Classic American West Coast Boxing

[dagosd2000]

I WAS NOT A GREAT FIGHTER

That's what Gaspar "Indio" Ortega said to me when my wife and I had lunch with him at the Carl's Jr. near the Marriot Hotel during the WBHOF weekend.

I wanted to correct him. I don't know why he said that. He said it without emotion,off the cuff. I wanted to disagree. What he said caught me off guard.

I was with him a lot for those two days. I think he really got a kick out of my wife. She doesn't like boxing. She knew who "Raton" Macias was because he later made movies in Mexico. But my wife,Maria from the ranch who cleaned garbanzos for a dollar a kilo,who was the provider for her mother and younger brother and sisters;my wife knows what a real man is. Gaspar Ortega? No brainer for her to see what he was. Gaspar has arthritis in both hands.He let me feel the tube he has that replaced the artery in his neck. He was worried that his wife was getting dialysis and didn't know which hospital she was in.My wife understood. She made him feel that everything was going to be all right. Her and Gaspar talked about Tijuana in the old days. They talked about the old colonias.They laughed.

Gaspar Ortega said he was not a great fighter. He had 170 fights.He fought in every arena in the Republic. He fought on short notice.He fought many champions. He didn't complain.

Gaspar "Indio"Ortega with that flat top haicut with the fenders like Joe Medel had and he was a great fighter, and so was Gaspar "Indio" Ortega.

[dagosd2000]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5oVr4jN7Ek

Jose Napoles vs. Al Urbina

Thats Napoles at his best, as a lightweight....

Thanks for posting it Roger, first time seen it....

Yes Frank.As a light weight. Laguna wouldn't fight him because he said you are like a "brother." Ortiz stalled him. Locche wouldn't have stood a chance. Napoles almost threw in the towel if it hadn't have been for Parnassus.

[dagosd2000]

My wife Maria and the great "Indio" Ortega.

[Rick Farris]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5oVr4jN7Ek

Jose Napoles vs. Al Urbina

Thats Napoles at his best, as a lightweight....

Thanks for posting it Roger, first time seen it....

Rog . . . I also thank you. Urbina is one of my favorite Mexican fighters. We didn't know much of him up here.
He whipped Napoles first time out. As Frank said, Napoles was best at lightweight. I remember hearing Johnny Flores and Dwight Hawkins talking of Napoles. Ironicly, it was in the dressing room prior to one of my junior bouts. Both were headed to TJ together the next day, to see the last of four bouts between Napoles and L.C. Morgan.

Flores referred to Mantequilla as "a blown-up lightweight". Ortiz, Laguna, none of the 135 pounders wanted to risk their title against the transplanted Cuban. And the 140 pounders of the era were monsters. Napoles walked right thru them.


-Rick Farris

[Rick Farris]

I WAS NOT A GREAT FIGHTER

That's what Gaspar "Indio" Ortega said to me when my wife and I had lunch with him at the Carl's Jr. near the Marriot Hotel during the WBHOF weekend.

I wanted to correct him. I don't know why he said that. He said it without emotion,off the cuff. I wanted to disagree. What he said caught me off guard.

I was with him a lot for those two days. I think he really got a kick out of my wife. She doesn't like boxing. She knew who "Raton" Macias was because he later made movies in Mexico. But my wife,Maria from the ranch who cleaned garbanzos for a dollar a kilo,who was the provider for her mother and younger brother and sisters;my wife knows what a real man is. Gaspar Ortega? No brainer for her to see what he was. Gaspar has arthritis in both hands.He let me feel the tube he has that replaced the artery in his neck. He was worried that his wife was getting dialysis and didn't know which hospital she was in.My wife understood. She made him feel that everything was going to be all right. Her and Gaspar talked about Tijuana in the old days. They talked about the old colonias.They laughed.

Gaspar Ortega said he was not a great fighter. He had 170 fights.He fought in every arena in the Republic. He fought on short notice.He fought many champions. He didn't complain.

Gaspar "Indio"Ortega with that flat top haicut with the fenders like Joe Medel had and he was a great fighter, and so was Gaspar "Indio" Ortega.

