Don't forget about my uncle Ray "Wild Red" Robles, who fought at the Cow Palace.Bobbin & Weavin wrote: Hap,
Thanks so much, you are so right there is a rich history of boxing up here and I have to start appriciating it a little more than I do I just feel like the lone soldier up here at times. Your well put words have opened my eyes a little wider and I will take your advise, I would be a fool not to. Thanks again Hap.
And Rog you are so right...defer my foot!
Bruce
Hap . . . Two of my favorite USC tailbacks were from San Diego, both Heisman Trophy winners.Dongee wrote:Fellas:dagosd2000 wrote:Frankkikibalt wrote:ONE-TWO PUNCH
By Earl Gustkey
2000
The list of NFL players who were also outstanding boxers is a short one.
In fact, it includes only one name.
Charlie Powell.
Please, don't even mention Ed "Too Tall" Jones or Mark Gastineau. Neither came close to the heavyweight rankings. Powell was a top-10 heavyweight. Some early in his career thought he might succeed Rocky Marciano as heavyweight champion.
Powell is on another short list: modern-era athletes who bypassed college and went from high school football to the NFL. You have Cookie Gilchrist, Eric Swann--and Charlie Powell.
He's 68 now, the owner of a South-Central business that refurbishes school buses and does machine-shop work for the aerospace industry. He also does plainclothes security work.
He's still trim and fit, still wearing his ring scars over both brows. You get that way when you've had fights with Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay), Floyd Patterson, Roy Harris, Nino Valdes and Mike DeJohn.
Powell was one of the great high school athletes in Southern California history at San Diego High, where he won 12 varsity letters. He ran 100 yards in 9.6 seconds and set a school shotput record.
He went from high school football to the San Francisco 49ers and, at 19, started at defensive end. In his first NFL game, he threw Detroit Lion quarterback Bobby Layne for 67 yards in losses.
Before that, UCLA recruited him. For which sport? Any one he wanted. San Jose State recruited him when NCAA boxing was in flower.
He was a 6-toot-3, 230-pound 18-year-old natural. But boxing was his first sport.
"As a 12-, 13-year-old kid during World War II, I was going to the Oakes Boys' Club on Marcy Avenue, sparring with 17- and 19-year-olds," he said.
"Some of them, I knocked them out."
He grew up following the boxing careers of San Diego neighbors Archie Moore, later a world light-heavyweight champion, and middleweight Charley Burley. He also fought forest fires and operated a brisk shoeshine business in downtown San Diego.
"I was shining shoes on a corner when it was announced the war was over," he said. "All of a sudden sailors started grabbing women off the sidewalks and throwing them into a fountain."
He grew up in a loving family of nine children in San Diego's Logan Heights neighborhood. His father, the late Elvin Powell, was a cement finisher and a maintenance worker at Del Mar racetrack.
I remember seeing Charlie and his brother Art(played for the Raiders) along with Archie Moore at community events in Logan Heights. That's before the neighborhood got caught up with grafitti,gangs,and drugs.
Happy to say that I made Charlie's first pro bout, almost 56 years to the day (3-7-53) in a humble four riounder then brought him back a month later in a six-round semi, both wins for the good looking prospect, at our Legion Stadium. Incidentally, San Diego high schools have a great history for producing standout athletes. It is the only California city that has produced FOUR Heisman trophy winners. And it will always be my adopted home town. Viva!
hap navarro
Bruce, that was a smooth handoff by Frank, I have to admit. Since we both love to eat it would be a match made in Heaven.Bobbin & Weavin wrote:How do ya like that Randy, Frank just pawned me off on you! He must know how much I eat, not a lightweight anymore! But I think Hap has convinced me that I don't live in the boxing free zone that I was complaining about after all so you're off the hook.kikibalt wrote:Bruce, just pick up your tooth brush and hitchhike down to L.A., you can move in with Randy, or one of the guys, you can't move in with me as there is no more room under the bridge.Bobbin & Weavin wrote:Michele is a beautiful person. As soon as she seen us last night she sat us at a VIP table...
Of course she sat you at the VIP table she knows good people when she sees them, good boxing people. I am so jealous of you guys down in SoCal you still have a boxing community that you see the guys; here in NorCal we have nothing, really it's damn sad. We never did have what you had down there but this area was a pretty good "fight town" but now it's pretty much down to one lunch a month and one dinner a year which are scantly attended. Maybe that's why I am so addicted to this thread, it's when I feel happiest when I reading all of the great posts from you guys and you look around my little office at my house and I'm surrounded by stacks of Ring Mags, and old Referee Mags. Maybe I can talk my family into moving to SoCal!
Thanks for letting me vent!
Bobbin & Weavin
Bruce
By the way Randy I have located an article in Ring Magazine confirming one of your fights on the undercard of the Miguel Meza Vs. Manuel Lujan card in S.D. Says you and Nacho Cota, drew in four. I have located several articles the Mike Quarry Vs. Tom Bethea fight but none of the article list the prelims. I'll keep trying. By the way I have an extra copy of the Ring Magazine with the article if you don't have one PM me your address and I'll mail it to you.
