Frank, it's the 28th. Two days before mine.kikibalt wrote:I believe its on the 27 of the month....though I might be wrong on the date....Connie and I are hoping that we can it to his birthday bash on the second of Jan.Rick Farris wrote:Speaking of Dons, Don Fraser turns 84 next month.
Thanks Rick, I knew it was some where around that date.Rick Farris wrote:Frank, it's the 28th. Two days before mine.kikibalt wrote:I believe its on the 27 of the month....though I might be wrong on the date....Connie and I are hoping that we can it to his birthday bash on the second of Jan.Rick Farris wrote:Speaking of Dons, Don Fraser turns 84 next month.
I'll be 59!kikibalt wrote:Thanks Rick, I knew it was some where around that date.Rick Farris wrote:Frank, it's the 28th. Two days before mine.kikibalt wrote: I believe its on the 27 of the month....though I might be wrong on the date....Connie and I are hoping that we can it to his birthday bash on the second of Jan.
An early Happy birthday to you Rick....
Shit!
I wish I was 59....Rick Farris wrote:I'll be 59!kikibalt wrote:Thanks Rick, I knew it was some where around that date.Rick Farris wrote: Frank, it's the 28th. Two days before mine.
An early Happy birthday to you Rick....
kikibalt wrote:What a day this has been, Connie and I have been on the go since 6:00 AM, getting ready for the kids/grand kids and Santa to come over for breakfast and later for dinner, we both are tired and ready to go to bed....
Will try to be there Rick....Rick Farris wrote:kikibalt wrote:What a day this has been, Connie and I have been on the go since 6:00 AM, getting ready for the kids/grand kids and Santa to come over for breakfast and later for dinner, we both are tired and ready to go to bed....
Sleep good, Frank. Monica and I hope to see you & Connie next Sunday.
Sean called me about it. He is calling the fights. It's an intriging concept that permits Olympians to boxing in a "professional" format yet retain their Olympic eligibility. Sean very kindly called to invite me and my sons to attend the card in Memphis in December, but I had a conflict and couldn't make it. Hopefully, I'll make to one of the future cards in Memphis.Rick Farris wrote:World Series of Boxing . . .
Didn't know there was such a thing. It's being televised on a cable network and it sounds like Sean O'Grady calling from ringside? Today it's the Los Angeles team vs. Memphis, Tenn. The Los Angeles lightweight is actually the National champ of Brazil, from my wife's hometown of Salvador, Bahia. The fight just ended and the Brazilian from L.A. just flattened the American from Tennesee (one of our recent Olympians and the team captain). This Brazilian lightweight is very good, a very young pro. These are all former Olympians from around the world, fighting on professional teams, five 3-min. rounds each.
The Los Angeles Matadors is the L.A. team, and it has boxers from around the world.
Rick, for what its worth, when I met you face-to-face at the CBHOF, I didn't think you looked a day over 57. . .Rick Farris wrote:I'll be 59!kikibalt wrote:Thanks Rick, I knew it was some where around that date.Rick Farris wrote: Frank, it's the 28th. Two days before mine.
An early Happy birthday to you Rick....
Yeah, looks can be deceiving. Lots of mileage on this one.raylawpc wrote:Rick, for what its worth, when I met you face-to-face at the CBHOF, I didn't think you looked a day over 57. . .Rick Farris wrote:I'll be 59!kikibalt wrote: Thanks Rick, I knew it was some where around that date.
An early Happy birthday to you Rick....
Something New . . .raylawpc wrote:Sean called me about it. He is calling the fights. It's an intriging concept that permits Olympians to boxing in a "professional" format yet retain their Olympic eligibility. Sean very kindly called to invite me and my sons to attend the card in Memphis in December, but I had a conflict and couldn't make it. Hopefully, I'll make to one of the future cards in Memphis.Rick Farris wrote:World Series of Boxing . . .
Didn't know there was such a thing. It's being televised on a cable network and it sounds like Sean O'Grady calling from ringside? Today it's the Los Angeles team vs. Memphis, Tenn. The Los Angeles lightweight is actually the National champ of Brazil, from my wife's hometown of Salvador, Bahia. The fight just ended and the Brazilian from L.A. just flattened the American from Tennesee (one of our recent Olympians and the team captain). This Brazilian lightweight is very good, a very young pro. These are all former Olympians from around the world, fighting on professional teams, five 3-min. rounds each.
The Los Angeles Matadors is the L.A. team, and it has boxers from around the world.
Here's a write-up I found about the tournament:
"Ushering in a new era in boxing, the World Series of Boxing is a new global boxing series that is an initiative of AIBA, the International Boxing Association, under the leadership of its president Dr. C.K. Wu. The World Series of Boxing will bring together the best of the amateur and professional boxing worlds. Not only will it be the first truly global professional-style boxing tournament, it will also allow all participants to retain their eligibility to participate in the Olympic Games.