Great story. Rog, at the end you refer to Gaspar's "flat top". When thinking of fighters with a flat top, the one that always comes to my mind is Jose Medel. I first saw him in L.A. in 1965. My dad took me to the L.A. Sports Arena, where Medel came off the deck to floor Jesus Pimentel twice, winning a close decision. The next day, the Herald-Examiner featured a first page photo from the fight, showing the flat-topped Medel rocking Pimentel with a bomb. Only somebody who was a part of that era can visualize Medel's flat-top, it made an impression on me.


-Rick Farris

[dagosd2000]

Joe Medel

[Rick Farris]

Napoles vs. Curtis Cokes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlpZ5-bw ... re=related

[Rick Farris]

Joe Medel

Thats him!

[kikibalt]

I WAS NOT A GREAT FIGHTER

That's what Gaspar "Indio" Ortega said to me when my wife and I had lunch with him at the Carl's Jr. near the Marriot Hotel during the WBHOF weekend.

I wanted to correct him. I don't know why he said that. He said it without emotion,off the cuff. I wanted to disagree. What he said caught me off guard.

I was with him a lot for those two days. I think he really got a kick out of my wife. She doesn't like boxing. She knew who "Raton" Macias was because he later made movies in Mexico. But my wife,Maria from the ranch who cleaned garbanzos for a dollar a kilo,who was the provider for her mother and younger brother and sisters;my wife knows what a real man is. Gaspar Ortega? No brainer for her to see what he was. Gaspar has arthritis in both hands.He let me feel the tube he has that replaced the artery in his neck. He was worried that his wife was getting dialysis and didn't know which hospital she was in.My wife understood. She made him feel that everything was going to be all right. Her and Gaspar talked about Tijuana in the old days. They talked about the old colonias.They laughed.

Gaspar Ortega said he was not a great fighter. He had 170 fights.He fought in every arena in the Republic. He fought on short notice.He fought many champions. He didn't complain.

Gaspar "Indio"Ortega with that flat top haicut with the fenders like Joe Medel had and he was a great fighter, and so was Gaspar "Indio" Ortega.

Great story. Rog, at the end you refer to Gaspar's "flat top". When thinking of fighters with a flat top, the one that always comes to my mind is Jose Medel. I first saw him in L.A. in 1965. My dad took me to the L.A. Sports Arena, where Medel came off the deck to floor Jesus Pimentel twice, winning a close decision. The next day, the Herald-Examiner featured a first page photo from the fight, showing the flat-topped Medel rocking Pimentel with a bomb. Only somebody who was a part of that era can visualize Medel's flat-top, it made an impression on me.


-Rick Farris

Keeny Teran had the best flat top I ever seen, the flat tops started around 1950-'51, I got one in 1952.....

[Chuck1052]

I would think that Ruben Olivares, Eder Jofre and Manuel Ortiz were the top bantamweights of the last seventy years. By the way, it is my recollection that Dan Cuoco, a fine individual, thought highly of Jofre.

- Chuck Johnston

[Rick Farris]

I WAS NOT A GREAT FIGHTER

That's what Gaspar "Indio" Ortega said to me when my wife and I had lunch with him at the Carl's Jr. near the Marriot Hotel during the WBHOF weekend.

I wanted to correct him. I don't know why he said that. He said it without emotion,off the cuff. I wanted to disagree. What he said caught me off guard.

I was with him a lot for those two days. I think he really got a kick out of my wife. She doesn't like boxing. She knew who "Raton" Macias was because he later made movies in Mexico. But my wife,Maria from the ranch who cleaned garbanzos for a dollar a kilo,who was the provider for her mother and younger brother and sisters;my wife knows what a real man is. Gaspar Ortega? No brainer for her to see what he was. Gaspar has arthritis in both hands.He let me feel the tube he has that replaced the artery in his neck. He was worried that his wife was getting dialysis and didn't know which hospital she was in.My wife understood. She made him feel that everything was going to be all right. Her and Gaspar talked about Tijuana in the old days. They talked about the old colonias.They laughed.

Gaspar Ortega said he was not a great fighter. He had 170 fights.He fought in every arena in the Republic. He fought on short notice.He fought many champions. He didn't complain.

