger . . . During the early years of the Lawrence Welk TV show, the production was broadcast from the old Aragon Ballroom, located on a pier next to the old Ocean Park fun zone. Welk owned a lot of real estate in the Santa Monica area, and he showcased some local kids from Venice, the "Lennon Sisters" on his sunday evening show. The sister's father was the brother of ring announcer, Jimmy Lennon Sr. Here is a fact I remember from the mid 60's, the ring announcer's brother was murdered on a thursday. Despite his brother's murder, Jimmy Lennon showed up and did his weekly thursday night gig at the Olympic. I forget if the killer of the Lennon sister's father was ever found. Welk died a very wealthy man, and is rumored to have still had the first buck he ever made.

As for the Aragon Ballroom, it was torn down in the late 60's. I remember seeing it shortly before it was torn down and thinking to myself, "this would be a great place to promote fights." I was a kid, but I wondered if boxing had ever been held in the Aragon Ballroom? Needless to say, the name alone inspires thoughts of L.A. prizefighting, however, that name graced the building long before the original "Golden Boy" made his mark.

To my knowledge, the Aragon Ballroom played host to the big band greats, Goodman, Dorsey, James, etc. in it's heyday. If anybody can provide any history about the Aragon Ballroom in Venice, Cal. I'd really appreciate hearing it. Just one of life's small curiosities that I've carried around since the day I stepped inside it's gutted structure and looked over the high, rounded wood beam ceiling and spacious dance floor. I didn't know much about the Big Band era, but I knew enough to recognize the fact that music legends had performed there. People danced on that floor to the best. I could sense the ghosts of days past. Just as I do when I step inside the Olympic.

-Rick Farris

[Rick Farris]

Chicano's know how to party.
Whittier, Ca.

Frank, the guy in the foreground (right) is a Jo-Jo Torrres look-a-like. Did you know him? Jo-Jo was a small heavyweight who had some amateur fights in L.A. but was more a guy who had a few bucks and wanted to be a part of boxing. He'd serve as an L.A. rep for Mexican fighters such as Lupe Pintor. He also repped Hugo Barraza whom I fought at the Forum in 1971. Jo-Jo also would work in the movie industry as an extra and I used to run into him on film sets occasionally.

-Rick

[dagosd2000]

CHAMPAGNE MUSIC


He lasted over 40 years. His Champagne Music was his trademark. PBS shows his program on Saturday nights. I try to catch every rerun. I especially like the old black and white episodes. His musical family became a part of many familes on a weekly basis.

When the Big Band Era died,he kept his musicians together. He employed fellas' who normally would be scufflin for gigs. Some younger people thought he was "square".I did once. But think about it. Everyone on that program could dance and were good at it. Christ,it was originally a polka band from South Dakota. Every mother in America wanted to dance with Lawrence Welk.

The program was broadcast from Los Angeles. The older I get,the more I enjoy listening to his music.I remember the Arizona. Radovich's bar in Ocean Beach. Radovich was a Serb and every bartender,cook,or pin boy had some kind of Polack blood in him. George had about a dozen Lawrence Welk songs on the jukebax. My favorite was the "Clarinet Polka". He'd put that on and those old vodka drinkers would tear up the old dance floor.

No one could convince me they were "squares."

Roger . . . During the early years of the Lawrence Welk TV show, the production was broadcast from the old Aragon Ballroom, located on a pier next to the old Ocean Park fun zone. Welk owned a lot of real estate in the Santa Monica area, and he showcased some local kids from Venice, the "Lennon Sisters" on his sunday evening show. The sister's father was the brother of ring announcer, Jimmy Lennon Sr. Here is a fact I remember from the mid 60's, the ring announcer's brother was murdered on a thursday. Despite his brother's murder, Jimmy Lennon showed up and did his weekly thursday night gig at the Olympic. I forget if the killer of the Lennon sister's father was ever found. Welk died a very wealthy man, and is rumored to have still had the first buck he ever made.

-Rick

Rick
I sent Frank some shots of Welk with Roberta Linn at the Aragon Ballroom and some of the Lennon Sisters.I remember when I was a kid. Welk fired his first Champagne Lady,Alice Lon for showing "too much" leg during a song number. I think she was sitting on a piano. Has fans were sore at him for doing that.

