Classic American West Coast Boxing

[raylawpc]

It's about time. It's all but legal in California as it is. Marijuana dispenceries are everywhere. You just need a prescription and one can be had for about $100. a year. Safe, legal, organized and a HUGE revenue device.

It amazes me that people are so stupid about making money. Pot sales for the State of California will do for our economy what Roger's art may do for the WBHOF. People may not be buying cars and merchandise, but they'll always buy good marijuana, which is much safer than booze. The nation is broke, it's time. Keep in mind that the State of California has the world's fifth largest economy, it's about to grow larger.

Not all people. I don't use marijuana. I tried it in college (unlike President Clinton, I inhaled), but I didn't like it, and I wouldn't use it now even if it were legal.

Not everybody drinks, either. It's definitly not for everybody, but those who do choose to use it should have the right, and in this case, it will generate revenue. For the record, I don't smoke either, but I have and realize it's legalization would be a positive thing from the stand point of the economy. The same people who smoke pot today will buy and use it legally. I prefer the state or the nation to profit. The number of people who smoke pot nationwide is in the miilions.

Yet it does seem ironic that, at a time of great public pressure to curtail tobacco because of its effects on health, advocates of legalization are promoting the use of marijuana. I recall reading somewhere that smoking one marijuana cigarette deposits about four times more tar into the lungs than a filtered tobacco cigarette. If true, that's a pretty alarming statistic.

There is one school of thought that says the state shouldn't help with the production or distribution of a substance considered unhealthy, because the goal of the state should be to protect its citizens' health and not to expose its citizens to risk.

Should it make any difference if the unhealthy activity helps the economy? Where do we draw the line? Food for thought.

[dagosd2000]

BIG JOHN

I came back from Munich like a kid in a candy store,or should I say a hops drinker in a German beer garden. My son in law drives a bread truck and had told me about an old German fellow who owns a German deli combo restaurant in Carlsbad,a burg north of San Diego. The name of his place is called Tip Top Meats.

Well after acquiring a speedy taste for German beer,I offered to pay for a hearty breakfast and look for that lager that I fell in love with,Augustina Helles.My son in law didn't bat an eyelash.
"If anyone has it,it would be Big John,"said my son in law.

As we drove up the coast my son in law told me that Big John used to be a fighter in Germany. This piqued my interest along with the thoughts of rediscovering Augustina Helles.

When we arrived,right away I thought of Germany. In fact if I didn't know better,I thought I was back in Duetschland. The meat case was crammed with sausages and slabs of pork and beef. A pastry array of cakes and struedels. I wouldn't have known where to start, only knowing if I'd had free reign ,I would have gained ten pounds and raised my blood pressure 20 points after trying to digest everything I put in my stomach.

After polishing off a breakfast of 4 egss ,brautwursts,bacon,potatos,and toast ,my son in law introduced me to Big John Haedrich. Big John may have gotten that nickname from the size of his hands. They were like the ham hocks hanging behind the meat counter.
"Nice to meet you,John,"I said as my hand disappeared inside the old man's grip.

I told him that I just came back from Germany.He began speaking German,but told him that I didn't "comprende" German. He laughed real big. His smile was as warm as the fresh bread that had just come out from the ovens in the back.
"John,I heard you used to be a fighter."
"Oh yes. That was many years ago. I don't talk too much about it any more."
I perused the big man's face. Yeah,he had been in the ring. A broken nose,scar tissue around an eye,a gnarled fist. The proof was there.
"I fought amateur in the Olympics in 1952."
"Helsinki. Then you knew Ed Sanders."
"Oh yes. A very nice man. Johanssen didn't want to fight him. Lost on a disqualification."
"Sanders later died,"I said as if I didn't think Big John knew that.
"Yes an aneurism. Very sad . A nice fellow."
"Did you fight pro?"
"No,I had 25 amateur fights. I lost one time. My last fight. Then I gave it up. I was a butcher. I had a profession."

