Classic American West Coast Boxing

[kikibalt]

Jorge Paez

By Diego

[kikibalt]

Photo & caption by Rick


Pop Hanley, Rick & Dan

[kikibalt]

Toots Shor's New York joint: When giants walked the earth


From movie stars to athletes to mob bosses, they rubbed elbows at Toots'.
By PATRICK GOLDSTEIN

Early on in "Toots," the new documentary about legendary New York saloon keeper Toots Shor, we get to see Frank Sinatra recalling the night Toots asked him to come to dinner at his joint with some of Toots' pals. The other pals? Bing Crosby, Jack Dempsey and Babe Ruth. As the four sultans of mid-century America made their way through the restaurant to a private table, the whole saloon spontaneously erupted with applause.

If you were a celebrity in New York from 1940 through the early 1960s, the place to be was Toots Shor's, where you'd find sports icons, journalists, actors, mobsters or politicians lifting glasses in the same smoke-filled room.

Today's celebrity clubs and eateries are niche joints -- the film crowd inhabits one spot, the musicians go somewhere else, the journalists (the ones who still have a job) have a different hangout. But Toots Shor's was a watering hole where everyone rubbed elbows. You'd see Joe DiMaggio at one table, Jackie Gleason at another, the likes of Frank Gifford or Mickey Mantle or Walter Cronkite across the room. On one night, Toots could be seen having a drink with U.S. Chief Justice Earl Warren, then heading across the room to hang out with mob boss Frank Costello. As writer Pete Hamill says in the film, which opened Friday: "Toots' was a part of the imagination of people who had never even walked in there. They knew it existed the way they knew the Statue of Liberty existed."

Made by Kristi Jacobson, Toots' granddaughter, the documentary nicely captures a colorful period in American culture, a booze-fueled age when men cheerfully insulted each other, bet on the ponies and started drinking at lunch and often didn't stop till the sun came up. Toots kept everyone's glass filled to the brim. A giant of a man, he was famously gruff; he used to boast of receiving a letter from an out-of-towner who'd enjoyed the food, but advised that if he wanted to be successful "you'd better get rid of that fat slob of a headwaiter who spent most of his time insulting patrons."

Toots led by example. In the film, Jacobson's mother tells the story of when Toots breezed into church one morning, determined to be there for her confirmation (Toots was Jewish but his wife, a former showgirl affectionately known as Baby, raised the children Catholic). Toots had been out on the town all night, so he brought along his drinking buddy -- John Wayne. Toots wasn't much of a businessman, blowing most of the dough he ever made, but if he ever had problems with creditors, he'd turn to his mob pal Costello, who'd manage to set things right. One of the more interesting revelations in the movie is that when Toots needed ready cash to open a second restaurant in 1960, he went to Jimmy Hoffa, who loaned him $7 million from the Teamsters union's pension fund.

The best part of the movie is the great gallery of characters Jacobson assembled to tell the Toots anecdotes. The Teamsters tale comes courtesy of Gianni Russo. He looks so familiar, I said to Jacobson. Where have I seen him before? She laughed. "He played Carlo Rizzi in 'The Godfather.' " It made me wonder -- how mobbed up was Toots?

His granddaughter isn't really sure. "Gianni says that Frank Costello was in the saloon every day, so it's pretty obvious my grandfather and Costello were good friends -- my mother used to call him Uncle Frank. But no one knows the exact terms of the relationship. You could definitely say that being friends with Frank Costello protected Toots from a lot of problems."

Toots died when Jacobson was 6, so she had only vague memories of her grandfather. No one in the family told many stories about him. "When I first interviewed my mother, almost everything she told me was new to me," she says. "It was like opening the floodgates. I kept going, 'Wow, I'd never heard that before.' "

Some of her best interviews are with journalists, including Hamill, Mike Wallace, Dave Anderson (the New York Times sports columnist who wrote Shor's obituary), Gay Talese and Nick Pileggi, who tells of his days as a young Associated Press reporter, watching the older reporters and editors slip off in the middle of work for a quick snort at Toots', visits that were known as going on a "bombing run." "Toots had an undying passion for sports as well as tremendous respect for the guys who wrote about it," Jacobson says. "So I think he was fond of journalists, because they helped people connect with their heroes, but it was pretty savvy to treat the writers as well as you treated the sports stars."

It was clearly a different era. You can't help but notice in the film that it was very much a man's world -- women were allowed into Toots' joint only if accompanied by a man. It was also largely a white man's world, even though Jacobson says that Toots had a huge fight with the owner of the Stork Club when he refused entrance to Josephine Baker, a famous black singer of the time. Toots made sure she was welcome at his place. "What mattered to Toots was not who you were or where you were going, but if you did something," Jacobson says. "He came from nothing and liked being around people who'd had the same kind of success, having done it all on their own."

Here's one more story: One day, after Toots and Jackie Gleason had been drinking, the two burly men challenged each other to a bet over who could get around the block the quickest. Toots lurched around the block as fast as he could, sweating profusely the whole way, but when he returned, he found Gleason already at the front door, unwinded. It took Shor a while to figure out that he'd never seen Gleason pass him. Finally, Gleason merrily fessed up. He'd taken a cab. As Talese says in the movie, it was a different time. "People lived shorter lives then. But they were happier."

[email protected]


Pull up a chair: Toots Shor at his New York saloon
(Photo: Associated Press)

[dagosd2000]

Toots Shor's New York joint: When giants walked the earth


From movie stars to athletes to mob bosses, they rubbed elbows at Toots'.
By PATRICK GOLDSTEIN

Early on in "Toots," the new documentary about legendary New York saloon keeper Toots Shor, we get to see Frank Sinatra recalling the night Toots asked him to come to dinner at his joint with some of Toots' pals. The other pals? Bing Crosby, Jack Dempsey and Babe Ruth. As the four sultans of mid-century America made their way through the restaurant to a private table, the whole saloon spontaneously erupted with applause.

If you were a celebrity in New York from 1940 through the early 1960s, the place to be was Toots Shor's, where you'd find sports icons, journalists, actors, mobsters or politicians lifting glasses in the same smoke-filled room.