If Frank reads this,I'd like to request him to play Clarinet Polka on YouTube. The one with Bob Matoof playing the tuba. Welk dances with Norma Zimmer.

[dagosd2000]

Chicano's know how to party.
Whittier, Ca.

Frank
I hope none of my Italian friends read this,but Mexicans party better than anyone. That's half the reason I want to retire in Michoacan.

[Rick Farris]

CHAMPAGNE MUSIC


He lasted over 40 years. His Champagne Music was his trademark. PBS shows his program on Saturday nights. I try to catch every rerun. I especially like the old black and white episodes. His musical family became a part of many familes on a weekly basis.

When the Big Band Era died,he kept his musicians together. He employed fellas' who normally would be scufflin for gigs. Some younger people thought he was "square".I did once. But think about it. Everyone on that program could dance and were good at it. Christ,it was originally a polka band from South Dakota. Every mother in America wanted to dance with Lawrence Welk.

The program was broadcast from Los Angeles. The older I get,the more I enjoy listening to his music.I remember the Arizona. Radovich's bar in Ocean Beach. Radovich was a Serb and every bartender,cook,or pin boy had some kind of Polack blood in him. George had about a dozen Lawrence Welk songs on the jukebax. My favorite was the "Clarinet Polka". He'd put that on and those old vodka drinkers would tear up the old dance floor.

No one could convince me they were "squares."

Roger . . . During the early years of the Lawrence Welk TV show, the production was broadcast from the old Aragon Ballroom, located on a pier next to the old Ocean Park fun zone. Welk owned a lot of real estate in the Santa Monica area, and he showcased some local kids from Venice, the "Lennon Sisters" on his sunday evening show. The sister's father was the brother of ring announcer, Jimmy Lennon Sr. Here is a fact I remember from the mid 60's, the ring announcer's brother was murdered on a thursday. Despite his brother's murder, Jimmy Lennon showed up and did his weekly thursday night gig at the Olympic. I forget if the killer of the Lennon sister's father was ever found. Welk died a very wealthy man, and is rumored to have still had the first buck he ever made.

-Rick

Rick
I sent Frank some shots of Welk with Roberta Linn at the Aragon Ballroom and some of the Lennon Sisters.I remember when I was a kid. Welk fired his first Champagne Lady,Alice Lon for showing "too much" leg during a song number. I think she was sitting on a piano. Has fans were sore at him for doing that.

If Frank reads this,I'd like to request him to play Clarinet Polka on YouTube. The one with Bob Matoof playing the tuba. Welk dances with Norma Zimmer.

Sounds like a hoot, Rog! Add Myron Florin on the accordian and Bobby Burgess and his cute little dancing partner and you'll have a real Polka Jam!

By the way, thanks for that info on the Aragon, the sisters, etc.

-Rick

[kikibalt]

Chicano's know how to party.
Whittier, Ca.

Frank, the guy in the foreground (right) is a Jo-Jo Torrres look-a-like. Did you know him? Jo-Jo was a small heavyweight who had some amateur fights in L.A. but was more a guy who had a few bucks and wanted to be a part of boxing. He'd serve as an L.A. rep for Mexican fighters such as Lupe Pintor. He also repped Hugo Barraza whom I fought at the Forum in 1971. Jo-Jo also would work in the movie industry as an extra and I used to run into him on film sets occasionally.

-Rick

Rick, I knew Jo Jo real good back in the 1970's, in 1973 I with Jerry Moore, et al. took an amateur team up to Sacramento to fight the boys from Sac., Jo Jo was our heavyweight and he fought Stan Ward who was a good fighter, in the first round Jo Jo is getting his ass kicked and he goes down, he was on one knee and I knew he wasn't going to get up, so to save face (Jo Jo's face not mine) I jumped in the ring and stopped the fight, as soon as he seen that I was stopping the fight he jumps up and tells me "I was going to get up", I tell him "sure Jo Jo"...

[kikibalt]

The gang from Marvilla

[kikibalt]

Photos and caption by Diego


My pretty sister in laws


Amanda dancing with her Uncle Juan

[Rick Farris]

Chicano's know how to party.
Whittier, Ca.