Bruce
Hap, I was taught by my father, Andrew De La O, that one of the greatest way to get know a man, to place your trust in a man, to appreciate a man, and bond with a man is to shake his hand. I put a lot of faith in my handshake and I give of myself when I shake a man's hand. I hope to someday shake your hand Hap. That's the greatest compliment to another man that I am able to give and receive.Dongee Wrote:
Thanks, Randy. One of these days, the fates allowing it, we will take triip down memory lane and let our friends here know more about the finest boxing venue I have ever known, my old stamping grounds the Hollywood Legion Stadium. It was a whole different game, the background, the old wooden shack, the ultra-modern new facility (1938) the full orchestra, the dressing rooms where the fellow in charge was an aging, long-time silent movie star (Walter Long), the very visible movie celebs who often didn't take a seat, instead continually wandering around the stadium's catwalk (Bob Hope), stopping to chat with other folks, the deference shown to screen star Lupe Velez, whose ringside seats held nothing but a fresh bouquet of flowers for days after her tragic death, and those seats eventually passing on to Frank Sinatra.
When I hired in there were two most celebrated boxing venues, east and west, the Garden in New York and the Legion in Hollywood.
We'll have some fun with it all.
hap navarro
Rick, God has truly blessed you, my friend, with terrific writing skills. You leave me in awe. As a born and bred Angeleno, I appreciate not only your sense of history, as well as your delivery but your uncompromising sense of loyalty to the L.A. fighters and their place in Boxing's history.Rick Farris wrote:Sometimes a picture tells the best story . . .kikibalt wrote:Frankie Durate vs Albert Davila
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEHrJpVjrWk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL_zhmonucE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFqpEsSjPMU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLnAZ6_4BYA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5utFqqAmmx8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrj7lgZAND8
When I saw Frank had posted the link to the Duarte vs. Davila II war, I remembered the day it was fought and how I recorded it on VHS from the CBS broadcast. I carried that tape thru my travels, along with many others that I believed defined what I consider to be legendary West Coast prizefighting of the day.
I watched this one over and over, in slow motion, stop-action, dissecting every single blow. I wanted to see if certain shots really landed, or appeared to have been more damamging than they actually were. This fight was a great one to break down in that manner. Another was Roberto Duran's beat down of Davey Moore. Replay these bouts slowly and watch closely, and you'll see punches that did far more damage than a split-second hint you got when you first watched in real time.
As I mentioned, I carried this fight tape with me. Perhaps it was a little personal pride for two guys that came up in my era, in the same place that I did. Like me, these guys were Junior Golden Glovers. They had the same Gold & Blue satin Jr. GG's Championship jacket that I had, as does the Baltazar's, the Quarry's, the Sandoval's, etc.
Whenever I'd have a visitor, one that was a bit over the top about the tremendous action he saw in a Roy Jones fight, I'd pull out my Duate-Davila tape and sit them down. This tape allowed me to be "speechless", I didn't have to say a word, but I was going to show him what we considered great, but almost common in the City of Angels. These were L.A. guys, specifically, Venice for Frankie Duarte (he actually lived in nearby Rancho Park and attended Venice High School) and Pomona for Albert Davila.
As Frank mentioned, Duarte was a Teamsters boy, and Louie J. his chief coach. As Jr. Glover, Albert Davila fought out of the Sacred Heart Boys Club in Pomona. Tony Cerda was his coach. I can remember Frankie Baltazar Jr. in the '68 JR. Gloves championship fight, matched with Albert's brother Armando in the finals. We were all that close, yet not always personally so. Over time you get to know the guys you see every couple weeks at the fights. We'd travel together, we'd lodge together, we'd fight each other, sometimes more than once. I always liked the travel, sometimes six of us packed into the back seat of a car, a few more up front with the driver. The driver's were the coaches, guys like Frank.
The coaches are the true heros of boxing. They usually develop talent, often right out of diapers, they teach them, drive them here and there, fight to get them the best matches, the best sparring, whatever edge they can provide. Then the kid turns pro, somebody with a few bucks approaches them, feeds them a line and the years of work put in by the coach fills somebody else's bank account. This happens every single day of the week. It's almost like tradition in boxing.
In '2000, I was living in Phoenix and working with boxers. There were two pretty hot prelim kids in our stable, and I worked closely with one that I never knew to lose. He was 18, had main event skills yet had only fought 4's and a six. His name was Homero Sierra, and his Boxrec stats show his good potential. This kid would have done great in L.A. when I was fighting. He just did everything right, had those instincts, the confidence, the toughness. We were going to take him to Las Vegas, a card at the "Orleans". We had made all the travel arrangements, lodging for the fighter, his manager/trainer, myself. We would drive from Phoenix. Goosen brother-in-law, Tom Brown, was the matchmaker. I hoped Richard would get this kid out of Phoenix, bring him to L.A. and get into the mainstream. Phoenix is a great place for boxers to be FROM. A lot of great promise has dried up in that desert.
