Classic American West Coast Boxing

[AlFrancis]

Another nice tribute video of Lionel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrEPGRiu ... re=related

[kikibalt]

Lionel Rose-Obit
latimes.com

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/afterwo ... at-62.html

[kikibalt]

Happy Birthday Randy. Enjoy your time with your mom and Jeri on Mother's day...

Btw, tomorrow is also my granddaughter Keanna's birthday...she'll be 14....

Thanks again Frank, we had a nice weekend, got back a few hours ago. A Happy Birthday to your granddaughter Keanna.
14? Poor daddy!

[Rick Farris]

Nothing changes with the the death of Lionel Rose over the weekend. Lionel, who was 62, retains an affection in the hearts of true boxing fans the world over and always will.
The indigenous Australian captured the imagination as the slender teenager who boxed brilliantly to wrest the undisputed world bantamweight title from Japan's brutal Fighting Harada on a 15-round decision in Tokyo in 1968. His victory was akin to Randolph Turpin's over Sugar Ray Robinson in London a decade earlier. Both Lionel and Randolph had climbed the very highest mountain and enjoyed spectatcular views over their hometown.
As bollox wrote on boxrec: "The crowd that greeted Lionel Rose received upon arriving back in Melbourne after winning the title was huge. Depending on who you believe it was between 100,000 and 250,000. Not bad for an Aboriginal kid raised in a tin shack...his title win gave his people something positive to aspire to at a time when Aborigines were seen by a lot of people as something less than human in this country."
Rose paved the way for other Aborginal boxing greats such as Hector Thompson and Tony Mundine as he retained his world title three times against 'hot' challengers before the hottest of them all, an unbeaten Ruben Olivares (unbeaten in 52 fights, 48 early), dropped him five times en route to a five-round stoppage win in Los Angeles. Lionel never really recovered, although he was good enouigh to outscore Japan's Guts Ishimatsu in a 10-rounder in Melbourne in 1970, a man later to beat our own Ken Buchanan.
Ex-bantamweight pro, Rick Farris, sparred a peak Rose and wrote: "He was tall for a bantamweight, about 5'7", and had the best jab I'd ever seen. It was rare that I was impressed with any bantamweight, having been around the best 118-pounders from Mexico. However, Rose was special...this guy was a master boxer and he was only 20.
"Rose reminds me of Ken Buchanan with his willingness to fight the best in their own backyards - and that jab."

Bennie, you are right about the Rose-Buchanan comparison. I remember thinking the same thing when Ken came here in early 1971 to defend his title against my syablemate, Ruben Navarro. He had a similar darting jab that not only piled up points but kept his opponents off balance. Buchanan came to L.A. about 18 months after Rose lost his title to Olivares, I boxed with him at the Main Street Gym before fighting on the undercard of his bout with Navarro. As you pointed out, Ken wasn't afaid to travel into another guys town to defend his title, just like Lionel Rose. Another thing, when these guys came they usually fought before unruly fans who'd come up from below the border. However, Buchanan had behind him about a 100 rugged Brits, Scots, Welsh. They were a wild group in their kilts that night at he Sports Arena. Outnumbered many times by the Mexican Nationals, the Latinos gave the Brits a wide berth, and kept their fighting amongst themselves. The boys in their kilts were ready for action from anybody.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California, United States (2/12/71)

Ken Buchanan W Ruben Navarro UD 15
Armando Muniz W Mike Seyler TKO 3
Rudy Robles W Chuck Jefferson KO 3
Rick Farris W Antonio Villanueva KO 6

[CNorkusJr]

