Classic American West Coast Boxing

[Rick Farris]

Rick, I would enjoy writing bios for any of the old timers circa 1890 to 1920. Just give me the names and I'll put something together![/quote]
________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thanks, Tom. I'll do that.

-Rick

[bennie]

Dwight "The Hawk" Hawkins & my English Grandmother, Edith Woodside- 1967.


The Power of a Grandparent . . .

This photo was taken after the high school graduation of Johnnie Flores' oldest daughter, Pat.
My Grandfather took photos of the event for the family. A few of Johnnie's boxers were close to his family. The Hawk was one of them, so was I. My grandfather used to keep Johnnie's Gym in good repair.

My favorite fighters in those days were Dwight Hawkins, Jerry Quarry (my stablemates) and Mando Ramos.

The following year, my grandad collapsed in the Johnnie Flores Gym, as Johnnie tied my boxing gloves in the ring.
His aorta had ruptured. My grandfather refused to be taken to a Hospital, so Johnnie & Rose Flores drove us home to Burbank, where he could spend his last moments with my grandmother. My Grandmother told him, "You're going to the hospital!" and she called an ambulance. He died on the operating table three times that night, but would survive in the Intensive Care unit for another three weeks before passing. He was 67. His last words were, "give Ricky my watch", a gift from director Blake Edwards. I wore that watch the night I drove to the Olympic for my first pro fight.

My Grandfather had lived a tough life as a child.
Born on Indian territory in Oklahoma, he was orphaned at age six, and eventually found his way to Redlands, California at age twelve. He was too young to join the U.S. Army at the outbreak of WWI, so he hitch-hiked to Canada and became a gunnery Sgt. in the Royal Canadian Army.

At the end of the war, he was in London, waiting to ship home when he met my Grandmother in Hyde Park. They married at St. Gabriel Cathedral in Pimlico, and returned to America. He worked in the Oklahoma oil fields and boxed in "smokers" at first, then returned to California. He found a "one day job" doing some contruction labor for a new movie studio being built in Burbank.

That one day job turned into life long career. It was 1927, and the new studio was Warner Brothers. Somehow he found work rigging electrical cable for the studio's Set Lighting dept. He would become a lighting technician (called "Electricians" in those days) and would go on to become legendary Warner Bros lighting gaffer (lighting director). He did all of the Warner Bros. Humphery Bogart films (except Casablanca), as well "The African Queen", Shangri La, Rebel Without A Cause, My Fair Lady, the Great Race, Ocean's 11 (with "The Rat Pack), and his last feature film for a young cinematographer named Haskell Wexler. That movie was "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf". Just a few of many.

Jack Warner told Mike Nichols, the young unknown director of "Virginia Wolf", that the studio wanted Wexler to shoot the film. Nichols was a bit insecure, and wanted four time Oscar winner Robert Surtees as Director of Photography.
Warner told him, "you needn't worry about Haskell, he's a talented young cinematographer and we've already signed "Woody" to do the lighting (Roy Woodside, my grandfather, Surtees' gaffer). The movie won many Oscars- Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography, and Liz & Dick picked up a couple of statues themselves. The Oscar would be the first of three for Haskell Wexler (He also got one for "Butch Cassidy" a few years later).

In later years, I would work with Haskell Wexler on the Sean Penn-Robert Duvall film, "Colors". When Haskell learned I was Woody's grandkid, he said he remembered me on the set when I was a kid. "Your Grandfather held my hand thru that movie," he told me. "He taught me about light & shadow, creating depth using shades of grey, how to light black & white film, which is far tougher than color."

I've heard a lot of great things about my grandad since his death, from Hollywood legends of his day. Even actress Angie Dickenson had kind words for him when I worked with her on "Police Woman" years ago at Warners. The actress told me, "Woody lit my first screen test, and he really knew how to light women." That is my specialty as well, and I learned a lot from those whom were mentored by my grandfather. In all, eight films lit by my grandfather won Oscars for "Best Cinematography".

He and my Grandma lived simply in a small, 2 bedroom-1 bath home on a large lot about a mile from Warner Bros, a few blocks from where the old "Jim Jeffries Barn" stood until 1954. This is where I grew up. On an old oak tree in the backyard I built a tree house, and had an old Navy duffel bag stuffed with rags hanging from a limb. This is where I would to practice punching for my neighborhood fights before I started boxing. I had to be tougher than the other kids, they had size on their side and some liked to get a little pushy.

