Classic American West Coast Boxing

[kikibalt]

From the LATimes

Ernie "Red" Lopez, who twice fought for the world welterweight title in front of sellout crowds at the Forum in the early '70s. losing both time to Jose Napoles, died Friday in Utah. The brother of Danny "Little Red " Lopez. Ernie Lopez was 63.

The Times is trying to get a hold of Danny, as they want to write a bigger obit on Ernie, but are not having much luck in doing so.

[dagosd2000]

TORTILLAS

"I have to stop on the way home and get some tortillas for my wife,"I said to the teacher whose room is next door to mine.
"We were going to go out with some of the other guys and have a beer at the Sportsman's Bar,"he said.
"I don't want to get hung up with you guys in there,"I said giving him a wink.
The truth was I wouldn't have gone anyway. The days of sitting at the bar drinking it up with the fellas' was history with me. Not that I didn't like those guys, but the conversation would go in the same direction. Conversing about women and sports runs out of steam for me pretty fast. Besides I wanted to get home. Being by myself was becoming more of a habit.

Driving north on the 5 I took the Main Street turn off to National City. Highland Avenue is where the Food Land Market is that's owned by the Arab.The store caters to the Mexican food shoppers. The store is big and gets quite a turn out. I've never seen the Arab. Just about everybody that shops there is Mexican. Pinatas hang from the ceiling and Mexican music is piped in.

When I got to the tortillaria,there was a sign,in Spanish, on the counter,saying that the machine that made the tortillas was broken and wouldn't be fixed till the next day.

I knew if I didn't come home with any tortillas my wife would have thought that I had forgot. I knew of a similar place like Food Land in San Ysidro. I would have to double back,but I thought that the tortillas there would be the same as the ones made at Food Land. Besides,going through the effort to turn around would be a sacrafice that would bring me luck.

I drove back to San Ysidro to buy the 2 kilos of tortillas made from their machine. I was a liitle in doubt if my wife would notice the difference. She won't buy her corn tortillas anywhere else,but from Food Land. At the time I was also confident that it wouldn't make a difference.

When I walked inside with the pakages of tortillas under my arm,my wife stopped doing what she was doing in the kitchen and gave me a look.
"Where you buy those tortillas?"she asked.
"Food Land,"
"You no buy there."
I couldn't figure out how she new,but she did. The brown paper was the same. It had to be the smell.
"Well the machine at Food Land was broke until tomorrow, so I went to San Ysidro."
I wouldn't have tasted the difference. It meant nothing to me. My wife continued to get back to what she was doing in the kitchen.
"Tomorrow Patty take me for the tortillas,"she said not looking at me.

I put the tortillas down on the sofa and went to the bedroom. I wished I had taken up that offer of those guys at school and gone to the Sportman's Bar.

[kikibalt]

Tortillas Flats!!!

[Chuck1052]

One other reason that a lot of people switched over to listening to FM stations playing rock music during the late 1960s is that such stations often played recordings from albums rather than playing "45s" exclusively or having a top-forty format like the AM rock-and-roll stations did at the time. During the same period, many young people started buying albums rather than "45s".

- Chuck Johnston

[Chuck1052]

I thought that Jerry Quarry was one of the best colormen on boxing telecasts ever because he knew what was taking place in the ring and was able to convey his thoughts to the TV audience very well.

- Chuck Johnston

[Rick Farris]

Dwight Hawkins

The Hawk . . .
You really caught Hawkins massive upper body in the portrait.
This is something not so obvious in the photo, but your image reflects what Hawkins was really like.
You know, Don Fraser and Frank were interested in inducting The Hawk into the CBHOF this year, but he had moved and I didn't have his new address.
Frank, I think I've found him. If I can reel him in would you & Don put him in next year?
You know the Hawk still has a minor following of old Japanese in Tokyo who have remained Hawk fans four decades ater his retirement.
His wife, Virginia, he met in Japan years ago.
Dwight Hawkins was a real West Coast featherweight warrior, and more important, a great human being, a great citizen.

-Rick Farris

Rick, if you can reel him in, I'll do my best to put him in....

I agree with you that Roger did one hell of a job in painting Dwight...

Yeah, Rog scored a one-round KO with this image!

