Classic American West Coast Boxing

[kikibalt]

I bought this old postcard at an antique shop the other day. Remember when L.A. used to look like this? Once upon a time the City Hall was the tallest building in town. You can hardly see it now, depending on where you are. I miss the old Los Angeles.

Randy :(

I remember that, Randy. That's what I saw in the mid-50's, when I was a kid riding in a car with my parents on the freeway thru downtown L.A.

I saw that as I was behind the wheel.....

[kikibalt]

Heading out to AZ. on the 8 AM stagecoach to see Anthony....AND BRING CONNIE BACK!...

[CNorkusJr]

I bought this old postcard at an antique shop the other day. Remember when L.A. used to look like this? Once upon a time the City Hall was the tallest building in town. You can hardly see it now, depending on where you are. I miss the old Los Angeles.

Randy :(

I remember that, Randy. That's what I saw in the mid-50's, when I was a kid riding in a car with my parents on the freeway thru downtown L.A.

I saw that as I was behind the wheel.....

Hey Isn't that Sgt Joe Friday over there on the left........LOL ?
Good to see Tony looking in fine spirits.

Whats even more disgusting in this Championship (I use that lightly today)
Fight is the fact that they might even ask $40-$50 US or equiv. in pounds if its on PPV for this. If this fight was in the states it would be on PPV. Disgusting. The match makers should be all taken out back and shot. Better yet -out front and shot for the world to see. I went to the Klitschko-Ibrahmov stinker here in the Garden a few years back, and said to myself exitting that I'll never watch a V. Klitscko fight again unless it was free-o and I wasn't really doing anything else more important that night-like watching Gregory Peck in "Moby Dick". I like that classic.

[Rick Farris]

I bought this old postcard at an antique shop the other day. Remember when L.A. used to look like this? Once upon a time the City Hall was the tallest building in town. You can hardly see it now, depending on where you are. I miss the old Los Angeles.

Randy :(

I remember that, Randy. That's what I saw in the mid-50's, when I was a kid riding in a car with my parents on the freeway thru downtown L.A.

I saw that as I was behind the wheel.....

One more comment on this pic of LA as it was in the 50's, the L.A. City Hall building at 26 floors was the tallest in the city.
You could see it for miles as you approached downtown. Today it is one of the smaller structures, dwarfed by structures of today.
Sometimes my brother would ride the bus with me downtown when I'd workout at the Main Street Gym on weekends. Afterwards, he and I would walk around the city before heading home. I remember one day we walked down Main Street to the City Hall. We took the elevator up to the top where there is a small observation area where you could look out over the city to the ocean. A few years back, I was working on a film at the City Hall, and I revisited the top floor of the building and was surprised at how the view had changed. The City Hall is surrounded by real skyscrapers today, so you can no longer see the coast, or much of anything else. L.A. has grown up. The face of L.A. is changes dramaticly.

[Rick Farris]

Mr. Carbo & His Pals
Monday, Jun. 15, 1959


In the heyday of the International Boxing Club's strangle hold on U.S. boxing, Millionaire Sportsman James Dougan Norris ran the show in public, and a slim, grey-haired man named Paul John ("Frankie") Carbo ran a lot of it in private. Breaking up the Norris monopoly was relatively easy for the Justice Department. The underworld dominance of Frankie Carbo was something else again. Few figures in the fight game admitted knowing Carbo or dealing with him in any way. But last July the man known as "Mr. Grey" was finally indicted by a New York grand jury for illegal matchmaking and managing fighters under the table. Carbo promptly disappeared, was caught only three weeks ago as he fled from police at his New Jersey hideout. Frankie was the picture of innocence, said he ran because "I thought it was a rubout."