Frank, the guy in the foreground (right) is a Jo-Jo Torrres look-a-like. Did you know him? Jo-Jo was a small heavyweight who had some amateur fights in L.A. but was more a guy who had a few bucks and wanted to be a part of boxing. He'd serve as an L.A. rep for Mexican fighters such as Lupe Pintor. He also repped Hugo Barraza whom I fought at the Forum in 1971. Jo-Jo also would work in the movie industry as an extra and I used to run into him on film sets occasionally.

-Rick

Rick, I knew Jo Jo real good back in the 1970's, in 1973 I with Jerry Moore, et al. took an amateur team up to Sacramento to fight the boys from Sac., Jo Jo was our heavyweight and he fought Stan Ward who was a good fighter, in the first round Jo Jo is getting his ass kicked and he goes down, he was on one knee and I knew he wasn't going to get up, so to save face (Jo Jo's face not mine) I jumped in the ring and stopped the fight, as soon as he seen that I was stopping the fight he jumps up and tells me "I was going to get up", I tell him "sure Jo Jo"...

Great story, Frank. That sounds like Jo Jo. I started to laugh when I read he was facing Stan Ward, who was a pretty solid heavyweight. Picture Jo Jo with his dark, Elvis-like shades and pompador. I didn't recognize his face in the ring because he wasn't wearing his sun glasses. JoJo worked the corner of Lupe Pintor, the night he KOed Johnny Owen, the Welshman who passed away after leaving the ring in a coma.

Jo Jo made his little mark on the era, I give him that. He made an impression on us, huh Frank?

-Rick

[Rick Farris]

The gang from Marvilla

Now this is a very cool picture! Who's who, Frank?

[Rick Farris]

CHAMPAGNE MUSIC


He lasted over 40 years. His Champagne Music was his trademark. PBS shows his program on Saturday nights. I try to catch every rerun. I especially like the old black and white episodes. His musical family became a part of many familes on a weekly basis.

When the Big Band Era died,he kept his musicians together. He employed fellas' who normally would be scufflin for gigs. Some younger people thought he was "square".I did once. But think about it. Everyone on that program could dance and were good at it. Christ,it was originally a polka band from South Dakota. Every mother in America wanted to dance with Lawrence Welk.

The program was broadcast from Los Angeles. The older I get,the more I enjoy listening to his music.I remember the Arizona. Radovich's bar in Ocean Beach. Radovich was a Serb and every bartender,cook,or pin boy had some kind of Polack blood in him. George had about a dozen Lawrence Welk songs on the jukebax. My favorite was the "Clarinet Polka". He'd put that on and those old vodka drinkers would tear up the old dance floor.

No one could convince me they were "squares."

Roger . . . During the early years of the Lawrence Welk TV show, the production was broadcast from the old Aragon Ballroom, located on a pier next to the old Ocean Park fun zone. Welk owned a lot of real estate in the Santa Monica area, and he showcased some local kids from Venice, the "Lennon Sisters" on his sunday evening show. The sister's father was the brother of ring announcer, Jimmy Lennon Sr. Here is a fact I remember from the mid 60's, the ring announcer's brother was murdered on a thursday. Despite his brother's murder, Jimmy Lennon showed up and did his weekly thursday night gig at the Olympic. I forget if the killer of the Lennon sister's father was ever found. Welk died a very wealthy man, and is rumored to have still had the first buck he ever made.

As for the Aragon Ballroom, it was torn down in the late 60's. I remember seeing it shortly before it was torn down and thinking to myself, "this would be a great place to promote fights." I was a kid, but I wondered if boxing had ever been held in the Aragon Ballroom? Needless to say, the name alone inspires thoughts of L.A. prizefighting, however, that name graced the building long before the original "Golden Boy" made his mark.

To my knowledge, the Aragon Ballroom played host to the big band greats, Goodman, Dorsey, James, etc. in it's heyday. If anybody can provide any history about the Aragon Ballroom in Venice, Cal. I'd really appreciate hearing it. Just one of life's small curiosities that I've carried around since the day I stepped inside it's gutted structure and looked over the high, rounded wood beam ceiling and spacious dance floor. I didn't know much about the Big Band era, but I knew enough to recognize the fact that music legends had performed there. People danced on that floor to the best. I could sense the ghosts of days past. Just as I do when I step inside the Olympic.