Today's celebrity clubs and eateries are niche joints -- the film crowd inhabits one spot, the musicians go somewhere else, the journalists (the ones who still have a job) have a different hangout. But Toots Shor's was a watering hole where everyone rubbed elbows. You'd see Joe DiMaggio at one table, Jackie Gleason at another, the likes of Frank Gifford or Mickey Mantle or Walter Cronkite across the room. On one night, Toots could be seen having a drink with U.S. Chief Justice Earl Warren, then heading across the room to hang out with mob boss Frank Costello. As writer Pete Hamill says in the film, which opened Friday: "Toots' was a part of the imagination of people who had never even walked in there. They knew it existed the way they knew the Statue of Liberty existed."

Made by Kristi Jacobson, Toots' granddaughter, the documentary nicely captures a colorful period in American culture, a booze-fueled age when men cheerfully insulted each other, bet on the ponies and started drinking at lunch and often didn't stop till the sun came up. Toots kept everyone's glass filled to the brim. A giant of a man, he was famously gruff; he used to boast of receiving a letter from an out-of-towner who'd enjoyed the food, but advised that if he wanted to be successful "you'd better get rid of that fat slob of a headwaiter who spent most of his time insulting patrons."

Toots led by example. In the film, Jacobson's mother tells the story of when Toots breezed into church one morning, determined to be there for her confirmation (Toots was Jewish but his wife, a former showgirl affectionately known as Baby, raised the children Catholic). Toots had been out on the town all night, so he brought along his drinking buddy -- John Wayne. Toots wasn't much of a businessman, blowing most of the dough he ever made, but if he ever had problems with creditors, he'd turn to his mob pal Costello, who'd manage to set things right. One of the more interesting revelations in the movie is that when Toots needed ready cash to open a second restaurant in 1960, he went to Jimmy Hoffa, who loaned him $7 million from the Teamsters union's pension fund.

The best part of the movie is the great gallery of characters Jacobson assembled to tell the Toots anecdotes. The Teamsters tale comes courtesy of Gianni Russo. He looks so familiar, I said to Jacobson. Where have I seen him before? She laughed. "He played Carlo Rizzi in 'The Godfather.' " It made me wonder -- how mobbed up was Toots?

His granddaughter isn't really sure. "Gianni says that Frank Costello was in the saloon every day, so it's pretty obvious my grandfather and Costello were good friends -- my mother used to call him Uncle Frank. But no one knows the exact terms of the relationship. You could definitely say that being friends with Frank Costello protected Toots from a lot of problems."

Toots died when Jacobson was 6, so she had only vague memories of her grandfather. No one in the family told many stories about him. "When I first interviewed my mother, almost everything she told me was new to me," she says. "It was like opening the floodgates. I kept going, 'Wow, I'd never heard that before.' "

Some of her best interviews are with journalists, including Hamill, Mike Wallace, Dave Anderson (the New York Times sports columnist who wrote Shor's obituary), Gay Talese and Nick Pileggi, who tells of his days as a young Associated Press reporter, watching the older reporters and editors slip off in the middle of work for a quick snort at Toots', visits that were known as going on a "bombing run." "Toots had an undying passion for sports as well as tremendous respect for the guys who wrote about it," Jacobson says. "So I think he was fond of journalists, because they helped people connect with their heroes, but it was pretty savvy to treat the writers as well as you treated the sports stars."

It was clearly a different era. You can't help but notice in the film that it was very much a man's world -- women were allowed into Toots' joint only if accompanied by a man. It was also largely a white man's world, even though Jacobson says that Toots had a huge fight with the owner of the Stork Club when he refused entrance to Josephine Baker, a famous black singer of the time. Toots made sure she was welcome at his place. "What mattered to Toots was not who you were or where you were going, but if you did something," Jacobson says. "He came from nothing and liked being around people who'd had the same kind of success, having done it all on their own."

Here's one more story: One day, after Toots and Jackie Gleason had been drinking, the two burly men challenged each other to a bet over who could get around the block the quickest. Toots lurched around the block as fast as he could, sweating profusely the whole way, but when he returned, he found Gleason already at the front door, unwinded. It took Shor a while to figure out that he'd never seen Gleason pass him. Finally, Gleason merrily fessed up. He'd taken a cab. As Talese says in the movie, it was a different time. "People lived shorter lives then. But they were happier."

[email protected]


Pull up a chair: Toots Shor at his New York saloon
(Photo: Associated Press)

Frank
Nice piece on Toots Shore. Mickey Mantle,Whitey Ford,Yogi,and Billy Martin frequented this watering hole many times. The Yankees thought Billy Martin was a bad influence on Mantle. Taking him out getting drunk all the time. In 1956 the Yankees traded Martin. One of the reasons was Martin's influence over the Mick. Martin responded.
"Shit,Mickey just won the Triple Crown. If it wasn't for me he'd be back in the Minors."

[kikibalt]

Frank
Didn't you handle a kid in the amateurs with the name,Roy"The Boy" Hollis? That's rough on a fighter,but I guess it sounds better than Roy"The Girl".

Diego, Roy Hollis was not my fighter, I just worked with him during the National G.G tourney in 1973, like Rick said, he was the only L.A. fighter to win the National's that year.
He turn pro and had 5-6 fights and then he became a biker, that was the end of his boxing career....


Roy Hollis, third from left, back row


Roy with the black hood, to my right is Roy's dad (Dont remember his name), he, at the time was a retired LAPD cop.

[dagosd2000]

Frank
Didn't you handle a kid in the amateurs with the name,Roy"The Boy" Hollis? That's rough on a fighter,but I guess it sounds better than Roy"The Girl".

Diego, Roy Hollis was not my fighter, I just worked with him during the National G.G tourney in 1973, like Rick said, he was the only L.A. fighter to win the National's that year.
He turn pro and had 5-6 fights and then he became a biker, that was the end of his boxing career....

Biking and boxing--Not very compatible. Hell's Angels are good in bar fights,but in a boxing ring,I think they'd run out of gas.

