Classic American West Coast Boxing

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The Follies Theatre, S. Main St. L.A. Ca.

[Rick Farris]

Elvis Presley was also there for the Napoles-Rea fight
________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Very true, Frank. Elvis had come to check out Frankie Crawford, who's contract he was wanting to buy from his friend, actor Robert Conrad. However, Hawkins beat Crawford badly, knocking him out of the ring in the last round, ending the fight. This was just before Elvis's big comeback with the NBC TV special and appearances in Las Vegas. Presley had bet on Frankie Crawford, and after the beating Dwight laid on Frankie, was seen handing over a wad of cash to another fan who'd bet Hawkins.

For me, those were the good old days.


-Rick Farris

[Rick Farris]

The Follies Theatre, S. Main St. L.A. Ca.

Whoa! The Follies? . . . I was too young to get in, but I used to see that old theatre everyday, right across the street feom the old Main Street Gym. Now this is L.A. history!

-Rick

[Rick Farris]

Guys
Anything on Arturo Lomeli? Saw him fight in TJ against Hedge Lewis and his final fight against Quincy Daniels at the Coliseum. I thought he was a worthy fighter.

Roger . . . On this night, Arturo Lomeli gave the "Maravilla Kid" an ass-whipping, knocking him down twice on his way to a unanimous dec. win (Navarro's first pro loss). Two years later, Ruben would get his revenge at the Olympic easily outpointing the Mexican Lightweight champ. I fought on the undecard of that one.

-Rick

[kikibalt]

Guys
Anything on Arturo Lomeli? Saw him fight in TJ against Hedge Lewis and his final fight against Quincy Daniels at the Coliseum. I thought he was a worthy fighter.

Roger . . . On this night, Arturo Lomeli gave the "Maravilla Kid" an ass-whipping, knocking him down twice on his way to a unanimous dec. win (Navarro's first pro loss). Two years later, Ruben would get his revenge at the Olympic easily outpointing the Mexican Lightweight champ. I fought on the undecard of that one.

-Rick

I missed the second navarro/Lomeli fight and your too Rick....

[kikibalt]

The Follies Theatre, S. Main St. L.A. Ca.

Whoa! The Follies? . . . I was too young to get in, but I used to see that old theatre everyday, right across the street feom the old Main Street Gym. Now this is L.A. history!

-Rick

I wasn't too young....

[Rick Farris]

Thanks guys its much appreciated. i will tell Rocky that you guys wished him all the very best on this Boxrec site when i again mail him, or get Alan Sugar to tell him when he phones him again.



Rick
I was in Brazil with my wife and eldest son about this time last year and found the people even though most had nothing so to speak of in the way of material gains some of the nicest people i have ever met. We seriously thought of buying a place there and moving from wet cold UK but decided otherwise because of our ages now to give it a miss. Mind you i was chatted up by what i though was one of the most beautiful women i had ever seen, and all for free the good lady added. But yes you can guess the rest, but that's another story. The best of it is i was stone cold sober at the time. Of course i made the mistake of telling my wife and son about it. Bad mistake on my part as my son told all in the party we were with about my experience. I often wondered for the rest of the holiday why the men were never to keen to sit next to me.
Again Thank You Gentlemen
Danny

Danny, Brazilian women are great. They know how to treat a man. Monica and I will be there later this year. By the way, it's Carnival time in Brazil at the present. Lots of Samba!

-Rick

[Randyman]

Rick, I am impressed at the depth of your participation in L.A.'s boxing history. You have been through the thick and thin of every facet of the game. I'm proud of you. Mel would be too. It justifies your position in the WBHF. Like everyone else, I'm waiting for the book. "The Collected Memories of an L.A. Fighter" By Rick Farris.

Just to repeat an oft used expression here on the thread "All you guys are the best!"

Randy

[dagosd2000]

The Follies Theatre, S. Main St. L.A. Ca.

I notice under the Burlesque ad,is an ad for Otto Klemperer conducting the LA. Philharmonic Orchestra. His son was Werner Klemperer who played Commandant Klink on Hogan's Heroes.

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Sugar Ray Robinson vs Carl "Bobo" Olson
Middleweight Championship of the World
May 18 1956, Wrigley Field, Los Angeles, Ca.