We all meet at the gym. As Rambo (the boxer's ring name) and I wait in the gym office for his manager, I remember that I had left my VHS copy of the Duarte-Davila bout on the shelf, above the TV in the office. I used to play it to kids who were interested in seeing how L.A. bantam's fought a few years back. Of course, I'd intimate that "all" L.A. guys fought like this. That we all were just naturally blessed with Davila's blinding boxing skills, and Frankie's power and tenacity were required before the California Commission would even consider granting us a license.
I'd tell the kids, "El Huero" and "Tweety" are just typical of Los Angles boxers in the eighties. However, if you think they are good, you should have seen what we had in the 60's & 70's. And if we thought those were good, you should have seen what L.A. had in the 40's and 50's. I'd look them in the eye and in my most serious voice tell them, "and we don't even want to consider how tough the fighters were before that!"
I believe the best way to get thru to a kid is to make a strong first impression. Duarte vs. Davila II made such an impression, and supported my BS claim.
I play the tape for Rambo. In the second round, manager Richard Rodriguez arrives, sees the action and sits down without speaking. Rodriguez knows all about L.A. fighters, fighting both amateur and pro bouts at the Olympic in the late 50's & early 60's, as well as the L.A. boys who came to Phoenix. Rodriguez met them in prelims at Phoenix's Madison Square Garden, or in sparring sessions at his own Madison Gym. By the bell opening round three, both boxer and manager had moved closer to the TV, they are now leaning forward in their chairs.
"Duarte goes down!" A short, picture-perfect hook sits "El Huero" on the canvas. Rodriguez and Rambo are suddenly on their feet. "Did you see that!", Rambo shouts. Duarte's face said it all, he shakes his head, pounds the canvas with his glove and climbs to his feet. Duarte rises from the canvas, Davila gets cut, and we know the rest. Everytime I see the fight, I still get excited, the energy does wonders for the spirit of a true boxing personality.
As I looked around the room, after the fight had been stopped, I notice that another half dozen people had come in and were standing watching the screen. All were going overboard about the great action. One of the less knowledgable observers, a Roy Jone's die-hard, had to admit, "We'll never see Roy in one like that."
Roy Jones ain't from L.A.
-Rick Farris
Randy:Randyman wrote:Hap, I was taught by my father, Andrew De La O, that one of the greatest way to get know a man, to place your trust in a man, to appreciate a man, and bond with a man is to shake his hand. I put a lot of faith in my handshake and I give of myself when I shake a man's hand. I hope to someday shake your hand Hap. That's the greatest compliment to another man that I am able to give and receive.Dongee Wrote:
Thanks, Randy. One of these days, the fates allowing it, we will take triip down memory lane and let our friends here know more about the finest boxing venue I have ever known, my old stamping grounds the Hollywood Legion Stadium. It was a whole different game, the background, the old wooden shack, the ultra-modern new facility (1938) the full orchestra, the dressing rooms where the fellow in charge was an aging, long-time silent movie star (Walter Long), the very visible movie celebs who often didn't take a seat, instead continually wandering around the stadium's catwalk (Bob Hope), stopping to chat with other folks, the deference shown to screen star Lupe Velez, whose ringside seats held nothing but a fresh bouquet of flowers for days after her tragic death, and those seats eventually passing on to Frank Sinatra.
When I hired in there were two most celebrated boxing venues, east and west, the Garden in New York and the Legion in Hollywood.
We'll have some fun with it all.
hap navarro
Randy
Chuck...I was sitting ringside for that fight, and I agree with you that Davila was ahead in the fight, for not the cut I think Albert would have won the fight, I don't think he would have stopped Frankie though....Great fight either way....Chuck1052 wrote:Alberto Davila was one of my favorites because of he had such a beautiful boxing style. I also enjoyed seeing Frankie Duarte in action because he came to fight and had all of the heart in the world, but his big fault was that he was so easy to hit.
I was in the cheap seats during the second bout between Davila and Duarte, so I may not have had the best possible view. But it was my impression that Davila was winning by a margin before the bout was halted.
