Classic American West Coast Boxing

[CNorkusJr]

This is how I upload photos here and elsewhere in Boxrec forums.

I use tinypic.comGo to tinypic.com and when page opens up it should say "upload images &videos". I never uploaded a video just image photo. Hit "Browse" button and select a photo from your computer downloaded photos. Double click on selected photo . File type should be on "image".Hit the drop down menu for "resize" selection.
I usually use "message board" and select. Yopu can get bigger images by hitting 15" or 17" selected also.
Then "UPLOAD" the picture.
Hilite the IMG code for messages boards
It should start with [IMG] http:// dadada and end the same way
Copy that IMG code and paste it in open response box in the forum. I hope this helps.

Thanks, Charlie!

Glad we are back in business !

I forgot to mention that somewhere in that process, Tiny pic wants you to plug in a code word to get your pictures IMG code.
It only takes a few seconds and the ENTIRE Process is free and you dont need to subscribe to the site.

[El Gallo]

Couple more Johnny Lira stories. Johnny was Italian but he had kinda reddish blond light hair. One time I really bruised my hand bad and sparring was hard. This is after I had a couple pro fights. So..Johnny makes like a pad out of gauze and tape for me to wear to pad the hand. I told him hey,thanks Johnny. He says,"don't worry about it Bri. Us Irishmen gotta stick together". Another time in the gym,Johnny was sparring with Louie Mateo. Louie fought Randy Shields and Pipino Cuevas. Anyway,Louie had just come off a fight with,I think Pedro Acosta in which it got out of control and both got dqd. Anyway Louie and Johnny are sparring and you hear Johnny say " you gotta learn to watch out for this" and he knees Louie right in the balls. Naturally it went up for grabs after that and everyone had to jump in and pull them apart. What a character.

Good stuff, Brian. I know all about Randy Shields and Cuevas. Those gym stories are the best!
This is what keeps guys like Johnny Lira alive.

[El Gallo]

This is how I upload photos here and elsewhere in Boxrec forums.

I use tinypic.comGo to tinypic.com and when page opens up it should say "upload images &videos". I never uploaded a video just image photo. Hit "Browse" button and select a photo from your computer downloaded photos. Double click on selected photo . File type should be on "image".Hit the drop down menu for "resize" selection.
I usually use "message board" and select. Yopu can get bigger images by hitting 15" or 17" selected also.
Then "UPLOAD" the picture.
Hilite the IMG code for messages boards
It should start with [IMG] http:// dadada and end the same way
Copy that IMG code and paste it in open response box in the forum. I hope this helps.

Thanks, Charlie!

Glad we are back in business !

I forgot to mention that somewhere in that process, Tiny pic wants you to plug in a code word to get your pictures IMG code.
It only takes a few seconds and the ENTIRE Process is free and you dont need to subscribe to the site.

Charlie, it was once a great thread, as it will be again very soon. We all came from around the country, the state. We all got together at the 2008 WBHOF event, that is most of us. Of course, the WBHOF event was an all day affair. Rog had his art exhibit going on at the morning's Autograph & Memorabelia show, Dan Hanley was in town with his Pops, and Brian flew in from Chicago as well. We had Randy and Jeri De La O, Chuck Johnston drove in from Ventura county, and Rog and Maria drove up from San Diego, as did Rodolfo Gonzalez and his lady, Barbara. It was great. That year we inducted Lennox Lewis, it was my second WBHOF event as a director. I remember how cool it was, seeing Gene Fullmer, Basilio, and Greg Haugen showed up with a black eye, LOL! Raul Rojas was still around, and of course, "El Gato". We not only can kick this back up to speed, but can design a great future event in the process. The event will be my responsibility, and I have no doubt that we can put on something unique, brilliant. We will focus on the fighters, friends and fun for all. I have no doubt about this, great confidence about the future of Veteran Boxing events.

[El Gallo]

d

[dagosd2000]

This is how I upload photos here and elsewhere in Boxrec forums.

I use tinypic.comGo to tinypic.com and when page opens up it should say "upload images &videos". I never uploaded a video just image photo. Hit "Browse" button and select a photo from your computer downloaded photos. Double click on selected photo . File type should be on "image".Hit the drop down menu for "resize" selection.
I usually use "message board" and select. Yopu can get bigger images by hitting 15" or 17" selected also.
Then "UPLOAD" the picture.
Hilite the IMG code for messages boards
It should start with [IMG] http:// dadada and end the same way
Copy that IMG code and paste it in open response box in the forum. I hope this helps.

Thanks, Charlie!

Glad we are back in business !

I forgot to mention that somewhere in that process, Tiny pic wants you to plug in a code word to get your pictures IMG code.
It only takes a few seconds and the ENTIRE Process is free and you dont need to subscribe to the site.

