Classic American West Coast Boxing

[Rick Farris]

Tom needs to sign a release liability form before he takes on Kid Burrito...

Tom's too tall to rush to County General in my SUV, maybe somebody will have long bed pick-up truck?
We could call an ambulance? But sometimes you wait for awhile in the barrio.
Not that anything bad is going to happen, but just in case.
That Manuel is a BIG bastid!

I have a long bed pick up....The cholos will steal the tires of the ambulance before we can get Tom in it, the barrio is tough on a white boy, you Rick gets by in the barrio because you have spent some time there, plus they remember you stepping into the ring at the Olympic wearing that red robe of yours with the Mexican flag on the back, they have your back....

> I was wondering how ricky survived down there now i kow!!!rothfl[/quote]


You guys are crazy. Believe it or not, back then, there were times when I wished I was Mexican.
I didn't want trunks labeled "EVERLAST" or "UNITED", I wanted MM, Casanova, Seyer (Reyes), the Black & Red velvet trunks & robe, like Saldivar wore.
Most of my gym and workout gear was from below the border.
I took pride in training beside the best fighters in the world, and they were almost all Mexican. But never a Mexican flag on my back.
I had a fighting gamecock embrodered on the back of one red velvet robe that was made by a future Playboy centerfold, my girlfriend's friend.
I wouldn't trade my strange life for anything, but I always liked how I felt when I was with my boxing buddies in the barrio.
I never felt different, we were all boxers, above the petty notions of society, for me that was nonexistant. For others? Don't know, not for me to say?
My wife might say, "that's because you are white." Whatever that is supposed to mean?

[raylawpc]

I have faith in you Tom, you show these guys what a norseman can do

Kid Burrito vs Big Tom "KO" Ray...The odds favor the house fighter...

There should be a law against it. Tom was just released from the hospital. At his age, it could be fatal.
Let Remy try again. He's a young guy, we don't care if he goes to the hospital, it'll just make for a better story.

Hey, watch out. I'm younger than you!

[Rick Farris]

Kid Burrito vs Big Tom "KO" Ray...The odds favor the house fighter...

There should be a law against it. Tom was just released from the hospital. At his age, it could be fatal.
Let Remy try again. He's a young guy, we don't care if he goes to the hospital, it'll just make for a better story.

Hey, watch out. I'm younger than you!

My relaxed heart rate is 54, and the only time you'll catch me in a hospital is when I'm visiting, or working on a film.
I'm older, but who is really younger? And you have never heard me challenge . . . El Gran Burrito-Manuel

[kikibalt]

This is the robe I wore during my first year as a professional.
It was made by a 16-year-old girl named Laura Lyons, who was my girlfriend's best friend.
Laura was taking a sewing class at Mark Keppel High School in Monterey Park, and made the robe for a class credit.
Note the "Fighting Gamecock" embroidered on the back.
By the way, six years later, Laura Lyons would become a Playboy centerfold (February 1976 edition).

-Rick Farris

[Rick Farris]

Hey Greg, check this out. It's very much like this thread. "Fight for Life" The Gil Cadilli Story.
It'll take you back to when Frank was a kid in L.A. and a few old friends . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsRxcs9r1GU

Other parts of this documentary available on youtube.

[coach greg v]

Hey Greg, check this out. It's very much like this thread. "Fight for Life" The Gil Cadilli Story.
It'll take you back to when Frank was a kid in L.A. and a few old friends . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsRxcs9r1GU

Other parts of this documentary available on youtube.

>wow ricky thanks for that man it sure did bring it back.sad seeing mnado ramos like thAT. man that robe for the time was badass. you must of had hella women at ringside.....

[Randyman]

This is the robe I wore during my first year as a professional.
It was made by a 16-year-old girl named Laura Lyons, who was my girlfriend's best friend.
Laura was taking a sewing class at Mark Keppel High School in Monterey Park, and made the robe for a class credit.
Note the "Fighting Gamecock" embroidered on the back.
By the way, six years later, Laura Lyons would become a Playboy centerfold (February 1976 edition).