Nothing changes with the the death of Lionel Rose over the weekend. Lionel, who was 62, retains an affection in the hearts of true boxing fans the world over and always will.
The indigenous Australian captured the imagination as the slender teenager who boxed brilliantly to wrest the undisputed world bantamweight title from Japan's brutal Fighting Harada on a 15-round decision in Tokyo in 1968. His victory was akin to Randolph Turpin's over Sugar Ray Robinson in London a decade earlier. Both Lionel and Randolph had climbed the very highest mountain and enjoyed spectatcular views over their hometown.
As bollox wrote on boxrec: "The crowd that greeted Lionel Rose received upon arriving back in Melbourne after winning the title was huge. Depending on who you believe it was between 100,000 and 250,000. Not bad for an Aboriginal kid raised in a tin shack...his title win gave his people something positive to aspire to at a time when Aborigines were seen by a lot of people as something less than human in this country."
Rose paved the way for other Aborginal boxing greats such as Hector Thompson and Tony Mundine as he retained his world title three times against 'hot' challengers before the hottest of them all, an unbeaten Ruben Olivares (unbeaten in 52 fights, 48 early), dropped him five times en route to a five-round stoppage win in Los Angeles. Lionel never really recovered, although he was good enouigh to outscore Japan's Guts Ishimatsu in a 10-rounder in Melbourne in 1970, a man later to beat our own Ken Buchanan.
Ex-bantamweight pro, Rick Farris, sparred a peak Rose and wrote: "He was tall for a bantamweight, about 5'7", and had the best jab I'd ever seen. It was rare that I was impressed with any bantamweight, having been around the best 118-pounders from Mexico. However, Rose was special...this guy was a master boxer and he was only 20.
"Rose reminds me of Ken Buchanan with his willingness to fight the best in their own backyards - and that jab."

Nice Piece of writing Bennie.

[Rick Farris]

We are 17 posts from 35,000.

[AlFrancis]

Lionel Rose vs Fighting Harada in colour
Just been posted onto youtube, great exhibition of boxfighting by Rose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDNM-V6v ... r_embedded

The rest of it is up there too.

[Rick Farris]

Lionel Rose vs Fighting Harada in colour
Just been posted onto youtube, great exhibition of boxfighting by Rose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDNM-V6v ... r_embedded

The rest of it is up there too.

What a great fight to watch!
Lionel boxed beautifully against a great champion.
You guys will like this. They don't fight like this anymore.
This is boxing at it's best.

[bollox]

Uncanny stuff from a 19 year old fighter against a world champ Quite a few Aboriginal fighters fight instinctively and have fantastic anticipation, reflexes and fluid movement. It seems inate for them. Unfortunately their peak seems to come and go pretty quickly

Lionel's family have accepted a government offer of a state funeral

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/boxing/v ... 1eg48.html

[Cholo]

Rick, Do you remember another Scot, Evan Armstrong a Featherweight boxed Chucho Castillo at the Inglewood Forum in 1968, Chucho won in 2....

[Cholo]

Lionel Rose vs Fighting Harada in colour
Just been posted onto youtube, great exhibition of boxfighting by Rose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDNM-V6v ... r_embedded

The rest of it is up there too.

What a great fight to watch!
Lionel boxed beautifully against a great champion.
You guys will like this. They don't fight like this anymore.
This is boxing at it's best.

Rick, I agree Rose was a excellent boxer, i've seen clips of the Harada fight, Rose always impressed me with his boxing....

[AlFrancis]

Rick, Do you remember another Scot, Evan Armstrong a Featherweight boxed Chucho Castillo at the Inglewood Forum in 1968, Chucho won in 2....

Armstrong was a good solid pro and a good puncher, Castillo must of been in good form that night. My dad fought him in 69 in a British title fight stopping him in 11. He also fought amongst others Jose Legra twice, Arnold Taylor, David Kotey who you would know well in the LA area and Joe Medel being outpointed in what I gather was disputed. Anyone got any info on that. He was good enough to win the British featherweight title in the early 70's.

[Rick Farris]

Rick, Do you remember another Scot, Evan Armstrong a Featherweight boxed Chucho Castillo at the Inglewood Forum in 1968, Chucho won in 2....