- Chuck Johnston
Thanks Hap, your loyalty to the Legion Stadium is to be admired, and I can assure, we all do. Like every else here, I await with bated breath for the book.Dongee wrote:Randy:Randyman wrote:Hap, I was taught by my father, Andrew De La O, that one of the greatest way to get know a man, to place your trust in a man, to appreciate a man, and bond with a man is to shake his hand. I put a lot of faith in my handshake and I give of myself when I shake a man's hand. I hope to someday shake your hand Hap. That's the greatest compliment to another man that I am able to give and receive.Dongee Wrote:
Thanks, Randy. One of these days, the fates allowing it, we will take triip down memory lane and let our friends here know more about the finest boxing venue I have ever known, my old stamping grounds the Hollywood Legion Stadium. It was a whole different game, the background, the old wooden shack, the ultra-modern new facility (1938) the full orchestra, the dressing rooms where the fellow in charge was an aging, long-time silent movie star (Walter Long), the very visible movie celebs who often didn't take a seat, instead continually wandering around the stadium's catwalk (Bob Hope), stopping to chat with other folks, the deference shown to screen star Lupe Velez, whose ringside seats held nothing but a fresh bouquet of flowers for days after her tragic death, and those seats eventually passing on to Frank Sinatra.
When I hired in there were two most celebrated boxing venues, east and west, the Garden in New York and the Legion in Hollywood.
We'll have some fun with it all.
hap navarro
Randy
That is a time honored, yet very basic ritrual that real men live by, always. Like an old song says clearly "I give you my hand and my heart will be in it". Thanks for your noble gesture, Randy, and may you and yours share health and wealth, forever.
My feelings for the old Legion Stadium have never waned. I chose to leave the boxing game that I dearly loved, rather than work for any other enterprise. The Legion was the brightest shining star on the pugilistic firmament.
Thank you
hap navarro
Frank, we had to be seated somewhat close. I was sitting near Alberto Sandavol and spent much of the time talking with him. You had to be nearby.kikibalt wrote:Chuck...I was sitting ringside for that fight, and I agree with you that Davila was ahead in the fight, for not the cut I think Albert would have won the fight, I don't think he would have stopped Frankie though....Great fight either way....Chuck1052 wrote:Alberto Davila was one of my favorites because of he had such a beautiful boxing style. I also enjoyed seeing Frankie Duarte in action because he came to fight and had all of the heart in the world, but his big fault was that he was so easy to hit.
I was in the cheap seats during the second bout between Davila and Duarte, so I may not have had the best possible view. But it was my impression that Davila was winning by a margin before the bout was halted.
- Chuck Johnston
RickRick Farris wrote:dagosd2000 wrote:Frankkikibalt wrote:Cole's French dip restaurant revives a slice of the past
Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times
Ethan Lipsitz and Amanda Lee eat at the century-old Cole’s, which reopened in December and retains original signs such as, “Ladies, kindly do your soliciting discreetly.”
The downtown L.A. eatery keeps its deliciously seedy atmosphere -- with reminders of gangsters, strippers and Prohibition -- and its rivalry with Philippe's. Its upscale attitude on cocktails is new.
By Steve Harvey
You won't find many restaurants that display photos of 1950s strippers. But Cole's, the dark, subterranean eatery that recently reopened near the corner of 6th and Main, believes in tradition.
"It wasn't that far to walk to see the girls performing," explained spokeswoman Joan McCraw, referring to the old Follies Theater.
Gangster Mickey Cohen "was dating one of those girls," she added. Cole's "was his hangout."
For a while it seemed as though the curtain had fallen on Cole's. It shut down in March 2007 after 99 years of business. What went wrong? Perhaps it was the depressed state of the neighborhood. Or maybe the owners violated the house rule printed on a dining room sign: "We do not extend credit to stockbrokers."
At one point during its shuttered period, a website carried this capsule review of Cole's by one diner:
"Pro: No lines. Con: It's closed."
To the rescue came bar owner Cedd Moses, a fan of the eatery since he was a child. The son of artist Ed Moses, he and some other investors reopened Cole's last December and were careful to retain its original elements: bordello-red wallpaper, Tiffany glass lampshades over the mahogany bar, penny-tiled floor, an ancient time clock, and friendly reminders to customers.
"Ladies, kindly do your soliciting discreetly," one sign reads.
While Cole's can no longer claim to be the longest continuously operated cafe/saloon in the city, it's still arguing with Philippe the Original over who invented the French dip sandwich.
Cole's lore has it that the dish originated in 1908 when a customer with a bad case of sore gums asked for his sandwich to be lowered into the juice because the French roll was too crunchy for him. The sympathetic chef complied, word spread and soon this variation was even being ordered by folks who flossed regularly.
Philippe's, which opened the same year and later moved to its current location near Union Station, maintains that it invented the dip when a customer complained that his roll was stale and asked for it to be dunked. Or perhaps a chef dropped the roll into the juice in the roast pan and the customer said, what the heck, give it to me anyway. No one at Philippe's is quite sure.
And, as a city historian admitted to the L.A. Business Journal a few years ago, "We don't have a French dip department."
Oh well. Said Richard Binder, co-owner of Philippe's, "Who knows what happened 100 years ago? We're just happy to still be around."
Cole's occupies the bottom floor of the 10-story Pacific Electric Building, the city's tallest skyscraper in the early 1900s and for years the terminus for the Red Car trolley line, which clacked over more than 1,000 miles of track in Southern California.