Thanks for the reply

[dagosd2000]

BTW: Which keys do I hit to enter the code?

[dagosd2000]

[dagosd2000]

Joe Louis by Roger Esty

[CNorkusJr]

Joe Louis by Roger Esty

I see you got it Rog, Wonderful Hope to see more of your work on here and on other threads.

We know tinypic.com works with this forum (Boxrec) but I am not sure if it works with other boxing sites.(eg: cyber boxing zone,sweetscience etc etc)
This was shown to me just like above by another editor here in Boxrec.

[dagosd2000]

Joe Louis by Roger Esty

I see you got it Rog, Wonderful Hope to see more of your work on here and on other threads.

We know tinypic.com works with this forum (Boxrec) but I am not sure if it works with other boxing sites.(eg: cyber boxing zone,sweetscience etc etc)
This was shown to me just like above by another editor here in Boxrec.

Thanks Charley. I'm still trying to get the hang of it. I think my grand daughter has the cord to download the picyures from my camara to the computer. Recently did a Emmanual Steward and a Macho Camacho. Will be posting them later.

[Expug]

Love seeing the paintings again Rog. One of these days I request you paint a portrat of the journeyman who fought Billy Tully in Fat City. Him walkin down the street with his bag in Stockton after gettin off the bus from Mexico and going into that crummy hotel. Something about that scene..

[Expug]

Just remembered his name. Sixto Rodrigues. Lucero in the movie.

[dagosd2000]

Just remembered his name. Sixto Rodrigues. Lucero in the movie.

If I find a good photo I'll do it.

[Expug]

Thanks Rog. Sign it I'll pony up some dough for it and on the den wall it goes I promise.

[dagosd2000]

Thanks Rog. Sign it I'll pony up some dough for it and on the den wall it goes I promise.

There's not many shots of Sixto,but I may just watch the movie and go from there. BTW. I never charge my friends for a painting. Rog

[El Gallo]

Joe Louis by Roger Esty

The "Art" of Boxing, by Roger Esty . . .

One thing I believe would enhance a Hall of Fame, or veteran boxers event, is Roger's art.
In 2009, Rog set up a small exhibit at the World Boxing Hall of Fame memorabelia & autograph event.
When I put together another event in the future, it's my intention to showcase Roger's originals.
I wanted to do it this year, but I was dealing a guy who had no imagination, so I'll do it in the future along with a few other attractions.
I am a big fan of Rog's work, and some of those images really jump out and catch the attention of knowledgable fans.

-Rick Farris

[dagosd2000]

Manny Steward

[dagosd2000]

Macho Camacho

[dagosd2000]

Cobwebs And Pigeon Poop

Awhile back the late Ed Bradley did an interview with Muhammad Ali and his wife,Loni,at their farm in Michigan. Ali was pretty sick with the Parkinson's physically at least,but you could tell under all that, his mind was still working good.

Loni said that Muhammad has never been happier and that when he dies he knows he will go to heaven. Ali faked a seizure in front of Bradley and he fell for it. Everyone had a good laugh as Ali hugged the journalist.

Afterwards Bradley said that when he asked Ali To show him his memorabilia,Ali pointed him to the barn. Bradley said when he went inside alone,the barn was unlit. There were many title belts, trophies,plaques,and other awards. He said they were covered with cobwebs and pigeon poop.

Ali's wife said that her husband guesses it was all worth it to be in the state of mind that he's in today. His past was in that unlit barn. Today,he's happier than ever.

[dagosd2000]

George O'Roarke -old time fighter

[dagosd2000]

Echos

When the first Ali /Norton fight took place in San Diego both fighters trained at a swank hotel in Mission Valley. Mission Valley was and still is a tourist mecca in San Diego. Ali and Norton fought three times. I thought Ken Norton won all three fights. Norton gave Ali the most trouble. Even more than Frazier. Discount Holmes. Ali was an injured man when they fought.

Yet I still call the trilogy Ali/Norton,not Norton/Ali/. That was the charisma of Ali. Ali's name first. Ali was somewhat a combination in nature of a Jack Johnson and a Joe Louis. Johnson got in trouble for being seen with white women. Louis was with them,but the public never saw them. Ali? He said he was with a white woman one time. All his wives were black. The Muslim thing turned a lot against him.I imagine if Ali was seen in the open with white women that would have been gasoline on the fire.But Ali was liked,even adored. He was loved more than Joe Louis who never offended anyone.Just about no one like Johnson. Even Booker T. Washington,who founded Tuskegee was against Jack Johnson.

When both fighters trained in San Diego ,Ali always drew a big crowd. He'd walk around the ring with a microphone,tell jokes,and spar by letting his sparring partners work him over. But at the end of a session everyone was entertained and the crowds grew bigger and bigger.