I was at the Forum that night to see the entire card.
I remember that Armstrong was outgunned by Castillo, but my mind was on the previous fight, which was the U.S. debut of a guy I had been following thru Mexican news clips, Ruben Olivares.
Once I saw Olivares, I forgot all about other bantamweights such as Pimentel, Castillo, Medel and champion Lionel Rose.
All of these great 118 pounders, and in Ruben Olivares I saw the best of the best.

[CNorkusJr]

Longtime Boxing Cartoonist and New York Daily News Columnist Bill Gallo Passes Away.

Bill Gallo, Boxing Historian and Hall of Fame Columnist died last evening.He had been in ill health for awhile and succumbed to reported complications of pneumonia at White Plains Hospital in New York. He did manage to get out a few recent articles while being sick, but apologized for not being as thorough because of his condition. Bert Sugar had nominated Bill Gallo to receive the Ellis Island Honor award which he was to receive on May 7th.

My personal reflections of this great sports writer. I have met Bill several times in my life, through my father of course. One of the first times I met him was in 1977 when my father received his "Boxing Greats Award" from the Downtown Athletic Club in New York. A Co-Recipient that year was former Heavywt. Coley Wallace, who my father fought in the amateurs a few times.It was the 2nd annual Presentation of its Rocky Marciano Award and its recipient was Jersey Joe Walcott that year.

Bill Gallo was on hand and I remember him sitting down at my dads table early that night to talk Boxing. Everyone was all ears as Bill asked some fine questions of times past.
At the end,Bill asked my father to show him how he threw his patented left-hook that kayoed many opponents. (My dad was a right-handed fighter).
They were both former US Marines, and Bill Gallo,received a Purple Heart in his Heroic actions at Iwo Jima during his 4 year war stint in the Marines. There was some Semper Fi talk then Bill moved on to speak with others in attendance.

In 1982, Bill Gallo himself received The Champions Award from the Downtown AC,the same night Alexis Arguello received The Rocky Marciano Award.We congratulated Bill and he was exhuberant as ever. Bill's panache was writing about the "old" eras of Boxing, included in his writings were rememberances of interviews with Sugar Ray Robinson,Basilio,Pep,LaMotta and through the Frazier-Ali era to Tyson and beyond.His sports cartoons were legendary.

Through the years Bill wrote articles on my dad, and made mention of him everytime Ring 8 came up in his column. Bill was a long time Ring 8 member also and attended each and all events. He was at the most recent Ring 8 Holiday Luncheon held in Dec.2010 honoring Joe & Marvis Frazier. Ring 8 hands out 4 Bill Gallo Scholarship awards each year and been doing so for many years.
He had recently started the "Geezers Club" where 65+ years old could join and once a month meet at Famed Gallaghers Steak House in midtown NY where lunch was served while 250+ out of its thousand members dined, sports greats like Yogi Berra, Dick Lynch, Duke Snider, Whitey Ford, Dick McGuire and Walt Frazier, Carmine Basilio & Joe Frazier would talk about their careers and things off the field and ring.Price was about $50 each month.


Bill wrote an exemplanary piece on my fathers passing in his Sunday Column back in March 1996.It made mention the fact that my father bought our family house in 1963 with some of his ring earnings, something that many fighters from the 1950's would be hard pressed to do because of greedy and crooked mgrs and promoters from then. It was a very nice piece from one friend to another.

RIP BILL GALLO

Here are two pictures from their friendship.
L-R Football Giant Dick Lynch,Bill,Charley,writer Dick Young



Bill and Charley 1981

[CNorkusJr]

Here is more on Bill Gallo's passing:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/2011/ ... z1M3HrIL7l

[AlFrancis]

Longtime Boxing Cartoonist and New York Daily News Columnist Bill Gallo Passes Away.

Bill Gallo, Boxing Historian and Hall of Fame Columnist died last evening.He had been in ill health for awhile and succumbed to reported complications of pneumonia at White Plains Hospital in New York. He did manage to get out a few recent articles while being sick, but apologized for not being as thorough because of his condition. Bert Sugar had nominated Bill Gallo to receive the Ellis Island Honor award which he was to receive on May 7th.

