Classic American West Coast Boxing

[bollox]

York Hall, for those of you who don't know, is our Olympic. It's based in Bethnal Green in East London, a stone's throw from where the Krays were raised, and has a great arched entrance and a great balcony and there really isn't a bad seat in the house.
I know one thing, though, it is bloody warm in there.

Classy looking joint Bennie. Even at it's best, our Olympic Auditorium never looked quite this good. Still, it had it's own charm.

Randy

Bennie, thanks for sharing York Hall with us. This is the kind of information that I truly enjoy. Today, the featured actor in the TV production I'm involved with, Johnnie Lee Miller, and I talked boxing during a break. Johnny's from the U.K. and a boxing fan, so I asked him if he was familiar with York Hall, and his eyes lit up. "Yes, very much so, in Bethnal Green in East London. My father and I attended many a fight there when I was growing up." I showed him your post and photos on my lap top and he smiled, then shared a memory from his youth that had taken place there.

Bennie, your British boxing experience and knowledge is really appreciated here on the West Coast.


-Rick

I was lucky enough to get to York Hall towards the end of 1990 to see Gary Jacobs V Mickey Hughes. Also on the card was Herbie Hide fighting his second? pro fight (KO1). Michael Watson was also there that night as a spectator. Special night, special place

[Counter-puncher]

Bennie, while we are on the subject of Great Britain, and please forgive my ignorance on the subject, maybe you can clear something up for me, and probably a few others. I am always confused about which term to use such as Britain, Great Britain, British, England, English and United Kingdom. Is being British exactly the same as being English? Are they completely synonymous and interchangeable? If not what is the difference? I'm sure this was taught at school at some point in my life but that was years ago. Again, please forgive my ignorance.

Randy

Great Britain comprises the 3 nations on the british mainland, England Scotland and Wales. No, English and British are NOT interchangeable- scots and welshmen get quite upset when you suggest this :)

The United Kingdom is Great Britain plus Northern Ireland, for the time-being anyway.

[bollox]

Where's NI going?

[Randyman]

Bennie, while we are on the subject of Great Britain, and please forgive my ignorance on the subject, maybe you can clear something up for me, and probably a few others. I am always confused about which term to use such as Britain, Great Britain, British, England, English and United Kingdom. Is being British exactly the same as being English? Are they completely synonymous and interchangeable? If not what is the difference? I'm sure this was taught at school at some point in my life but that was years ago. Again, please forgive my ignorance.

Randy

Great Britain comprises the 3 nations on the british mainland, England Scotland and Wales. No, English and British are NOT interchangeable- scots and welshmen get quite upset when you suggest this :)

The United Kingdom is Great Britain plus Northern Ireland, for the time-being anyway.

Got it! Thank you. That was actually fairly simple. I'm a little embarrassed This is one educational site.

Randy

[Counter-puncher]

Where's NI going?

give it a couple of generations I wouldn't be surprised to see a United Ireland. just a suspicion I have.

[bennie]

Bennie, while we are on the subject of Great Britain, and please forgive my ignorance on the subject, maybe you can clear something up for me, and probably a few others. I am always confused about which term to use such as Britain, Great Britain, British, England, English and United Kingdom. Is being British exactly the same as being English? Are they completely synonymous and interchangeable? If not what is the difference? I'm sure this was taught at school at some point in my life but that was years ago. Again, please forgive my ignorance.

Randy

Yeah, it is confusing, Randy - I'm getting a tad confused just writing this post. England is a country, Wales is a country, Scotland is a country, Northern Ireland is a country. Together they are known as Britain (or Great Britain, or the United Kingdom). People can thus describe themselves as British (but not 'Great' British, and we never say, "I'm from the United Kingdom or from the UK or from GB") if they live in one of those four countries, and in today's PC world, where 'race' scares the life out of politicians, 'British' is an increasingly common term, if rather too collective for the man on the street. In my experience people still prefer to be regarded as English, Scottish, etc, depending on their home countries. The Scottish in particular are particularly proud of their origins, as are the Welsh. In fact the Irish are too.
This leads me on to my final par (promise). It is easier to describe someone living in England as 'British' as it is someone living in Wales. I would describe David Haye, for example, a Londoner and thus obviously English, "British heavyweight hope David Haye" as opposed to "English heavyweight hope David Haye". I would never describe a Welshman as "British heavyweight hope", however, but "Welsh heavyweight hope...". The same applies to a Scottish and Northern Irish heavyweight. English is much more British than the other three nationalities, if that makes sense.