After Ali did his routine,Norton would train. By the time he entered the ring to shadow box,the place was dead. Just about everyone had left. Only a few reporters and some gym rats watched Ken workout with sparring partner,Bossman Jones. Ken worked hard. Hit the heavy bag harder. You could hear the echos of his punches hitting that big bag.

Still nobody thought Ken Norton could beat Ali. Ali took him lightly. Even though Ken was a San Diego product,the people came to see Ali,win or lose. Elvis Presley had given him a robe that read "The Peoples Champ" on the back.

Norton broke Ali's jaw,wasn't psyched out by Ali's aura. The fight was close to being stopped in the last frame.

Today,both fighters are not well physically. People remember Ali. He's bigger than life. Ken Norton is like an echo. He's out there somewhere,but I'll always remember how he hit that heavy bag.

[CNorkusJr]

Like yourself Roger, I too. was a Norton fan. I did not know much about the man personally, but I liked his presence in the Ring.He will be remembered as a shadow behind Ali, with an asterisk as breaking Ali's jaw, but he was a tough Champion in a very good heavyweight era.
I was in attendance at Madison Square Garden the night Cooney pulverized his right side with a menacing left, and compounding that punch with brutal unprotected punches to his jaw to take him out early in 1st Rd.
As a Long Islander, and on the Great White Hope Bandwagon at the time, we cheered Cooney's victory. As I left the arena with my friends, I thought to myself, Norton was one of my favorite heavies of all-time; he deserved to deliver a better ending than he got.

Just a few years back. Still very much hurting after his car accident.

[dagosd2000]

Charley,Norton told me once that he wasn't worried about Ali's punching power. I think Norton was one of those big guys that only feared a guy bigger and stronger than himself. He didn't show much against Foreman.

[dagosd2000]

The King Of Comedy

I bet a lot of you didn't know that Lou Costello boxed at one time as young man. He fought out of his home town,Patterson,New Jersey. He fought under the name "Lou King". He didn't want his mother to know he was a fighter.
But everbody knows of him as partners with Bud Abbott. i grew up watching the half hour comedy serials in the 50's. Later I read a book on his life. He had a rheumatic heart and died before reaching 60. He also lost a son.

Abbott and Costello were the hottest comedy act during the war. (you know which war). They had a radio show that was very popular and it was broadcast to our troops. One morning before the night of one the broadcasts,Costello's baby and only son ,Butch(Lou Jr.) got out of his playpen,crawled to the swimming, pool fell in and drowned.

Lou wanted to do the show that night. Everyone was against it. I don't they thought they could go on with it. But Lou had promised his son that he would perform. Little Butch was in heaven and his dad would go on with the show.He wanted Burth to see his dad.

The audience that night didn't know about the tragedy until it was announced after the broadcast. The guests knew though. When Costello yelled out "Heeeey Abbott",Lana Turner burst into tears.

When I was around 10 years old my family went to Del Mar to see the races. After the races,my parents took us to the old Del Mar Hotel for dinner. Sitting in the patio with friends was Lou Costello. My parents pointed him out to my younger sister Kathy. They told her to walk up to him. My sister stood there in a trance as Lou tried to make her laugh. You know how he used to squirm his face and hands and talk like a little baby. Well my sister just stood there. Nothing. I felt a little embarrased.

I didn't know until years later about Costello's life. Expecially that night his son died. If I had known about that the day my sister stood in front of him in a trance,I probably would have cried my eyes out.

[CNorkusJr]

Tragic, tragic story about Lou Costello's son. The strength within to go on with the show. Lou was a very good boxer I was told. But to make a living out of it was not his cup of tea. Nor was Bob Hope. But he attended the fight cards whenever he could.

As an associate member of the New Jersey Boxing HOF, based in Lodi, New Jersey ( The Monthly Meetings are held there, as well as its annual Induction Dinner Nite in nearby Garfield, NJ) I would attend the meetings about 5-6 times a year as well as the dinner. My father was Inducted in 1996.

The Lou Costello Gym is located in Patterson, NJ to this date. Officially called "Lou Costello Sportsman Club".
I am not sure year it was founded, but I am led to believe that Lou Costello himself started it in honor of his departed son.
Today, like so many gyms, it has a hard time staying afloat. It recently went into a property ownership problem, which I believe has been resolved and the club remains active. The Gym supports many upcoming youths in New Jersey Amateur Boxing programs. It might be noted that New Jersey Youth Boxing (Amateurs) is very much alive and well. Hundreds of young boys to men participate in many programs and tournaments in New Jersey, and quite a few advance regionally as well as National Champions.

Here is a support ad they take out every year in the New Jersey Journal:This one is from 2008.