-Rick Farris

Hap, were you familiar with the Aragon Ballroom in Santa Monica (Venice)?

-Rick

[dagosd2000]

Photos and caption by Diego


My pretty sister in laws


Amanda dancing with her Uncle Juan

SWING TIME

They asked me if I'd help stand duty at the afterschool dance. It was some Hawaiian theme like "Com onna wanna laya." I said OK. Well all these little smart asses file into the cafeteria and the DJ starts poundin' away with his Hip Hop bullshit. I hate this shit. It ain't music,but a lot of noise any half brain could do. But here's the point. It does have a beat.

Thing was though that no one was dancing! I asked the security dude,who usually supervises,if this was standard practice.
"Yeah,"he said. "The kids don't dance. Just mill around."

By now I've got to know most of the kids. The ones they call "socials" are the "fast" kids.The popular ones. But they're just talkin' and goofin' around. I can't believe it. A dance where no one is dancin'. The deal is this, these kids don't know how to dance and are self conscious about tryin'.

About a half hour into this joke,I notice one of my students standing kind of by herself. She's a little big and wears glasses. I get an impulse. I walked up to her.
"Yolanda," I said. "Would you like to dance?"
She smiled prettily at me.
"Sure Coach."(the kids call me Coach)
She took off her backpack. She looked pretty as a picture. I gently held her and we slid around the cafeteria floor. The other kids went wild. After the music died down ,I kissed her lightly on the forehead.
"Where did you learn to dance like that Yoli?"
"Oh I dance with my uncles and brothers at "quicieneras" and parties in Tijuana."
"Well sweetheart,you're as light as a feather and pretty to match."

Those "socials" that think they're so hot. If they can't dance they're out in the cold.

[Dongee]

Yeah, Rick:

Those were my single days which coincided with the Big Band Days. Our little clique didn't go much for the Aragon because it ws a bit of a distance to travel from the neighborhhood and they didn't have many of the top bands..... the Dorseys, Goodman, Kenton, James, etc. Our rounds consisted of hitting the Trianon, in South Gate; the Palladium, Hollywood, the Casa Manana in Culver City and one that didn't last long called the Avodon, located in downtown, at Ninth and Spring, more or less at the back of the Orpheum Theatre, which was on Broadway. Spring and Main streets used to come together more or less at the Avodon Ballroom.

I wasn't one of them, but I used to follow a group of contest dancers, in fact, my buddy Alex Endemano, whom I taught his first dance steps, wound up paying for his dancing partner wife"s wedding trouseau with money they had won dancing contest.

On Saturday afternoon we would take over Earl Carroll's in Hollywood for a session called Pigskin Jamboree, where sportscaster Tom Hanlon (not Harmon) would announce the various football scores in between dance numbers played by the house band, which was led by Manny Strand. The management knew all of us, so we had no trouble getting in for matinee prices (only soft drinks were served)

We kinda wore out our welcome when we started a conga chain one day. It went out one door and back in the other to the Latin beat of the Conga. The upshot was that the chain became twice as long coming back into the place with all the freeloaders waiting outside to latch on to our chain and joining the fun without having to pay admission!

The jewel of the dance hall venues was located on Vermont, where I believe a huge Ralph's Market is now (near Melrose) It was the Palomar Ballroom. I think Benny Goodman's band was playing there when it burned down one night in 1935.

hap navarro

[Rick Farris]

I can't believe this . . .

Earlier in the day, Roger and I post about the Lawerence Welk Show. Now I'm watching a new episode of Saturday Night Live, and the focus is a skit of the Lawerence Welk Show, featuring the "Lennon Sisters", comedians portraying them in this comic spook. What are the odds of that? I mean, when was the last time that anybody thought of the long dead King of Champagne music. Hey Roger, maybe Pug's Uncle John will do an Irish Polka at the banquet?

-Rick

[Rick Farris]

Yeah, Rick:

Those were my single days which coincided with the Big Band Days. Our little clique didn't go much for the Aragon because it ws a bit of a distance to travel from the neighborhhood and they didn't have many of the top bands..... the Dorseys, Goodman, Kenton, James, etc. Our rounds consisted of hitting the Trianon, in South Gate; the Palladium, Hollywood, the Casa Manana in Culver City and one that didn't last long called the Avodon, located in downtown, at Ninth and Spring, more or less at the back of the Orpheum Theatre, which was on Broadway. Spring and Main streets used to come together more or less at the Avodon Ballroom.