[Rick Farris]

I thought that Jerry Quarry was one of the best colormen on boxing telecasts ever because he knew what was taking place in the ring and was able to convey his thoughts to the TV audience very well.

- Chuck Johnston

Chuck, I agree with you 100%!
He was very relaxed and natural, one of the best ex-fighters to hold a mike.
He'd give the viewers a different perspective. A fighter's view point. He was the first to do it right.


-Rick Farris

[Rick Farris]

Rick, if you can reel him in, I'll do my best to put him in....
_____________________________________________


I'll get him!

[Randyman]

Photos from the Toy Tiger Premiere

Art Hafey, Me and Jeri and Frankie Duarte


Two old sparring partners; Rick Farris and Ruben Olivares


Two old opponents and West Coast Boxing Mainstays;
Ruben Olivares and Bobby Chacon


Frankie Duarte, Jack Mosley, Ruben Castillo and Bobby Chacon


Bill O'Neill and me


Rick Farris, me and Rudy Ramirez

[kikibalt]

Great photos, Randy....

[Randyman]

Today we went to my daughter Lori's house. My son in law wanted to make some tacos for jeri's birthday. her birthday was yesterday but we were at the Toy Tiger premiere so we went to day instead.
Tom rolled out his car collection. I thought you might like to see the photos. As you can see, my son in law Tom loves cars.




1947 Plymouth Coupe


1961 Impala Sedan


1960 Impala Coupe


1972 Chevelle SS


Lori and her 1972 Chevelle SS

[Randyman]

Great photos, Randy....

Thanks Frank, we had a good time. I enjoyed the movie. The movie covered many of the fighters that we write about here. I'll probably by the DVD.

Randy

[Randyman]

Tacos and Birthday Cake...

[Randyman]

TORTILLAS

"I have to stop on the way home and get some tortillas for my wife,"I said to the teacher whose room is next door to mine.
"We were going to go out with some of the other guys and have a beer at the Sportsman's Bar,"he said.
"I don't want to get hung up with you guys in there,"I said giving him a wink.
The truth was I wouldn't have gone anyway. The days of sitting at the bar drinking it up with the fellas' was history with me. Not that I didn't like those guys, but the conversation would go in the same direction. Conversing about women and sports runs out of steam for me pretty fast. Besides I wanted to get home. Being by myself was becoming more of a habit.

Driving north on the 5 I took the Main Street turn off to National City. Highland Avenue is where the Food Land Market is that's owned by the Arab.The store caters to the Mexican food shoppers. The store is big and gets quite a turn out. I've never seen the Arab. Just about everybody that shops there is Mexican. Pinatas hang from the ceiling and Mexican music is piped in.

When I got to the tortillaria,there was a sign,in Spanish, on the counter,saying that the machine that made the tortillas was broken and wouldn't be fixed till the next day.

I knew if I didn't come home with any tortillas my wife would have thought that I had forgot. I knew of a similar place like Food Land in San Ysidro. I would have to double back,but I thought that the tortillas there would be the same as the ones made at Food Land. Besides,going through the effort to turn around would be a sacrafice that would bring me luck.

I drove back to San Ysidro to buy the 2 kilos of tortillas made from their machine. I was a liitle in doubt if my wife would notice the difference. She won't buy her corn tortillas anywhere else,but from Food Land. At the time I was also confident that it wouldn't make a difference.

When I walked inside with the pakages of tortillas under my arm,my wife stopped doing what she was doing in the kitchen and gave me a look.
"Where you buy those tortillas?"she asked.
"Food Land,"
"You no buy there."
I couldn't figure out how she new,but she did. The brown paper was the same. It had to be the smell.
"Well the machine at Food Land was broke until tomorrow, so I went to San Ysidro."
I wouldn't have tasted the difference. It meant nothing to me. My wife continued to get back to what she was doing in the kitchen.
"Tomorrow Patty take me for the tortillas,"she said not looking at me.

I put the tortillas down on the sofa and went to the bedroom. I wished I had taken up that offer of those guys at school and gone to the Sprtman's Bar.

Rog, sometimes a man just can't win. I think it's a sixth sense that women have and on top of that we carry our guilt in our faces. Sometimes I think there is a network of women watching our every move, calling each other and verifying our every word. Yes, I'm sure of it!!