[kikibalt]

[kikibalt]

Oscar De La Hoya eager for Manny Pacquiao fight


Kevork Djansezian / Associated Press
Oscar De La Hoya, photographed during an open workout at his training camp in Big Bear, is preparing for his Dec. 6 fight against Manny Pacquiao.
De La Hoya appears to have a power advantage going into the Dec. 6 bout.

By Lance Pugmire

"You've never seen me like this," Oscar De La Hoya says loudly, lying on his back on the boxing ring canvas of a Big Bear Lake training gym. "You'll never see me like this."

If the strategy De La Hoya refined in the San Bernardino Mountains works as planned, the person he expects to be flat on his back on Dec. 6 is his opponent, Manny Pacquiao.

De La Hoya, 35, hasn't knocked down a fighter in more than two years, and he hasn't won by a true knockout since 2000 when he belted the forgotten Derrell Coley. In 11 fights since, De La Hoya suffered four losses and the most impressive of his four technical knockouts came against Fernando Vargas in 2002.

But now, De La Hoya, who has fought at or above 150 pounds in nine consecutive bouts, has a date with current lightweight (135-pound) champion Pacquiao in a bout set at 147 pounds. It was a match made mostly because of the can't-miss marketing appeal that pits the world's most popular fighter against the sport's top pound-for-pound champion.

The Golden Boy's natural size advantage -- four inches in height and six inches in reach over Pacquiao -- plus a noticeable disparity in power was evident as The Times spent back-to-back days with the boxers recently at their Southern California training camps.

Pacquiao's rapid-fire hits into the stomach pad of his trainer Freddie Roach were impressive. But De La Hoya's grunting blasts to his corner assistant's hand pads make it clear Pacquiao's gifted speed better be accompanied by brilliant defense.

"I'm scared, I'm scared . . . I'm scared of what I can do to him," De La Hoya says after nearly three hours of training.

Even those in Pacquiao's promotional company have privately expressed fears that De La Hoya's "big left hook" can bring a sudden end to a Las Vegas fight that sold out in less than two hours. De La Hoya is about a 2-to-1 favorite over the southpaw Pacquiao, according to the MGM/Mirage Race and Sports Book.

A knockout, that's my goal," De La Hoya says. "I can knock you out with one punch. My left is lethal. I can cut you up with a straight jab. If I land an uppercut with full force, the fight's over."

And because he returned to training to the 7,500 feet of elevation in Big Bear for the first time in four years, De La Hoya says he feels assured he won't tire in late rounds as he did in losing a split-decision to Mayweather and failing to floor Steve Forbes in a bland decision win last May.

Those who time De La Hoya's mountain runs say he conquers an eight-mile course of hilly trails in 48 minutes. He's maintaining a disciplined diet that includes kangaroo and deer meat, says he rests often and he weighed in one month before fight night at a manageable 151 pounds.

"I'm not worried about Manny's youth," De La Hoya says of his 29-year-old foe. "I'm training for 12 hard rounds, and I'll be looking for the knockout in the later rounds, too, not just the early ones.

"I understand Manny Pacquiao won't be getting tired. This motivates me. It's why I chose this fight. I'm glad they're thinking that they want to take me into deep waters. Let him. They'll see what my condition is."

In one scene at his gym, new trainer Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain urged De La Hoya to hold up his left arm before driving his fist forward. Beristain knows Pacquiao well, watching him from the corner of super-featherweight Juan Manuel Marquez, who has fought Pacquiao to a draw (at 126 pounds) and a split-decision loss (at 130). De La Hoya is urged to punch like "a loaded spring," brother and assistant trainer Joel De La Hoya says.

Freddie Roach, De La Hoya's former trainer and Pacquiao's current corner man, has said he doubts De La Hoya will implement any new instruction. "At this point," Roach says, "all Oscar needs is someone to get him a sip of water between rounds."

But Joel De La Hoya says, "There's always room for improvement, and [Oscar] knows that. Nacho opens doors for Oscar. He knows Pacquiao. The game plan is to exploit Pacquiao's rambunctious style -- throw punches right away and keep the jab out there."

Given Pacquiao's fighting style, Beristain is emphasizing to De La Hoya the value of accuracy and proper punching angles, and shifting his weight to maximize the effect of his hard left hook, De La Hoya says.

"I'm still a student of the game," De La Hoya says. "The day I stop learning is the day I retire."

In Hollywood, where Roach has been schooling Pacquiao for this fight, the trainer said he was convinced his fighter could handle De La Hoya because of a training-camp episode in Puerto Rico when Roach trained De La Hoya for the 2007 Mayweather bout. They had brought in a small southpaw, Ivan Calderon, for a session, and De La Hoya "couldn't hit the guy," Roach says. "I knew he'd had trouble with speedy, little guys."

De La Hoya is told that story, and he laughs.

"Freddie . . . he has to be kidding around," De La Hoya says. "If Freddie is looking at me sparring with Calderon as some secret . . . the guy's a 106-pounder. I could've blown him over. I didn't want to hurt him. They better change their whole game plan if they're relying on that.

"I'm always working on different things in here. I have more bad days in the gym than good days. But I'm not a gym fighter, I'm a prizefighter. And when the bell rings, the prizefight begins. I'll be ready."

Pugmire is a Times staff writer.

[kikibalt]

Antonio Margarito-Shane Mosley Deal Reached For 1/24?

By Mark Vester

According to Francisco Espinoza, co-manager of WBA welterweight champion Antonio Margarito, a deal has been reached for a title defense against Shane Mosley on January 24 in Las Vegas. There were ongoing negotiations for the last few weeks that broke down last Tuesday when Margarito, angry that Mosley wanted a 50-50 split, turned down the fight. Golden Boy Promotions tried to secure WBC champ Andre Berto for Molsey but there were numerous issues ranging from money to Berto losing his title for not making his mandatory obligation against Luis Collazo.

Espinoza told the usually reliable Notifight, that HBO, who put up a previous license fee of $4 million dollars, came to the table with a new offer late Friday night. Team Margarito went over the offer and approved it over the weekend. The previous license fee being put up by HBO was $4 million dollars. Espinoza did not disclose the financial terms of the new deal.