The WSB will comprise 12 city-based Franchise teams spread across three regional conferences: Asia, the Americas and Europe. During the regular season (November 2010 to March 2011), teams in each conference will compete against each other over two home and two away legs (a total of 12 matches per team).
Boxing squads will consist of between 10 and 20 boxers, with a cap on the maximum number of national boxers and a requirement to field between 3 and 6 non-national boxers according to squad size.
The top team from each conference, plus the best second-placed team, will then go through to the play-off series to compete for a place in the team championship final in Macau, China. Separate individual championships will also be held for the best boxers in each of the five weight divisions (54kg, 61kg, 73kg, 85kg, and 91+ kg).
The four Asian franchises are: Astana (Kazakhstan), Baku (Azerbaijan), Beijing (China) and Delhi (India). The four European franchises are: Paris (France), Milan (Italy), Moscow (Russia), Istanbul (Turkey).
For the American conference the franchises will be operated by independent franchise holders under the overall control of WSB Americas, a wholly owned subsidiary of World Series Boxing SA. WSB Americas includes the following cities: Los Angeles, Miami, Memphis and Mexico City.
The complete team lists for all 12 franchise teams and the detailed competition schedule are now available on the WSB website at http://www.worldseriesboxing.com"
Congrats on your anniversary Rick. Monica is a very classy lady for sure. Shes a delightful person. You exude class yourself my friend. I say you two make a great couple.Rick Farris wrote:How I met Monica . . .
As I mentioned above, I love Deli food and during the time I've lived in Studio City, I've been a regular at Art's Deli.
Unlike our pal, Randy, I don't cook. I also don't think much about food until I'm really hungry, but when I am, I like to eat.
About a year before Monica and I went out, I moved to Studio City, and was within walking distance to anything I needed.
I was working at the CBS Studio Center which was once Republic Pictures, and before that the Mack Sennett Studios when it opened in 1927.
I live about a half block from the Studio's front gate, and can walk to just about any place I need to.
When I was hungry, I was close to quite a few good eating places, but the best is Art's, about two blocks from our condo.
In my refrig I usually had bottled water, beer, and that was about it. When I was hungry, I'd walk over to the studio, visit some friends on some production, and grab a bite since food is served all-day on film sets, good food. However, I'd usually start with breakfast at Art's if I wasn't working. Monica was a waitress at Art's. We'd see each other, say hello, I'd order breakfast and read the L.A. Times while I ate. I didn't talk much to anybody, and usually came in alone.
About four years ago, when I joined the WBHOF, I became friends with referee Gwen Adair.
Gwen lives in nearby Sherman Oaks. One afternoon, I had to discuss a project I was involved with for the WBHOF and invited Gwen to meet me for lunch so we could discuss it. We met at Art's, and our server was Monica. Monica and I had never really had a conversation, but she and Gwen visited briefly. I liked Monica and so did Gwen. We had a great lunch, and I was happy with meeting, service, etc. so I left a $20. tip. A twenty was the smallest bill I had on me and Monica was very good. When Gwen and I stand to leave, Monica notices that I left her $20. She picks up the bill and hands it to me, "That's too much, you are a regular here." I was shocked, didn't know what to say except, "that's OK I want you to have this." She took the bill, got change, and gave me back $10. I was really caught off guard, when does a woman give money back to a man???? I said thank you but insisted she keep the money, I was somewhat uncomfortable.
As we were leaving, Gwen and I commented on the waitress trying to give back part of the tip. "Wow, She's really a special person." I thought so too. After that, Monica and I would visit a little and I would request one of her tables to sit at when I was there. One day, as I was reading a story in the Times sports section, about Olympian Marian Jones and her steroid accusations when Monica stopped at my table and commented on Jones. I looked at her, and out of nowhere said what Gwen had mentioned about Monica, "You are a very special person." Monica smiled, and answered "So are you".
A few months later, we were married.
Monica was in her mid-40's and had never before been married.
I was in my mid-50's and had been married more than once, and had two grown children from my 2nd marriage. I had also lived with numerous women over time, but hadn't been with anybody seriously for a half dozen years.
Monica and I were total opposites, and have little in common. She isn't a boxing fan and is very sensitive about violence. She supports me at boxing functions and thinks the world of my friends she's met, Dan Hanley, Randy & Jeri, Brian Higgins, John Bardelli, and she knows how much I value Frank and the Balatzar family. As long as I don't insist she attend fights with me, she'd behind my boxing activities 100%.
On Jan 2nd, the day of Don Fraser's 84th birthday party, Monica and I will celebrate our third anniversary.
It's taken a lot of adjusting for both of us to get used to each other, but things seems to be working.
I will say this, I think I got the best end of this deal.
bennie wrote:Well, it's a usual Christmas here in good ol' England. The snow has turned to slush, there's absolutely nothing on TV and I need to go on a diet.