Classic American West Coast Boxing

[Rick Farris]

Lowen and Navarro's . . . "Dreams I Left Behind"

As I was writing about the events of yesterday, I put on this CD and played one of my favorite recordings. It seemd appropriate. By the way, the "Navarro" of Lowen & Navarro, is Dan Navarro, son of our pal Hap.

-Rick Farris

After listening to my Lowen & Navarro CD, "Broken Dreams", I found a number of Lowen & Navarro music videos on YouTube. Great Music! While looking thru the list of available videos, I saw one in which they performed with another musician, Neil Tardio Jr. The name instantly caught my eye as the musician's father, Neil Tardio Sr., is a very successful TV commercial producer/director. In the late 80's-early 90's, I shot a number of national TV spots with Neil Sr. and recall that his son was a musician. If you guys get a chance, check out Lowen & Navarro on Youtube. I had the pleasure of speaking with Danny Navarro over the phone a few years back, when I called Hap. What a great guy and a truly gifted artist. His credits are amazing.

-Rick Farris

[Randyman]

With the Farris's, Bill & Rick.

Frank, Thanks for sharing this photo with us. A great photo by the way. Rick, I can see you are a chip off the old block. You Pops looks like a very nice guy. Looks like you guys had a nice time.

Randy

[kikibalt]

Yeah, Randy, we did have a great time and Rick's dad, Bill, is a very nice man, can't get over how great shape he is in, look at him, not one pound over the weight limit, he is ready to go ten round.....

[Expug]

With the Farris's, Bill & Rick.

Frank, Thanks for sharing this photo with us. A great photo by the way. Rick, I can see you are a chip off the old block. You Pops looks like a very nice guy. Looks like you guys had a nice time.

Randy

That is a great photo.
It looks like your dad had a blast at the event Rick.
Your Dad looks like he could limb through those ropes right now.

[scartissue]

With the Farris's, Bill & Rick.

Three of my favorite people. Bill and Rick I've met, Frankie I have yet to.

Scartissue

[scartissue]

Danny Valdez, Danny fought Davey Moore for the FW title.

I enjoyed meeting Danny Valdez after all of these years. I knew quite a bit of his ring history, but Frank taught me about his youth, how and where he started out, lots of great personal things that really let you in on what the man is about. After retiring from boxing, Danny went into the same business I did, and worked for years for ABC-TV.

As Frank had told me, Danny was a twin. Born in 1940, at the age of three, he and his brother actually appeared in the Disney movie, "The Lion King". The ex-featherweight title challenger and long time California Featherweigt champ had fought a lot of great fighters. In addition to challenging Davey Moore for the featherweight title in '62, he fought Sugar Ramos, had a couple wars with Gil Cadilli, and two more wars with my all-time featherweight favorite, Dwight Hawkins. The Hawk would hand Valdez his first pro loss back in the late 50's, in a fight that could have gone either way. A couple months later, they fought again on even grounds with Danny get the nod. Danny told me he never fought a tougher fighter than Dwight Hawkins, and Danny Valdez fought everybody and anybody at 126 lbs.

I was happy to see a lot of old friends and make a few new ones yesterday. Frank pretty much described what the GSBA luncheons are like in a previous post. A few of us old foggies, Don kinda guiding things, a few old babes keeping things going. Good group, good people. I wasn't sure what kind of talk I should give. When I'm around fighters, I know who's who and it's important to me to to let them know that I remember who they are and what they did. As far as my talk was concerned, it was a little difficult to address the group because the crowd is all around the room and I was facing only about half a dozen of the group. Doesn't matter, I had a chance to speak with most individually and seeing our buddy Frank is always a special time for me. Thanks for coming amigo, and sharing pics with the guys.

I told a few people about Roger, and about his great painting of the boxing gloves which will likely serve as the cover of the 2009 WBHOF banquet program. One day, there will be a WBHOF Museum, and hopefully a few or Roger's originals will find a home there.