Randy

[dagosd2000]

MY OLD FLAME

"Yeah,she works over at the dress shop around the corner on Catalina Boulevard."
"Is that a fact?,"I said."I haven't seen her since school."
Those were the days when things were pretty strong between us. Now it doesn't seem like anything,but I remember then the world was focused down just between me and her. The things maybe I should have been thinking about ,well,I wasn't.

My buddy figured I 'd be interested in knowing where she was. As the years passed ,I thought hardly at all about her. It was so much to me then. Now it was only a curious memory.

I couldn't figure on a a good reason to go to a dress shop,but it was so long ago that it didn't matter if I went to see her. I parked my car a block away and walked to the dress shop. I went by the window. I saw a woman inside behind the counter. I wasn't sure. I went inside like I knew what I was doing.
"Roger", the woman behind the counter gasped.
"Chris. How are you doing?"like I was surprised.
That's all I could come up with.The girl that I once thought was everything to live for,I couldn't recognize. She had recognized me,but she was very strange in my perception.
"Roger. What have you been doing?I can't believe it. It's a miracle,"she went on.
"Nothing. Nothing much."
I had wondered what had become of her. I did most of the chasing. I never seemed to be in control.Now that I'd seen her after all these year,I didn't recognize her.
"How have you been ?"I asked.
"I've been on my own for the last fifteen years. My children are grown. But tell me about yourself."

I didn't want to tell her anything about myself. It would have taken too long. Besides I wasn't up to it. I felt nothing. I wanted to go . I was curious to see her again . That's all it was. I didn't have any anxiety about seeing her,but I wanted to leave.
"You don't want to talk?"she asked.
"Sure. You work here now?"I asked.
"Yes. Every day but the weekends."
"Maybe we can see each other then. On the weekends," I said passively.
"Yes. I would want to know how life has been for you. Let me give you my phone number."
She wrote her number down on a slip of paper and gave it to me.
"Yes. That would be great," I said.
"It's a miracle that you walked in,"she said.
"I need to go now,but I'll call you tomorrow,"
"That's wonderfull. This is a miracle.You don't want to stay for a while?
"I'll call you tomorrow,""

I walked out and went to my car. I threw the slip of paper she gave me with her phone number on it in the street. I never looked at the phone number. I felt very little as I drove back home. This all happened a while ago. I haven't thought much about it since.

[telboy66]

MY OLD FLAME

"Yeah,she works over at the dress shop around the corner on Catalina Boulevard."
"Is that a fact?,"I said."I haven't seen her since school."
Those were the days when things were pretty strong between us. Now it doesn't seem like anything,but I remember then the world was focused down just between me and her. The things maybe I should have been thinking about ,well,I wasn't.

My buddy figured I 'd be interested in knowing where she was. As the years passed ,I thought hardly at all about her. It was so much to me then. Now it was only a curious memory.

I couldn't figure on a a good reason to go to a dress shop,but it was so long ago that it didn't matter if I went to see her. I parked my car a block away and walked to the dress shop. I went by the window. I saw a woman inside behind the counter. I wasn't sure. I went inside like I knew what I was doing.
"Roger", the woman behind the counter gasped.
"Chris. How are you doing?"like I was surprised.
That's all I could come up with.The girl that I once thought was everything to live for,I couldn't recognize. She had recognized me,but she was very strange in my perception.
"Roger. What have you been doing?I can't believe it. It's a miracle,"she went on.
"Nothing. Nothing much."
I had wondered what had become of her. I did most of the chasing. I never seemed to be in control.Now that I'd seen her after all these year,I didn't recognize her.
"How have you been ?"I asked.
"I've been on my own for the last fifteen years. My children are grown. But tell me about yourself."

I didn't want to tell her anything about myself. It would have taken too long. Besides I wasn't up to it. I felt nothing. I wanted to go . I was curious to see her again . That's all it was. I didn't have any anxiety about seeing her,but I wanted to leave.
"You don't want to talk?"she asked.
"Sure. You work here now?"I asked.
"Yes. Every day but the weekends."
"Maybe we can see each other then. On the weekends," I said passively.
"Yes. I would want to know how life has been for you. Let me give you my phone number."
She wrote her number down on a slip of paper and gave it to me.
"Yes. That would be great," I said.
"It's a miracle that you walked in,"she said.
"I need to go now,but I'll call you tomorrow,"
"That's wonderfull. This is a miracle.You don't want to stay for a while?
"I'll call you tomorrow,""

I walked out and went to my car. I threw the slip of paper she gave me with her phone number on it in the street. I never looked at the phone number. I felt very little as I drove back home. This all happened a while ago. I haven't thought much about it since.