Founder Henry Cole moved into the former headquarters of some horse-drawn streetcars. One of the first things he did was sprinkle sawdust on the floor.
Located near the financial center of the city, the place became a haunt for bankers, attorneys, newspaper types and politicians -- as well as more respectable folks.
Business really started booming when Cole opened a free check-cashing service, the city's first, in a cage at the back of the restaurant. The shrewd owner realized that customers would often be returning a portion of the cash to pay for their lunch and/or drinks.
His son Rawland managed the check-cashing business and developed a code to deal with possible bad-check passers. "Johnny," the son would call to a waiter, "did you get the prescription filled?" And the waiter would summon police to grab the suspect, who wasn't always a stockbroker.
Cole's vintage outdoor sign still displays the word "payroll," but the "checks cashed" part was removed long ago, lest new customers think the service is still offered. "We'd have a line around the block," pointed out manager Jana Green.
Prohibition, which dawned in 1919, was a bit of a problem. But the late Jimmy Barela, who tended bar there for 56 years, substituted bitters (at 3 cents a shot) and "near beer" (at a dime a glass) for the real stuff.
All that changed April 7, 1933, when President Roosevelt legalized beer. Barela told The Times years ago that "we sold 58 32-gallon kegs" on the day.
Though the furnishings of Cole's recall another era, Moses is hoping to attract loft dwellers and other new downtown residents with some upscale touches.
Spokeswoman McCraw, for instance, speaks of "elevating the cocktail experience" and "the perfect execution" of ice picks required for such classic alcoholic concoctions as Hemingway's Death in the Afternoon and the 1926 Cosmopolitan.
"We have real bartenders, not actor/bartenders," she added.
Too bad Mickey Cohen isn't around anymore. One can imagine the mobster admiring the handiwork of the bartenders with their ice picks.
[email protected]
Amanda is dancing in Long Beach in April. Any of these eateries near Long Beach? French dipped sandwiches don't exist in San Diego. Rog
Roger . . . Monica and I would like to see Amanda dance, if that is possible. Coles and Phillipe's are the best french dip sandwich places, but they are downtown L.A. Long Beach has undergone massive redevelopment in the past few decades and is actually kind of a cool place in areas of downtown, right off the harbor. French Dip sandwich places in Long Beach? Don't know.
-Rick
Randy...There is very few guys left that know L.A. boxing like Hap, though Hap is to modest to admit it. I would love to be a fly on the wall if Hap, Don Fraser and Don Chargin could get together and talk boxing....Randyman wrote:Dongee Wrote:
Thanks, Randy. One of these days, the fates allowing it, we will take triip down memory lane and let our friends here know more about the finest boxing venue I have ever known, my old stamping grounds the Hollywood Legion Stadium. It was a whole different game, the background, the old wooden shack, the ultra-modern new facility (1938) the full orchestra, the dressing rooms where the fellow in charge was an aging, long-time silent movie star (Walter Long), the very visible movie celebs who often didn't take a seat, instead continually wandering around the stadium's catwalk (Bob Hope), stopping to chat with other folks, the deference shown to screen star Lupe Velez, whose ringside seats held nothing but a fresh bouquet of flowers for days after her tragic death, and those seats eventually passing on to Frank Sinatra.
When I hired in there were two most celebrated boxing venues, east and west, the Garden in New York and the Legion in Hollywood.
We'll have some fun with it all.
hap navarro
Hap, I was taught by my father, Andrew De La O, that one of the greatest way to get know a man, to place your trust in a man, to appreciate a man, and bond with a man is to shake his hand. I put a lot of faith in my handshake and I give of myself when I shake a man's hand. I hope to someday shake your hand Hap. That's the greatest compliment to another man that I am able to give and receive.
Randy
Randy:
That is a time honored, yet very basic ritrual that real men live by, always. Like an old song says clearly "I give you my hand and my heart will be in it". Thanks for your noble gesture, Randy, and may you and yours share health and wealth, forever.
My feelings for the old Legion Stadium have never waned. I chose to leave the boxing game that I dearly loved, rather than work for any other enterprise. The Legion was the brightest shining star on the pugilistic firmament.
Thank you
hap navarro
Thanks Hap, your loyalty to the Legion Stadium is to be admired, and I can assure, we all do. Like every else here, I await with bated breath for the book.
Frank Baltazar is at the top of my list of the men I respect and admire. So when I see the respect and admiration that he, in turn, gives you, you can bet that I know you are special. I know you wouldn't say that about yourself Hap, but we can say it.
Randy
DannyWildhawke11 wrote:I had this one saved in my old mail Rick
Johnny Flores was the best story teller I ever knew, and he had decades worth of experiences to share.
One of these stories was about he & former heavyweight champ Joe Louis. In the 50's, Joe Louis promoted boxing in Hollywood in a night club called the "Moulan Rouge". Flores was his matchmaker.