I was his only daughter's eldest son, and his favorite of 17 grandkids. He knew I needed him. When I was facing being expelled from school for fighting, my grandfather, knowing I wanted to become a boxer, made a deal with me. "If you promise to stop fighting in school, and find a gym where you can learn to box, I'll give you a ride and support you in your efforts. However, I expect not only to stop getting calls from your school principal, but also see something better on your report card."

I looked up the number of this young Golden Gloves champ, Jerry Quarry, and Jerry told me about the "Johnnie Flores Gym". I not only got my wish to become a boxer, my Grandfather got his. Within a year, I was an honor student.

I apologize for this long post, but I get kind of emotional when I visit St. Joseph Hospital in Burbank. It's where I was born, and where my Grandparents died. I know that you regulars will understand, you all have a fighter's heart. And Roger, as I wrote this, you were on my mind. What you are doing for Amanda and Adam is priceless.

To all of our Boxrec Grandparents . . . God bless you!


-Rick

A fantastic story, Rick. Hyde Park is a park I have walked through many times and it is so nice to think it is a part of your history.

[kikibalt]

[Rick Farris]

Dwight "The Hawk" Hawkins & my English Grandmother, Edith Woodside- 1967.


The Power of a Grandparent . . .

This photo was taken after the high school graduation of Johnnie Flores' oldest daughter, Pat.
My Grandfather took photos of the event for the family. A few of Johnnie's boxers were close to his family. The Hawk was one of them, so was I. My grandfather used to keep Johnnie's Gym in good repair.

My favorite fighters in those days were Dwight Hawkins, Jerry Quarry (my stablemates) and Mando Ramos.

The following year, my grandad collapsed in the Johnnie Flores Gym, as Johnnie tied my boxing gloves in the ring.
His aorta had ruptured. My grandfather refused to be taken to a Hospital, so Johnnie & Rose Flores drove us home to Burbank, where he could spend his last moments with my grandmother. My Grandmother told him, "You're going to the hospital!" and she called an ambulance. He died on the operating table three times that night, but would survive in the Intensive Care unit for another three weeks before passing. He was 67. His last words were, "give Ricky my watch", a gift from director Blake Edwards. I wore that watch the night I drove to the Olympic for my first pro fight.

My Grandfather had lived a tough life as a child.
Born on Indian territory in Oklahoma, he was orphaned at age six, and eventually found his way to Redlands, California at age twelve. He was too young to join the U.S. Army at the outbreak of WWI, so he hitch-hiked to Canada and became a gunnery Sgt. in the Royal Canadian Army.

At the end of the war, he was in London, waiting to ship home when he met my Grandmother in Hyde Park. They married at St. Gabriel Cathedral in Pimlico, and returned to America. He worked in the Oklahoma oil fields and boxed in "smokers" at first, then returned to California. He found a "one day job" doing some contruction labor for a new movie studio being built in Burbank.

That one day job turned into life long career. It was 1927, and the new studio was Warner Brothers. Somehow he found work rigging electrical cable for the studio's Set Lighting dept. He would become a lighting technician (called "Electricians" in those days) and would go on to become legendary Warner Bros lighting gaffer (lighting director). He did all of the Warner Bros. Humphery Bogart films (except Casablanca), as well "The African Queen", Shangri La, Rebel Without A Cause, My Fair Lady, the Great Race, Ocean's 11 (with "The Rat Pack), and his last feature film for a young cinematographer named Haskell Wexler. That movie was "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf". Just a few of many.

Jack Warner told Mike Nichols, the young unknown director of "Virginia Wolf", that the studio wanted Wexler to shoot the film. Nichols was a bit insecure, and wanted four time Oscar winner Robert Surtees as Director of Photography.
Warner told him, "you needn't worry about Haskell, he's a talented young cinematographer and we've already signed "Woody" to do the lighting (Roy Woodside, my grandfather, Surtees' gaffer). The movie won many Oscars- Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography, and Liz & Dick picked up a couple of statues themselves. The Oscar would be the first of three for Haskell Wexler (He also got one for "Butch Cassidy" a few years later).