-Rick Farris

Rick, I've told you before that "Fighting Gamecock" fits you to a Tee. If it's not already in the dictionary it should be, as follows: Gamecock, see Rick Farris.

[coach greg v]

Tom needs to sign a release liability form before he takes on Kid Burrito...

Tom's too tall to rush to County General in my SUV, maybe somebody will have long bed pick-up truck?
We could call an ambulance? But sometimes you wait for awhile in the barrio.
Not that anything bad is going to happen, but just in case.
That Manuel is a BIG bastid!

I have a long bed pick up....The cholos will steal the tires of the ambulance before we can get Tom in it, the barrio is tough on a white boy, you Rick gets by in the barrio because you have spent some time there, plus they remember you stepping into the ring at the Olympic wearing that red robe of yours with the Mexican flag on the back, they have your back....

> I was wondering how ricky survived down there now i kow!!!rothfl[/quote]


You guys are crazy. Believe it or not, back then, there were times when I wished I was Mexican.
I didn't want trunks labeled "EVERLAST" or "UNITED", I wanted MM, Casanova, Seyer (Reyes), the Black & Red velvet trunks & robe, like Saldivar wore.
Most of my gym and workout gear was from below the border.
I took pride in training beside the best fighters in the world, and they were almost all Mexican. But never a Mexican flag on my back.
I had a fighting gamecock embrodered on the back of one red velvet robe that was made by a future Playboy centerfold, my girlfriend's friend.
I wouldn't trade my strange life for anything, but I always liked how I felt when I was with my boxing buddies in the barrio.
I never felt different, we were all boxers, above the petty notions of society, for me that was nonexistant. For others? Don't know, not for me to say?
My wife might say, "that's because you are white." Whatever that is supposed to mean?[/quote]
> you know ricky when i had the gym in the mission district in sf. i never charged the boys for boxing. in way i became mexican. they thought that i was pretty cool. first i was the polar bear then buhda the wise one. i could walk down 19th st which was southside or 24 th street which was north i got along with all. i could walk anywhere at night the cantinas were open to me. on big fight nights sometimes in the back rooms we would have fights for money and we used reyes 6 oz fight gloves. Ill be honest when i was boy i had some problems with other races i think it was the time. man that robe is bad...thanks for everybody making my day a little brighter.

[coach greg v]

Tom needs to sign a release liability form before he takes on Kid Burrito...

Tom's too tall to rush to County General in my SUV, maybe somebody will have long bed pick-up truck?
We could call an ambulance? But sometimes you wait for awhile in the barrio.
Not that anything bad is going to happen, but just in case.
That Manuel is a BIG bastid!

I have a long bed pick up....The cholos will steal the tires of the ambulance before we can get Tom in it, the barrio is tough on a white boy, you Rick gets by in the barrio because you have spent some time there, plus they remember you stepping into the ring at the Olympic wearing that red robe of yours with the Mexican flag on the back, they have your back....

> I was wondering how ricky survived down there now i kow!!!rothfl[/quote]


You guys are crazy. Believe it or not, back then, there were times when I wished I was Mexican.
I didn't want trunks labeled "EVERLAST" or "UNITED", I wanted MM, Casanova, Seyer (Reyes), the Black & Red velvet trunks & robe, like Saldivar wore.
Most of my gym and workout gear was from below the border.
I took pride in training beside the best fighters in the world, and they were almost all Mexican. But never a Mexican flag on my back.
I had a fighting gamecock embrodered on the back of one red velvet robe that was made by a future Playboy centerfold, my girlfriend's friend.
I wouldn't trade my strange life for anything, but I always liked how I felt when I was with my boxing buddies in the barrio.
I never felt different, we were all boxers, above the petty notions of society, for me that was nonexistant. For others? Don't know, not for me to say?
My wife might say, "that's because you are white." Whatever that is supposed to mean?[/quote]
> you know ricky when i had the gym in the mission district in sf. i never charged the boys for boxing. in way i became mexican. they thought that i was pretty cool. first i was the polar bear then buhda the wise one. i could walk down 19th st which was southside or 24 th street which was north i got along with all. i could walk anywhere at night the cantinas were open to me. on big fight nights sometimes in the back rooms we would have fights for money and we used reyes 6 oz fight gloves. Ill be honest when i was boy i had some problems with other races i think it was the time. man that robe is bad...thanks for everybody making my day a little brighter.[/quote]
question for ricky that pic f you next to johnny flores when u were a boy was he the man who made the flores gloves???