Gaspar "Indio"Ortega with that flat top haicut with the fenders like Joe Medel had and he was a great fighter, and so was Gaspar "Indio" Ortega.

Great story. Rog, at the end you refer to Gaspar's "flat top". When thinking of fighters with a flat top, the one that always comes to my mind is Jose Medel. I first saw him in L.A. in 1965. My dad took me to the L.A. Sports Arena, where Medel came off the deck to floor Jesus Pimentel twice, winning a close decision. The next day, the Herald-Examiner featured a first page photo from the fight, showing the flat-topped Medel rocking Pimentel with a bomb. Only somebody who was a part of that era can visualize Medel's flat-top, it made an impression on me.


-Rick Farris

Keeny Teran had the best flat top I ever seen, the flat tops started around 1950-'51, I got one in 1952.....

Frank . . . I've seen pics of Keeny with the flat top. Yeah, another signature hair style.


-

[kikibalt]

I would think that Ruben Olivares, Eder Jofre and Manuel Ortiz were the top bantamweights of the last seventy years. By the way, it is my recollection that Dan Cuoco, a fine individual, thought highly of Jofre.

- Chuck Johnston

Chuck...I seen all three fight live, imo Ortiz was the best bantamweight of all time with Jofre second and Olivares in third place. In a round robin there would be some wins and losses for all three...

[Rick Farris]

I would think that Ruben Olivares, Eder Jofre and Manuel Ortiz were the top bantamweights of the last seventy years. By the way, it is my recollection that Dan Cuoco, a fine individual, thought highly of Jofre.

- Chuck Johnston

Chuck...I seen all three fight live, imo Ortiz was the best bantamweight of all time with Jofre second and Olivares in third place. In a round robin there would be some wins and losses for all three...

I agree with this. I have seen a lot of Jofre. On any given night.

[dagosd2000]

I LOVE MY RANCHO THAT'S NOT SO GRANDE

Take the ranch out of Mexico and there's an identity crisis. It's at the heart of Mexican culture. Just about everything that is Mexican by nature has been born from the "rancho." Music,the revolutions,the identities of the sexes. The roles of men, women and children. I've seen Mexican businessmen who've fallen into despair yearn to visit their grandparents on the ranch. To find their way home. Their "Cielito Lindo."

My wife's sister,Maria Elena, and her husband have a small ranch on top of a mountain just across the border in Jalisco in the village of Valle De Juarez. It seems that all the ranches on my wife's side of the family are on top of mountains. I'm not talking about the Himalayas,but the elevation is around 7000 ,8000 feet.

I remember my first journey to Maria Elena's ranch. Yeah,my wife has another sister named Maria like herself. Oh,there's a third.Maria De Jesus. Anyway there was a day when you either walked up that mountain or rode a horse to get there. Now there's a dirt rode that twists up that mountain,but you better have a vehicle that has US Army written on the side if you're going to make it.

Maria Elena left the the ranch to her daughter Esperanza,her husband,and two sons to manage. The life of the ranch broke Maria Elena. She lives on the south side of Chicago with her husband. There they have two sons and a daughter and various grandchildren. Maria Elena has a bad heart.She wants to be close to her doctor in Chicago.The daily life on the ranch took its toll. There were no days off.There were no modern combines or tractors. They sold nectarines and had dairy cows. Hip boots and mud is what I remember most when I first started going there.

Now her daughter Esperanza is in charge. Two years ago Esperanza had to have back surgery. The family pitched in to have her get an operation in Guadalajara. When we went back to the ranch last week,Esperanza said that she had lost the feeling in her lower extremities. She can just about cook the meals. Her two sons and husband rely on the milk cows to make ends meet. They have seven cows. Their best one can give 80 liters of milk a day.The others around half that much. Esperanza may have to sell off some of the cows to get another operation. The oldest son is fininishing his "prepatoria." He wants to leave the ranch.
"Quiero ir al Norte,"he told me.
If he goes his brother will follow him.