I wasn't one of them, but I used to follow a group of contest dancers, in fact, my buddy Alex Endemano, whom I taught his first dance steps, wound up paying for his dancing partner wife"s wedding trouseau with money they had won dancing contest.

On Saturday afternoon we would take over Earl Carroll's in Hollywood for a session called Pigskin Jamboree, where sportscaster Tom Hanlon (not Harmon) would announce the various football scores in between dance numbers played by the house band, which was led by Manny Strand. The management knew all of us, so we had no trouble getting in for matinee prices (only soft drinks were served)

We kinda wore out our welcome when we started a conga chain one day. It went out one door and back in the other to the Latin beat of the Conga. The upshot was that the chain became twice as long coming back into the place with all the freeloaders waiting outside to latch on to our chain and joining the fun without having to pay admission!

The jewel of the dance hall venues was located on Vermont, where I believe a huge Ralph's Market is now (near Melrose) It was the Palomar Ballroom. I think Benny Goodman's band was playing there when it burned down one night in 1935.

hap navarro

Thanks Hap! Great history.

-Rick

[dagosd2000]

I can't believe this . . .

Earlier in the day, Roger and I post about the Lawerence Welk Show. Now I'm watching a new episode of Saturday Night Live, and the focus is a skit of the Lawerence Welk Show, featuring the "Lennon Sisters", comedians portraying them in this comic spook. What are the odds of that? I mean, when was the last time that anybody thought of the long dead King of Champagne music. Hey Roger, maybe Pug's Uncle John will do an Irish Polka at the banquet?

-Rick

Rick
You enlightened me with something . Saturday Night Live must be for the older set. 40 to 60 year olds. The young generation wouldn't know about the Lawrence Welk Show or the Lennon Sisters.

Hap
I collect old newspapers. Some are old San Diego Unions. The advertisements are as interesting as the articles. The ones I have of the 40's amaze me. Example:Count Basie's Band was playing at the Mission Ballroom in Mission Beach. The same evening Benny Goodman was at the Spreckles Theater in Downtown. And to round things off Jimmy Dorsey's Band was performing at the Hotel Del Coronado. Very nonchalant. Just like that.
What a selection. They must have been fun times. Roger

[bennie]

Charlie Magri
He may have held the WBC belt for little over six months, but as he is fond of saying: "Winning that world title has taken me a long way through life."

THE Victoria pub in Bow is a shrine to the noble art. Framed boxing photographs adorn the walls with images of everyone from Muhammad Ali to Naseem Hamed.

Yet pride of place goes to a large poster advertising a boxing bill from Wembley in March 1983 - a night when the pub's landlord, Charlie Magri, defeated Eleoncio Mercedes to become WBC flyweight champion. Now 50, Magri is slightly rounder than we remember but he remains immensely proud of his accomplishments. For a few years, at least, he regularly packed out the top London venues and made flyweight boxing sexy.

Born in the North African city of Tunis - Magri's parents were Tunisian - the future world champion moved to London's East End as a youngster.

A Millwall youth footballer, he was instantly turned on to the blood and guts of boxing and was an outstanding amateur, winning four ABA titles and competing for Great Britain in the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

Confident and cocky, Magri claims he often beat his opponents before he got into the ring. He recalls one such psychological battle at the ABA semis against Dave George. "They were all raving about this Welshman," recalls Magri. "We were waiting to go into the arena at Belle Vue and I said to him ‘You can tell your grandchildren you were knocked out by Charlie Magri'. "He just froze - you could see it in his face. He was beaten before we entered the ring." Sadly, Charlie underperformed in Montreal, exiting in the first round of the competition. In the wake of the disappointment he contemplated retirement, but Terry Lawless turned his head and offered him the chance to turn pro in 1977.