The fight was held in broad daylight in Los Angeles at Wrigley Field, Edna Mae (Robinson) wrote, "and the crowd was loud and enormous.(20,000 spectators) Both boxers were very cautious at the beginning. Olson constantly clinched with Ray, more like a wrestler than a fighter. We wondered why Referee Mushy Callahan didn't break them apart and caution them to move and fight. Sugar had said that he had observed previously that Olson would drop his right arm when he delivered a good punch with his right hand. In two minutes and fifty-one seconds of the fourth round Olson did just that, and faster than lightning, Sugar delivered a punch with his left hand to Olson's right jaw that must have made him see stars as he sagged to the canvas like a bag of cement. The roar of the crowd was music to my ears."1

-Edan Mae Robinson (Mrs. Sugar Ray Robinson)



"I was hit well in the body in the third round, and that punch was Bobo's ruination. After he hit me in the body, I lagged my left, and that gave him confidence. He got brave and came on in the fourth, and when he started to punch the body again, I hit him flush on the jaw with the left. It was hard, but I wasn't sure I had him until the count reached ten.....Sugar Ray Robinson

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TOM “THE BOMB” BETHEA
By Jim Amato

Although he won only one more fight then he lost in his career Tom “The Bomb” Bethea was once ranked among the world’s leading middleweights and light heavyweights. Bethea turned pro in 1967 and won nine of his first eleven bouts. He then suffered a KO loss to Leon Washington. Tom Bethea was always matched tough throughout his career. He next lost decisions to future middleweight king Carlos Monzon and former welterweight champ Luis Rodriguez.

On March 13, 1970 Bethea was paired up with reigning middleweight titleholder Nino Benvenuti in a non-title fight. The battle took place in Australia. Whether Nino was in top shape is debatable. The fact is that Bethea dished out quite a body beating to Benvenuti forcing Nino to quit. It was a stunning upset and a rematch with the title on the line was immediate. This time Nino boxed smartly and was well ahead when he halted Bethea in the eighth round.

From this point on Bethea lost as many as he would win but he faced nothing but first-rate opposition. He lost to Bennie Briscoe, Jean Claude Bouttier, Billy Douglas and Ralph Palladin. Bethea then moved up to light heavyweight. He suffered defeats at the hands of Bobby Cassidy and Eddie “Bossman” Jones but he did beat the highly regarded Lonnie Bennett. In a ten fight streak between 1974 - 1976 Tom went 8-0-2. He bested Domenico Adinolfi, Tom Bogs and Douglas in a return. Bethea was now ranked among the worlds best at 175 pounds. Then came a close decision loss to Mike Quarry. Losses to Marvin Johnson, Michael Spinks and Marvin Camel would follow before Tom retired.

Although his 46 bout record stands at 22-21-3, this is clearly not reflective of the quality opponents he faced. Bethea met six world champions and eight others who attempted to win a title in his very respectable career.

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[Rick Farris]

Checking aout the above program you'll see a couple of California State titles on the line. Back in the day, it meant something to hold a state title. I recall as a kid growing up in boxing in the mid-60's, Danny Valdez held the Cal featherweight title for many years. Paulie Armstead held our state lightweight title. Surprisingly, Armstead had a hard time getting action in California rings and like so many others had to travel the world, taking on the best in their home towns. Dwight Hawkins, L.C. Morgan, Adolph Pruitt, Don Johnson and a few other L.A. guys were just "too good for their own good." They were often avoided in the City of Angels and had to find work elsewhere.

-Rick Farris

[Rick Farris]

Don Johnson . . .

Hey Frank, remember this L.A. featherweight? He was one of the best in the world.

-Rick Farris

[kikibalt]

Checking aout the above program you'll see a couple of California State titles on the line. Back in the day, it meant something to hold a state title. I recall as a kid growing up in boxing in the mid-60's, Danny Valdez held the Cal featherweight title for many years. Paulie Armstead held our state lightweight title. Surprisingly, Armstead had a hard time getting action in California rings and like so many others had to travel the world, taking on the best in their home towns. Dwight Hawkins, L.C. Morgan, Adolph Pruitt, Don Johnson and a few other L.A. guys were just "too good for their own good." They were often avoided in the City of Angels and had to find work elsewhere.

-Rick Farris

Rick...Davey Gallardo that fought that night for the Cal. Featherweight title is been inducted into the CBHOF this year, he is 80 year old and lives in a rest home but, he say that he will be there.
He fought the best feathers of his era.

[kikibalt]

Don Johnson . . .

Hey Frank, remember this L.A. featherweight? He was one of the best in the world.

-Rick Farris

Yeah! I remember Don Johnson real well.

[Rick Farris]

Checking aout the above program you'll see a couple of California State titles on the line. Back in the day, it meant something to hold a state title. I recall as a kid growing up in boxing in the mid-60's, Danny Valdez held the Cal featherweight title for many years. Paulie Armstead held our state lightweight title. Surprisingly, Armstead had a hard time getting action in California rings and like so many others had to travel the world, taking on the best in their home towns. Dwight Hawkins, L.C. Morgan, Adolph Pruitt, Don Johnson and a few other L.A. guys were just "too good for their own good." They were often avoided in the City of Angels and had to find work elsewhere.