The old guy had the friendliest face. He never gave an indication that he wanted to break off the conversation.
"I'm with the World Boxing Hall of Fame,"I said." Would you be interested in coming to our banquet in October?"
"Oh no. I don't talk about it much anymore. My interests are with my business and my family. Here is my grand daughter Amanda."
A pretty teenage girl walked by us.
"Amanda helps me out in the store."
I told him I had a grand daughter named Amanda also. Big John laughed and said that we were both blessed.
"I trained Ingemar Johanssen for a while ,"he said.
"He had a good looking wife."
"Yes,Birgit. I know the whole story. At one time Johanssen was going to relocate to San Diego. Almost had him talked into it."

We talked some more about the restaurant and how I was going to be a frequent customer.
"Fighting was good discipline for me. I was proud of that. But I have my health and my family.
He stopped to take a breath.
"Roger,you are a good man. I like talking to you. Please came in again and I'll tell you more about what fighting was like back in my day."
"Of course.By the way ,have you ever heard of a German beer called Augustina Helles?"
"Oh yes,"said the old fighter."We carry a lot of it. Do you prefer the light or the dark?"

[Expug]

Rog,thats one of the greatest things about boxing. Its got an old school vibe to it.
You can walk into a tavern or butcher shop or restaraunt and find yourself meeting an ex fighter.
Usally an elderly guy with great stories to tell. You can make a friend . Talk boxing, the fight game from years past. Its a connection.
However, I fear that in the future it wont be like that. There wont be too many old pugs with great stories to tell.
Everything is changing. Its a cultural thing.
With the sissifacation of our culture along with the gentrification of everything in sight, the hardscrabble element is going the way of the dodo bird.
Thirty years from now, a guy isnt gonna be able to walk into a fu..in Starbucks and meet an ex middleweight making his grande cafe late skim mocha fat free carmel fropacino diet 2 percent carmel flavored iced coffee.
It will be some guy with purple hair and a safety pin through his nose.

[Chuck1052]

I do think that marijuana should be legalized with some restrictions. But unlike many people, I doubt that it will be such a huge financial or tax revenue bonanza. Legalizing marijuana will drive down the price of the product substantially with the tax revenue going down accordingly if it is taxed on a percentage basis.

- Chuck Johnston

[Bobbin & Weavin]

Rog,thats one of the greatest things about boxing. Its got an old school vibe to it.
You can walk into a tavern or butcher shop or restaraunt and find yourself meeting an ex fighter.
Usally an elderly guy with great stories to tell. You can make a friend . Talk boxing, the fight game from years past. Its a connection.
However, I fear that in the future it wont be like that. There wont be too many old pugs with great stories to tell.
Everything is changing. Its a cultural thing.
With the sissifacation of our culture along with the gentrification of everything in sight, the hardscrabble element is going the way of the dodo bird.
Thirty years from now, a guy isnt gonna be able to walk into a fu..in Starbucks and meet an ex middleweight making his grande cafe late skim mocha fat free carmel fropacino diet 2 percent carmel flavored iced coffee.
It will be some guy with purple hair and a safety pin through his nose.

Expug,
Great post, you nailed it to a tee! Sad but true, that's what makes this thread even more valuable. "Saftey pin through his nose"; crack me up!
Bruce

[Expug]

Thanks Bruce.

You also hit the nail on the head when you mentioned how important this thread is.

[dagosd2000]

Grand daughter Kalina

[Rick Farris]

Rog,thats one of the greatest things about boxing. Its got an old school vibe to it.
You can walk into a tavern or butcher shop or restaraunt and find yourself meeting an ex fighter.
Usally an elderly guy with great stories to tell. You can make a friend . Talk boxing, the fight game from years past. Its a connection.
However, I fear that in the future it wont be like that. There wont be too many old pugs with great stories to tell.

Everything is changing. Its a cultural thing.
With the sissifacation of our culture along with the gentrification of everything in sight, the hardscrabble element is going the way of the dodo bird.
Thirty years from now, a guy isnt gonna be able to walk into a fu..in Starbucks and meet an ex middleweight making his grande cafe late skim mocha fat free carmel fropacino diet 2 percent carmel flavored iced coffee.
It will be some guy with purple hair and a safety pin through his nose.