In later years, I would work with Haskell Wexler on the Sean Penn-Robert Duvall film, "Colors". When Haskell learned I was Woody's grandkid, he said he remembered me on the set when I was a kid. "Your Grandfather held my hand thru that movie," he told me. "He taught me about light & shadow, creating depth using shades of grey, how to light black & white film, which is far tougher than color."

I've heard a lot of great things about my grandad since his death, from Hollywood legends of his day. Even actress Angie Dickenson had kind words for him when I worked with her on "Police Woman" years ago at Warners. The actress told me, "Woody lit my first screen test, and he really knew how to light women." That is my specialty as well, and I learned a lot from those whom were mentored by my grandfather. In all, eight films lit by my grandfather won Oscars for "Best Cinematography".

He and my Grandma lived simply in a small, 2 bedroom-1 bath home on a large lot about a mile from Warner Bros, a few blocks from where the old "Jim Jeffries Barn" stood until 1954. This is where I grew up. On an old oak tree in the backyard I built a tree house, and had an old Navy duffel bag stuffed with rags hanging from a limb. This is where I would to practice punching for my neighborhood fights before I started boxing. I had to be tougher than the other kids, they had size on their side and some liked to get a little pushy.

I was his only daughter's eldest son, and his favorite of 17 grandkids. He knew I needed him. When I was facing being expelled from school for fighting, my grandfather, knowing I wanted to become a boxer, made a deal with me. "If you promise to stop fighting in school, and find a gym where you can learn to box, I'll give you a ride and support you in your efforts. However, I expect not only to stop getting calls from your school principal, but also see something better on your report card."

I looked up the number of this young Golden Gloves champ, Jerry Quarry, and Jerry told me about the "Johnnie Flores Gym". I not only got my wish to become a boxer, my Grandfather got his. Within a year, I was an honor student.

I apologize for this long post, but I get kind of emotional when I visit St. Joseph Hospital in Burbank. It's where I was born, and where my Grandparents died. I know that you regulars will understand, you all have a fighter's heart. And Roger, as I wrote this, you were on my mind. What you are doing for Amanda and Adam is priceless.

To all of our Boxrec Grandparents . . . God bless you!


-Rick

A fantastic story, Rick. Hyde Park is a park I have walked through many times and it is so nice to think it is a part of your history.

Hyde Park . . .

Thank you, Bennie. I had the opportunity to do that once myself, with a young Brit woman I fell for on a film location in the Dominican Republic. I also fell in love with England when I visited Jane, but my career was going well in California, and she was building on a great career of her own in England. I tried to get her to move here, and she tried to get me to move to Great Britain, but I had young daughters at the time and that was my first priority. Nearly twenty years later, we still stay in touch, and today Jane Tomblin is one of the film industry's finest Art Directors. Next year, when Monica and I visit London, I'm going to take my wife for a walk in Hyde Park.

-Rick

[kikibalt]

I opened the show on this one. Winning a four-rounder.

-Rick

[kikibalt]

[kikibalt]

[kikibalt]

Just a reminder

[Randyman]

Rick Farris Wrote:
Breaking a fighter's spirit . . .

I remember this fight, Frank. I give Joe Medrano a lot of credit, he showed great heart in rising from each knockdown and continuing to fight knowing he had no chance of winning. As you pointed out, one good ass-whipping can ruin a fighter. This is one reason that we have guys that are considered "all time" greats, guys who can get such a whipping and come back and win big against a good fighter on another day.

What boxing fans don't understand is that to destroy a boxer, it isn't about breaking his body, but breaking his spirit. For example, you might remember Marco Antonio Barrera's KO loss to Junior Jones? Barrera fought him again and lost too, but not like the first time. Jones just had his number, but he didn't break Barrera's spirit. He would go on to score the biggest victories of his long career. Then you look at John "The Beast" Mugabi. 28-0 all KO's when he fought Marvin Hagler. The Beast gave his best but Hagler ruined him in later rounds. After this fight, Mugabi wasn't worth a nickle. Marvin broke his spirit.