-Rick Farris

Rick...Davey Gallardo that fought that night for the Cal. Featherweight title is been inducted into the CBHOF this year, he is 80 year old and lives in a rest home but, he say that he will be there.
He fought the best feathers of his era.

Frank . . . I notice that Gallardo was preparing to fight Lulu Perez. Didn't Willie Pep lose his license in New York for taking a dive in his fight with Perez? Maybe Hap can help us with that one. I'm looking forward to this years Calif. HOF banquet more than I am the WBHOF banquet the following month. I'm going to do some "quick" interviews with as many as I can on that day, just to catch up, stuff their fans & friends might want to hear, no cameras or recorders, no note books. Just talk. I have pretty clear recall so thru conversation alone, I should leave with a nice story.

-Rick Farris

[kikibalt]

Checking aout the above program you'll see a couple of California State titles on the line. Back in the day, it meant something to hold a state title. I recall as a kid growing up in boxing in the mid-60's, Danny Valdez held the Cal featherweight title for many years. Paulie Armstead held our state lightweight title. Surprisingly, Armstead had a hard time getting action in California rings and like so many others had to travel the world, taking on the best in their home towns. Dwight Hawkins, L.C. Morgan, Adolph Pruitt, Don Johnson and a few other L.A. guys were just "too good for their own good." They were often avoided in the City of Angels and had to find work elsewhere.

-Rick Farris

Rick...Davey Gallardo that fought that night for the Cal. Featherweight title is been inducted into the CBHOF this year, he is 80 year old and lives in a rest home but, he say that he will be there.
He fought the best feathers of his era.

Frank . . . I notice that Gallardo was preparing to fight Lulu Perez. Didn't Willie Pep lose his license in New York for taking a dive in his fight with Perez? Maybe Hap can help us with that one. I'm looking forward to this years Calif. HOF banquet more than I am the WBHOF banquet the following month. I'm going to do some "quick" interviews with as many as I can on that day, just to catch up, stuff their fans & friends might want to hear, no cameras or recorders, no note books. Just talk. I have pretty clear recall so thru conversation alone, I should leave with a nice story.

-Rick Farris

1954-02-26 126½ Willie Pep 127½ 183-5-1
Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, United States W TKO 2 10
~ time: 1:53 | referee: Al Berl ~
Pep down 3 times in the 2nd round, forcing an automatic stoppage
Pep is believed to have taken a dive.

[dagosd2000]

BASURALANDIA

I hadn't been up there in a long time. Not since I was living in Tijuana 30 or so years ago. I don't know what compelled me to drive up there. It was about 3 months agp. I was in that part of Tijuana by the Boulevard. I had a hard time finding it.I had to ask directions and drive around dirt roads to find it. It's way in the back on the outskirts. Tijuaneros call the place Basuralandia. Trash Land in English. I think it's an official Colonia. Even has an official name. I'm not sure.

Basuralandia is Tijuana's dump. People live off that dump. It's their world.Many of the people there are dying of AIDS,TB,and gangrene. Everything in that trash they try to make use of. Cardboard boxes, empty paint cans,greasy clothes,garbage. They make their houses and eat their food from the trash people throw away in Tijuana. People in Tijuana don't throw things away like they do in parts of San Diego. Some people here throw away antiques and microwaves that piss them off because the light doesn't come on anymore when they open the door.

About ten years ago I was watching the local news on TV. They were doing a piece on Basuralandia. The plight of those people. The people there wanted the city to build them a school so their kids could learn to read and write. Yoko Ono,the late John Lennon's wife, was in the studio promoting a rock concert for her son. When she saw the piece on Basuralandia, she wrote a check for 6 thousand dollars so they could have a school.

Mother Teresa opened a mission there. The old Saint would live there with the people and do her work. I'd see her once in a while at the penatentiary visiting the sick prisoners who didn't get visitors because they had no one.

Yeh,I don't know what made me go up there.Maybe I needed to know that there are billions of people in this world that are suffering. Not just to read it in the papers or see it on the news.

I watched the stooped shoulders sifting through the rubbish. Slowly picking and sifting. Their bodies silohuetted against the gray sky. All that overlooked the city.I wanted to see that I guess.

You guys know Bruce. Bobbin' and Weavin'. He emailed me the other day. His church constructs houses for needy people. He wants to set up a base of operations in San Diego and perhaps make connections to cross the border to make some houses in Tijuana.

I gave Bruce a number to call. I hope he can put things together. If he does ,I want him to give me a jingle.I'd like to help.

Bruce,if that happens and you're looking for some place to go ,I can always steer you to Basuralandia.

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Lulu Perez & Percy Bassett....1954

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Lulu Perez vs Paolo Rossi...1955

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Lulu Perez vs Rudy Garcia...1955

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