Talking the Talk . . .

Pug & Rog, I know what you mean. When I first started in the film business, boxing was huge in L.A. and I had just quit fighting.
Danny Lopez would soon win the featherweight title. We still had Muniz and Palomino and Chacon, etc.
The film industry was loaded with boxing fans, and a few ex-pugs worked behind camera as well.
Being an ex-boxer, one who was connected with the boxing history, led to some unique opportunities in the film industry.
It wasn't necessary I be a world champ, but a part of the game, and I knew all the players involved in L.A. boxing personally.

I could hold my own when it came to boxing conversation, and these guys knew what they were talking about.
Talking boxing really forged some strong alliances in the film industry. I'd get a lot of attention, sometimes too much.

Many of the veteran actors, such as Lauren Bacall, would share memories of sitting ringside at either the Olympic or Hollywood Legion.
I spoke with Oscar winner, Anne Baxter, about her friend Fidel LaBarba.
I'd hear stories from Michael Landon, who told me he played a boxer in an early career TV production. He said the tech advisor was Johnny Indrisano.
I told Mike I knew Indrisano's brother Jerry.

The name Mushy Callahan would pop up. Suey Welch introduced me to Mushy in 1971. He remembered my grandfather from Warner Bros.

Art Aragon had a role as an ex-pug newstand owner on Baretta back in the mid-70's, an early show I worked on.

A former feather-to-welter contender from the 30's, Lew Feldman, worked as a laborer at Paramount Studios.
Lew challenged Kid Chocolate for the Jr. Lightweight title in 1932, and Henry Armstrong for the wlterweight title in '35.

Gene "Spider" Mock, a Jeffries Barn amateur star who turned pro out of Burbank, worked as a laborer at Universal.

Aragon's two sons, Audie and Art Jr. both became studio grips at Universal.
Audie and I became good friends and have worked together on and off over the past thirty years.
Last time we worked together was on "Poseiden" in 2005.
Art Jr. and I worked together on a Michael Jackson production, "Moonwalker".
Several days into the production he was killed in a motorcycle accident riding to work.
Art Aragon Jr's death really shook up the crew. I know that it hurt his father and family deeply.
Last year, the WBHOF honored Art Aragon at a function, a few months after the Golden Boy had passed.
I called Audie and asked if he would speak on his father's behalf.

As a boy, my grandfather worked on a Warner Bros. TV series in 1964, "Gallant Men". One of the stars was Roland LaStarza.
My grandfather introduced me to La Starza, about a month efore I started boxing. He was smoking a cigar, had these huge hands.
When I was a little boy, he intorduced me to Ace Hudkins, who was a studio wrangler.
My grandfather also talked of working with Jack Roper, who challenged Joe Louis in L.A.'s Wrigley Field.

The point is, you guys are right about the bond that often exists between people who know boxing.
And that's why I'm here too.


-Rick Farris

[kikibalt]

Rog,thats one of the greatest things about boxing. Its got an old school vibe to it.
You can walk into a tavern or butcher shop or restaraunt and find yourself meeting an ex fighter.
Usally an elderly guy with great stories to tell. You can make a friend . Talk boxing, the fight game from years past. Its a connection.
However, I fear that in the future it wont be like that. There wont be too many old pugs with great stories to tell.

Everything is changing. Its a cultural thing.
With the sissifacation of our culture along with the gentrification of everything in sight, the hardscrabble element is going the way of the dodo bird.
Thirty years from now, a guy isnt gonna be able to walk into a fu..in Starbucks and meet an ex middleweight making his grande cafe late skim mocha fat free carmel fropacino diet 2 percent carmel flavored iced coffee.
It will be some guy with purple hair and a safety pin through his nose.

Talking the Talk . . .