[Rick Farris]

Hey Greg, check this out. It's very much like this thread. "Fight for Life" The Gil Cadilli Story.
It'll take you back to when Frank was a kid in L.A. and a few old friends . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsRxcs9r1GU

Other parts of this documentary available on youtube.

>wow ricky thanks for that man it sure did bring it back.sad seeing mnado ramos like thAT. man that robe for the time was badass. you must of had hella women at ringside.....

Yeah, she was something! Today at 57, she's still something.

[CNorkusJr]

Greg-are you still in San Francisco ?

Were you familiar with the small California Boxing Museum that was on the 2nd floor lobby of the old Civic Auditorium across from city hall ? I saw it there when I visited in 1988.
Do you know if Lefty ODouls Bar & Rest. is still there ?

I believe the old Civic Auditorium is now the Bill Graham Theatre retro fitted for concerts and stage shows now. A great arena for boxing in the 30's-60's, though the Cow Palace held the bigger crowd.

Miami did the same thing to their Miami Civic Auditorium, its now the Jackie Gleason Theatre at the Fillmore,staging mostly concert shows now.
New Orleans and Houston each had their own Civic auditoriums and I was told that they both still stand today, but I do not know in what capacity they do now.

These Civic Auds held anywhere from 3,000-5,000 people in general (depending if they had a balconey seating (many mostly did) and held the majority of fights in their respective cities.
Championships and greater known fights were held in bigger major arenas or stadiums
because they held more.(Madison Square Garden,Chicago stadium,Boston Gardens,Cow Palace, Olympic Stadium,etc,etc).

My father held public workouts in Newman's Gym before his San Fran fights.

[CNorkusJr]

This is the robe I wore during my first year as a professional.
It was made by a 16-year-old girl named Laura Lyons, who was my girlfriend's best friend.
Laura was taking a sewing class at Mark Keppel High School in Monterey Park, and made the robe for a class credit.
Note the "Fighting Gamecock" embroidered on the back.
By the way, six years later, Laura Lyons would become a Playboy centerfold (February 1976 edition).

-Rick Farris

Rick, I've told you before that "Fighting Gamecock" fits you to a Tee. If it's not already in the dictionary it should be, as follows: Gamecock, see Rick Farris.

Those are your "colors" Rick. Great story behind it, gotta be proud to have worn it into battle.

Univ of South Carolina are known as the "Gamecocks". The Univ teams are named after
Revolutionary War hero Thomas Sumter, who periless and fierce fighting tactics had the Army and America knicknaming him "The Fighting Gamecock".(Hunting Gamecocks in S.C. at the time was a most popular past time).
Of course, several years later, Fort Sumter in Charleston,SC Harbor (of Civil War History) was named after him as well. Univ. Of S.Carolina's colors......Garnet & Black. Good choice by the young lady.

[Rick Farris]

Tom needs to sign a release liability form before he takes on Kid Burrito...

Tom's too tall to rush to County General in my SUV, maybe somebody will have long bed pick-up truck?
We could call an ambulance? But sometimes you wait for awhile in the barrio.
Not that anything bad is going to happen, but just in case.
That Manuel is a BIG bastid!