-Rick Farris

Rick, I was lucky enough to engage Danny in a conversation at a past WBHF banquet and I thought too that he was a good guy and really a hysterical guy. He got into a crowded elevator with me once and just reeled around to the unsuspecting passengers and said, "What round is it?" I mean everyone split a gut laughing. What I wanted to ask him and didn't get the chance, was the fight that vaulted him into the Davey Moore fight. Really he was an up and coming clubfighter that was obviously being played as the lamb to slaughter when they matched him with the #1 contender for the title, who they were obviously trying to give exposure to, in Ricardo Gonzalez. I'm too lazy to look it up but their records at the time were polar opposites. And Danny beat him. Then had the audacity to repeat the performance in a rematch which I think Danny stopped him on a cut. Thus, Danny got the title shot. When people talk about upsets, never forget Danny Valdez against Ricardo Gonzalez. Sometimes experience and sterling records just don't respect the other fighter who may have a real hunger.

Scartissue

[kikibalt]

Danny Valdez

Country USA
Global Id 31726
Division Featherweight
Born 1940-02-06


Career Record © www.boxrec.com

Date Opponent Location Result
1966-12-05 Alex Benitez San Francisco, USA L UD 10
1966-06-28 Richard Sue Portland, USA L PTS 10
1966-04-12 Alex Benitez San Jose, USA L UD 12
1965-11-30 Johnny Lattimore Sacramento, USA W KO 10
1965-11-09 Kid San Nicolaus Sacramento, USA W PTS 10
1965-08-12 Pete Gonzalez Los Angeles, USA L MD 10
1965-07-01 Mercer Smith Los Angeles, USA W UD 12
1964-11-25 Pete Gonzalez Boise, USA W PTS 10
1964-08-13 Javier Zatarain Los Angeles, USA W TKO 9
1964-07-21 Daniel Valdez Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1963-07-15 Ray Valdez Tijuana, Mexico W KO 4
1963-06-27 Paul Alba Los Angeles, USA W KO 4
1963-01-14 Danny Kid Hollywood, USA W UD 10
1962-05-11 Sugar Ramos Los Angeles, USA L TKO 7
1962-04-03 Chamaco Hernandez Ciudad Juarez, Mexico W PTS 10
1962-03-25 Beto Apodaca Nogales, Mexico W KO 3
1962-02-09 Pulga Serrano Los Angeles, USA W PTS 10
1961-09-21 Gil Cadilli Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1961-08-17 Gil Cadilli Los Angeles, USA L SD 12
1961-06-15 Tony Herrera Los Angeles, USA W KO 8
1961-04-08 Davey Moore Los Angeles, USA L KO 1
1961-01-19 Boots Monroe Los Angeles, USA W KO 1
1960-10-08 Ricardo Gonzalez Los Angeles, USA W TKO 5
1960-09-08 Ricardo Gonzalez Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1960-07-16 Juan Ramirez Mexico City, Mexico L PTS 10
1960-05-12 Felix Cervantes Los Angeles, USA L UD 12
1960-03-24 Juan Ramirez Los Angeles, USA W MD 10
1960-01-07 Billy Thomas Los Angeles, USA L UD 12
1959-12-08 Tano Serna Los Angeles, USA W KO 8
1959-10-01 Dwight Hawkins Los Angeles, USA W MD 12
1959-07-02 Ramon Bobby Cervantes Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1959-05-23 Manny Gallardo Hollywood, USA W SD 10
1958-09-05 Dwight Hawkins Los Angeles, USA L SD 8
1958-07-17 Luis Sanchez Los Angeles, USA W UD 8
1958-06-26 Richie Robinson Los Angeles, USA W TKO 7
1958-05-29 Collier Cox Los Angeles, USA W UD 6
1958-04-19 Joaquin Veloz San Diego, USA W KO 6
1958-04-01 Paul Shea Los Angeles, USA W KO 4
1958-02-27 Dick Page Los Angeles, USA W TKO 2
1958-02-13 Manny Elias Los Angeles, USA W UD 6
1958-01-27 Manny Elias Tucson, USA W PTS 6
1957-12-09 Luis Sanchez Tucson, USA L SD 6
1957-11-22 Tony Meza Tucson, USA W KO 4

Record to Date
Won 31 (KOs 14) Lost 12 Drawn 0 Total 43

[scartissue]

Elson was actually due to fight Galindez for the title that night but the WBA would not sanction it. I remember Elson had a great perm.