Espinoza told Notifight that Margarito accepted the deal and is making plans for his Los Angeles training camp. More details to come.

[Randyman]

Hey, Frankie, everyone is saying Hatton looked good.

An, everyone is wrong....

He had a big one with Mayweather, and lost. Chances are very good that one last money-maker looms on the horizon for Ricky Hatton; Oscar De La Hoya. And he'll lose that one too. However, he's doing the smart thing, cash-in on a couple high profile tomato cans like Maggi, and then cash out against Oscar.

Ricky Hatton's cash register isn't empty yet, and despite engaging in tough fights, he still hasn't taken a beatin'. Floyd whipped him, but didn't break his spirit. As Bennie said, Hatton's basicly on the flip side of his career, however, in this economy I can't blame a tough guy like Ricky Hatton for hanging around thru 2009, especially considering the strong possibility that he and Oscar will end up fighting.

DLH is boxing's cash cow, everything he touches turns to gold and he's actually fair in his accounting with the boxers. One payday fighting Oscar might equal as much as the popular Hatton has earned in his career. Would he win? Never, not in this lifetime. OF course, this is just my opinion, I just dont see it happening. Ricky Hatton is a tough guy, but not in Oscar's league. Oscar would beat up a guy like Hatton, but the beatin won't kill him, and he'll walk away with enough money to assure a comfortable future for himself and his family (unless he's a financial moron like most boxers ).

Ricky Hatton is today's version of a former featherweight contender from Canada, Art Hafey. We didn't have a lot of alphabet organizations in Hafey's day, so he didn't get a piece of that championship pie. Hafey also was in a tougher division and era than Hatton. Hafey's peers were Bobby Chacon, Danny Lopez, Ruben Olivares, Alexis Arguello, to name a few. Opposition wise, Hatton hasn't faced the competition Art fought (save Mayweather). Match Ricky with a Floyd or Oscar, and he's pretty much the same as Hafey was against Danny Lopez and Arguello. Close, but no cigar.

Hang in Ricky, Oscar's still out there.

-Ricardo

I for one don't want to see Ricky Hatton fight Oscar De La Hoya but a match up Hatton and Manny Pacquiao would be huge.

Rick, that's a good analogy between Art Hafey and Hatton and I agree about the competition too but even given that, I think Hatton is a much more durable fighter. There was a certain frailty about Hafey. I know you mentioned he had a medical condition. That]s probably what kept him from reaching his full potential. Internally, he was a tough guy but I think his body betrayed him.

While on the subject of Hatton, it doesn't matter where he fights, he makes that place his hometown. His fans literally overwhelm any arena. Hafey never enjoyed that kind of loyalty from the Canadians.

Randy

[Randyman]

Rick
It's funny,but if you turn the clock back and look at the guys we on this thread admire,I can't think of anyone that DIDN'T look like a fighter. I'm not saying Hatton and the British Bacala Eater looked wimpy,but they looked like something out of the realm of the WWF. The loud music entering the ring. The pyrotechnics. The goofy looking trunks. I'm even tired of "Let's get ready to rumble". Imagine,Buffer has a copywrite on that line. And the nicknames. Every fighter has to have a nickname. You're something less of a fighter if you don't have a nickname. You have to have a nickname to enhance your image before you get into the ring.

Give me Jimmy Lennon Jr any day of the week. no over the top theatrics. For my money his old man was the best!! I still prefer boxing trunks to anything else. Which begs the question: Why is there anything else?

Randy

[Randyman]

Antonio Margarito-Shane Mosley Deal Reached For 1/24?

By Mark Vester

According to Francisco Espinoza, co-manager of WBA welterweight champion Antonio Margarito, a deal has been reached for a title defense against Shane Mosley on January 24 in Las Vegas. There were ongoing negotiations for the last few weeks that broke down last Tuesday when Margarito, angry that Mosley wanted a 50-50 split, turned down the fight. Golden Boy Promotions tried to secure WBC champ Andre Berto for Molsey but there were numerous issues ranging from money to Berto losing his title for not making his mandatory obligation against Luis Collazo.

Espinoza told the usually reliable Notifight, that HBO, who put up a previous license fee of $4 million dollars, came to the table with a new offer late Friday night. Team Margarito went over the offer and approved it over the weekend. The previous license fee being put up by HBO was $4 million dollars. Espinoza did not disclose the financial terms of the new deal.

Espinoza told Notifight that Margarito accepted the deal and is making plans for his Los Angeles training camp. More details to come.

If Shane Mosley is looking to make as much money as he can before he exits boxing than this is the fight for him. I don't fault anyone in this business or any business for trying to make as much money as possible. On the other hand, if he has serious plans on beating Antonio Margarito and reconquering the welters, he has another think coming.

I don't like this fight for Mosley. Despite his stoppage of Ricardo Mayorga a couple of months back, and all the ballyhoo that followed, he really did not look that great. Mosley has always been one of my favorite fighters. A good guy. The kind of fighter the guys on this thread appreciate. Whatever way it goes I wish him well. I like Margarito too. If they do fight let the best man win.

[Randyman]

Frank
Didn't you handle a kid in the amateurs with the name,Roy"The Boy" Hollis? That's rough on a fighter,but I guess it sounds better than Roy"The Girl".

Diego, Roy Hollis was not my fighter, I just worked with him during the National G.G tourney in 1973, like Rick said, he was the only L.A. fighter to win the National's that year.
He turn pro and had 5-6 fights and then he became a biker, that was the end of his boxing career....


Roy Hollis, third from left, back row


Roy with the black hood, to my right is Roy's dad (Dont remember his name), he, at the time was a retired LAPD cop.

Frank, the guy in the white teeshirt in the black and white photo, is that Art Frias? Hard to tell because he looks so young and his face is not 100% clear.

Randy

[Randyman]

Toots Shor's New York joint: When giants walked the earth


From movie stars to athletes to mob bosses, they rubbed elbows at Toots'.
By PATRICK GOLDSTEIN

Early on in "Toots," the new documentary about legendary New York saloon keeper Toots Shor, we get to see Frank Sinatra recalling the night Toots asked him to come to dinner at his joint with some of Toots' pals. The other pals? Bing Crosby, Jack Dempsey and Babe Ruth. As the four sultans of mid-century America made their way through the restaurant to a private table, the whole saloon spontaneously erupted with applause.