As police searched for Carbo last month, a Los Angeles fight promoter named Jackie Leonard went before the California Athletic Commission, put the finger squarely on Mr. Grey and his managerial sidekick, a Philadelphia hoodlum named Frank ("Blinky") Palermo. Leonard had promoted most of the key fights of Welterweight Champion Don Jordan. He told a shady story. Last year, when Jordan was still only a challenger, Leonard got a phone call from Blinky Palermo. Blinky demanded that "we" be cut in for a piece of Jordan as a condition for getting a title fight with Virgil Akins. Leonard, together with Jordan's manager. Don Nesseth, pretended to agree. After the fight Leonard ignored Blinky Palermo's attempts to collect a share of the money. Soon he got a summons to Miami. He flew down, was brought into the presence of Frankie Carbo at a waterfront motel. Carbo "advised" he comply.

Leonard continued to stall and the talk got uglier. Blinky visited Leonard in Los Angeles, accompanied by a couple of tough-looking hoodlums with police records who lingered ominously in the background. Leonard got threatening phone calls ("It'll be with a pipe wrapped in a paper sack. You'll never know what hit you"). He testified that Carbo called too. said "something to the effect that 'You're going to get hurt. We're going to make an example of you.' " After the hearing, police were assigned to guard Leonard whenever he left home.

One night last week Leonard went out to get a newspaper at the corner, not bothering to call the cops. It was a mistake. He returned, found the garage light out, started to pull the garage door down, got slugged. He fell, was kicked as he lay on the ground. Leonard wound up in the hospital in serious condition. It looked very much as though Carbo, even under arrest, still had pals willing to do him a favor.

[kikibalt]

On the road to PHX.....

[Rick Farris]

Jackie Leonard was boxing promoter at the Hollywood Legion Stadium after Hap Navarro resigned from the job.
During that time, Don Fraser was public relations director for the Hollywood Legion.

[Rick Farris]

On the road to PHX.....

Have a safe trip, Frank.

[Panzerfaust]

Tommorrow it will be 30 years since the welsh matchstickman Johnny Owen died in L.A after challenging Lupe Pintor.

[Rick Farris]

Tommorrow it will be 30 years since the welsh matchstickman Johnny Owen died in L.A after challenging Lupe Pintor.

Hard to believe that thirty years has passed. I was at that fight. I knew from the way he fell to the canvas for the last time, that something was very wrong. What a tragic ending, he fought over his head and with great courage.

[Panzerfaust]

[kikibalt]

On the road to PHX.....

Have a safe trip, Frank.

Got here safe and sound....

[Rick Farris]

Jackie Leonard , west coast boxing promoter who was under police protection after testifying against the mob, is brutally beaten over the head - unconscious in the garage of his home. He had testified before the California State Athletic Commission about how the mob was trying to muscle into thefight game

[Rick Farris]

On the road to PHX.....

Have a safe trip, Frank.

Got here safe and sound....

My best to Tony.

[Rick Farris]

The Matchstick Man . . .

By the way, Rick Broadbent, of The London Times, has written a great bio on Johhny Owen.
It's titled, "The Big If- The Life and Times of Johnny Owen".
Well written.

[Randyman]

On the road to PHX.....

Have a safe trip, Frank.

Got here safe and sound....

Frank, give Tony our best. Someday I hope to shake his hand.

A fan
Randy

[Randyman]

Tommorrow it will be 30 years since the welsh matchstickman Johnny Owen died in L.A after challenging Lupe Pintor.

Hard to believe that thirty years has passed. I was at that fight. I knew from the way he fell to the canvas for the last time, that something was very wrong. What a tragic ending, he fought over his head and with great courage.

Unbelievable! You're right Rick, Owen fought with great courage. Owen and guys like him are our kind of fighters. In the same time frame give or take a year or two, Kiko Bejines died after being stopped in the 12th round by Alberto Davila and Duk Koo Kim died after Ray Mancini stopped him in the 14th. All of them brave warriors through and through.