Man, Victor Galindez was my all-time favorite light heavy. He was such a bad ass and I loved it. I still remember watching the fight with Elson with a buddy of mine with Cosell commentating. He kept mentioning through the fight that Elson was once a body-builder or weight-lifter and that he "once bench-pressed 60 lbs." My buddy and I just looked at each other and said simultaneously with a frown, "60 lbs.? That ain't s**t!" Reading later about Elson, the correct number was 360 lbs. It was laughable how not only did Cosell not get it right but didn't have the sense to question the number in front of him. Like a friggin' news reader.

Scartissue

Galindez was an animal, one of my favourites too, Dan. He racked up the defences while Conteh was moaning about his management. Galindez once labelled Conteh a chicken to his face, just prior to Conteh's defence against Yaqui Lopez in Denmark. Galindez was introduced into the ring and walked up to Conteh and said it. Conteh tapped his head.

Bennie, this was one of the great fights that just didn't happen. I also heard they had a confrontation on a chartered bus when they were both in New Mexico for the Bob Foster-Jorge Ahumada fight. Obviously they were being paraded around for a little PR as everyone new these were the next challengers to the crown and again, I heard they needed to be separated. Incidentally, regarding Conteh's fight with Yaqui Lopez, I think John was already damaged goods by that time. And by that I mean, he had broken his right hand in the fight with Willie (The Bull) Taylor and rebroke it in training and it was apparent in the fight he was gun-shy in using the right hand throughout the fight. Still, it was a remarkable performance in that, he completely controlled the fight one-handed, which was no mean feat against Yaqui Lopez.

Scartissue

[scartissue]

Danny Valdez

Country USA
Global Id 31726
Division Featherweight
Born 1940-02-06


Career Record © http://www.boxrec.com

Date Opponent Location Result
1966-12-05 Alex Benitez San Francisco, USA L UD 10
1966-06-28 Richard Sue Portland, USA L PTS 10
1966-04-12 Alex Benitez San Jose, USA L UD 12
1965-11-30 Johnny Lattimore Sacramento, USA W KO 10
1965-11-09 Kid San Nicolaus Sacramento, USA W PTS 10
1965-08-12 Pete Gonzalez Los Angeles, USA L MD 10
1965-07-01 Mercer Smith Los Angeles, USA W UD 12
1964-11-25 Pete Gonzalez Boise, USA W PTS 10
1964-08-13 Javier Zatarain Los Angeles, USA W TKO 9
1964-07-21 Daniel Valdez Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1963-07-15 Ray Valdez Tijuana, Mexico W KO 4
1963-06-27 Paul Alba Los Angeles, USA W KO 4
1963-01-14 Danny Kid Hollywood, USA W UD 10
1962-05-11 Sugar Ramos Los Angeles, USA L TKO 7
1962-04-03 Chamaco Hernandez Ciudad Juarez, Mexico W PTS 10
1962-03-25 Beto Apodaca Nogales, Mexico W KO 3
1962-02-09 Pulga Serrano Los Angeles, USA W PTS 10
1961-09-21 Gil Cadilli Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1961-08-17 Gil Cadilli Los Angeles, USA L SD 12
1961-06-15 Tony Herrera Los Angeles, USA W KO 8
1961-04-08 Davey Moore Los Angeles, USA L KO 1
1961-01-19 Boots Monroe Los Angeles, USA W KO 1
1960-10-08 Ricardo Gonzalez Los Angeles, USA W TKO 5
1960-09-08 Ricardo Gonzalez Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1960-07-16 Juan Ramirez Mexico City, Mexico L PTS 10
1960-05-12 Felix Cervantes Los Angeles, USA L UD 12
1960-03-24 Juan Ramirez Los Angeles, USA W MD 10
1960-01-07 Billy Thomas Los Angeles, USA L UD 12
1959-12-08 Tano Serna Los Angeles, USA W KO 8
1959-10-01 Dwight Hawkins Los Angeles, USA W MD 12
1959-07-02 Ramon Bobby Cervantes Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1959-05-23 Manny Gallardo Hollywood, USA W SD 10
1958-09-05 Dwight Hawkins Los Angeles, USA L SD 8
1958-07-17 Luis Sanchez Los Angeles, USA W UD 8
1958-06-26 Richie Robinson Los Angeles, USA W TKO 7
1958-05-29 Collier Cox Los Angeles, USA W UD 6
1958-04-19 Joaquin Veloz San Diego, USA W KO 6
1958-04-01 Paul Shea Los Angeles, USA W KO 4
1958-02-27 Dick Page Los Angeles, USA W TKO 2
1958-02-13 Manny Elias Los Angeles, USA W UD 6
1958-01-27 Manny Elias Tucson, USA W PTS 6
1957-12-09 Luis Sanchez Tucson, USA L SD 6
1957-11-22 Tony Meza Tucson, USA W KO 4