I have a long bed pick up....The cholos will steal the tires of the ambulance before we can get Tom in it, the barrio is tough on a white boy, you Rick gets by in the barrio because you have spent some time there, plus they remember you stepping into the ring at the Olympic wearing that red robe of yours with the Mexican flag on the back, they have your back....

> I was wondering how ricky survived down there now i kow!!!rothfl[/quote]


You guys are crazy. Believe it or not, back then, there were times when I wished I was Mexican.
I didn't want trunks labeled "EVERLAST" or "UNITED", I wanted MM, Casanova, Seyer (Reyes), the Black & Red velvet trunks & robe, like Saldivar wore.
Most of my gym and workout gear was from below the border.
I took pride in training beside the best fighters in the world, and they were almost all Mexican. But never a Mexican flag on my back.
I had a fighting gamecock embrodered on the back of one red velvet robe that was made by a future Playboy centerfold, my girlfriend's friend.
I wouldn't trade my strange life for anything, but I always liked how I felt when I was with my boxing buddies in the barrio.
I never felt different, we were all boxers, above the petty notions of society, for me that was nonexistant. For others? Don't know, not for me to say?
My wife might say, "that's because you are white." Whatever that is supposed to mean?[/quote]
> you know ricky when i had the gym in the mission district in sf. i never charged the boys for boxing. in way i became mexican. they thought that i was pretty cool. first i was the polar bear then buhda the wise one. i could walk down 19th st which was southside or 24 th street which was north i got along with all. i could walk anywhere at night the cantinas were open to me. on big fight nights sometimes in the back rooms we would have fights for money and we used reyes 6 oz fight gloves. Ill be honest when i was boy i had some problems with other races i think it was the time. man that robe is bad...thanks for everybody making my day a little brighter.[/quote]
question for ricky that pic f you next to johnny flores when u were a boy was he the man who made the flores gloves???[/quote]

Flores & Flores . . .

No, Johnny Flores was a manager & trainer. The Flores gloves were produced in Northern Cal by Ray Flores.
Ray had a small shop in his home and would hand make his gloves. They were the best training gloves, I believe.
Johnny Flores handled Jerry Quarry, Ruben Navarro, Dwight Hawkins and worked the corners of some of the best in boxing.

[coach greg v]

Greg-are you still in San Francisco ?

Were you familiar with the small California Boxing Museum that was on the 2nd lobby of the old Civic Auditorium across from city hall ? I saw it there when I visited in 1988.
Do you know if Lefty ODouls Bar & Rest. is still there ?

I believe the old Civic Auditorium is now the Bill Graham Theatre retro fitted for concerts and stage shows now. A great arena for boxing in the 30's-60's, though the Cow Palace held the bigger crowd.

Miami did the same thing to their Miami Civic Auditorium, its now the Jackie Gleason Theatre at the Fillmore,staging mostly concert shows now.
New Orleans and Houston each had their own Civic auditoriums and I was told that they both still stand today, but I do not know in what capacity they do now.

These Civic Auds held anywhere from 3,000-5,000 people in general (depending if they had a balconey seating (many mostly did) and held the majority of fights in their respective cities.
Championships and greater known fights were held in bigger major arenas or stadiums
because they held more.(Madison Square Garden,Chicago stadium,Boston Gardens,Cow Palace, Olympic Stadium,etc,etc).

My father held public workouts in Newman's Gym before his San Fran fights.

>i am near san francisco. but i go to alaska alot. i do remember that museum. leftys is still there...newmans is gone. eddies ingside bar is gone. the civic auditorium could seat 12,000. they would pack them in for the golden gloves finals. even tho theres more boxing shows here now its pratically dead here.sammy stein your ring annoucer for the fights. I cut my teeth working corners on those shows in 1977.

[CNorkusJr]

Greg-are you still in San Francisco ?

Were you familiar with the small California Boxing Museum that was on the 2nd lobby of the old Civic Auditorium across from city hall ? I saw it there when I visited in 1988.
Do you know if Lefty ODouls Bar & Rest. is still there ?