That's a real sad story Rog you say you didn't recognize her but her looks would have changed no doubt but she's still the same girl you chased so hard back then what harm could it have done to show her some interest then if things didn't workout let her down light, this way you come across to her as a hard bastard, go on mate give it another go

[kikibalt]

Ernie 'Indian Red' Lopez dies at 64; welterweight fought before sellout crowds at the Forum



Ernie "Indian Red" Lopez lost welterweight title bouts to Jose Napoles in 1970 and '73 but was still a fan favorite. (Theo Ehret / March 3, 2004)

By Keith Thursby

October 5, 2009

Ernie "Indian Red" Lopez, a popular boxer in the 1960s and '70s who twice lost title fights before sellout crowds at the Forum and was found in a Texas homeless shelter just in time to be honored for his accomplishments in the ring, has died. He was 64.

Lopez died Saturday in Pleasant Grove, Utah, from complications of dementia, said one of his sisters, Naomi Adams. He had lived with Adams' family for five years before recently moving into a rest home, she said.

"He never became a champion, but he was very popular with the fans," said Bill Caplan, longtime Los Angeles boxing publicist. "He was aggressive; he didn't worry about getting hit."

Lopez fought for the welterweight title twice against Jose Napoles, losing in the 15th round in 1970 and in the seventh round in 1973. "He was a very good fighter, but Napoles was a great fighter," Kaplan said.

He also had three memorable fights against Hedgemon Lewis, winning twice.

"Lopez was a warrior," actor Ryan O'Neal, who managed Lewis when he fought Lopez, said in 2004. "He was also a gentleman, a decent man. But as a fighter, Lopez would hit the other guy so much he would become exhausted. Because of that, Lopez would always fill an arena, because he would give fans their money's worth. . . . It was his heart that made him win."

By 1974, Lopez was divorced and his career was over. His connections to his family decreased as the years went by.

"It was the losses to Napoles and the divorce that sent Ernie into a tailspin," his brother, former featherweight champion Danny Lopez, said in 2004. "He was a hurt man."

That year, family members saw an item in The Times about Lopez being named to the California Boxing Hall of Fame, and they tried to find him. A Los Angeles police detective tracked down the former boxer in a Fort Worth homeless shelter.

Don Fraser, president of the California Boxing Hall of Fame and a retired boxing promoter, paid for Lopez's flight to Los Angeles. "Some of the guys got him a suit and a hat," he said. "To him it was really something. I think he was overwhelmed."

Lopez was born in 1945, on a Ute Indian reservation in Fort Duchesne, Utah, one of eight children. He met his former wife, Marcia Park, when they were students at Orem High School in Orem, Utah. They moved to California in the mid-1960s, and he fought most of his career out of Los Angeles' Main Street Gym.

Lopez is survived by his son, Lance, and daughters Cindy, Kami and Tracy, three brothers and two sisters, 22 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Services will be Saturday in Utah.

[email protected]

[dagosd2000]

Great photos, Randy....

Thanks Frank, we had a good time. I enjoyed the movie. The movie covered many of the fighters that we write about here. I'll probably by the DVD.

Randy

Great photos of the opening of Toy Bulldog. I went to Burke Emery's bar last night. I don't think Burke wanted to go up there Saturday because I don't think he wanted to see Art. Just guessing.

[dagosd2000]

MY OLD FLAME

"Yeah,she works over at the dress shop around the corner on Catalina Boulevard."
"Is that a fact?,"I said."I haven't seen her since school."
Those were the days when things were pretty strong between us. Now it doesn't seem like anything,but I remember then the world was focused down just between me and her. The things maybe I should have been thinking about ,well,I wasn't.

My buddy figured I 'd be interested in knowing where she was. As the years passed ,I thought hardly at all about her. It was so much to me then. Now it was only a curious memory.