Like many Mexicans who have struggled on those ranches,they leave.They go to Chicago,New York,Atlanta. Just about every state in the Union. When they find that there is also a struggle here,they will hold their heads in their hands and think about their "Cielito Lindo."

[dagosd2000]

Going to be part of a baby's baptism. Waiting on the porch of the ranch. Valle De Juarez,Jalisco.

[THEHAMMER321]

Speaking of all time bantams where does Zarate fit in there he has got to be in the top 5 or 6

[Rick Farris]

Speaking of all time bantams where does Zarate fit in there he has got to be in the top 5 or 6

I think so.

[kikibalt]

Speaking of all time bantams where does Zarate fit in there he has got to be in the top 5 or 6

I'm not sure about that.

[dagosd2000]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-RRcnaakGw

I Love My Rancho Grande

Freddy Fender

[dagosd2000]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EJvypF7aMU

Zarate and Zamora.

This was a big big fight. Two undeafeated Mexican bantams.A lot on the line.

[Randyman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EJvypF7aMU

Zarate and Zamora.

This was a big big fight. Two undeafeated Mexican bantams.A lot on the line.

It was a big fight Rog. I remember it well. Both were big punchers but Zarate had a much bigger arsenal. Zarate was too much for most but he was out gunned by Wilfredo Gomez a couple of years later. Zarate is an all time great in any ones book.

Randy

[Randyman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-RRcnaakGw

I Love My Rancho Grande

Freddy Fender

[Randyman]

Rick, I remember when Bud Furillo was the host of a radio talkshow on KABC during the 1970s. Of course, I always thought that the L.A. Herald-Examiner had terrific boxing coverage, much better than the L.A. Times. Moreover, they had a number of terrific sportswriters during the 1970s, Furillo, Allen Malamud, Doug Krikorian, Jack Disney and Melvin Durslag.

- Chuck Johnston

The Herald-Examiner . . .

Chuck, you are so right, the Herald-Examiner's boxing coverage was superior to that of the L.A.Times.
When Furillo left the publication, Allan Malamud took over as the sports editor until the paper finally folded up in the early 90's. The Times didn't cover boxing like the Herald, but occasionally, when sports editor Jim Murray would devote his column to boxing, he'd write some incredible copy. It's obvious why Murray would win America's top sports writer honors every single year, back-to-back. As for Malamud, when the Herald bit the dust, he jumped right over to the Times who gave him his third page column. Back in the day, Malamud and Furillo would take harmless jabs at each other, Bud referring to his boxing writer as Allan "No Neck" Malamud, among other things. Mud would shoot back a comment about the Italian dinner Bud had created the night before. I remember in the late 60's, Malamud was dating one of the Quarry sisters. I think it was Diane?


-Rick Farris

The Herald-Examiner was better than the Times in every way. It was my favorite paper. Doug Krikorian was another sports writer on the examiner that also covered boxing. He now writes for the Long beach Press Telegram.

Randy

[Randyman]

Hi Randyman so your cousin is Louie Burke,nice to see him training fighters I saw him fight many times back in the 1980s here in Las Vegas and I really remember his fights with Freddie Roach,thanks for the link

Yes, Louie Burke is my cousin. Referee Rocky Burke is his older brother. My hope is that one day Louie and Freddie will face each other as trainers (with their fighters fighting, not them).

Randy

[Randyman]

Not inexplicable at all . . . Bobo was of Swedish descent
_____________________________________________

About Olson . . . Mel Epstein got to know Bobo Olson during the years he lived in San Franciso.
Epstein had a lot of respect for the former middleweight champ, but was most fascinated by the man's love life.
Seems that Olson had wives all over America including Hawaii, San Franciso and New York.
I don't know the whole story, but I guess there came a time when all three found out about each other?
I gotta give the man credit, one wife is a lot of work. Three wives?

Epstein told me that's what happens to a man who is "over-sexed". "Fighters & women don't mix," he'd warn.
Mel really had a problem with boxers that were involved with women. Like it was the worst curse possible.
I know that women have ruined many a boxer, but life is life.


-Rick Farris

It was Mel's mission in life to make everyone hate women as much as he did. Lucky for Rick and I, we ignored him.

Randy