Record to Date
Won 31 (KOs 14) Lost 12 Drawn 0 Total 43

Here is a description of Valdez' fight with Ricardo Gonzalez, which was posted at Boxrec. BTW, Gonzalez record was 94-5-7 compared to Danny's 14-5. Wow!

Scartissue

1960-09-08 : Danny Valdez beat Ricardo Gonzalez by UD in round 10 of 10
Location: Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, USA
Referee: Tommy Hart 99-86
Judge: George Latka 100-89
Judge: John Thomas 99-90

"No. 1 ranking featherweight challenger Ricardo Gonzalez of Buenos Aires has lost his chance for a shot at champion Davey Moore. Gonzalez was beaten decisively Thursday night at the Olympic Auditorium by Los Angeles' Danny Valdez. Valdez floored Gonzalez in the 2nd round with a right hand and was in command of the 10 round fight the rest of the way." -Associated Press

Weights

Valdez - 126 1/2
Gonzalez - 125 1/2
Retrieved from "http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/D ... o_Gonzalez"

[kikibalt]

I think that Danny Valdez was more then a club fighter, that he fought in an era when there were tons of good fighters, before he fought Davey Moore he fought some good fighters, fighters that today would be top ten fighters.

Guys that he fought before Moore that were good fighters were:

Manny Elias

Dwight Hawkins

Felix Cervantes

Boots Monroe

Tony Herrera

et'al'

[allworld80]

With the Farris's, Bill & Rick.

Anyone ever tell you that you resemble cutman Jacob "Stitch" Duran?

[kikibalt]

No, nobody has, but he is young and I'm old.....

[dagosd2000]

With the Farris's, Bill & Rick.

Frank, Thanks for sharing this photo with us. A great photo by the way. Rick, I can see you are a chip off the old block. You Pops looks like a very nice guy. Looks like you guys had a nice time.

Randy

That is a great photo.
It looks like your dad had a blast at the event Rick.
Your Dad looks like he could limb through those ropes right now.

Terrific photo of Rick and his dad. Who's the guy on the right?

[dagosd2000]

I think that Danny Valdez was more then a club fighter, that he fought in an era when there were tons of good fighters, before he fought Davey Moore he fought some good fighters, fighters that today would be top ten fighters.

Guys that he fought before Moore that were good fighters were:

Manny Elias

Dwight Hawkins

Felix Cervantes

Boots Monroe

Tony Herrera

et'al'

Yeh,Danny Valdez was a good fighter. Saw him at the Coliseum. He could box with the best of them.

Just looked at Danny's record. Fought only once in San Diego. !958. Way before my time. I probably saw him in TJ then.