-Rick Farris

I agree about a fighter's spirit Rick
I had seen Marco Antonio Barrera a few times during the 1990's at both The Forum and the Anaheim Pond but he didn't really get my undivided attention until he fought Kennedy McKinney at the Forum in 1996. That has to be considered his Baptism of Fire. It was a tough fight and a great win for Barrera. He really proved his mettle that night but what really got me was the prefight press conference the day before. McKinney, really underestimating Barrera started to really mouth off. He made one derogatory remark too many and Barrera popped him with a crisp right hand. It was a Kodak moment.

Though disappointed, to say the least, with Barrera's two losses to Junior Jones. it was his ability to put the losses behind him, no easy task, that really showed him to be a true champion. For Barrera the best was yet to come. Barrera had spirit (heart) in spades. He had to, coming back to fight Pacquiao, after getting stopped the way he did in the first fight. The trilogy with Erik Morales stands with best of them. The fight that made the hole world fall in love with him was his complete dismantling of the insufferable Nassem Hamed. Haven't heard from him since.

John Mugabi? A good fighter that gave one helluva performance against Marvin Hagler and never quite recovered from the beating. That's the difference between mediocrity and greatness.

Randy

Randy . . . Your memory of Barrera's fight with Kennedy McKinney gave us a preview of things to come. Like you, my first look at Barrera was in those early 90's "Forum" bouts, some televised on Prime ticket.

However, the one fight that truly won my heart, was his one-sided whipping of the HIGHLY over rated Prince Naseem Hamed. As I watched Hamed dance his Arabic jig in front of less than quality Mexican opposition, I dreamed of him one day running into a Saldivar, Salvador Sanchez. etc. true greats from south of the border. He was no Brit in my mind, and I wanted him to see him receive a good old fashioned Mexican ass-whipping.

Marco Antonio Barrera made my wish come true!

-Rick

Marco Antonio Barrera vs Naseem Hamed

Is this a great photo or what? It does my heart good. Hamed built his reputation (and arrogance) beating ring worn vets like Wayne McCullogh and Kevin Kelly or courageous but overmatched Auggie Sanchez and Wilfredo Vazquez. Stepping up to fight Barrera was a whole diffrent ball game.

Randy

[Randyman]

Just a reminder

Frank, I have a few family obligations, as well as work, this weekend, including my granddaughters birthday. I really hate to miss this one, especially since Connie is being honored. My question is this: Do tickets need to be bought in advanced or can I get them at the door, on the outside chance that I can make it?

Randy :(

[kikibalt]

Just a reminder

Frank, I have a few family obligations, as well as work, this weekend, including my granddaughters birthday. I really hate to miss this one, especially since Connie is being honored. My question is this: Do tickets need to be bought in advanced or can I get them at the door, on the outside chance that I can make it?

Randy :(

Randy, you can buy them at the door....make it if you can...

[kikibalt]

[Rick Farris]

Marco Antonio Barrera vs Naseem Hamed

Is this a great photo or what? It does my heart good. Hamed built his reputation (and arrogance) beating ring worn vets like Wayne McCullogh and Kevin Kelly or courageous but overmatched Auggie Sanchez and Wilfredo Vazquez. Stepping up to fight Barrera was a whole diffrent ball game.

Randy [/quote]
________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Great photo, Randy! Your post serves as evidence that one match with a real fighter, Marco Antonio Barrera, was all it took to validate the "Prince" was actually nothing more than a court jester. Further proof: What's he done since? Nada!

As Ruben Navarro would say- "Feed him beans!"


-Rick Farris

[Rick Farris]

Thanks to Frank for posting this program for me . . .

I may be wrong, but I don't believe the bottom photo is Rodolfo Gonzalez-Fermin Soto. It looks more like Oscar "Shotgun" Albarado, I'm not sure, but it's not Rodolfo. I left a message on Gato's phone, maybe he'll tell us. They also list Antonio Cervantes from Argentina, which is incorrect, Kid Pambele was from Columbia. Regardless, El Gato vs. Cervantes took place the week after Ramos-Rojas.