Pug & Rog, I know what you mean. When I first started in the film business, boxing was huge in L.A. and I had just quit fighting.
Danny Lopez would soon win the featherweight title. We still had Muniz and Palomino and Chacon, etc.
The film industry was loaded with boxing fans, and a few ex-pugs worked behind camera as well.
Being an ex-boxer, one who was connected with the boxing history, led to some unique opportunities in the film industry.
It wasn't necessary I be a world champ, but a part of the game, and I knew all the players involved in L.A. boxing personally.

I could hold my own when it came to boxing conversation, and these guys knew what they were talking about.
Talking boxing really forged some strong alliances in the film industry. I'd get a lot of attention, sometimes too much.

Many of the veteran actors, such as Lauren Bacall, would share memories of sitting ringside at either the Olympic or Hollywood Legion.
I spoke with Oscar winner, Anne Baxter, about her friend Fidel LaBarba.
I'd hear stories from Michael Landon, who told me he played a boxer in an early career TV production. He said the tech advisor was Johnny Indrisano.
I told Mike I knew Indrisano's brother Jerry.

The name Mushy Callahan would pop up. Suey Welch introduced me to Mushy in 1971. He remembered my grandfather from Warner Bros.

Art Aragon had a role as an ex-pug newstand owner on Baretta back in the mid-70's, an early show I worked on.

A former feather-to-welter contender from the 30's, Lew Feldman, worked as a laborer at Paramount Studios.
Lew challenged Kid Chocolate for the Jr. Lightweight title in 1932, and Henry Armstrong for the wlterweight title in '35.

Gene "Spider" Mock, a Jeffries Barn amateur star who turned pro out of Burbank, worked as a laborer at Universal.

Aragon's two sons, Audie and Art Jr. both became studio grips at Universal.
Audie and I became good friends and have worked together on and off over the past thirty years.
Last time we worked together was on "Poseiden" in 2005.
Art Jr. and I worked together on a Michael Jackson production, "Moonwalker".
Several days into the production he was killed in a motorcycle accident riding to work.
Art Aragon Jr's death really shook up the crew. I know that it hurt his father and family deeply.
Last year, the WBHOF honored Art Aragon at a function, a few months after the Golden Boy had passed.
I called Audie and asked if he would speak on his father's behalf.

As a boy, my grandfather worked on a Warner Bros. TV series in 1964, "Gallant Men". One of the stars was Roland LaStarza.
My grandfather introduced me to La Starza, about a month efore I started boxing. He was smoking a cigar, had these huge hands.
When I was a little boy, he intorduced me to Ace Hudkins, who was a studio wrangler.
My grandfather also talked of working with Jack Roper, who challenged Joe Louis in L.A.'s Wrigley Field.

The point is, you guys are right about the bond that often exists between people who know boxing.
And that's why I'm here too.


-Rick Farris

Rick,

Great write-up about the bond between the flim industry and boxing. There is a lot of history on your article.

[kikibalt]

I do think that marijuana should be legalized with some restrictions. But unlike many people, I doubt that it will be such a huge financial or tax revenue bonanza. Legalizing marijuana will drive down the price of the product substantially with the tax revenue going down accordingly if it is taxed on a percentage basis.

- Chuck Johnston

"Up in Smokes"

[dagosd2000]

JUNE ALLYSON,BOXING FAN

I remember watching June Allyson in the movies playing the role of Glenn Miller's wife opposite Jimmy Stewart,or the part of Jo alongside Peter Lawford in Little Women.She seemed diminutive,shy..a cute little thing.The girl next door as she was publicized by the media.June Allyson was the All American Girl.

One time back in the early 70's the gang piled into the cars to drive down to the old San Diego Coliseum to watch Ronnie Wilson take on...well I don't remember his opponent. But I remember seeing,to my astonishment, June Allyson and her son. Dick Powell's boy. In fact I was sitting in back of her at ringside. I tapped my friend sitting next to me and said that I'm sure the gal sitting in front of us was June Allyson.
"Naw,"said my friend. "She looks like June Allyson,but it can't be her."