I couldn't figure on a a good reason to go to a dress shop,but it was so long ago that it didn't matter if I went to see her. I parked my car a block away and walked to the dress shop. I went by the window. I saw a woman inside behind the counter. I wasn't sure. I went inside like I knew what I was doing.
"Roger", the woman behind the counter gasped.
"Chris. How are you doing?"like I was surprised.
That's all I could come up with.The girl that I once thought was everything to live for,I couldn't recognize. She had recognized me,but she was very strange in my perception.
"Roger. What have you been doing?I can't believe it. It's a miracle,"she went on.
"Nothing. Nothing much."
I had wondered what had become of her. I did most of the chasing. I never seemed to be in control.Now that I'd seen her after all these year,I didn't recognize her.
"How have you been ?"I asked.
"I've been on my own for the last fifteen years. My children are grown. But tell me about yourself."

I didn't want to tell her anything about myself. It would have taken too long. Besides I wasn't up to it. I felt nothing. I wanted to go . I was curious to see her again . That's all it was. I didn't have any anxiety about seeing her,but I wanted to leave.
"You don't want to talk?"she asked.
"Sure. You work here now?"I asked.
"Yes. Every day but the weekends."
"Maybe we can see each other then. On the weekends," I said passively.
"Yes. I would want to know how life has been for you. Let me give you my phone number."
She wrote her number down on a slip of paper and gave it to me.
"Yes. That would be great," I said.
"It's a miracle that you walked in,"she said.
"I need to go now,but I'll call you tomorrow,"
"That's wonderfull. This is a miracle.You don't want to stay for a while?
"I'll call you tomorrow,""

I walked out and went to my car. I threw the slip of paper she gave me with her phone number on it in the street. I never looked at the phone number. I felt very little as I drove back home. This all happened a while ago. I haven't thought much about it since.

That's a real sad story Rog you say you didn't recognize her but her looks would have changed no doubt but she's still the same girl you chased so hard back then what harm could it have done to show her some interest then if things didn't workout let her down light, this way you come across to her as a hard bastard, go on mate give it another go

Tellboy
That was almost 50 years ago. I've been married for 40,have 4 kids,7 grand kids,and 5 great grand kids. I'm past the point of trying to compliment my life anymore than it is.

[telboy66]

MY OLD FLAME

"Yeah,she works over at the dress shop around the corner on Catalina Boulevard."
"Is that a fact?,"I said."I haven't seen her since school."
Those were the days when things were pretty strong between us. Now it doesn't seem like anything,but I remember then the world was focused down just between me and her. The things maybe I should have been thinking about ,well,I wasn't.

My buddy figured I 'd be interested in knowing where she was. As the years passed ,I thought hardly at all about her. It was so much to me then. Now it was only a curious memory.

I couldn't figure on a a good reason to go to a dress shop,but it was so long ago that it didn't matter if I went to see her. I parked my car a block away and walked to the dress shop. I went by the window. I saw a woman inside behind the counter. I wasn't sure. I went inside like I knew what I was doing.
"Roger", the woman behind the counter gasped.
"Chris. How are you doing?"like I was surprised.
That's all I could come up with.The girl that I once thought was everything to live for,I couldn't recognize. She had recognized me,but she was very strange in my perception.
"Roger. What have you been doing?I can't believe it. It's a miracle,"she went on.
"Nothing. Nothing much."
I had wondered what had become of her. I did most of the chasing. I never seemed to be in control.Now that I'd seen her after all these year,I didn't recognize her.
"How have you been ?"I asked.
"I've been on my own for the last fifteen years. My children are grown. But tell me about yourself."

I didn't want to tell her anything about myself. It would have taken too long. Besides I wasn't up to it. I felt nothing. I wanted to go . I was curious to see her again . That's all it was. I didn't have any anxiety about seeing her,but I wanted to leave.
"You don't want to talk?"she asked.
"Sure. You work here now?"I asked.
"Yes. Every day but the weekends."
"Maybe we can see each other then. On the weekends," I said passively.
"Yes. I would want to know how life has been for you. Let me give you my phone number."
She wrote her number down on a slip of paper and gave it to me.
"Yes. That would be great," I said.
"It's a miracle that you walked in,"she said.
"I need to go now,but I'll call you tomorrow,"
"That's wonderfull. This is a miracle.You don't want to stay for a while?
"I'll call you tomorrow,""

I walked out and went to my car. I threw the slip of paper she gave me with her phone number on it in the street. I never looked at the phone number. I felt very little as I drove back home. This all happened a while ago. I haven't thought much about it since.