I believe the old Civic Auditorium is now the Bill Graham Theatre retro fitted for concerts and stage shows now. A great arena for boxing in the 30's-60's, though the Cow Palace held the bigger crowd.

Miami did the same thing to their Miami Civic Auditorium, its now the Jackie Gleason Theatre at the Fillmore,staging mostly concert shows now.
New Orleans and Houston each had their own Civic auditoriums and I was told that they both still stand today, but I do not know in what capacity they do now.

These Civic Auds held anywhere from 3,000-5,000 people in general (depending if they had a balconey seating (many mostly did) and held the majority of fights in their respective cities.
Championships and greater known fights were held in bigger major arenas or stadiums
because they held more.(Madison Square Garden,Chicago stadium,Boston Gardens,Cow Palace, Olympic Stadium,etc,etc).

My father held public workouts in Newman's Gym before his San Fran fights.

>i am near san francisco. but i go to alaska alot. i do remember that museum. leftys is still there...newmans is gone. eddies ingside bar is gone. the civic auditorium could seat 12,000. they would pack them in for the golden gloves finals. even tho theres more boxing shows here now its pratically dead here.sammy stein your ring annoucer for the fights. I cut my teeth working corners on those shows in 1977.

Thanks Greg, I knew the Auditorium was a big Bldg, but I was unaware it held 12,000.
Like many other old boxing places and hangouts, they are part of history now.

I Thank You for your reply, and Welcome you and your stories to this site.

[coach greg v]

Tom needs to sign a release liability form before he takes on Kid Burrito...

Tom's too tall to rush to County General in my SUV, maybe somebody will have long bed pick-up truck?
We could call an ambulance? But sometimes you wait for awhile in the barrio.
Not that anything bad is going to happen, but just in case.
That Manuel is a BIG bastid!

I have a long bed pick up....The cholos will steal the tires of the ambulance before we can get Tom in it, the barrio is tough on a white boy, you Rick gets by in the barrio because you have spent some time there, plus they remember you stepping into the ring at the Olympic wearing that red robe of yours with the Mexican flag on the back, they have your back....

> I was wondering how ricky survived down there now i kow!!!rothfl[/quote]


You guys are crazy. Believe it or not, back then, there were times when I wished I was Mexican.
I didn't want trunks labeled "EVERLAST" or "UNITED", I wanted MM, Casanova, Seyer (Reyes), the Black & Red velvet trunks & robe, like Saldivar wore.
Most of my gym and workout gear was from below the border.
I took pride in training beside the best fighters in the world, and they were almost all Mexican. But never a Mexican flag on my back.
I had a fighting gamecock embrodered on the back of one red velvet robe that was made by a future Playboy centerfold, my girlfriend's friend.
I wouldn't trade my strange life for anything, but I always liked how I felt when I was with my boxing buddies in the barrio.
I never felt different, we were all boxers, above the petty notions of society, for me that was nonexistant. For others? Don't know, not for me to say?
My wife might say, "that's because you are white." Whatever that is supposed to mean?[/quote]
> you know ricky when i had the gym in the mission district in sf. i never charged the boys for boxing. in way i became mexican. they thought that i was pretty cool. first i was the polar bear then buhda the wise one. i could walk down 19th st which was southside or 24 th street which was north i got along with all. i could walk anywhere at night the cantinas were open to me. on big fight nights sometimes in the back rooms we would have fights for money and we used reyes 6 oz fight gloves. Ill be honest when i was boy i had some problems with other races i think it was the time. man that robe is bad...thanks for everybody making my day a little brighter.[/quote]
question for ricky that pic f you next to johnny flores when u were a boy was he the man who made the flores gloves???[/quote]

Flores & Flores . . .