[bennie]

F uck me, what a can of worms.

[raylawpc]

Where's NI going?

Its part of an island with a land mass of 31,521 square miles. I don't think its going anywhere.

[bennie]

Where's NI going?

Its part of an island with a land mass of 31,521 square miles. I don't think its going anywhere.

[Randyman]

Bennie, while we are on the subject of Great Britain, and please forgive my ignorance on the subject, maybe you can clear something up for me, and probably a few others. I am always confused about which term to use such as Britain, Great Britain, British, England, English and United Kingdom. Is being British exactly the same as being English? Are they completely synonymous and interchangeable? If not what is the difference? I'm sure this was taught at school at some point in my life but that was years ago. Again, please forgive my ignorance.

Randy

Yeah, it is confusing, Randy - I'm getting a tad confused just writing this post. England is a country, Wales is a country, Scotland is a country, Northern Ireland is a country. Together they are known as Britain (or Great Britain, or the United Kingdom). People can thus describe themselves as British (but not 'Great' British, and we never say, "I'm from the United Kingdom or from the UK or from GB") if they live in one of those four countries, and in today's PC world, where 'race' scares the life out of politicians, 'British' is an increasingly common term, if rather too collective for the man on the street. In my experience people still prefer to be regarded as English, Scottish, etc, depending on their home countries. The Scottish in particular are particularly proud of their origins, as are the Welsh. In fact the Irish are too.
This leads me on to my final sentence (promise). It is easier to describe someone living in England as 'British' as it is someone living in Wales. I would describe David Haye, for example, a Londoner and thus obviously English, "British heavyweight hope David Haye" as opposed to "English heavyweight hope David Haye". I would never describe a Welshman as "British heavyweight hope", however, but "Welsh heavyweight hope...". The same applies to a Scottish and Northern Irish heavyweight. English is much more British than the other three nationalities, if that makes sense.

Well, at least I know it's not me. It really is confusing but I think I got it. Or at least I'm beginning to.

Randy

[Randyman]

F uck me, what a can of worms.

Otherwise known as a "Cluster F*ck!"

[raylawpc]

F uck me, what a can of worms.

It is what it is . . . and its not exclusively your can of worms. Did you read the thread a few weeks back on the difference between a Mexican, Chicano, Tejano, and whether someone who is born in Mexico but raised in the US is a Mexican or a Chicano?

In the 19th-century, the same problem existed in Scandanavia.

[bennie]

Bennie, while we are on the subject of Great Britain, and please forgive my ignorance on the subject, maybe you can clear something up for me, and probably a few others. I am always confused about which term to use such as Britain, Great Britain, British, England, English and United Kingdom. Is being British exactly the same as being English? Are they completely synonymous and interchangeable? If not what is the difference? I'm sure this was taught at school at some point in my life but that was years ago. Again, please forgive my ignorance.

Randy

Yeah, it is confusing, Randy - I'm getting a tad confused just writing this post. England is a country, Wales is a country, Scotland is a country, Northern Ireland is a country. Together they are known as Britain (or Great Britain, or the United Kingdom). People can thus describe themselves as British (but not 'Great' British, and we never say, "I'm from the United Kingdom or from the UK or from GB") if they live in one of those four countries, and in today's PC world, where 'race' scares the life out of politicians, 'British' is an increasingly common term, if rather too collective for the man on the street. In my experience people still prefer to be regarded as English, Scottish, etc, depending on their home countries. The Scottish in particular are particularly proud of their origins, as are the Welsh. In fact the Irish are too.
This leads me on to my final sentence (promise). It is easier to describe someone living in England as 'British' as it is someone living in Wales. I would describe David Haye, for example, a Londoner and thus obviously English, "British heavyweight hope David Haye" as opposed to "English heavyweight hope David Haye". I would never describe a Welshman as "British heavyweight hope", however, but "Welsh heavyweight hope...". The same applies to a Scottish and Northern Irish heavyweight. English is much more British than the other three nationalities, if that makes sense.