Just an example of how Aileen Eaton could put on world class, championship quality boxing nearly every thursday night, 50 weeks every year. She put on a great card on TV, 8-10pm. and often two title contenders or champions fighting off-TV right after the televised ten rounder. Add another weekly televised card put on by George Parnassus/Don Fraser's Forum Boxing Club on saturday or monday, from various L.A. venues such as the Santa Monica Civic Aud., Valley Music Theatre, Long Beach Arena, Devonshire Downs or Anaheim.

This was L.A. boxing in our era . . . and do I miss it!

-Rick Farris

[El Gato]

Rick---

You are absolutely right. That picture in the article is not me. It definitely is Oscar "Shotgun" Albarado fighting somebody. But that other person is not Fermin Soto either. Also they do not have my name spelled correctly. Gonzalez is with a Z at the end. That was a common mistake in many articles that the reporters made. As for using "El Gato", the promotors didn't want to use it even though I asked them to. I remember one time in 1963, when I asked Micky Davis who was the matchmaker at the Olympic Auditorium to use "El Gato" as my nickname because more and more people were calling me "Gato" he said no. He said he liked my name just as Rodolfo Gonzalez better.

Of all the boxers that were mentioned in the articles , I fought Ruben Navarro, Jimmy Robertson, Fermin Soto. and beat all three of them. Only Antonio Cervantes beat me because of a cut on my left eye. I felt I was winning the fight. I had him on the canvas in the third round but the doctor stopped the fight in the eighth round. My manager asked for a rematch but they didn't want one.

Rick, you mentioned that you fought at the Olympic nine days later. I can't believe I never met you in those days, not until so many years later.

El Gato

[Rick Farris]

Rick---

You are absolutely right. That picture in the article is not me. It definitely is Oscar "Shotgun" Albarado fighting somebody. But that other person is not Fermin Soto either. Also they do not have my name spelled correctly. Gonzalez is with a Z at the end. That was a common mistake in many articles that the reporters made. As for using "El Gato", the promotors didn't want to use it even though I asked them to. I remember one time in 1963, when I asked Micky Davis who was the matchmaker at the Olympic Auditorium to use "El Gato" as my nickname because more and more people were calling me "Gato" he said no. He said he liked my name just as Rodolfo Gonzalez better.

Of all the boxers that were mentioned in the articles , I fought Ruben Navarro, Jimmy Robertson, Fermin Soto. and beat all three of them. Only Antonio Cervantes beat me because of a cut on my left eye. I felt I was winning the fight. I had him on the canvas in the third round but the doctor stopped the fight in the eighth round. My manager asked for a rematch but they didn't want one.

Rick, you mentioned that you fought at the Olympic nine days later. I can't believe I never met you in those days, not until so many years later.

El Gato

Gato . . . I fought on the Ramos-Rojas card (and the program is from the night I fought) which was on the thursday, one week before you fought Cervantes. I fought my first eight pro fights at the Olympic in 1970, between June and December. I then fought four more times at the Olympic in the first couple months of 1971. After that, all of my fights were for the FORUM boxing club (Parnassus & Don Fraser promoting) or out of town. It is hard to believe we didn't meet. Our names are on the same programs and in many of the same news articles, some of which I am sending to Frank to post on this thread. I was also scheduled to fight on the undercard of your fight with Julio Vierra, but my opponent didn't show up. You might remember that in August, 1970, you were scheduled to fight Arturo Lomeli at the Olympic, but you had to pull out due to an eye cut suffered in the gym. I fought that night. After your bout fell thru, then Jesus Pimentel was supposed to fight Saul montana, but that also fell out. The main event proved to be a bad fight between a guy named Rogelio Fernandez and somebody else whom I forget. I beat Harry Kabakoff's fighter, Frankie Granados that night in a prelim bout. I'll post the L.A. times article that explains all the cancellations leading up to this thursday night Olympic card. So yes, we just seemd to miss each other. At the time, I was training at the Main street Gym and I know you were working out of Shagrue's Hoover St. Gym, and that's where I got to know most fighters, in the gym.

By the way, a few pages back Frank posted a program from the Ruben Navarro-Jimmy Robertson bout (their first). I fought that night too, and my fight is on the program along with mention of you in the "upcoming fights" news. Same from the Buchanan-Navarro title fight card, our names were both on that program, I won by KO in the semi-main and your name was mentioned in the "news" as being considered to challenge the title fight winner. I recently pulled several boxes of news clippings, pictures, etc. from storage, and Frank is posting them on the thread. There is a lot of great history and memories of the era in those boxes, and I'm glad to be able to share them here.