No, Johnny Flores was a manager & trainer. The Flores gloves were produced in Northern Cal by Ray Flores.
Ray had a small shop in his home and would hand make his gloves. They were the best training gloves, I believe.
Johnny Flores handled Jerry Quarry, Ruben Navarro, Dwight Hawkins and worked the corners of some of the best in boxing.[/quote]
> Learned alot from ray. he used to tell me to take the boy in im felling a little tired. I got alot of help from the seasoned trainers

[Rick Farris]

Laura Lyons . . .

Playboy centerfold appearance: February 1976
Born: October 22, 1954 (age 56) Los Angeles, California, United States

Measurements
Bust: 35"
Waist: 25"
Hips: 37"

Height: 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Weight: 120 lb (54 kg; 8.6 st)

Laura Lyons (born October 22, 1954) is an American model. She was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for its February 1976 issue. Her centerfold was photographed by Dwight Hooker and Mario Casilli.

Sherlock Holmes fans speculated that Lyons was named after a character in The Hound of the Baskervilles, but Hugh Hefner confirmed it was indeed her real name in an interview in the Baker Street Journal. (Real name Loraine Lyons)

Lyons was born in Los Angeles, California. She worked as a Playboy Bunny in the Chicago Playboy Club prior to becoming a Playmate, and led a protest and brief strike seeking improved work privileges such as the freedom to date customers and socialize at the club when not working, which were granted.

She landed a few acting roles in the 1970s, including a slot in 1977's British-Mexican shark thriller Tintorera and an uncredited spot in The Godfather Part II.

[Cholo]

This is the robe I wore during my first year as a professional.
It was made by a 16-year-old girl named Laura Lyons, who was my girlfriend's best friend.
Laura was taking a sewing class at Mark Keppel High School in Monterey Park, and made the robe for a class credit.
Note the "Fighting Gamecock" embroidered on the back.
By the way, six years later, Laura Lyons would become a Playboy centerfold (February 1976 edition).

-Rick Farris

Rick, I like the robe buddy, I like Laura Lyons, what a sweetheart, looked her up on google..

[bennie]

Roberto Duran sparring with Nigel Benn - 1988 . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZtTnBo6 ... ata_player

Duran plays with him.

[bennie]

LOL, its incredible what you can find online!! Heres a photo i forgot was taken


This is me with former light heavy contender Ole Klemetsen right after i won the jr nationals in 2003

I forgot about those ''sideburns'' ..... probably for a reason

Nice shot! Klemetsen fought a lot here; the man could really thump.

[Rick Farris]

"The Help" . . .

Opened tonight in L.A. Monica and I have seen a lot of movies recently and this is the absolute best (my opinion).
No computor animation, stunts, or explosions. Just a great human story. This one has heart.

[kikibalt]

"The Help" . . .

Opened tonight in L.A. Monica and I have seen a lot of movies recently and this is the absolute best (my opinion).
No computor animation, stunts, or explosions. Just a great human story. This one has heart.

The Help

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Help

Author(s) Kathryn Stockett

The Help is a 2009 novel by American author Kathryn Stockett. It is about African American maids working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960s.

The novel is told from the point of view of three narrators: Aibileen Clark, a middle-aged African-American maid who has spent her life raising white children, and who has recently lost her only son; Minny Jackson, an African-American maid whose back-talk towards her employers results in her having to frequently change jobs, exacerbating her desperate need for work as well as her family's struggle with money; and Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, a young white woman and recent college graduate who, after moving back home, discovers that a maid that helped raise her since childhood has abruptly disappeared and her attempts to find her have come to naught. The stories of the three women intertwine to explain how life in Jackson, Mississippi revolves around "the help", with complex relations of power, money, emotion, and intimacy tying together the white and black families of Jackson.

A USA Today article called it one of 2009's "summer sleeper hits". An early review in The New York Times notes Stockett's "affection and intimacy buried beneath even the most seemingly impersonal household connections" and says the book is a "button-pushing, soon to be wildly popular novel". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said of the book, "This heartbreaking story is a stunning debut from a gifted talent".