Well, at least I know it's not me. It really is confusing but I think I got it. Or at least I'm beginning to.

Randy

Call an Englishman 'British' and you will be OK, Randy. Call a Scot 'British', or a Welshman 'British' or a Northern Irishman 'British' and it doesn't sit so easily.
Perhaps it would be best if you just posted some more pics of the glamorous Jeri, Randy.

[Randyman]

F uck me, what a can of worms.

It is what it is . . . and its not exclusively your can of worms. Did you read the thread a few weeks back on the difference between a Mexican, Chicano, Tejano, and whether someone who is born in Mexico but rainsed in the US is a Mexican or a Chicago?

In the 19th-century, the same problem existed in Scandanavia.

I was thinking the same thing. I wrote what I feel is a good explanation of the term Chicano, a few years on my family blog here:
http://cafedelao.blogspot.com/2006/08/chicano.html

I wrote this in response to a pretty nasty posting on another website, which was deleted. Still, I had a point to make.

[bennie]

F uck me, what a can of worms.

It is what it is . . . and its not exclusively your can of worms. Did you read the thread a few weeks back on the difference between a Mexican, Chicano, Tejano, and whether someone who is born in Mexico but rainsed in the US is a Mexican or a Chicago?

In the 19th-century, the same problem existed in Scandanavia.

I was thinking the same thing. I wrote what I feel is a good explanation of the term Chicano, a few years on my family blog here:
http://cafedelao.blogspot.com/2006/08/chicano.html

Tell me about it, Randy. I slagged off the French - totally confident I was on safe ground - and it turned out everyone on here is related to the French.

[raylawpc]

delete

[Randyman]

Tell me about it, Randy. I slagged off the French - totally confident I was on safe ground - and it turned out everyone on here is related to the French.

Related to, yes, but like Frank, I don't consider myself French.

[bennie]

delete

Ray, stop 'pulling' your posts.

[raylawpc]

delete

Ray, stop 'pulling' your posts.

Well, there is no sense running the risk of insulting someone, even if its meant in jest.

[raylawpc]

Anybody else on here a little worried about Frank? He's on here all the time (unless he's off fishing), but I don't think he's posted anything since yesterday morning. I hope he got his diabetes under control.

[bennie]

True.
Anyone here interested in Calzaghe-Jones tomorrow? Jones looks old, Calzaghe looks the favourite. If it's fairly close, however, or just goes the distance, Jones might get all the luck in the world.
He promotes as well as fights.

[Randyman]

Call an Englishman 'British' and you will be OK, Randy. Call a Scot 'British', or a Welshman 'British' or a Northern Irishman 'British' and it doesn't sit so easily.
Perhaps it would be best if you just posted some more pics of the glamorous Jeri, Randy.

Here you go Bennie. These photos are from the seventies.

[bennie]

Anybody else on here a little worried about Frank? He's on here all the time (unless he's off fishing), but I don't think he's posted anything since yesterday morning. I hope he got his diabetes under control.

Frankie has been online much of the day. Funny, I didn't think anything of it, but you are right, Ray, it's not a great sign.

[bennie]

Call an Englishman 'British' and you will be OK, Randy. Call a Scot 'British', or a Welshman 'British' or a Northern Irishman 'British' and it doesn't sit so easily.
Perhaps it would be best if you just posted some more pics of the glamorous Jeri, Randy.

Here you go Bennie. These photos are from the seventies.

Nice dog. Who am I kidding. Jeri is a DOLL.

[Randyman]

True.
Anyone here interested in Calzaghe-Jones tomorrow? Jones looks old, Calzaghe looks the favourite. If it's fairly close, however, or just goes the distance, Jones might get all the luck in the world.
He promotes as well as fights.

Considering I was way off on my prediction with the other "Old man" Bernard Hopkins in his fight with Kelly Pavlik, I really don't have a clue. Common sense says Joe Calzaghe. Beating a worn out Felix Trinidad is a far cry from fighting Calzaghe. But as Larry Merchant (ugh) is fond of saying "Boxing is the theater of the unexpected". I agree with that. I'll go on record as saying I have never been a fan of Roy Jones Jr. I find it hard to take serious, anyone who refers to themselves in the third person. It reeks of arrogance.