My personal reflections of this great sports writer. I have met Bill several times in my life, through my father of course. One of the first times I met him was in 1977 when my father received his "Boxing Greats Award" from the Downtown Athletic Club in New York. A Co-Recipient that year was former Heavywt. Coley Wallace, who my father fought in the amateurs a few times.It was the 2nd annual Presentation of its Rocky Marciano Award and its recipient was Jersey Joe Walcott that year.

Bill Gallo was on hand and I remember him sitting down at my dads table early that night to talk Boxing. Everyone was all ears as Bill asked some fine questions of times past.
At the end,Bill asked my father to show him how he threw his patented left-hook that kayoed many opponents. (My dad was a right-handed fighter).
They were both former US Marines, and Bill Gallo,received a Purple Heart in his Heroic actions at Iwo Jima during his 4 year war stint in the Marines. There was some Semper Fi talk then Bill moved on to speak with others in attendance.

In 1982, Bill Gallo himself received The Champions Award from the Downtown AC,the same night Alexis Arguello received The Rocky Marciano Award.We congratulated Bill and he was exhuberant as ever. Bill's panache was writing about the "old" eras of Boxing, included in his writings were rememberances of interviews with Sugar Ray Robinson,Basilio,Pep,LaMotta and through the Frazier-Ali era to Tyson and beyond.His sports cartoons were legendary.

Through the years Bill wrote articles on my dad, and made mention of him everytime Ring 8 came up in his column. Bill was a long time Ring 8 member also and attended each and all events. He was at the most recent Ring 8 Holiday Luncheon held in Dec.2010 honoring Joe & Marvis Frazier. Ring 8 hands out 4 Bill Gallo Scholarship awards each year and been doing so for many years.
He had recently started the "Geezers Club" where 65+ years old could join and once a month meet at Famed Gallaghers Steak House in midtown NY where lunch was served while 250+ out of its thousand members dined, sports greats like Yogi Berra, Dick Lynch, Duke Snider, Whitey Ford, Dick McGuire and Walt Frazier, Carmine Basilio & Joe Frazier would talk about their careers and things off the field and ring.Price was about $50 each month.


Bill wrote an exemplanary piece on my fathers passing in his Sunday Column back in March 1996.It made mention the fact that my father bought our family house in 1963 with some of his ring earnings, something that many fighters from the 1950's would be hard pressed to do because of greedy and crooked mgrs and promoters from then. It was a very nice piece from one friend to another.

RIP BILL GALLO

Here are two pictures from their friendship.
L-R Football Giant Dick Lynch,Bill,Charley,writer Dick Young



Bill and Charley 1981

Lovely write up Charlie. RIP Bill Gallo.

[Rick Farris]

Mel Epstein & Me,
forty years ago . . .


Suey Welch had just taken over as my manager.
I was scheduled to fight at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, a five-round fight against another local prelim kid, Ruben Coria.
Suey was basicly retired in the world of boxing. He had once managed former middleweight champ, Gorilla Jones.
He also guided the ill-fated Hank Hankinson back in the 30's, Gus Lesnevich, and Charlie Powell in the 50's, to name a few.
Suey had been an Olympic Auditorium matchmaker back in the early days of 18th & Grand Ave. boxing landmark.
Suey was a successful restaurant and bar owner during L.A.'s Golden Days and his political and underworld connections were well known.
He was also best friend of Forum Boxing promoter, the legendary George Parnassus.

Like all boxing men, young or old, retired or active, Suey Welch would always alter his retirement status with the rumor of a potential champ.
One was a kid from back home, an Ohio product, as was Suey when he drifted out West along with actor/gangster George Raft, actress Mae West, and wrestler/actor Mike Mazurki.
The young fighter's name was Gil King, and he was an unbeaten welterweight until Johnny Flores' Mexican import, Crispin Benitez, flattened him at the Olympic.