[Rick Farris]

Yeah, Randy, we did have a great time and Rick's dad, Bill, is a very nice man, can't get over how great shape he is in, look at him, not one pound over the weight limit, he is ready to go ten round.....

Guys, my Dad turned 85 a couple of months back. He retired at 60, when Bank of America merged with another bank. They basicly paid him off, and he retired. He was born very poor in Tennessee, grew up in Lincoln Heights, quit Lincoln H.S. to join the navy when WW2 broke out. After the war worked the shipyards, before taking a teller job at BofA. He impressed the right people and the bank sent him back to school. He headed their bad loan dept. one that he created, and he became a high ranking Exec. VP before his "retirement".

He worked a lot of hours when I was a kid, and I rarely saw him, except weekends, when'd drive me Main St. Gym on Saturday mornings. My Grandfather took me to Flores Gym during the week. Sunday's, I'd jump on this bus. Everytime I fought, my father was there. He only worked my corner once, and that was to assist my trainer when Johnny Flores was out of town with Jerry Quarry. I remember that bout was held at the Eastside Boys Club, and Frank made the match. I fought a kid from Stanton A.C. named Billy Enriquez and I won decision. My father was always in the audience when I fought, and when I was a pro, many of his banker buddies would join him at the Olympic after work. Allen Malamud, the L.A. Herald-Examiner sports editor and boxing writer, wrote a Sunday edition feature on Dad & I, following a KO win I had on a title card.

I'd have to say that boxing brought my dad close when we likely would not have spent the time together. He was never a boxer, but a gymnast/wrestler as a young man. He's very polite, kind and generous with people in his life. He's also very close with my Kimmi and Kirsten, his grand daughters. However, when he is crossed, he will not back down from anything. He's not a big man, but he's a serious man.

Today, he lives on a golf course (he's played since he was 6 yrs.old. I never play) and he gets up every morning at 4am. and does a 45 min. workout in his garage. Believe it or not, he actually has definition in his abs. He calls the stomach muscles his 2 1/2 pack. Over the years, he and I have bumped heads on a number of occasions, today, we just get along and it's great. It's great bringing him along to boxing functions, because a lot of the guys he knows or remembers. Some remember him, as well. On the way home he began to smile thinking of seeing our Frank. "That kid of his could really fight, little Tony", he said. I reminded him that Tony had a couple of brothers, Frankie Jr. & Bobby. "That's right, I forgot. However, I really liked that little Tony Baltazar", he laughed, "remember the night he shadow boxed at the Olympic?"

Yeah dad, I remember


-Rick Farris

[kikibalt]

Mando Ramos brother

Junior Ramos

Country USA
Global Id 90193
Division Lightweight


Career Record © http://www.boxrec.com

Date Opponent Location Result
1965-02-19 Jose Barrera Los Angeles, USA W PTS 6
1965-01-29 Dave White Los Angeles, USA W PTS 6
1965-01-15 Fidel Cruz Los Angeles, USA W PTS 6
1964-12-04 Pete Gonzalez Los Angeles, USA D PTS 6
1964-11-12 Pete Gonzalez Los Angeles, USA W PTS 6
1964-10-13 Florencio Dominguez San Jose, USA W PTS 6
1964-09-11 Joey Aguilar Los Angeles, USA W PTS 4
1964-08-27 Johnny Lattimore Los Angeles, USA W KO 2
1964-08-13 Luis Echevesta Los Angeles, USA W PTS 4

Record to Date
Won 8 (KOs 1) Lost 0 Drawn 1 Total 9

[Rick Farris]

I think that Danny Valdez was more then a club fighter, that he fought in an era when there were tons of good fighters, before he fought Davey Moore he fought some good fighters, fighters that today would be top ten fighters.