Johnny and Joe Louis flew to Mexico, where Louis was to be honored by somebody. Now I forget, if it was in Guadalajara or Mexico City, but Flores told of a place where their hosts took them one night. It was a club called "Uncle Sam's" and Flores said it was about the roughest place he'd ever seen. The clientel was made up of local gangsters and so intimidating was this place, Louis was uncomfortable about getting out of the cab. Johnny thought this was funny, Hell, it was Joe Louis and he's afraid to go into this Mexican night club.
Flores convinces him things will be alright and Joe reluctantly goes in. When they get inside, one of the drunk patrons immediatly recognizes the Brown Bomber and challenges him to a fight. The host was upset and called the proprietor over who was a friend and whispered something in his ear. The owner nods and within seconds the patron was grabbed and led away by bouncers.
By now they are seated and Louis is sweating, totally uncomfortable. The owner returns and assures the host that the trouble maker would no longer be a problem. Louis can't understand what they are saying in Spanish and asks Johnny what's being said. Flores knew Louis was uncomfortable and thought he'd have some fun with him. Flores said not to worry about anybody starting any trouble the rest of the night, they made an example out of the man.
Louis was really confused now, "what do you mean they made an example out of him?" Flores looked at Louis in the eye and said, "they took him out back and shot him". Of course, Flores didn't know what they did with the guy, but Louis was now sick to his stomach and had to leave. Johnny looked at Louis and said, "Relax Joe, any more trouble makers and they'll take 'em out back and handle it".
Louis said, "You mean they killed that guy just because of that?" Flores said "Yeah, but that's because he bothered Joe Louis, normally they just cut off a hand if a guy hits somebody, or cut off their tounge if they get too loud. It's pretty mild right now, but just wait until midnight, things really get wild."
Louis said, "Call a cab, I'm gettin' out of here! Oh and tell them thank you very much."
Flores told the story so well we were all rolling with laughter, of course, hearing it second hand from me isn't the same. However, I'm just wondering, did you ever hear of an "Uncle Sam's" in either Guadalajara or Mexico City????
Danny, that was classic.dagosd2000 wrote:DannyWildhawke11 wrote:I had this one saved in my old mail Rick
Johnny Flores was the best story teller I ever knew, and he had decades worth of experiences to share.
One of these stories was about he & former heavyweight champ Joe Louis. In the 50's, Joe Louis promoted boxing in Hollywood in a night club called the "Moulan Rouge". Flores was his matchmaker.
Johnny and Joe Louis flew to Mexico, where Louis was to be honored by somebody. Now I forget, if it was in Guadalajara or Mexico City, but Flores told of a place where their hosts took them one night. It was a club called "Uncle Sam's" and Flores said it was about the roughest place he'd ever seen. The clientel was made up of local gangsters and so intimidating was this place, Louis was uncomfortable about getting out of the cab. Johnny thought this was funny, Hell, it was Joe Louis and he's afraid to go into this Mexican night club.
Flores convinces him things will be alright and Joe reluctantly goes in. When they get inside, one of the drunk patrons immediatly recognizes the Brown Bomber and challenges him to a fight. The host was upset and called the proprietor over who was a friend and whispered something in his ear. The owner nods and within seconds the patron was grabbed and led away by bouncers.
By now they are seated and Louis is sweating, totally uncomfortable. The owner returns and assures the host that the trouble maker would no longer be a problem. Louis can't understand what they are saying in Spanish and asks Johnny what's being said. Flores knew Louis was uncomfortable and thought he'd have some fun with him. Flores said not to worry about anybody starting any trouble the rest of the night, they made an example out of the man.
Louis was really confused now, "what do you mean they made an example out of him?" Flores looked at Louis in the eye and said, "they took him out back and shot him". Of course, Flores didn't know what they did with the guy, but Louis was now sick to his stomach and had to leave. Johnny looked at Louis and said, "Relax Joe, any more trouble makers and they'll take 'em out back and handle it".
Louis said, "You mean they killed that guy just because of that?" Flores said "Yeah, but that's because he bothered Joe Louis, normally they just cut off a hand if a guy hits somebody, or cut off their tounge if they get too loud. It's pretty mild right now, but just wait until midnight, things really get wild."
Louis said, "Call a cab, I'm gettin' out of here! Oh and tell them thank you very much."
Flores told the story so well we were all rolling with laughter, of course, hearing it second hand from me isn't the same. However, I'm just wondering, did you ever hear of an "Uncle Sam's" in either Guadalajara or Mexico City????