If you were a celebrity in New York from 1940 through the early 1960s, the place to be was Toots Shor's, where you'd find sports icons, journalists, actors, mobsters or politicians lifting glasses in the same smoke-filled room.

Today's celebrity clubs and eateries are niche joints -- the film crowd inhabits one spot, the musicians go somewhere else, the journalists (the ones who still have a job) have a different hangout. But Toots Shor's was a watering hole where everyone rubbed elbows. You'd see Joe DiMaggio at one table, Jackie Gleason at another, the likes of Frank Gifford or Mickey Mantle or Walter Cronkite across the room. On one night, Toots could be seen having a drink with U.S. Chief Justice Earl Warren, then heading across the room to hang out with mob boss Frank Costello. As writer Pete Hamill says in the film, which opened Friday: "Toots' was a part of the imagination of people who had never even walked in there. They knew it existed the way they knew the Statue of Liberty existed."

Made by Kristi Jacobson, Toots' granddaughter, the documentary nicely captures a colorful period in American culture, a booze-fueled age when men cheerfully insulted each other, bet on the ponies and started drinking at lunch and often didn't stop till the sun came up. Toots kept everyone's glass filled to the brim. A giant of a man, he was famously gruff; he used to boast of receiving a letter from an out-of-towner who'd enjoyed the food, but advised that if he wanted to be successful "you'd better get rid of that fat slob of a headwaiter who spent most of his time insulting patrons."

Toots led by example. In the film, Jacobson's mother tells the story of when Toots breezed into church one morning, determined to be there for her confirmation (Toots was Jewish but his wife, a former showgirl affectionately known as Baby, raised the children Catholic). Toots had been out on the town all night, so he brought along his drinking buddy -- John Wayne. Toots wasn't much of a businessman, blowing most of the dough he ever made, but if he ever had problems with creditors, he'd turn to his mob pal Costello, who'd manage to set things right. One of the more interesting revelations in the movie is that when Toots needed ready cash to open a second restaurant in 1960, he went to Jimmy Hoffa, who loaned him $7 million from the Teamsters union's pension fund.

The best part of the movie is the great gallery of characters Jacobson assembled to tell the Toots anecdotes. The Teamsters tale comes courtesy of Gianni Russo. He looks so familiar, I said to Jacobson. Where have I seen him before? She laughed. "He played Carlo Rizzi in 'The Godfather.' " It made me wonder -- how mobbed up was Toots?

His granddaughter isn't really sure. "Gianni says that Frank Costello was in the saloon every day, so it's pretty obvious my grandfather and Costello were good friends -- my mother used to call him Uncle Frank. But no one knows the exact terms of the relationship. You could definitely say that being friends with Frank Costello protected Toots from a lot of problems."

Toots died when Jacobson was 6, so she had only vague memories of her grandfather. No one in the family told many stories about him. "When I first interviewed my mother, almost everything she told me was new to me," she says. "It was like opening the floodgates. I kept going, 'Wow, I'd never heard that before.' "

Some of her best interviews are with journalists, including Hamill, Mike Wallace, Dave Anderson (the New York Times sports columnist who wrote Shor's obituary), Gay Talese and Nick Pileggi, who tells of his days as a young Associated Press reporter, watching the older reporters and editors slip off in the middle of work for a quick snort at Toots', visits that were known as going on a "bombing run." "Toots had an undying passion for sports as well as tremendous respect for the guys who wrote about it," Jacobson says. "So I think he was fond of journalists, because they helped people connect with their heroes, but it was pretty savvy to treat the writers as well as you treated the sports stars."

It was clearly a different era. You can't help but notice in the film that it was very much a man's world -- women were allowed into Toots' joint only if accompanied by a man. It was also largely a white man's world, even though Jacobson says that Toots had a huge fight with the owner of the Stork Club when he refused entrance to Josephine Baker, a famous black singer of the time. Toots made sure she was welcome at his place. "What mattered to Toots was not who you were or where you were going, but if you did something," Jacobson says. "He came from nothing and liked being around people who'd had the same kind of success, having done it all on their own."

Here's one more story: One day, after Toots and Jackie Gleason had been drinking, the two burly men challenged each other to a bet over who could get around the block the quickest. Toots lurched around the block as fast as he could, sweating profusely the whole way, but when he returned, he found Gleason already at the front door, unwinded. It took Shor a while to figure out that he'd never seen Gleason pass him. Finally, Gleason merrily fessed up. He'd taken a cab. As Talese says in the movie, it was a different time. "People lived shorter lives then. But they were happier."

[email protected]


Pull up a chair: Toots Shor at his New York saloon
(Photo: Associated Press)

Toots Shor, one of Mels Favorite subjects. I was born a hundred years too late. I think I would have enjoyed the old days. When men were men. Good article! Is there any place like that today anywhere? Imagine, Toot Shor's and Jack Dempsey's Restaurant, what an era! The only thing they lacked was the "Boom Boom" club.


Randy

[Randyman]

Rick, Hassan is listed in the program as wbhf "Seargant of Arms".
Does that mean he is the bouncer?
Wait till Uncle John hears about this!
I was "Saergent at Arms" for a Teamster local back in the mid eighties.
I wonder is it the same thing.

You know Pug, I could never figure out what we needed a Seargent of Arms for. Truth is, we got a guy who thinks he can use Hassan for muscle. When I see a guy like that, all I'm looking at is a big TARGET, one that's slow. The sick part of me is intrigued with the idea of this guy attempting to throw me out of anything. I need to share a very sad incident that happened after the banquet, involving Bobby Chacon, the Arab, and one of our directors who is a good earner for the organization, but disrespectful of the legends (I'll discuss that later). By the way Pug, I couldn't help but think what would happen to the guy if he tried to eject you. I picture a scene from an old Laurel & Hardy movie, where some tough guy took their arms and legs and tied them in knots. I can picture Hassan attempting to roll his knotted body out the front door of the Marriott after tangling with our Ex Pug. I mean, why bother to punch the guy and risk bruising your knuckles? You have many options, amigo.