Guys that he fought before Moore that were good fighters were:

Manny Elias

Dwight Hawkins

Felix Cervantes

Boots Monroe

Tony Herrera

et'al'

Frank, he was no "club fighter" in my eyes, or anybody who could see. I talked with him about the Elias bouts, which were a couple of his first as a pro. Manny Elias is a legend in Arizona. Elias was not only a great fighter, but had a lot more experience when Danny beat him in his pro debut. Boots Monroe? Felix Cervantes? Both fought Dwight Hawkins, and the best. Danny Valdez is a very interesting story. A real eastside boxer from that great era. Thanks again to Frank for helping me make a connection with a special world class featherweight contender.

-Rick Farris

[Rick Farris]

Mando Ramos brother

Junior Ramos

Country USA
Global Id 90193
Division Lightweight


Career Record © http://www.boxrec.com

Date Opponent Location Result
1965-02-19 Jose Barrera Los Angeles, USA W PTS 6
1965-01-29 Dave White Los Angeles, USA W PTS 6
1965-01-15 Fidel Cruz Los Angeles, USA W PTS 6
1964-12-04 Pete Gonzalez Los Angeles, USA D PTS 6
1964-11-12 Pete Gonzalez Los Angeles, USA W PTS 6
1964-10-13 Florencio Dominguez San Jose, USA W PTS 6
1964-09-11 Joey Aguilar Los Angeles, USA W PTS 4
1964-08-27 Johnny Lattimore Los Angeles, USA W KO 2
1964-08-13 Luis Echevesta Los Angeles, USA W PTS 4

Record to Date
Won 8 (KOs 1) Lost 0 Drawn 1 Total 9

I had a talk with Ray Ramos about his son Junior (Manuel). Ray said his oldest son was a better boxer than Mando, but had no power. I know that Junior was in and out of prison, thus ending something before it could get started.

One afternoon, I had a talk with Mando Ramos about the death of his brother. Mando told me that he, Junior and Raul Rojas all shot heroin in a dive hotel in Long Beach. They all nodded out. When Mando and Raul awoke, the found Junior dead. Mando told me after the situation had been dealt with, later that day, he was out looking for more junk. "That's how sick I was", the former champ said.

-Rick Farris

[dagosd2000]

SLEEPY TIME GUY

This guy just passed away. He was my neighbor when I was a kid. Him and his three brothers. They were Japanese Americans. The mother and father met in one of those internment camps. My buddy Randy who passed away used to say, along with his brothers,that their dad was an interpreter for the Army during the War. Later they confessed their mom and dad were in an internment camp and got married there. Funny,knew the parents real well. They never complained about what had happened. At least not in front of me.

Randy kind of took after his dad. The dad owned a few of them Oriental Bars in downtown San Diego. He really raked it in during Vietnam. Next to one of the bars was a card room. Between the bar and the card room I figure I took a good ten years off my life. Yeh,me and Randy weren't shy about drinkin' and gamblin'. Not to mention throwin' our money at the girls who hung around that neighborhood.

Randy was an engineer on a tuna boat. Got his engineer's license. Made real good dough. Wasn't married and lived at home. Problem was he spent all his money on booze and broads ,and then blew all the rest of it.

Randy liked the boxing matches. Me and all the degenerates would get a snoot full at one of Randy's old man's bars and then make our way to the Coliseum. Randy,though ,was burning the candle at both ends. He was always tired from gamblin',drinkin',screwin',and fishin'. One time me and his "buddies" dragged him to the Coliseum for the fights. Well he passed out in the nickel seats. We tried to wake him up,but he was out.

Well me and his"buddies" decided to stack empty popcorn boxes on him while he's in dreamland. We put boxes all over him. We had stacks of popcorn boxes reaching up six feet high. All the while the fights are going on and everybody is screamin' and yellin'. Randy didn't budge.

Finally the last fight ends and it's time to get Randy back on his feet. We're shaking him and pouring ice water on his head. He begins to come around.
"How were the fights?" he murmered.
"Well,"I said ,"After you got done eating all that popcorn,you went to sleep."
Randy straightened himself up.
"I don't know about you guys,"he said,"But I could go for a few hands of 7 card stud."

[dagosd2000]

Yeah, Randy, we did have a great time and Rick's dad, Bill, is a very nice man, can't get over how great shape he is in, look at him, not one pound over the weight limit, he is ready to go ten round.....