"When I first met Lawless, he said I'll be capable of winning a British title in three fights and was I ready for 15 three-minute rounds for the title? "I turned around and said, cheeky as anything, ‘How much do I get for that'?" Magri did it, too, beating Dave Smith in seven rounds at the Albert Hall to become British champion just three fights into his career. A shortage of real British talent at flyweight meant Charlie quickly had to seek overseas opposition. He lifted the European title in 1979 and after four defences Lawless finally delivered him the world title chance. Amid a highly-charged atmosphere at Wembley, there was little doubt as to the outcome. Magri dominated. "Mercedes was a really classy fighter, but I got right in to him straight away," says Magri. "There was no one left in East London - everyone had come to see me. They was no way I was going to be beaten that night. I was on such a high." In round seven the bout was stopped because of excessive cuts and Magri crowned. That's how the moniker "Champagne Charlie" stuck. Overnight, he became one the biggest sports stars in the country. His story was told on TV's This is Your Life and he enjoyed the trappings of fame and money.

Sadly, in his first defence back at Wembley he was stopped in six rounds by Filipino Frank Cedeno in a one-sided fight. The defeat still frustrates Magri because he believes he wasn't ready. "I discovered later I had a blind ball in my ear, a swelling inside the eardrum," he explains. "I went to see a Harley Street doctor after the fight and he told me.

"Cedeno was a southpaw and could punch a bit. But I didn't feel myself that night. I just didn't feel up for it." He bounced back to regain the vacant European title from Franco Cherchi of Italy, but his third and final ‘world' title bout, in 1985 at the Alexandra Palace, also ended in defeat by classy Thai Sot Chitalada. Magri rates Chitalada as one of his two finest opponents along with Argentina's future world flyweight champion Santos Laciar, whom he beat on points in a non-title 10-rounder at the Albert Hall in 1980. His eight-year professional career ended in 1986, aged 29, when future IBF flyweight champion Duke McKenzie stopped him in five rounds.

"I didn't think I'd ever get beaten by Duke," admits Magri. "But after I lost I knew it was the end and I got out as quickly as possible. I only did it [boxing] for the money." Retirement from the fight game has generally been kind to Magri. Two years before hanging up his gloves he set up Magri Sports on the Bethnal Green Road, which he ran until five years ago when he sold the premises to his daughter Emma, who now runs a beauty salon on the site.

He also has a son, Charlie Jnr, to his ex-wife and now happily shares the flat above the pub with his partner Tina, whom he has known since primary school.

He enjoyed a five-year stint as a trainer but is now landlord at The Victoria, where he puts on the occasional boxing night. Magri also acts as vice-president of the ex-London Boxers Association.

"It's amazing. Winning that world title has taken me a long way through life."

Believe it or not, I was actually there when Charlie was given the This is your Life treatment at York Hall in 1983. It was a few weeks after Charlie had won his world title (in the days when winning a world title really meant something) and he was there at ringside lapping up the plaudits. I remember commenting to someone as to why there were so many lights over the ring. The show was non-televised. Then Charlie was introduced into the ring and all the lights came on and Eamonn Andrews suddenly appeared, dressed in boxing robe and gloves, and carrying his big red book. You know, my first reaction was "Oh f uck!"
I just wanted some boxing action.

[bennie]

Jeff discovered a new use for cattle:

I once ran into a friendly cow while walking the dogs. Cows will always shy away if you get too close but this one stayed put and, I swear, was smiling at me. I patted it like a dog.
Must have been hand-reared.

Bennie, I don't know about cows being shy. I was fishing the Owns River, in the Sierra's, in 1979. It was in a open grassy area. I parked my Landcruiser and walked around until I found a good spot. I saw a few cows off in the distance. I was really concentrating and paying attention to the river and trying my damnedest to catch a Brown Trout, never having caught one before. I looked up and saw that the cows were a little close but I never really gave it a thought.

At some point, without my realizing it, I was surrounded by cattle. I'm not sure how many there were. In my mind there seemed to thousands but it was probably closer to a hundred, still I was starting to get a little nervous and I had the feeling they were nervous too.

I started thinking that maybe I better get the hell out of there, so I reeled in my line got my tackle box and was going to head back to my vehicle but I couldn't get through them. They were blocking my way. Now either by accident or on purpose, the cows started to separate a bit. Off in the distance a way there was large bull staring at me. Now I was really getting nervous. The more nervous I got the louder the cows got. I was walking along the river now, the opposite direction of my Landcruser, I just wanted to get away from the cows and that bull.

