Name that tune

[Collins2000]

I think we need to put some names to faces given the embarressing showing by some of our resident experts.

Who is this fellow?

[JC]

Kid Azteca

[Collins2000]

You got him, J-C.!

Apparently I never heard of him!

He looks the part though.

[JC]

He looks the part though.

200+ fights gives a face a bit of character.

[Collins2000]

He looks the part though.

200+ fights gives a face a bit of character.

Those were the days!


How about this for a lived-in face?

Jack Kid Berg



His (auto)biography is brilliant. The Whitchapel Windmill I think it is called. He also gets a great chapter or two in quite a strange but fascinating book called "This Bloody Mary is the Last Thing I own" by a guy whose name I have forgotten.

[jaclem2]

collins...i browsed through that "bloody mary" book some years back at a bookstore and was going to buy it the next time i was in there, but then it was gone and i kind of forgot about it until your post. is it worthwhile? it should be easy enough to find the name of that author online and amazon probably has it.

[Expug]

Collins, I have that book,"This Bloody Mary is The last thing I own".
Its a good read and as you mentioned its a bit strange.
In an early chapter in that book, the author mentions boxing on his university team at I believe Oxford.
He says the only guy who was skillfull on that team was a kid named Ron Aranda.
He mentions that he was a good am. from the states. I knew that guy. He was a tremendous amateur Golden Glover from Chicago. I boxed with him a few times at a gym called Loyola Park. I was really surprised to see his name mentioned.
I never knew he wound up there.A long way from home.

[Collins2000]

collins...i browsed through that "bloody mary" book some years back at a bookstore and was going to buy it the next time i was in there, but then it was gone and i kind of forgot about it until your post. is it worthwhile? it should be easy enough to find the name of that author online and amazon probably has it.

Blimey Jaclem2! A normal post! Well done.

It's a good book. Some strange stuff but some great chapters. I wonder if it was all true?

[Collins2000]

Collins, I have that book,"This Bloody Mary is The last thing I own".
Its a good read and as you mentioned its a bit strange.
In an early chapter in that book, the author mentions boxing on his university team at I believe Oxford.
He says the only guy who was skillfull on that team was a kid named Ron Aranda.
He mentions that he was a good am. from the states. I knew that guy. He was a tremendous amateur Golden Glover from Chicago. I boxed with him a few times at a gym called Loyola Park. I was really surprised to see his name mentioned.
I never knew he wound up there.A long way from home.

I had a copy some years back. I think I left it in the UK with all my copies of Boxing News. Up in the bloody loft!

I can't recall that bit but it covered a lot of ground didn't it? From the guy who fought a dog and then got stood on his head by the gypsy journeyman to him and Kid Berg trying to locate the site of the old Polo Ground with a crazy trip to Cuba thrown in for good measure. It was a bit surreal but a riveting read.

[Expug]

Collins, I went and dug that book up after you mentioned it. I had to search a bit.
I have it here.
Its by a guy named Jonathan Rendall. Lots in here about Berg. He follows Colin McCmillan also.
Yes, you're right, hes all over the place.

[JC]

He looks the part though.

200+ fights gives a face a bit of character.

Those were the days!


How about this for a lived-in face?

Jack Kid Berg

Collins, I was not trying to be over nostalgic I just meant all the gym wars must have contributed the the striking mug.

Another lived in "face" Berg's friend, or at least contemporary, jack spot. There's a shot of the two together as old men at a Bruno fight but sadly it's not online

[Collins2000]

Collins, I was not trying to be over nostalgic I just meant all the gym wars must have contributed the the striking mug.

Another lived in "face" Berg's friend, or at least contemporary, jack spot. There's a shot of the two together as old men at a Bruno fight but sadly it's not online

I remember Comer. Him and Billy Hill were THE names in the London underworld before the Krays and the Richardsons came on the scene. It was more gentlemanly in Blighty though. Check out how Sam Giancano and Big Paul Castellano and many others ended up. The Krays just pensioned those old lads off.





(Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned those mob guys, As well as knowing more than all of us put together about boxing, Francis knows all about the cosa nostra too. In his dreams.)

[Masteron]

Collins, I have that book,"This Bloody Mary is The last thing I own".
Its a good read and as you mentioned its a bit strange.
In an early chapter in that book, the author mentions boxing on his university team at I believe Oxford.
He says the only guy who was skillfull on that team was a kid named Ron Aranda.
He mentions that he was a good am. from the states. I knew that guy. He was a tremendous amateur Golden Glover from Chicago. I boxed with him a few times at a gym called Loyola Park. I was really surprised to see his name mentioned.
I never knew he wound up there.A long way from home.

Interesting to find this note on a google search. I am interested in the identities of expug and collins 2000. I am also going to get the aforementioned book and give it a read. I loved Oxford and had the time of my life there. Our Oxford boxing team had many quality boxers. In particular I remember Terry Sweeny (boxer of the year), Nicolas Brooke (Team Captain) and Tom Woodcock (good heavyweight and great friend). Another interesting fact was that they were filming "Oxford Blues" while I was there and was in a scene or two as an extra. Sadly, we lost the Oxford vs. Cambridge match that year but I won and received the fight of the night award.

Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane!

[Masteron]

Collins, I have that book,"This Bloody Mary is The last thing I own".
Its a good read and as you mentioned its a bit strange.
In an early chapter in that book, the author mentions boxing on his university team at I believe Oxford.
He says the only guy who was skillfull on that team was a kid named Ron Aranda.
He mentions that he was a good am. from the states. I knew that guy. He was a tremendous amateur Golden Glover from Chicago. I boxed with him a few times at a gym called Loyola Park. I was really surprised to see his name mentioned.
I never knew he wound up there.A long way from home.

Interesting to find this note on a google search. I am interested in the identities of expug and collins 2000. I am also going to get the aforementioned book and give it a read. I loved Oxford and had the time of my life there. Our Oxford boxing team had many quality boxers. In particular I remember Terry Sweeny (boxer of the year), Nicolas Brooke (Team Captain) and Tom Woodcock (good heavyweight and great friend). Another interesting fact was that they were filming "Oxford Blues" while I was there and was in a scene or two as an extra. Sadly, we lost the Oxford vs. Cambridge match that year but I won and received the fight of the night award.

Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane!

Collins, I have that book,"This Bloody Mary is The last thing I own".
Its a good read and as you mentioned its a bit strange.
In an early chapter in that book, the author mentions boxing on his university team at I believe Oxford.
He says the only guy who was skillfull on that team was a kid named Ron Aranda.
He mentions that he was a good am. from the states. I knew that guy. He was a tremendous amateur Golden Glover from Chicago. I boxed with him a few times at a gym called Loyola Park. I was really surprised to see his name mentioned.
I never knew he wound up there.A long way from home.

Interesting to find this note on a google search. I am interested in the identities of expug and collins 2000. I am also going to get the aforementioned book and give it a read. I loved Oxford and had the time of my life there. Our Oxford boxing team had many quality boxers. In particular I remember Terry Sweeny (boxer of the year), Nicolas Brooke (Team Captain) and Tom Woodcock (good heavyweight and great friend). Another interesting fact was that they were filming "Oxford Blues" while I was there and was in a scene or two as an extra. Sadly, we lost the Oxford vs. Cambridge match that year but I won and received the fight of the night award.

Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane!

[yancey]

Collins, I was not trying to be over nostalgic I just meant all the gym wars must have contributed the the striking mug.

Another lived in "face" Berg's friend, or at least contemporary, jack spot. There's a shot of the two together as old men at a Bruno fight but sadly it's not online

I remember Comer. Him and Billy Hill were THE names in the London underworld before the Krays and the Richardsons came on the scene. It was more gentlemanly in Blighty though. Check out how Sam Giancano and Big Paul Castellano and many others ended up. The Krays just pensioned those old lads off.





(Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned those mob guys, As well as knowing more than all of us put together about boxing, Francis knows all about the cosa nostra too. In his dreams.)

Not to get off topic, but that hit on Castellano and his driver must have been something. Guys dressed in Russian hats doing the shooting, bloody scene, Gotti and Sammy the Bull driving by right afterwards. Must have ruined a few dinners at Spark's Steakhouse that night. If I ever get back up to NYC, I want to go there. The Mafia fascinates me.

[Collins2000]

Lucky Luciano

[yancey]

Lucky Luciano

Yep, he was the man.

Collins, somewhere there is a photo of Sam Giancana (I think) sitting in handcuffs, all dressed up and wearing shades. The look on his face is priceless, kind of with a half-smile/half-shrug and as if to say "the bullshit I have to put up with." Cool photo.

[Collins2000]

Collins, somewhere there is a photo of Sam Giancana (I think) sitting in handcuffs, all dressed up and wearing shades. The look on his face is priceless, kind of with a half-smile/half-shrug and as if to say "the bullshit I have to put up with." Cool photo.

Yancey, I'm not surprised he looks upset after all the help he gave the Kennedy clan over the years.

[BoxBuzz]

I really appreciate this thread, I listen to Howie Carr rountinely and he often gives the historical accountings of the Boston version of these guys. The Bulgers etc.....and their dabblings in the fight game over the years.

[yancey]

Collins, somewhere there is a photo of Sam Giancana (I think) sitting in handcuffs, all dressed up and wearing shades. The look on his face is priceless, kind of with a half-smile/half-shrug and as if to say "the bullshit I have to put up with." Cool photo.

Yancey, I'm not surprised he looks upset after all the help he gave the Kennedy clan over the years.

That's the photo!

I think Sam got whacked in his own house while cooking up some breakfast.

[yancey]

I really appreciate this thread, I listen to Howie Carr rountinely and he often gives the historical accountings of the Boston version of these guys. The Bulgers etc.....and their dabblings in the fight game over the years.

Whitey is supposedly still at large, correct?

[granberry]

[Collins2000]

That's Fat Paulie the former head of the chocolate racket in Birmingham.

[BoxBuzz]

It aint over till the fat man sits.

[Collins2000]

The Weasel











Looks can be deceiving.