That's one for the books
DDRandyRandyman wrote:Rog, think of the Italian Beef sandwiches that they serve in Chicago. A French Dip sandwich is very similar. Most of the places around town serve an almost generic version of the sandwich. Good but not great. At both Cole's and Philippe's the meat is still hand carved and roasted on the premises. A word to the wise to anyone going to Philippe's. Don't order the Potato Salad. It has to rank as the worse that I have ever eaten. Go for the Cole Slaw.dagosd2000 wrote:Frankkikibalt wrote:Cole's French dip restaurant revives a slice of the past
Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times
Ethan Lipsitz and Amanda Lee eat at the century-old Cole’s, which reopened in December and retains original signs such as, “Ladies, kindly do your soliciting discreetly.”
The downtown L.A. eatery keeps its deliciously seedy atmosphere -- with reminders of gangsters, strippers and Prohibition -- and its rivalry with Philippe's. Its upscale attitude on cocktails is new.
By Steve Harvey
You won't find many restaurants that display photos of 1950s strippers. But Cole's, the dark, subterranean eatery that recently reopened near the corner of 6th and Main, believes in tradition.
"It wasn't that far to walk to see the girls performing," explained spokeswoman Joan McCraw, referring to the old Follies Theater.
Gangster Mickey Cohen "was dating one of those girls," she added. Cole's "was his hangout."
For a while it seemed as though the curtain had fallen on Cole's. It shut down in March 2007 after 99 years of business. What went wrong? Perhaps it was the depressed state of the neighborhood. Or maybe the owners violated the house rule printed on a dining room sign: "We do not extend credit to stockbrokers."
At one point during its shuttered period, a website carried this capsule review of Cole's by one diner:
"Pro: No lines. Con: It's closed."
To the rescue came bar owner Cedd Moses, a fan of the eatery since he was a child. The son of artist Ed Moses, he and some other investors reopened Cole's last December and were careful to retain its original elements: bordello-red wallpaper, Tiffany glass lampshades over the mahogany bar, penny-tiled floor, an ancient time clock, and friendly reminders to customers.
"Ladies, kindly do your soliciting discreetly," one sign reads.
While Cole's can no longer claim to be the longest continuously operated cafe/saloon in the city, it's still arguing with Philippe the Original over who invented the French dip sandwich.
Cole's lore has it that the dish originated in 1908 when a customer with a bad case of sore gums asked for his sandwich to be lowered into the juice because the French roll was too crunchy for him. The sympathetic chef complied, word spread and soon this variation was even being ordered by folks who flossed regularly.
Philippe's, which opened the same year and later moved to its current location near Union Station, maintains that it invented the dip when a customer complained that his roll was stale and asked for it to be dunked. Or perhaps a chef dropped the roll into the juice in the roast pan and the customer said, what the heck, give it to me anyway. No one at Philippe's is quite sure.
And, as a city historian admitted to the L.A. Business Journal a few years ago, "We don't have a French dip department."
Oh well. Said Richard Binder, co-owner of Philippe's, "Who knows what happened 100 years ago? We're just happy to still be around."
Cole's occupies the bottom floor of the 10-story Pacific Electric Building, the city's tallest skyscraper in the early 1900s and for years the terminus for the Red Car trolley line, which clacked over more than 1,000 miles of track in Southern California.
Founder Henry Cole moved into the former headquarters of some horse-drawn streetcars. One of the first things he did was sprinkle sawdust on the floor.
Located near the financial center of the city, the place became a haunt for bankers, attorneys, newspaper types and politicians -- as well as more respectable folks.
Business really started booming when Cole opened a free check-cashing service, the city's first, in a cage at the back of the restaurant. The shrewd owner realized that customers would often be returning a portion of the cash to pay for their lunch and/or drinks.
His son Rawland managed the check-cashing business and developed a code to deal with possible bad-check passers. "Johnny," the son would call to a waiter, "did you get the prescription filled?" And the waiter would summon police to grab the suspect, who wasn't always a stockbroker.
Cole's vintage outdoor sign still displays the word "payroll," but the "checks cashed" part was removed long ago, lest new customers think the service is still offered. "We'd have a line around the block," pointed out manager Jana Green.
Prohibition, which dawned in 1919, was a bit of a problem. But the late Jimmy Barela, who tended bar there for 56 years, substituted bitters (at 3 cents a shot) and "near beer" (at a dime a glass) for the real stuff.
All that changed April 7, 1933, when President Roosevelt legalized beer. Barela told The Times years ago that "we sold 58 32-gallon kegs" on the day.
Though the furnishings of Cole's recall another era, Moses is hoping to attract loft dwellers and other new downtown residents with some upscale touches.
Spokeswoman McCraw, for instance, speaks of "elevating the cocktail experience" and "the perfect execution" of ice picks required for such classic alcoholic concoctions as Hemingway's Death in the Afternoon and the 1926 Cosmopolitan.
"We have real bartenders, not actor/bartenders," she added.
Too bad Mickey Cohen isn't around anymore. One can imagine the mobster admiring the handiwork of the bartenders with their ice picks.
[email protected]
Amanda is dancing in Long Beach in April. Any of these eateries near Long Beach? French dipped sandwiches don't exist in San Diego. Rog
Randy
dagosd2000 wrote:.