Well Ronnie was fighting the main event and sure enough prior to the opening gong, Fred Lewis,the Coliseum announcer,brings up June Allyson and her son into the ring. I don't want to sound like a baby,but you could have knocked me over with a feather. She daintily went through the ring ropes and turned with the most radiant smile and waved to the crowd. A standing ovation was the response.

After they went back to their seats,I sheepishly told her that I was a big fan. I'm telling ya',she was stiil as pretty as she was when she was making all those movies.
"Gee,Miss Allyson,"I said. "I didn't know you were a fight fan."
She laughed.
"You don't know me very well. I love boxing."
I was at a loss for words. She could tell I was a little embarrased.
"I see you fellas' are drinking beer,"she said. "The next round is on me."
Now that's what I call an All American Girl.

[Expug]

June Alyson at the fights?
Ya gotta love it. She sounds like a true fan as well as a lovely woman.
There are often real good looking women at boxing matches.
You often wonder though if they really are fans of the sport, or are they fans of the violence of it.
There are, as you guys know, two kinds of fight fans. Those that love and learn the sport and are passionate about it and then there are those that are there only to see a fighter busted up or knocked out.They want gore and thats where its at. They are unhappy if they dont see it.
I have no use for the second kind. Man or woman.

[Bobbin & Weavin]

Last week my father and I attended the monthly Northern California Veteran Boxers lunch in San Francisco, by chance I sat next to Mike Gallo a bantamweight from the early sixties. Mike like Alexis Arguello is Nicaraguan and was friends with the great champion, Mike announced to the attendees that he had spoken to Arguello’s wife who confirmed that Alexis had indeed committed suicide and was not murdered as many had suspected. Sitting next to Mike for a couple hours was as we said of old fighters, interesting and stimulating. Mike was extremely sad over his friend’s death as people normally are particularly when there is a suicide. I asked Mike about his own career which he had 8 wins, 2 draws and no losses, he told me that before every fight his mother would come to him, pray for him and then tell him that he would win his fight, then one day she came to him and asked him to stop fighting and he told me that his mother was the only one in the world who could make him stop boxing and so without having lost a bout he gave up the sport for his mother.


Roger that is an amazing painting of El Flaco Explosivo!
Bruce

[dagosd2000]

Bruce and Rick
Thanks for the kudos on Alexis.Randy asked me what I thought about Arguello. I don't have a clue. What goes on inside a man's mind is anyone's guess. Things that a nerdy dude can handle may be devastating to a man that held numerous championship belts. Sometimes I think my life is held together by a thread. If that's the case,I'm always sleeping with one eye open.

Brian
You're right about dames and the sport of boxing. Some of them really get turned on by the violence. They say men get turned on by seeing two women going at it with each other. The same holds true for some dames when thay see two dudes pounding away at each other.It's better than a Spanish Fly

[dagosd2000]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8RVamiwAqU

High Heel Sneakers

Tommy Tucker

[dagosd2000]

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

Killing Floor

Jimi Hendrix

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJy9kWfClGM

Killing Floor

Howlin' Wolf

[dagosd2000]

I don't know about you guys but I'm in the mood for a night cap,or two

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIvka3SSv9Y

One Bourbon,One Scotch,One Beer

John Lee Hooker

[dagosd2000]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfPfmCtoZ-g

This one's for Frank

Crosscut Saw

Eric Clapton/Otis Rush


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOi1wRcoJ24

Crosscut Saw

Ginger Baker/Eric Clapton

[dagosd2000]

THE THREE ITALIAN BABES

Met these three Italian babes in Spain. They were part of the Flamenco group. They dug Amanda because she was a good dancer and I dug them because they were built like Gina Lollabrigidas and liked to have fun.

Well after the dancing everyone went out for a late dinner or supper or whatever they call it. Of course wine is with every meal and then after the repast,it's finding as many bodegas as you can to drink the night away until the sun comes up.

Back to these gooma girls. They were convinced I was from Italy. I told them I didn't even speak Italian,but I couldn't get through to them. Hell,what did I care.