All at once the bull just charged towards me and the race was on. I saw an area when there was some trees and a wall of shrubs so I headed for that. I was running like I have never ran in my life. That bull was gaining on me. I was almost on the verge of panic but I did manage to peel off my brand spanking new red Mammoth Mountain tee shirt without skipping a beat and without dropping my gear. I just threw the shirt to the ground. I could hear the bull now and I somehow kept my pace and made it to the trees and shrubs.

I burst threw on the other side and onto an group of RV'ers that jumped up when I just shot into the campsite. Shirtless, breathless and full of sweat I'm sure, I tried to get them to understand that a crazy bull was chasing me, that it going to be here any second. They looked at me like I was nuts, and I'm sure for the moment, I was. The bull never showed up. They took a look and saw the bull walking calmly, heading back towards the cows. I stayed with them a bit and had something to eat and drink. They were humoring me. I'm sure to this day they still tell the story of some shirtless idiot that thought he was being chased by a bull. I eventually walked back, got my shirt and headed back to the hotel and my wife and kids. Without ever catching a fish!

Now, that is funny. A peaceful stint of fishing - NOT!
Yeah, cows are horrendously 'inquisitive' and always spot you when you try sneaking across a field, etc, and come racing across. I take the dogs on the local common, which is grazing land, and when the cows are introduced in the spring they are an absolute pain. Then, as summer rolls on, they calm down and basically ignore you, lying there and chewing the cud. You can't actually touch one, however, which is why that friendly cow just sticks in the memory.

[bennie]

Bob Fitzsimmons


"Ruby"

By Diego

Thanks, Dagos. Fitzsimmons won the world heavyweight title weighing 167 pounds.
The former blacksmith pounded opponents like he pounded that forge.

[bennie]

Publicity photo with famous boxers of the 50s. Included are
Bobo Olson (far left), Jimmy Carter (2nd from left) Lauro Salas
(3rd from right), and Pete Rodriguez, co-producer of Rheingold's
Fandango (2nd from right).

Frankie has posted this before and it's well worth a second look. Those women are 'smart'.

[kikibalt]

Bennie & Randy

My grandma & grandpa used to have cows that my grandma used to milk, my cousin Robert and I would take'em out to pasture, close by the grazing land were some railroad tracks and the cows would some times stand in the middle of the tracks and we would have a hard time to get'em to move, so, some times one would get kill by a train and the whole barrio would come out to get some free steaks....
This was all C..1948

[Expug]

I can't believe this . . .

Earlier in the day, Roger and I post about the Lawerence Welk Show. Now I'm watching a new episode of Saturday Night Live, and the focus is a skit of the Lawerence Welk Show, featuring the "Lennon Sisters", comedians portraying them in this comic spook. What are the odds of that? I mean, when was the last time that anybody thought of the long dead King of Champagne music. Hey Roger, maybe Pug's Uncle John will do an Irish Polka at the banquet?

-Rick

Rick, uncle John has been practicing both his dancing AND singing for the banquet.
I took him to the barber shop yesterday for a little trim.You know, to get him ready.
I even bought him some new clothes for the event.
I told him he had to dress up , so rather than the green T shirt with the white letters that say Ireland, hes gonna go with the white t shirt with the green letters that say Ireland.Its much more formal.
You should see him now. He looks like James Bond.

[bennie]

Bennie & Randy

My grandma & grandpa used to have cows that my grandma used to milk, my cousin Robert and I would take'em out to pasture, close by the grazing land were some railroad tracks and the cows would some times stand in the middle of the tracks and we would have a hard time to get'em to move, so, some times one would get kill by a train and the whole barrio would come out to get some free steaks....
This was all C..1948

My Irish grandpa - another Uncle John - lived in County Cork. He had no land but would buy and sell the odd horse and just stick the horse in somebody else's field to graze. Naturally, the landowner would take serious offence to this but would rarely confront Uncle John, it was Uncle John's poor wife who took the flak. She then had to shift the horse and march it to Uncle John's forge (he was a blacksmith), and Uncle John would simply stick the horse in a different field and the whole thing would start over again. It got to the point where the poor horse would see my gran coming into the field - and literally attack her. The horse knew it was going to be taken out of the field and denied its supper.