]
Frank
Amanda is dancing in Long Beach in April. Any of these eateries near Long Beach? French dipped sandwiches don't exist in San Diego. Rog
[/quote]
Rog....While you are in Long Beach go to The Blues Cafe and listen to some blues...Randyman wrote:dagosd2000 wrote:.
]
Frank
Amanda is dancing in Long Beach in April. Any of these eateries near Long Beach? French dipped sandwiches don't exist in San Diego. Rog
Roger . . . Monica and I would like to see Amanda dance, if that is possible. Coles and Phillipe's are the best french dip sandwich places, but they are downtown L.A. Long Beach has undergone massive redevelopment in the past few decades and is actually kind of a cool place in areas of downtown, right off the harbor. French Dip sandwich places in Long Beach? Don't know.
-Rick
[/quote] RogFrankdagosd2000 wrote:Rog....While you are in Long Beach go to The Blues Cafe and listen to some blues...Randyman wrote:dagosd2000 wrote:.
]
Frank
Amanda is dancing in Long Beach in April. Any of these eateries near Long Beach? French dipped sandwiches don't exist in San Diego. Rog
Roger . . . Monica and I would like to see Amanda dance, if that is possible. Coles and Phillipe's are the best french dip sandwich places, but they are downtown L.A. Long Beach has undergone massive redevelopment in the past few decades and is actually kind of a cool place in areas of downtown, right off the harbor. French Dip sandwich places in Long Beach? Don't know.
-Rick
Blue Cafe
(562) 983-7111
210 The Promenade N, Long Beach, CA 90802
Cross Streets: Between E Broadway and E 3rd St
[/quote] Rog[/quote] dagosd2000 wrote:DannyWildhawke11 wrote:I had this one saved in my old mail Rick
Johnny Flores was the best story teller I ever knew, and he had decades worth of experiences to share.
One of these stories was about he & former heavyweight champ Joe Louis. In the 50's, Joe Louis promoted boxing in Hollywood in a night club called the "Moulan Rouge". Flores was his matchmaker.
Johnny and Joe Louis flew to Mexico, where Louis was to be honored by somebody. Now I forget, if it was in Guadalajara or Mexico City, but Flores told of a place where their hosts took them one night. It was a club called "Uncle Sam's" and Flores said it was about the roughest place he'd ever seen. The clientel was made up of local gangsters and so intimidating was this place, Louis was uncomfortable about getting out of the cab. Johnny thought this was funny, Hell, it was Joe Louis and he's afraid to go into this Mexican night club.
Flores convinces him things will be alright and Joe reluctantly goes in. When they get inside, one of the drunk patrons immediatly recognizes the Brown Bomber and challenges him to a fight. The host was upset and called the proprietor over who was a friend and whispered something in his ear. The owner nods and within seconds the patron was grabbed and led away by bouncers.
By now they are seated and Louis is sweating, totally uncomfortable. The owner returns and assures the host that the trouble maker would no longer be a problem. Louis can't understand what they are saying in Spanish and asks Johnny what's being said. Flores knew Louis was uncomfortable and thought he'd have some fun with him. Flores said not to worry about anybody starting any trouble the rest of the night, they made an example out of the man.
Louis was really confused now, "what do you mean they made an example out of him?" Flores looked at Louis in the eye and said, "they took him out back and shot him". Of course, Flores didn't know what they did with the guy, but Louis was now sick to his stomach and had to leave. Johnny looked at Louis and said, "Relax Joe, any more trouble makers and they'll take 'em out back and handle it".
Louis said, "You mean they killed that guy just because of that?" Flores said "Yeah, but that's because he bothered Joe Louis, normally they just cut off a hand if a guy hits somebody, or cut off their tounge if they get too loud. It's pretty mild right now, but just wait until midnight, things really get wild."
Louis said, "Call a cab, I'm gettin' out of here! Oh and tell them thank you very much."
Flores told the story so well we were all rolling with laughter, of course, hearing it second hand from me isn't the same. However, I'm just wondering, did you ever hear of an "Uncle Sam's" in either Guadalajara or Mexico City????
That's one for the books
Despite the fact that Jack Dempsey was way before my time, he was my boyhood boxing idol. A fight that I have played over and over in my imagination since I was a kid is Jack Dempsey vs Rocky Marciano. Is there anyone here that does not agree that this would have been one hell of a fight?dagosd2000 wrote:
Rocky Marciano
RandyRandyman wrote:Despite the fact that Jack Dempsey was way before my time, he was my boyhood boxing idol. A fight that I have played over and over in my imagination since I was a kid is Jack Dempsey vs Rocky Marciano. Is there anyone here that does not agree that this would have been one hell of a fight?dagosd2000 wrote:
Rocky Marciano
The Irresistible Force vs the Immovable Object. One can only imagine.
Another masterpiece Rog.
Randy