[kikibalt]

To all the fellows with Cawcb" The Tiger Baltazar is out of commision, But I am going to be alright" First of all I want to thank My Brother Bobby And His Family who have been My saving Grace. Thank you Bobby and your familiy. I love you all so much. Now guys from the cawcb" God bless you and thank you for your best wishes and just so you know that it will take alot more then a car or truck to keep the tiger down. but i hope inever go through this ever again. it really does hurt! Thank you once again and God bless you Tony The Tiger Baltazar.

[Rick Farris]

To all the fellows with Cawcb" The Tiger Baltazar is out of commision, But I am going to be alright" First of all I want to thank My Brother Bobby And His Family who have been My saving Grace. Thank you Bobby and your familiy. I love you all so much. Now guys from the cawcb" God bless you and thank you for your best wishes and just so you know that it will take alot more then a car or truck to keep the tiger down. but i hope inever go through this ever again. it really does hurt! Thank you once again and God bless you Tony The Tiger Baltazar.

Bless you, Tony.
It's great to hear from you!

[Randyman]

To all the fellows with Cawcb" The Tiger Baltazar is out of commision, But I am going to be alright" First of all I want to thank My Brother Bobby And His Family who have been My saving Grace. Thank you Bobby and your familiy. I love you all so much. Now guys from the cawcb" God bless you and thank you for your best wishes and just so you know that it will take alot more then a car or truck to keep the tiger down. but i hope inever go through this ever again. it really does hurt! Thank you once again and God bless you Tony The Tiger Baltazar.

God bless you too Tony. Thanks for taking the time to post on the thread, I know it wasn't easy. You got heart!!

Randy

[CNorkusJr]

To all the fellows with Cawcb" The Tiger Baltazar is out of commision, But I am going to be alright" First of all I want to thank My Brother Bobby And His Family who have been My saving Grace. Thank you Bobby and your familiy. I love you all so much. Now guys from the cawcb" God bless you and thank you for your best wishes and just so you know that it will take alot more then a car or truck to keep the tiger down. but i hope inever go through this ever again. it really does hurt! Thank you once again and God bless you Tony The Tiger Baltazar.

Your Still our Champ Tiger ! Get Well soon !

[CNorkusJr]

Jackie Leonard was boxing promoter at the Hollywood Legion Stadium after Hap Navarro resigned from the job.
During that time, Don Fraser was public relations director for the Hollywood Legion.

These Mobsters were tough to deal with, not only in Boxing but anywhere. Mr Leonard really had B....S to go against them, believing in drawing a line in the sand. Mr Leonard was lucky to be left alive, but maybe they felt he got the message and might be available to play along with them in the future. Thank God the law got to them before they disappeared into thin air. "Old Man" Norris was a man raised in money and political influence when he was assigned Pres. of IBC. He was just as crooked.(Costello told Carbo to tell Norris what hands to play).
Teddy Brenner was brought into the Mad.Sq Garden Productions just as the crooks fell from the Boxing picture. Brenner states he helped keep a clean house. Many people begged to differ, though the fixes were not as prevalent as before.

[Rick Farris]

Jackie Leonard was boxing promoter at the Hollywood Legion Stadium after Hap Navarro resigned from the job.
During that time, Don Fraser was public relations director for the Hollywood Legion.

These Mobsters were tough to deal with, not only in Boxing but anywhere. Mr Leonard really had B....S to go against them, believing in drawing a line in the sand. Mr Leonard was lucky to be left alive, but maybe they felt he got the message and might be available to play along with them in the future. Thank God the law got to them before they disappeared into thin air. "Old Man" Norris was a man raised in money and political influence when he was assigned Pres. of IBC. He was just as crooked.(Costello told Carbo to tell Norris what hands to play).
Teddy Brenner was brought into the Mad.Sq Garden Productions just as the crooks fell from the Boxing picture. Brenner states he helped keep a clean house. Many people begged to differ, though the fixes were not as prevalent as before.

Thanks, Charlie! Appreciated!

[bennie]

Great shot of Owen, with a great belt. Johnny lived and died for boxing.

[bennie]

Lew Tendler