-Rick

You are a real fighter Rick.
Hassan wouldnt be able to throw you out of anything any where.
He would wind up with a handful of teeth.
I didnt know Hassan was involved in that incident with Bobby.
Its very infuriating.

What happened with Bobby?

[Expug]

Rick
It's funny,but if you turn the clock back and look at the guys we on this thread admire,I can't think of anyone that DIDN'T look like a fighter. I'm not saying Hatton and the British Bacala Eater looked wimpy,but they looked like something out of the realm of the WWF. The loud music entering the ring. The pyrotechnics. The goofy looking trunks. I'm even tired of "Let's get ready to rumble". Imagine,Buffer has a copywrite on that line. And the nicknames. Every fighter has to have a nickname. You're something less of a fighter if you don't have a nickname. You have to have a nickname to enhance your image before you get into the ring.

Give me Jimmy Lennon Jr any day of the week. no over the top theatrics. For my money his old man was the best!! I still prefer boxing trunks to anything else. Which begs the question: Why is there anything else?

Randy

You guys have got it right.
I think theres a dignity to boxing...when its done right.
Jimmy Lennon was pure class. I enjoy listening to him.

You guys would have liked Ben Bentley too.
It remains one of my fondest memories when he was ring announcer for a fight of mine.
Hell, he did some of Suger Ray Robinsons fights among others.

Whats funny is, my cousin, slipped in some music with the guy running the sound for my little walk to the ring.
I didnt know anything about it.
Ben Bentley did something that Ive never seen before or since.
He yelled into the Michrophone"Turn the Music Down"!
I started laughing right there in the ring.

[Randyman]

Boxing Hall of Fame Event
By Michele Chong

The WBHF’s 29th Annual Banquet of Champions

The brightest stars in the boxing universe all converged at the World Boxing Hall of Fame’s 29th Annual Banquet of Champions in Los Angeles, California this past weekend. From shining superstars Lennox Lewis and Israel Vazquez, to old-school legends George Chuvalo and Emile Griffith, to young contenders Alfonso Gomez and Alfredo Angulo, over 50 fight luminaries shared the spotlight at last Saturday’s festivities.

Starting with the kickoff press conference at the El Paseo Inn of the famed Olvera Street to the black-tie awards dinner, it was a weekend chock full of events honoring boxing’s best in the world.

These kings of the ring enjoyed catching up with each other by the pool and garden at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott, while soaking up the sunshine in unseasonably warm weather (even for L.A. standards) of 90 degree temperatures, and reconnecting with boxing pals during this yearly gathering on the West Coast. Heavyweight George Chuvalo, who flew in from Canada, told me, “I really look forward to seeing old friends at this affair as they come in from all over the country.”

There was also a lot good-natured ribbing when new Hall of Famer Greg Haugen arrived sporting a fresh black eye. As former pugilists asked him if he was planning a comeback, the slugger joked, “I used to fight two to three times a week–I’d beat Pacquiao right now!”

As the out-of-town boxers came in one by one, each made time to greet the new inductees, taking part in friendly get-togethers with former rivals, and meeting fans during the two WBHF events on Saturday.

First up was the Autograph and Memorabilia Show featured in a large hall full of vendors, all offering their wares in a wide spectrum of merchandise like miniature Cleto Reyes keychains, vintage magazines, bobble heads, boxing club T-shirts and caps, 8 mm fight footage, rare boxing photos and books, championship belts, bronze sculptures, framed posters, and even issues of Playboy magazine (from cover girl and boxer Mia St. John). Both St. John and first-time participant “Terrible” Terry Norris each spearhead their own charity foundations and had displays of their worthwhile efforts at this show.

Grown men became wide-eyed little boys again as they got to shake hands with favorite fighters of their childhood, whom they had watched on TV while growing up. Boxing fans were like kids in a candy store at the collectible show, held at the same hotel on the morning of the awards dinner. This was a golden opportunity for the fans, as they made their way down “Champions Row,” a lineup of boxing’s past and present icons, where they could get autographs and pose for photos with these famous punchers who were accessible to all–it was boxing bliss.

There was something for everyone at this memorabilia show, including a fundraising raffle and silent auction, and let me tell you, it was also a shopper’s paradise for a fight fan. Amazing merchandise was available throughout the venue. I did some early Christmas shopping (for myself!) and bought Emile Griffith’s new book (which he autographed), a cool leather Mayweather-Hatton jacket (a steal at just $20!), tons of new WBHF logo souvenirs (great job, Yolanda Muniz), and gorgeous custom boxing gloves with images of fighters on them (courtesy of nazoboxing.com).

Towards the end of the afternoon, I even caught the “eye of the tiger” and couldn’t resist testing out a pair of guantes Cleto-Reyes in an impromptu “sparring session.” Two willing and kind opponents, Armando Muniz and Danny “Little Red” Lopez volunteered to step in with me, once I got the “go ahead” from their wives, of course. It was so much fun–if only I had started a boxing career earlier, hey, maybe “I coulda been a contenda.” Yeah, well, back to reality…I’ll let the true warriors do what they do best–box in the ring and manage to make it look easy. Both Mando and “Little Red” let me attempt to catch them with some body shots, even giving me some veteran’s advice as Lopez reminded me to “step into your punches and put your weight behind your shots.” Thanks, guys, hope I didn’t hurt you too badly!

The WBHF weekend gives everyone a place to connect where everybody shares the same passion–boxing. And it’s always such a treat to chitchat with these working legends in the fight game.

Early in the afternoon, cutman Miguel Diaz chatted with me about his recent corner work with Kelly Pavlik during the Youngstown hero’s disappointing loss to Bernard Hopkins, “Kelly had bronchitis days before the fight, but that’s not an excuse. He’s got such raw, crude punching power–Kelly will be back, but probably not at 170.”

While heading into the dinner, I also ran into trainer Freddie Roach. When asked about his fighter Manny Pacquiao’s upcoming bout against Oscar De La Hoya, he told me, “Manny and I are ready for December.”