I came to Spain equipped with a box of cigars for the every night's festivities, so I broke a stogie out for my indulgence in one of the lower class establishments that seemed to fit our behaviour. Next thing I know the Spaghetti Sisters want to smoke cigars too. What the hell? Got to please the ladies.

Well let me tell ya',there was this one signorina that was wearing a fedora and was drinking like a camel at the oasis.She's gulping brandy and smoking cigars and the next thing you know she dancing in front of me flipping up her dress saying"Culo,culo." Now I know she didn't learn that in Flamenco class.

Later that night the wife and kids got worn out. They wanted to get to bed before three in the morning. Me?..."Culo,culo"

[Expug]

Rog, I just did backstage security for Clapton and Steve Winwoods show in Chicago.
Eric is a down to earth guy.


Hey gents , checkout this guys version of Hendrix' "Hey Joe".
I always liked this guy. Buckwheat Zydeco.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceWWbq7mR5w

[kikibalt]

June Allyson at Little Lake, California

Sometime in the late 1970s, I was driving my motor home with a bunch of guys up Highway 395, we going on a fishing trip to the High Sierras.
About 150 miles north of L.A. is Little Lake, there was nothing there but a restaurat/bar, we used to stop there (bar) on our way up and on our way down every time we went to the Sierras, on one of our stops as we were shooting pool and drinking a cold one the bar door opened and in walked June Allyson and a woman friend, they had a drink and then went to the restaurant, they were friendly and said they were on their way to Reno.

The restaurant/bar have since burn down and there is nothing there but the Little Lake sign on the highway, you'll fine it on the map, but man, there is nothing there.

[kikibalt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfPfmCtoZ-g

This one's for Frank

Crosscut Saw

Eric Clapton/Otis Rush


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOi1wRcoJ24

Crosscut Saw

Ginger Baker/Eric Clapton

Thanks Rog....

[Expug]

Frank, you would have loved Maxwell street here in Chicago.
It was an outdoor market that had EVERYTHING. It was in a rough area on the near south side.
Bluesmen were out there all the time doing their thing. Playing just to play.
A couple buddies and me would go there on Sundays and listen to them play in the vacant lot.
We'd bring a couple cases of beer and it would be good times. The smell of hotdogs and Polish sausage were in the air.
Those guys over there took their blues real serious. It was Chicago Blues to the core.
Now of course its gone.
More gentrification. The University of Ill. Chicago bought the area up. The campus was a little to the north and they expanded.
They tried moving it, but it wasnt the same.
Maxwell street was there for generations.

Here it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOR6y8OTtvc

[kikibalt]

Frank, you would have loved Maxwell street here in Chicago.
It was an outdoor market that had EVERYTHING. It was in a rough area on the near south side.
Bluesmen were out there all the time doing their thing. Playing just to play.
A couple buddies and me would go there on Sundays and listen to them play in the vacant lot.
We'd bring a couple cases of beer and it would be good times. The smell of hotdogs and Polish sausage were in the air.
Those guys over there took their blues real serious. It was Chicago Blues to the core.
Now of course its gone.
More gentrification. The University of Ill. Chicago bought the area up. The campus was a little to the north and they expanded.
They tried moving it, but it wasnt the same.
Maxwell street was there for generations.

I'm sure I would have loved it, as I love the blues.

[Expug]

Frank, you would have loved Maxwell street here in Chicago.
It was an outdoor market that had EVERYTHING. It was in a rough area on the near south side.
Bluesmen were out there all the time doing their thing. Playing just to play.
A couple buddies and me would go there on Sundays and listen to them play in the vacant lot.
We'd bring a couple cases of beer and it would be good times. The smell of hotdogs and Polish sausage were in the air.
Those guys over there took their blues real serious. It was Chicago Blues to the core.
Now of course its gone.
More gentrification. The University of Ill. Chicago bought the area up. The campus was a little to the north and they expanded.
They tried moving it, but it wasnt the same.
Maxwell street was there for generations.

I'm sure I would have loved it, as I love the blues.

Checkout that link I put on my post Frank.
Thats the way things were there.
You and your buddies coulda rode up on your bikes and had a blast.