[Randyman]

Yeah, Rick:

Those were my single days which coincided with the Big Band Days. Our little clique didn't go much for the Aragon because it ws a bit of a distance to travel from the neighborhhood and they didn't have many of the top bands..... the Dorseys, Goodman, Kenton, James, etc. Our rounds consisted of hitting the Trianon, in South Gate; the Palladium, Hollywood, the Casa Manana in Culver City and one that didn't last long called the Avodon, located in downtown, at Ninth and Spring, more or less at the back of the Orpheum Theatre, which was on Broadway. Spring and Main streets used to come together more or less at the Avodon Ballroom.

I wasn't one of them, but I used to follow a group of contest dancers, in fact, my buddy Alex Endemano, whom I taught his first dance steps, wound up paying for his dancing partner wife"s wedding trouseau with money they had won dancing contest.

On Saturday afternoon we would take over Earl Carroll's in Hollywood for a session called Pigskin Jamboree, where sportscaster Tom Hanlon (not Harmon) would announce the various football scores in between dance numbers played by the house band, which was led by Manny Strand. The management knew all of us, so we had no trouble getting in for matinee prices (only soft drinks were served)

We kinda wore out our welcome when we started a conga chain one day. It went out one door and back in the other to the Latin beat of the Conga. The upshot was that the chain became twice as long coming back into the place with all the freeloaders waiting outside to latch on to our chain and joining the fun without having to pay admission!

The jewel of the dance hall venues was located on Vermont, where I believe a huge Ralph's Market is now (near Melrose) It was the Palomar Ballroom. I think Benny Goodman's band was playing there when it burned down one night in 1935.

hap navarro

Hap, thanks a million for mentioning the Avodon Ballroom. My father sang there with many of the big bands that played there. Lots of celebrities would show up there. it was pretty popular during it's time. My father talked about those days all the time. He had great memories of the Avodon. I never knew where it was located, so thanks for posting. My father took my mother there for their first date. I have a picture from that night that I would like to post. It's from January 1947. He was 22 and she was 17. It's my favorite photo of my parents. I can't seem to post photos correctly on this forum, for some reason, but if Frank doesn't mind posting the pic for me, I'll send it to him.

Randy

[kikibalt]

Yeah, Rick:

Those were my single days which coincided with the Big Band Days. Our little clique didn't go much for the Aragon because it ws a bit of a distance to travel from the neighborhhood and they didn't have many of the top bands..... the Dorseys, Goodman, Kenton, James, etc. Our rounds consisted of hitting the Trianon, in South Gate; the Palladium, Hollywood, the Casa Manana in Culver City and one that didn't last long called the Avodon, located in downtown, at Ninth and Spring, more or less at the back of the Orpheum Theatre, which was on Broadway. Spring and Main streets used to come together more or less at the Avodon Ballroom.

I wasn't one of them, but I used to follow a group of contest dancers, in fact, my buddy Alex Endemano, whom I taught his first dance steps, wound up paying for his dancing partner wife"s wedding trouseau with money they had won dancing contest.

On Saturday afternoon we would take over Earl Carroll's in Hollywood for a session called Pigskin Jamboree, where sportscaster Tom Hanlon (not Harmon) would announce the various football scores in between dance numbers played by the house band, which was led by Manny Strand. The management knew all of us, so we had no trouble getting in for matinee prices (only soft drinks were served)

We kinda wore out our welcome when we started a conga chain one day. It went out one door and back in the other to the Latin beat of the Conga. The upshot was that the chain became twice as long coming back into the place with all the freeloaders waiting outside to latch on to our chain and joining the fun without having to pay admission!

The jewel of the dance hall venues was located on Vermont, where I believe a huge Ralph's Market is now (near Melrose) It was the Palomar Ballroom. I think Benny Goodman's band was playing there when it burned down one night in 1935.

hap navarro

Hap, thanks a million for mentioning the Avodon Ballroom. My father sang there with many of the big bands that played there. Lots of celebrities would show up there. it was pretty popular during it's time. My father talked about those days all the time. He had great memories of the Avodon. I never knew where it was located, so thanks for posting. My father took my mother there for their first date. I have a picture from that night that I would like to post. It's from January 1947. He was 22 and she was 17. It's my favorite photo of my parents. I can't seem to post photos correctly on this forum, for some reason, but if Frank doesn't mind posting the pic for me, I'll send it to him.

Randy

Send it Randy.