And ring official Marty Denkin spoke to me about boxing’s unsung heroes, the cornermen, “I’ve always believed that corner people and officials never go away. We may die–but until we do–we don’t go away. We’re steadfast; cornermen go about their business and usually don’t make a lot of money.” Denkin, President of the Referees’ Association, presented the Induction award to Miguel Diaz during the banquet.

The main event was the Banquet of Champions Induction Dinner and Awards Show with the new 2008 Inductees accepting their awards, watching their own fight highlights on the big screens, and sharing a mutual admiration for their fellow boxers. The banquet extravaganza was full of electricity and excitement and the acceptance speeches were both heartfelt and entertaining. On this special evening, these warriors–who have sacrificed their bodies and unfortunately sometimes their long-term health–got their well-earned spot in the limelight.

This year’s class included Lennox Lewis, Greg Haugen, Marvin Johnson, Pernell Whitaker, Alberto Reyes, Miguel Diaz, Gilberto Mendoza, and Akihiko Honda.

A media and fan frenzy erupted when Lennox Lewis entered the banquet room at the sold-out celebration. The 6′ 5″ Lewis was like the “Pied Piper” of boxing on this night. Wherever he went, a mob of excited fans ran behind him, swarming the heavyweight champ as he graciously signed autographs for several lucky attendees in the crowd, passing out autographed photos of himself to the ones he couldn’t get to. The current HBO commentator, always a first-class act, accepted his Hall of Fame award by saying, “It’s a great pleasure to be inducted and to follow the other champs before me.” He also paid tribute to three of his coaches, including Emanuel Steward, his mother, and his wife, who the champ says “rescued him from boxing and came around at the right time.”

While receiving his award, Alaska’s Toughman combatant turned boxing champion Greg Haugen said, “It’s been a long road to get here.” He also thanked his brother, sister, children, and other family members in attendance, adding with a laugh, “My brothers were my ‘punching bags’ and my sister was my first ’sparring partner’!”

New inductee and southpaw Marvin Johnson took time to give his wife a lot of credit for his success, “I want to recognize the ladies in a fighter’s life. My wife kept the kids out of my way and cooked for me, taking care of me as I went from being a nobody to champion of the world.” The Indianapolis native said his son, Brandon Johnson (also a southpaw), is boxing now and hopes to make his own name known in a couple of years.

On stage, two especially poignant moments took place that really moved the crowd. One was when Inductee Alberto Reyes (of Cleto Reyes gloves) was surprised with a beautiful photo montage of his father, Don Cleto Reyes Castro, founder and manufacturer of the Mexico City-based glove company. The montage was a gift from Alberto’s children Malena, Elizabeth, and Beto, who joined him on the podium in a family embrace. Reyes was clearly touched by this sentimental and emotional moment that honored both himself and his late father.

The other standout was when Genaro “Chicanito” Hernandez accepted an award for Akihiko Honda, the influential promoter and President of the Japanese Teiken Promotions. The two-time World Champion had fought in Japan and has a long-standing relationship with Teiken and Honda, “I’ve known him for 20 years. He’s a humanitarian with a big heart, whose generosity is tremendous.” What the crowd later learned is that “Chicanito” has been stricken with a rare form of cancer and will be undergoing chemotherapy in a couple of weeks. On this night, it was a bittersweet reminder that the boxing community really becomes your second family, with fighters there for one another.

During the ceremony, a special award was given to Israel Vazquez, who accepted the “Fight of the Year” award for the third installment of the Vazquez-Marquez trilogy. The always polite super bantamweight said, “I’m very happy for this moment and I thank Frank Espinoza and the promoters.” Appreciation and Recognition Awards were also given to recipients: cutman Chuck Bodak, promoter Bob Arum, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, Councilman Bernard Parks, L.A. Sheriff Lee Baca, fighter Raul Rojas, and American Sports University founder Dr. Harry Hwang. Posthumous awards were presented to the families of Armando Ramos and 2008 Inductee Guido Bardelli (”Young Firpo”).

They say seeing is believing and there were so many fighters there in person that if you “boxrec’ed” everyone on the dais, you’d have a power outage on your computer. It was good to see everybody supporting this non-profit organization, whose motto is “Where champions live forever.” So here is a roll call of all the boxing personalities I saw at either the press conference, the President’s Dinner, the Autograph and Memorabilia Show, or at the Banquet of Champions. I’m quite sure several champs may have snuck by me; if I left anyone out, it was not intentional!

I want to give each of these individuals their due for coming out and giving their time to the boxing fans:

2008 Inductees Lennox Lewis, Greg Haugen, Marvin Johnson, Alberto Reyes, Miguel Diaz, Gilberto Mendoza, trainer Freddie Roach, fighters Israel Vazquez, Alfonso Gomez, Alfredo Angulo, Terry Norris, Tommy Morrison, George Chuvalo, Emile Griffith, Genaro Hernandez, Henry Tillman, Mia St. John, Alvaro “Yaqui” Lopez, Carlos Ortiz, Bobby Chacon, Carlos Palomino, Paul Gonzales, Rodolfo Gonzalez, Danny “Little Red” Lopez, Armando Muniz, Paul Banke, Gil King, Lee Roy Murphy, Raul Rojas, Gaspar Ortega, Frankie Duarte, Andy Heilman, John Montes Jr., Rene Arredondo, Alex Ramos, Zack Padilla, Orlando De La Fuente, Andy Price, Joey Orbillo, managers Frank Espinoza and Jackie Kallen, referees and judges Robert Byrd, Marty Denkin, Raul Caiz Sr., Pat Russell, Gwen Adair, cornerman Jim Strickland, announcers Tom Kelly (USC) and Johnny “Flash” Ortiz, and Councilman Bernard Parks.

An unforgettable night was in store for you if you had a ticket to the event, but if you missed this year’s dinner, no worries–their big 30th Annual Banquet of Champions will take place in approximately 360 days from now! Cheers to WBHF President Adolfo Perez, the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors for a job well done.

It's funny how they never mentioned the guys from "Classic American West Coast Boxing" in this article. Professional jealousy?