Guys, my Dad turned 85 a couple of months back. He retired at 60, when Bank of America merged with another bank. They basicly paid him off, and he retired. He was born very poor in Tennessee, grew up in Lincoln Heights, quit Lincoln H.S. to join the navy when WW2 broke out. After the war worked the shipyards, before taking a teller job at BofA. He impressed the right people and the bank sent him back to school. He headed their bad loan dept. one that he created, and he became a high ranking Exec. VP before his "retirement".

He worked a lot of hours when I was a kid, and I rarely saw him, except weekends, when'd drive me Main St. Gym on Saturday mornings. My Grandfather took me to Flores Gym during the week. Sunday's, I'd jump on this bus. Everytime I fought, my father was there. He only worked my corner once, and that was to assist my trainer when Johnny Flores was out of town with Jerry Quarry. I remember that bout was held at the Eastside Boys Club, and Frank made the match. I fought a kid from Stanton A.C. named Billy Enriquez and I won decision. My father was always in the audience when I fought, and when I was a pro, many of his banker buddies would join him at the Olympic after work. Allen Malamud, the L.A. Herald-Examiner sports editor and boxing writer, wrote a Sunday edition feature on Dad & I, following a KO win I had on a title card.

I'd have to say that boxing brought my dad close when we likely would not have spent the time together. He was never a boxer, but a gymnast/wrestler as a young man. He's very polite, kind and generous with people in his life. He's also very close with my Kimmi and Kirsten, his grand daughters. However, when he is crossed, he will not back down from anything. He's not a big man, but he's a serious man.

Today, he lives on a golf course (he's played since he was 6 yrs.old. I never play) and he gets up every morning at 4am. and does a 45 min. workout in his garage. Believe it or not, he actually has definition in his abs. He calls the stomach muscles his 2 1/2 pack. Over the years, he and I have bumped heads on a number of occasions, today, we just get along and it's great. It's great bringing him along to boxing functions, because a lot of the guys he knows or remembers. Some remember him, as well. On the way home he began to smile thinking of seeing our Frank. "That kid of his could really fight, little Tony", he said. I reminded him that Tony had a couple of brothers, Frankie Jr. & Bobby. "That's right, I forgot. However, I really liked that little Tony Baltazar", he laughed, "remember the night he shadow boxed at the Olympic?"

Yeah dad, I remember


-Rick Farris

Beautifully told Rick. Stories about dads are always a little bitter sweet. I'm getting to that point where I'm seeing the twilight. Or is it the light at the end of the tunnel?Hope that light is not a freight train.

[dagosd2000]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlGvuKSq7Wk

Song For My Father

Horace Silver Quintet

[kikibalt]

Mando Ramos brother

Junior Ramos

Country USA
Global Id 90193
Division Lightweight


Career Record © http://www.boxrec.com

Date Opponent Location Result
1965-02-19 Jose Barrera Los Angeles, USA W PTS 6
1965-01-29 Dave White Los Angeles, USA W PTS 6
1965-01-15 Fidel Cruz Los Angeles, USA W PTS 6
1964-12-04 Pete Gonzalez Los Angeles, USA D PTS 6
1964-11-12 Pete Gonzalez Los Angeles, USA W PTS 6
1964-10-13 Florencio Dominguez San Jose, USA W PTS 6
1964-09-11 Joey Aguilar Los Angeles, USA W PTS 4
1964-08-27 Johnny Lattimore Los Angeles, USA W KO 2
1964-08-13 Luis Echevesta Los Angeles, USA W PTS 4

Record to Date
Won 8 (KOs 1) Lost 0 Drawn 1 Total 9

I had a talk with Ray Ramos about his son Junior (Manuel). Ray said his oldest son was a better boxer than Mando, but had no power. I know that Junior was in and out of prison, thus ending something before it could get started.