That's a real sad story Rog you say you didn't recognize her but her looks would have changed no doubt but she's still the same girl you chased so hard back then what harm could it have done to show her some interest then if things didn't workout let her down light, this way you come across to her as a hard bastard, go on mate give it another go

Tellboy
That was almost 50 years ago. I've been married for 40,have 4 kids,7 grand kids,and 5 great grand kids. I'm past the point of trying to compliment my life anymore than it is.

That gave me a chuckle mate I thought you were a single man pardon my ignorance I know where you coming from with the compliment I would say complications

[Rick Farris]

MY OLD FLAME

"Yeah,she works over at the dress shop around the corner on Catalina Boulevard."
"Is that a fact?,"I said."I haven't seen her since school."
Those were the days when things were pretty strong between us. Now it doesn't seem like anything,but I remember then the world was focused down just between me and her. The things maybe I should have been thinking about ,well,I wasn't.

My buddy figured I 'd be interested in knowing where she was. As the years passed ,I thought hardly at all about her. It was so much to me then. Now it was only a curious memory.

I couldn't figure on a a good reason to go to a dress shop,but it was so long ago that it didn't matter if I went to see her. I parked my car a block away and walked to the dress shop. I went by the window. I saw a woman inside behind the counter. I wasn't sure. I went inside like I knew what I was doing.
"Roger", the woman behind the counter gasped.
"Chris. How are you doing?"like I was surprised.
That's all I could come up with.The girl that I once thought was everything to live for,I couldn't recognize. She had recognized me,but she was very strange in my perception.
"Roger. What have you been doing?I can't believe it. It's a miracle,"she went on.
"Nothing. Nothing much."
I had wondered what had become of her. I did most of the chasing. I never seemed to be in control.Now that I'd seen her after all these year,I didn't recognize her.
"How have you been ?"I asked.
"I've been on my own for the last fifteen years. My children are grown. But tell me about yourself."

I didn't want to tell her anything about myself. It would have taken too long. Besides I wasn't up to it. I felt nothing. I wanted to go . I was curious to see her again . That's all it was. I didn't have any anxiety about seeing her,but I wanted to leave.
"You don't want to talk?"she asked.
"Sure. You work here now?"I asked.
"Yes. Every day but the weekends."
"Maybe we can see each other then. On the weekends," I said passively.
"Yes. I would want to know how life has been for you. Let me give you my phone number."
She wrote her number down on a slip of paper and gave it to me.
"Yes. That would be great," I said.
"It's a miracle that you walked in,"she said.
"I need to go now,but I'll call you tomorrow,"
"That's wonderfull. This is a miracle.You don't want to stay for a while?
"I'll call you tomorrow,""

I walked out and went to my car. I threw the slip of paper she gave me with her phone number on it in the street. I never looked at the phone number. I felt very little as I drove back home. This all happened a while ago. I haven't thought much about it since.

Very interesting story, Rog. I can relate to that.
It's kinda a like somebody handing you off the football, but you really don'y feel like running with it.
That game was over long ago. And to my way of thinking, you're winning big time in today's game .
However, it can't help but make you think?

[dagosd2000]

Very interesting story, Rog. I can relate to that.
It's kinda a like somebody handing you off the football, but you really don'y feel like running with it.
That game was over long ago. And to my way of thinking, you're winning big time in today's game .
However, it can't help but make you think?[/quote]


Rick
Interesting that you said that. The reoccurring dream that I have is that I'm playing football again and am waiting to get in the game.It's late in the 4th quarter. Time for maybe a couple of plays. I get out there and line up opposite my guy. I can hardly get out of my stance. I hit him with everything I've got and nothing happens. The whistle blows and I walk off the field.I resign myself that I don't have it anymore.

[dagosd2000]

Mike Quarry (in later life)

[Rick Farris]

revised

[Expug]

Wonderful post about the Quarry bros. Rick.
Thanks for that. Very poignant and sad also.

By the way, I recieved the ticket.
I will send a check tomorrow. Thank you

Brian