Gil King and I were stablemates of sorts. He was trained by Cannonball Green, I was considering trainers.
One day I was boxing in the gym (which was the Elks Building ballroom) with Columbian Jr. lightweight contender, Hugo Barazza.
Sitting below the corner of the ring where Johnny Villaflor was pouring water in my mouth was a sour looking old man with a bent nose and wearing a tweed hat, the bill pulled low to his eyes. He had a look of distrust on his face, like somebody was trying to sell him swamp property.

As I stepped out of the ring, Suey Welch and Jerry McCauley (my true manager) approached me.
"You need a trainer and I want you to try this guy." Welch told me.
I said, "OK."

A moment later, I was intoduced to Mel Epstein.
Suey looked at Mel and introduced us, "This is Ricky, Ricky this is Mel Epstein, but I call him "Ginsberg". He knows why."
I didn't quite understand the undercurrent of the conversation, but I saw Suey smile when he spoke and I noticed Epstein was glaring at Suey.
I had the feeling he owed Suey a favor. Maybe I was the favor?

When Mel and I were introduced, I stuck out my hand and he shook it. "You gotta get a haircut!" he announced.
Those were the first words Mel said to me. I would hear them often over the next four years.


-Rick Farris

[kikibalt]

Mel Epstein & Me,
forty years ago . . .


Suey Welch had just taken over as my manager.
I was scheduled to fight at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, a five-round fight against another local prelim kid, Ruben Coria.
Suey was basicly retired in the world of boxing. He had once managed former middleweight champ, Gorilla Jones.
He also guided the ill-fated Hank Hankinson back in the 30's, Gus Lesnevich, and Charlie Powell in the 50's, to name a few.
Suey had been an Olympic Auditorium matchmaker back in the early days of 18th & Grand St. boxing landmark.
Suey was a successful restaurant and bar owner during L.A.'s Golden Days and his political and underworld connections were well known.
He was also best friend of Forum Boxing promoter, the legendary George Parnassus.

Like all boxing men, young or old, retired or active, Suey Welch would always alter his retirement status with the rumor of a potential champ.
One was a kid from back home, an Ohio product, as was Suey when he drifted out West along with actor/gangster George Raft, actress Mae West, and wrestler/actor Mike Mazurki.
The young fighter's name was Gil King, and he was an unbeaten welterweight until Johnny Flores' Mexican import, Crispin Benitez, flattened him at the Olympic.

Gil King and I were stablemates of sorts. He was trained by Cannonball Green, I was considering trainers.
One day I was boxing in the gym (which was the Elks Building ballroom) with Columbian Jr. lightweight contender, Hugo Barazza.
Sitting below the corner of the ring where Johnny Villaflor was pouring water in my mouth was a sour looking old man with a bent nose and wearing a tweed hat, the bill pulled low to his eyes. He had a look of distrust on his face, like somebody was trying to sell him swamp property.

As I stepped out of the ring, Suey Welch and Jerry McCauley (my true manager) approached me.
"You need a trainer and I want you to try this guy." Welch told me.
I said, "OK."

A moment later, I was intoduced to Mel Epstein.
Suey looked at Mel and introduced us, "This is Ricky, Ricky this is Mel Epstein, but I call him "Ginsberg". He knows why."
I didn't quite understand the undercurrent of the conversation, but I saw Suey smile when he spoke and I noticed Epstein was glaring at Suey.
I had the feeling he owed Suey a favor. Maybe I was the favor?

When Mel and I were introduced, I stuck out my hand and he shook it. "You gotta get a haircut!" he announced.
Those were the first words Mel said to me. I would hear them often over the next four years.


-Rick Farris

"You gotta get a haircut!"....

[kikibalt]

Don't know if I have already posted this



Tony and me...circa 1980

[Rick Farris]

"Your going to eat liver tonight!" . . .