-Rick

[dagosd2000]

CREEKY

The times I went to Archie Moore's ABC Boys to help around I would always look at the old guy's physical apperance. He was probably in his 70's by then.I guess I do that with all former athletes including myself. Don't get me wrong. No one's gonna put me in any Hall Of Fame,but to see the athlete grow old is the personification of the word"bittersweet."

A few years back when the Super Bowl was here in San Diego,I was invited to their party. There were a bunch of old time Hall Of Famers there. The guy that struck me was Ron Yary. Before the steroid thing ,Yary was a monster. Six foot six 270 pounds. He was the All America right tackle who busted open holes for O.J Simpson. Yary was at a table standing up signing autographs. Next to his side was a walker. After about 10 minutes he had to sit. All his strength trying to manuever his walker.

That meloncholy feeling hit me the same way when I'd look at Aechie Moore at his boys club. He looked creeky. Had a hitch in his walk. He looked shrunken a little. With the gray beard,you'd never figure him to be the KO champ of all time.

I should have known better,but I would sometimes get a little teary eyed looking at him trying to get around. Now I'm entering that time. The arthritis is sneaking in. The wear and tear of my football injuries are slowing me down and giving me pain. The bone on bone is all inside of me.

Like I said,no one is going to hang a banner with my name on it at San Diego Stadium. But when I'd look at the 'ol Mongoose,and this was 30 years ago,I wanted to protect him. I didn't want any wanna be gangster to try to lay a hand on him as he left the building walking to the parking lot.

You see, the young people don't know of these legends. Our heros. Whether it was Emile Griffith standing with his knotted up hand in front of the elevator at the Hall Of Fame Banquet saying he was lost and scared. Ron Yary bracing himself on his elbows trying to sign autographs at the Super Bowl Party. Or the 'ol Mongoose leaning on the ring ropes at his boys club mentioning that he was married five times staring out into the parking lot.

With time ,these memories will become sweeter.The bitterness dissolved away.

[Rick Farris]

CREEKY

The times I went to Archie Moore's ABC Boys to help around I would always look at the old guy's physical apperance. He was probably in his 70's by then.I guess I do that with all former athletes including myself. Don't get me wrong. No one's gonna put me in any Hall Of Fame,but to see the athlete grow old is the personification of the word"bittersweet."

A few years back when the Super Bowl was here in San Diego,I was invited to their party. There were a bunch of old time Hall Of Famers there. The guy that struck me was Ron Yary. Before the steroid thing ,Yary was a monster. Six foot six 270 pounds. He was the All America right tackle who busted open holes for O.J Simpson. Yary was at a table standing up signing autographs. Next to his side was a walker. After about 10 minutes he had to sit. All his strength trying to manuever his walker.

That meloncholy feeling hit me the same way when I'd look at Aechie Moore at his boys club. He looked creeky. Had a hitch in his walk. He looked shrunken a little. With the gray beard,you'd never figure him to be the KO champ of all time.

I should have known better,but I would sometimes get a little teary eyed looking at him trying to get around. Now I'm entering that time. The arthritis is sneaking in. The wear and tear of my football injuries are slowing me down and giving me pain. The bone on bone is all inside of me.

Like I said,no one is going to hang a banner with my name on it at San Diego Stadium. But when I'd look at the 'ol Mongoose,and this was 30 years ago,I wanted to protect him. I didn't want any wanna be gangster to try to lay a hand on him as he left the building walking to the parking lot.

You see, the young people don't know of these legends. Our heros. Whether it was Emile Griffith standing with his knotted up hand in front of the elevator at the Hall Of Fame Banquet saying he was lost and scared. Ron Yary bracing himself on his elbows trying to sign autographs at the Super Bowl Party. Or the 'ol Mongoose leaning on the ring ropes at his boys club mentioning that he was married five times staring out into the parking lot.

With time ,these memories will become sweeter.The bitterness dissolved away.