The novel is Stockett's first. It took her five years to complete the book, which was rejected by 60 literary agents before agent Susan Ramer agreed to represent Stockett. The Help has since been published in 35 countries and three languages. As of August 2011, it has sold five million copies and has spent more than a 100 weeks on the The New York Times Best Seller list.

The Help's audiobook version is narrated by Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer, and Cassandra Campbell. Spencer was Stockett's original inspiration for the character of Minny.

Plot summary

The Help is set in the early 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi and told from the perspective of three women:Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter. Aibileen is an African-American maid who cleans houses and cares for the young children of various white families. Her first job since her own 24-year-old son was killed on his job, is caring for toddler Mae Mobley Leefolt. Minny is Aibileen's confrontational friend who frequently tells her employers what she thinks of them. Her actions have led to her being fired from 19 jobs. Minny's most recent employer was Mrs. Walters, mother of Hilly Holbrook. Hilly is the social leader of the community, and head of the Junior League. She is the nemesis of all three main characters.

Miss Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan is the daughter of a prominent white family whose cotton farm employs many African-Americans in the fields, as well as in the household. Skeeter has just finished college and comes home with big dreams of becoming a writer; her mother's big dream for her is to get her married, although Skeeter is not interested. What does interest her is that Constantine, the maid who raised her, is nowhere to be found: Skeeter's family tells her that Constantine abruptly quit and went to live with relatives in Chicago. Constantine had been writing to Skeeter the whole time she was away at college and the most recent letter had promised her a surprise upon her homecoming. Skeeter does not consider Constantine's unexplained absence a good surprise and wonders what happened, but nobody will discuss Constantine.

During the weekly bridge club that Skeeter attends with Hilly, Mrs. Walters, and Elizabeth Leefolt, Hilly discusses her belief that all homes should have separate bathroom facilities for the "colored" help. This discussion awakens Skeeter to the realization that her friends' maids are treated very differently from how white people are treated. She decides that she wants to reveal the truth to the world from the maids' perspectives by writing a book about it. Written in the first person from the perspective of Abileen, Minny and Skeeter, the struggles Skeeter experiences to communicate to the maids and gain their trust is revealed, as well as the issues of overcoming long-standing barriers in customs and laws by all of the characters. The daily lives of Southern homemakers and their maids during the early 1960's in Mississippi are explored. The dangers of undertaking writing a book about African-Americans speaking out in the early 60's hover constantly over the three women.
[edit] Film adaptation
Main article: The Help (film)

In December 2009, Variety reported that Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan, and Michael Radcliffe will produce a film adaptation of The Help, under their production company 1492 Prods. On October 13, 2010, DreamWorks gave the movie a release date of August 10, 2011

[coach greg v]

"The Help" . . .

Opened tonight in L.A. Monica and I have seen a lot of movies recently and this is the absolute best (my opinion).
No computor animation, stunts, or explosions. Just a great human story. This one has heart.

The Help

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Help

Author(s) Kathryn Stockett

The Help is a 2009 novel by American author Kathryn Stockett. It is about African American maids working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960s.

The novel is told from the point of view of three narrators: Aibileen Clark, a middle-aged African-American maid who has spent her life raising white children, and who has recently lost her only son; Minny Jackson, an African-American maid whose back-talk towards her employers results in her having to frequently change jobs, exacerbating her desperate need for work as well as her family's struggle with money; and Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, a young white woman and recent college graduate who, after moving back home, discovers that a maid that helped raise her since childhood has abruptly disappeared and her attempts to find her have come to naught. The stories of the three women intertwine to explain how life in Jackson, Mississippi revolves around "the help", with complex relations of power, money, emotion, and intimacy tying together the white and black families of Jackson.

A USA Today article called it one of 2009's "summer sleeper hits". An early review in The New York Times notes Stockett's "affection and intimacy buried beneath even the most seemingly impersonal household connections" and says the book is a "button-pushing, soon to be wildly popular novel". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said of the book, "This heartbreaking story is a stunning debut from a gifted talent".