After my first workout under Mel Epstein he shook his head. "You got a lot of potential, but you need more strength."
I'd just turned 19, had ten pro fights under my belt. All ten fights had been for the Olympic Boxcing Club.
Under Suey Welch & Mel Epstein, I would now fight for the Forum Boxing Club, George Parnassus & Don Fraser were in charge. In less than a year, my weight had increased from 118 pounds the night of my pro debut, to about 124 pounds. I was starting to grow, but Mel believed I wasn't eating right.

"Let's take a walk. I'm going to put a good meal in your belly." As we walked, Mel continued, "Your in a tough division and these guys are strong. A boxer needs enough strength to pick up his opponent and slam him to the ground!" Mel barked. "You aren't going to wrestle, but the idea is that if you can throw a man to the ground, you can control him with your strength. It's all about control."

Mel had only see me in the ring with a top ten jr. lightweight, Hugo Barazza, but he had a plan and we were to execute this plan right away.

As Mel and I walked out the front door of the Elk's Building, located directly across from L.A.'s MacArthur Park, I noticed the crusty old boxing man looking me up and down. "I'm taking you to a little place around the corner, on 6th Street."
We crossed sixth street to a small cafe that we we entered by walking down stairs that led to dark a restaurant below the street level. It was a classy old place, the furniture and decor out of another era. I imagined it was once very popular during the days of Bessie Love and the Gish Sisters? We were seated by a ghostly looking old man in a dark suit.

"I'm buying, so I'm ordering," Mel announces as he looked over the menu.
As we waited to put in the order, Mel spotted a man of about thirty enter thru the front door. Mel's face suddenly soured.
"Look at that degenerate bastid!" I turned around to see what was upsetting my new trainer.
The man was wearing shoulder length hair tied in a ponytail, a Grateful Dead T-Shirt, blue jeans and sandals.
Mel couldn't take his eyes off the man waiting to be seated. "If they seat the filthy bastid near us we're leaving!"
The guy looked like a student, had a couple books, a tablet. I said nothing.

Suddenly we were approached by a waitress, an OLD waitress. Mel looks up at the woman as she greets us and suddenly his entire expression changes. A big smile crosses Mel's grizzled face, and he softly says, "Well hello Mary." The old waitress smiles and answers, "Hello Mr. Epstein, is the young man a boxer too?" Mel looks at me and nods, "This is Ricky Farris, he will look more like a boxer when he gets a haircut. By the way, do you have liver tonight?" Mary said the liver was very good that night. "Well bring us the liver, and make sure the salad dish is chilled or I don't want it." The waitress quickly jotted the order on her pad and assured Mel the salad dish would be cold.

Mary scurried off to the kitchen and Mel looked toward me, still smiling.
"I'm going to teach you how to eat, and your going to get strong." I was happy, enjoying Mel, and happy that Mary came before Mel insulted what he thought was a hippy. Mel had forgotten all about the long haired diner, he was now going to outline his plan to make me stronger. I was anxious to hear his plans.

"First thing I'm going to do is send you up to work the entire summer on a ranch in Montana. That will make you strong!"

A Ranch in Butte Montana? I was shocked! I had to straighten out this old man right away.
"If you think you are going to send me off to some ranch in Montana your crazy. I'll train here!"

Mel's face soured again. It was the start of a wonderful relationship!

[CNorkusJr]

Those are great and funny stories about Mel & Suey Welch.
Sometimes the things that happen out of the ring are more enjoyable and "only in boxing" can a scenario present itself.
Thanks for sharing your recollections.

I'll be away for the next five days starting Thurs.
In-Laws and I are Civil War History Buffs. Going to Gettysburg,PA for the umpteenth time,but a first time side trip to Antitam Battlefield,Maryland also included.
See you guys when I get back. I always enjoy catching up with you guys by reading the back posts.

[CNorkusJr]

Don't know if I have already posted this



Tony and me...circa 1980

Frank, your hair might be a little more grayer now-but to me you look the same. ! God Bless.