One afternoon, I had a talk with Mando Ramos about the death of his brother. Mando told me that he, Junior and Raul Rojas all shot heroin in a dive hotel in Long Beach. They all nodded out. When Mando and Raul awoke, the found Junior dead. Mando told me after the situation had been dealt with, later that day, he was out looking for more junk. "That's how sick I was", the former champ said.

-Rick Farris

Rick...I seen most if not all of Manuel "Junior" Ramos fights and I agree with Ray Ramos that Jr. was a much better "boxer" then Mando, but Mando a better puncher.

[kikibalt]

Yeah, Randy, we did have a great time and Rick's dad, Bill, is a very nice man, can't get over how great shape he is in, look at him, not one pound over the weight limit, he is ready to go ten round.....

Guys, my Dad turned 85 a couple of months back. He retired at 60, when Bank of America merged with another bank. They basicly paid him off, and he retired. He was born very poor in Tennessee, grew up in Lincoln Heights, quit Lincoln H.S. to join the navy when WW2 broke out. After the war worked the shipyards, before taking a teller job at BofA. He impressed the right people and the bank sent him back to school. He headed their bad loan dept. one that he created, and he became a high ranking Exec. VP before his "retirement".

He worked a lot of hours when I was a kid, and I rarely saw him, except weekends, when'd drive me Main St. Gym on Saturday mornings. My Grandfather took me to Flores Gym during the week. Sunday's, I'd jump on this bus. Everytime I fought, my father was there. He only worked my corner once, and that was to assist my trainer when Johnny Flores was out of town with Jerry Quarry. I remember that bout was held at the Eastside Boys Club, and Frank made the match. I fought a kid from Stanton A.C. named Billy Enriquez and I won decision. My father was always in the audience when I fought, and when I was a pro, many of his banker buddies would join him at the Olympic after work. Allen Malamud, the L.A. Herald-Examiner sports editor and boxing writer, wrote a Sunday edition feature on Dad & I, following a KO win I had on a title card.

I'd have to say that boxing brought my dad close when we likely would not have spent the time together. He was never a boxer, but a gymnast/wrestler as a young man. He's very polite, kind and generous with people in his life. He's also very close with my Kimmi and Kirsten, his grand daughters. However, when he is crossed, he will not back down from anything. He's not a big man, but he's a serious man.

Today, he lives on a golf course (he's played since he was 6 yrs.old. I never play) and he gets up every morning at 4am. and does a 45 min. workout in his garage. Believe it or not, he actually has definition in his abs. He calls the stomach muscles his 2 1/2 pack. Over the years, he and I have bumped heads on a number of occasions, today, we just get along and it's great. It's great bringing him along to boxing functions, because a lot of the guys he knows or remembers. Some remember him, as well. On the way home he began to smile thinking of seeing our Frank. "That kid of his could really fight, little Tony", he said. I reminded him that Tony had a couple of brothers, Frankie Jr. & Bobby. "That's right, I forgot. However, I really liked that little Tony Baltazar", he laughed, "remember the night he shadow boxed at the Olympic?"

Yeah dad, I remember


-Rick Farris

Beautifully told Rick. Stories about dads are always a little bitter sweet. I'm getting to that point where I'm seeing the twilight. Or is it the light at the end of the tunnel?Hope that light is not a freight train.

A freight train?.....

[dagosd2000]

Any you guys ever have those Lionel Trains? The ones in the 50's. The train with the three rail tracks and the locomotive that you could put that pill in the smokestack to make the smoke and the black box with the switch? Another thing my mother threw away that I didn't know about.

[kikibalt]

Any you guys ever have those Lionel Trains? The ones in the 50's. The train with the three rail tracks and the locomotive that you could put that pill in the smokestack to make the smoke and the black box with the switch? Another thing my mother threw away that I didn't know about.

Not me, Rog, with 5 kids at home when I was growing up my dad couldn't afford to buy me one, funny but my brother Mando didn't have one as a kid either, but now at 59, going to be 59 this year, he has his garage all set up with tracks and trains on tables that he made, and they runs them too...