The novel is Stockett's first. It took her five years to complete the book, which was rejected by 60 literary agents before agent Susan Ramer agreed to represent Stockett. The Help has since been published in 35 countries and three languages. As of August 2011, it has sold five million copies and has spent more than a 100 weeks on the The New York Times Best Seller list.

The Help's audiobook version is narrated by Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer, and Cassandra Campbell. Spencer was Stockett's original inspiration for the character of Minny.

Plot summary

The Help is set in the early 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi and told from the perspective of three women:Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter. Aibileen is an African-American maid who cleans houses and cares for the young children of various white families. Her first job since her own 24-year-old son was killed on his job, is caring for toddler Mae Mobley Leefolt. Minny is Aibileen's confrontational friend who frequently tells her employers what she thinks of them. Her actions have led to her being fired from 19 jobs. Minny's most recent employer was Mrs. Walters, mother of Hilly Holbrook. Hilly is the social leader of the community, and head of the Junior League. She is the nemesis of all three main characters.

Miss Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan is the daughter of a prominent white family whose cotton farm employs many African-Americans in the fields, as well as in the household. Skeeter has just finished college and comes home with big dreams of becoming a writer; her mother's big dream for her is to get her married, although Skeeter is not interested. What does interest her is that Constantine, the maid who raised her, is nowhere to be found: Skeeter's family tells her that Constantine abruptly quit and went to live with relatives in Chicago. Constantine had been writing to Skeeter the whole time she was away at college and the most recent letter had promised her a surprise upon her homecoming. Skeeter does not consider Constantine's unexplained absence a good surprise and wonders what happened, but nobody will discuss Constantine.

During the weekly bridge club that Skeeter attends with Hilly, Mrs. Walters, and Elizabeth Leefolt, Hilly discusses her belief that all homes should have separate bathroom facilities for the "colored" help. This discussion awakens Skeeter to the realization that her friends' maids are treated very differently from how white people are treated. She decides that she wants to reveal the truth to the world from the maids' perspectives by writing a book about it. Written in the first person from the perspective of Abileen, Minny and Skeeter, the struggles Skeeter experiences to communicate to the maids and gain their trust is revealed, as well as the issues of overcoming long-standing barriers in customs and laws by all of the characters. The daily lives of Southern homemakers and their maids during the early 1960's in Mississippi are explored. The dangers of undertaking writing a book about African-Americans speaking out in the early 60's hover constantly over the three women.
[edit] Film adaptation
Main article: The Help (film)

In December 2009, Variety reported that Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan, and Michael Radcliffe will produce a film adaptation of The Help, under their production company 1492 Prods. On October 13, 2010, DreamWorks gave the movie a release date of August 10, 2011

>while ricky went to the movies and got a good one. I went to my closets and got out my ring magazines from 1970 to 72. in th efeatrured article IN SUNNY CALIFORNIA i was pleased to see ricky on some big fight cards. fighting on undercards with names like ken norton on the bill

[bennie]

Former leading British promoter Mike Barrett has passed away at the age of 84.

[Rick Farris]

>while ricky went to the movies and got a good one. I went to my closets and got out my ring magazines from 1970 to 72. in th efeatrured article IN SUNNY CALIFORNIA i was pleased to see ricky on some big fight cards. fighting on undercards with names like ken norton on the bill
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Coach Greg . . . I had no idea that anybody besides myself, and a couple close friends & family members, even remembered my boxing career.
I wasn't a headliner, just a guy who was around a lot of great fighters and had an opportunity box with a few, and fight on some big cards.
I want to thank you for being so kind as to share your memories. Only a real boxing afficianado remembers boxers like myself, and I'm flattered.
Today I write about boxers and try to maintain their legacy, thanks for doing the same for me.
The bottom line is you and I feel the same way about the boxers we grew up with. They were a special breed.

-Rick Farris