[Rick Farris]

Those are great and funny stories about Mel & Suey Welch.
Sometimes the things that happen out of the ring are more enjoyable and "only in boxing" can a scenario present itself.
Thanks for sharing your recollections.

I'll be away for the next five days starting Thurs.
In-Laws and I are Civil War History Buffs. Going to Gettysburg,PA for the umpteenth time,but a first time side trip to Antitam Battlefield,Maryland also included.
See you guys when I get back. I always enjoy catching up with you guys by reading the back posts.

Have a great time, Charlie.

[Cholo]

"Your going to eat liver tonight!" . . .

After my first workout under Mel Epstein he shook his head. "You got a lot of potential, but you need more strength."
I'd just turned 19, had ten pro fights under my belt. All ten fights had been for the Olympic Boxcing Club.
Under Suey Welch & Mel Epstein, I would now fight for the Forum Boxing Club, George Parnassus & Don Fraser were in charge. In less than a year, my weight had increased from 118 pounds the night of my pro debut, to about 124 pounds. I was starting to grow, but Mel believed I wasn't eating right.

"Let's take a walk. I'm going to put a good meal in your belly." As we walked, Mel continued, "Your in a tough division and these guys are strong. A boxer needs enough strength to pick up his opponent and slam him to the ground!" Mel barked. "You aren't going to wrestle, but the idea is that if you can throw a man to the ground, you can control him with your strength. It's all about control."

Mel had only see me in the ring with a top ten jr. lightweight, Hugo Barazza, but he had a plan and we were to execute this plan right away.

As Mel and I walked out the front door of the Elk's Building, located directly across from L.A.'s MacArthur Park, I noticed the crusty old boxing man looking me up and down. "I'm taking you to a little place around the corner, on 6th Street."
We crossed sixth street to a small cafe that we we entered by walking down stairs that led to dark a restaurant below the street level. It was a classy old place, the furniture and decor out of another era. I imagined it was once very popular during the days of Bessie Love and the Gish Sisters? We were seated by a ghostly looking old man in a dark suit.

"I'm buying, so I'm ordering," Mel announces as he looked over the menu.
As we waited to put in the order, Mel spotted a man of about thirty enter thru the front door. Mel's face suddenly soured.
"Look at that degenerate bastid!" I turned around to see what was upsetting my new trainer.
The man was wearing shoulder length hair tied in a ponytail, a Grateful Dead T-Shirt, blue jeans and sandals.
Mel couldn't take his eyes off the man waiting to be seated. "If they seat the filthy bastid near us we're leaving!"
The guy looked like a student, had a couple books, a tablet. I said nothing.

Suddenly we were approached by a waitress, an OLD waitress. Mel looks up at the woman as she greets us and suddenly his entire expression changes. A big smile crosses Mel's grizzled face, and he softly says, "Well hello Mary." The old waitress smiles and answers, "Hello Mr. Epstein, is the young man a boxer too?" Mel looks at me and nods, "This is Ricky Farris, he will look more like a boxer when he gets a haircut. By the way, do you have liver tonight?" Mary said the liver was very good that night. "Well bring us the liver, and make sure the salad dish is chilled or I don't want it." The waitress quickly jotted the order on her pad and assured Mel the salad dish would be cold.

Mary scurried off to the kitchen and Mel looked toward me, still smiling.
"I'm going to teach you how to eat, and your going to get strong." I was happy, enjoying Mel, and happy that Mary came before Mel insulted what he thought was a hippy. Mel had forgotten all about the long haired diner, he was now going to outline his plan to make me stronger. I was anxious to hear his plans.

"First thing I'm going to do is send you up to work the entire summer on a ranch in Montana. That will make you strong!"

A Ranch in Butte Montana? I was shocked! I had to straighten out this old man right away.
"If you think you are going to send me off to some ranch in Montana your crazy. I'll train here!"

Mel's face soured again. It was the start of a wonderful relationship!

Great story Rick.....

[bennie]

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/spor ... 633cf.html