Randy

[kikibalt]

Frank
Didn't you handle a kid in the amateurs with the name,Roy"The Boy" Hollis? That's rough on a fighter,but I guess it sounds better than Roy"The Girl".

Diego, Roy Hollis was not my fighter, I just worked with him during the National G.G tourney in 1973, like Rick said, he was the only L.A. fighter to win the National's that year.
He turn pro and had 5-6 fights and then he became a biker, that was the end of his boxing career....


Roy Hollis, third from left, back row


Roy with the black hood, to my right is Roy's dad (Dont remember his name), he, at the time was a retired LAPD cop.

Frank, the guy in the white teeshirt in the black and white photo, is that Art Frias? Hard to tell because he looks so young and his face is not 100% clear.

Randy

Yes!

[Randyman]

Photo and caption by Dan Hanley Jr.


Our own Brian Higgins with Rodolfo 'El Gato' Gonzalez and Danny 'Little Red' Lopez

Three great fighting men!

[kikibalt]

Antonio Margarito-Shane Mosley Confirmed as Done Deal

By Robert Morales

Bob Arum on Monday confirmed that a last-minute deal has been reached for a Jan. 24 fight between welterweight champion Antonio Margarito of Mexico and "Sugar" Shane Mosley of Pomona, Calif.

It will take place at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

The accord came just days after the fight appeared dead in the water. Margarito was not happy with a 50-50 split of the purse and had rejected the fight.

But HBO stepped back up to the plate.

"They agreed to make an additional payment to Margarito through us on the basis that he is the champion and that solidified the deal," said Arum, who promotes Margarito under his Top Rank Inc. banner.

Arum said that Mosley and Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, have signed off on the deal. Arum said Margarito and his management team also have given their approval. Margarito hasn't actually signed the contract, but Arum said that would come "whenever we get everything ready. But it's done."

Arum said that this is going to be a good way to start off 2009, which, until this, had little in the way of big fights scheduled for the first quarter of the new year.

"It's good, competitive fight and that always helps boxing," Arum said. "And people don't have to go to their pocketbooks because it is not a pay-per-view fight."

Robert Morales covers boxing for the Los Angeles Daily News, ESPN.com, Long Beach Press-Telegram, and BS.com

[Randyman]

Frank, the guy in the white teeshirt in the black and white photo, is that Art Frias? Hard to tell because he looks so young and his face is not 100% clear.

Randy

Yes!

I always liked Frias. He was a tough little work horse but he was limited. I remember once you and Rick said you were going to share a funny story about Art. I'm still waiting!!

Randy

[Expug]

Photo and caption by Dan Hanley Jr.


Our own Brian Higgins with Rodolfo 'El Gato' Gonzalez and Danny 'Little Red' Lopez

Three great fighting men!

Thats very nice of you Randy.
But Those two guys were great great champions.
Rodolfo is a little before my time, but I am a huge fan of little Red.
He was such an exciting warrior and such a humble nice guy.
He remains one of my all time favorite athletes in any sport.

[Expug]

Frank, the guy in the white teeshirt in the black and white photo, is that Art Frias? Hard to tell because he looks so young and his face is not 100% clear.

Randy

Yes!

I always liked Frias. He was a tough little work horse but he was limited. I remember once you and Rick said you were going to share a funny story about Art. I'm still waiting!!

Randy

I liked Arturo also Randy.
He was a good fighter .His fight with Mancini was a tremendous one round fight.
Frias had nothing to be ashamed of in losing that one.
It may go down as a loss in the first, but he fought his heart out.
Maybe, its better to lose one like that and go out like a champion on his shield than to run around the ring like a clown and stink a joint out no?

[Randyman]

Rick
It's funny,but if you turn the clock back and look at the guys we on this thread admire,I can't think of anyone that DIDN'T look like a fighter. I'm not saying Hatton and the British Bacala Eater looked wimpy,but they looked like something out of the realm of the WWF. The loud music entering the ring. The pyrotechnics. The goofy looking trunks. I'm even tired of "Let's get ready to rumble". Imagine,Buffer has a copywrite on that line. And the nicknames. Every fighter has to have a nickname. You're something less of a fighter if you don't have a nickname. You have to have a nickname to enhance your image before you get into the ring.

Give me Jimmy Lennon Jr any day of the week. no over the top theatrics. For my money his old man was the best!! I still prefer boxing trunks to anything else. Which begs the question: Why is there anything else?

Randy

You guys have got it right.
I think theres a dignity to boxing...when its done right.
Jimmy Lennon was pure class. I enjoy listening to him.

You guys would have liked Ben Bentley too.
It remains one of my fondest memories when he was ring announcer for a fight of mine.
Hell, he did some of Suger Ray Robinsons fights among others.

Whats funny is, my cousin, slipped in some music with the guy running the sound for my little walk to the ring.
I didnt know anything about it.
Ben Bentley did something that Ive never seen before or since.
He yelled into the Michrophone"Turn the Music Down"!
I started laughing right there in the ring.

Pug, Bentley sounds like my kind of guy!
Dignity "Missing in Action". I don't think some of todays "fighters" know the meaning of the word, not all but some. Goes for outside the ring too. There should be a class in high school called Dignity and Respect 101. God knows it needs to be taught.

Randy

[Randyman]

Frank, the guy in the white teeshirt in the black and white photo, is that Art Frias? Hard to tell because he looks so young and his face is not 100% clear.

Randy

Yes!

I always liked Frias. He was a tough little work horse but he was limited. I remember once you and Rick said you were going to share a funny story about Art. I'm still waiting!!

Randy

I liked Arturo also Randy.
He was a good fighter .His fight with Mancini was a tremendous one round fight.
Frias had nothing to be ashamed of in losing that one.
It may go down as a loss in the first, but he fought his heart out.
Maybe, its better to lose one like that and go out like a champion on his shield than to run around the ring like a clown and stink a joint out no?

I agree. Limited or not, he gave his all. Especially in that fight with Mancini. He didn't take the easy way out. He did what he was supposed to do. He fought! What more can we ask of a man?

Randy