Roger, I know how you feel. I felt that way when I saw Raul Rojas in his wheel chair at the WBHOF banquet. I felt the same when I saw Emile Griffith, he was confused trying to locate his companion, his adopted son and caretaker. He just looked lost. Your story hits close to home. I understand what you mean when you say, "I want to protect them."

What was it that Don Fraser said to Frank Baltazar about "getting old"? By the way, good luck tomorrow.

-Rick

[Expug]

CREEKY

The times I went to Archie Moore's ABC Boys to help around I would always look at the old guy's physical apperance. He was probably in his 70's by then.I guess I do that with all former athletes including myself. Don't get me wrong. No one's gonna put me in any Hall Of Fame,but to see the athlete grow old is the personification of the word"bittersweet."

A few years back when the Super Bowl was here in San Diego,I was invited to their party. There were a bunch of old time Hall Of Famers there. The guy that struck me was Ron Yary. Before the steroid thing ,Yary was a monster. Six foot six 270 pounds. He was the All America right tackle who busted open holes for O.J Simpson. Yary was at a table standing up signing autographs. Next to his side was a walker. After about 10 minutes he had to sit. All his strength trying to manuever his walker.

That meloncholy feeling hit me the same way when I'd look at Aechie Moore at his boys club. He looked creeky. Had a hitch in his walk. He looked shrunken a little. With the gray beard,you'd never figure him to be the KO champ of all time.

I should have known better,but I would sometimes get a little teary eyed looking at him trying to get around. Now I'm entering that time. The arthritis is sneaking in. The wear and tear of my football injuries are slowing me down and giving me pain. The bone on bone is all inside of me.

Like I said,no one is going to hang a banner with my name on it at San Diego Stadium. But when I'd look at the 'ol Mongoose,and this was 30 years ago,I wanted to protect him. I didn't want any wanna be gangster to try to lay a hand on him as he left the building walking to the parking lot.

You see, the young people don't know of these legends. Our heros. Whether it was Emile Griffith standing with his knotted up hand in front of the elevator at the Hall Of Fame Banquet saying he was lost and scared. Ron Yary bracing himself on his elbows trying to sign autographs at the Super Bowl Party. Or the 'ol Mongoose leaning on the ring ropes at his boys club mentioning that he was married five times staring out into the parking lot.

With time ,these memories will become sweeter.The bitterness dissolved away.

Roger, I know how you feel. I felt that way when I saw Raul Rojas in his wheel chair at the WBHOF banquet. I felt the same when I saw Emile Griffith, he was confused trying to locate his companion, his adopted son and caretaker. He just looked lost. Your story hits close to home. I understand what you mean when you say, "I want to protect them."

What was it that Don Fraser said to Frank Baltazar about "getting old"? By the way, good luck tomorrow.

-Rick

I know how you guys feel .Its very sad about the former great fighters physical condition.
Its tough gettin a little older and feelin the years.
The thing is though, guys this is the way of a warrior. You guys have also earned your scars and although you feel the pain on a daily basis, you will always be able to say you received them being a man.
A long time ago you guys decided to take a path that required that you step outside the comfort zone.
Here, we arent the type of people who are gonna be playing bridge at a country club in our later years.
Rog, you earned that creekiness kickin ass on a football field.Rick you had to get that nose fixed from slugging it out with great fighters.
Wear them wounds proudly my friends.
They are badges of honor.

[bennie]

Marco Antonio Barrera vs Naseem Hamed

Is this a great photo or what? It does my heart good. Hamed built his reputation (and arrogance) beating ring worn vets like Wayne McCullogh and Kevin Kelly or courageous but overmatched Auggie Sanchez and Wilfredo Vazquez. Stepping up to fight Barrera was a whole diffrent ball game.

Randy

________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Great photo, Randy! Your post serves as evidence that one match with a real fighter, Marco Antonio Barrera, was all it took to validate the "Prince" was actually nothing more than a court jester. Further proof: What's he done since? Nada!

As Ruben Navarro would say- "Feed him beans!"


-Rick Farris[/quote]



Now, Barrera looks to do the same to the cocky young Khan...

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Sugar Ray Robinson vs Carmen Basilio

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Harold Johnson & Willie Pastrano

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Eddie Perkins vs Baby Vasquez

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Rocky Graziano vs Charlie Fusari