I recently posted a story about my first pro fight. The excitement, the pride of fighting at the Olympic on this night.
As Rog knows, the San Diego Coliseum wasn't my favorite arena to box in, but it was the last place I'd fight.
In Los Angeles, we looked at the little cockpit on San Diego's tough side as a "graveyard" for Angeleno boxers.
My former stablemate, Ruben Navarro, and I both fought and lost our last bouts at the S.D. Coliseum just a couple months apart in the mid-70's.
I fought like a bum, and I lost to a bum.
When I left the ring after the fight, I walked up the aisle and saw water cascading down the steps from the dressing room.
The shower had clogged up and flooded the room.
I sustained a cut over my left eye, was stitched in the dressing room with no pain killers, didn't feel a thing.
After fighting at the Olympic Auditorium, The Forum, and all of the big arenas in Southern Cal, I was ending my career in a pugilistic dive bar.
However, it was a classic dive bar, one that had showcased some of the best in boxing history, just like the Olympic had.
Today I am grateful for having had the experience of fighting in a place that is straight out of "Fat City".
And the fight I fought deserved nothing better.
-Rick Farris
There poetry in this somewhere.Sorta like Gleason's "Mish" selling out Quinn's "Mountain" to the wrestling racket. And I certainly don't mean anything derogatory here.
It just seems a little Runyonesque to me.
Friday night was the weekly dart tournament at Jack's place. I'm not into darts ,but sometimes I like to watch. Jack always showed up. He really enjoyed pitching those things. It was always a friendly game. I think it was the highlight of Jack's week.
I pulled up a chair at the door entrance and Sally the bartendress slid me a beer. I could see at the other far corner of the bar was Max the attorney and Vito the insurance guy. They had offices up stairs above the bar right over Jack's.Max walked with a cane. Vito had a couple of hearing aids. They were always talking about how no one could trust anybody. I'm glad I never had to do business with them.
Every Friday night Max and Vito were there waiting to join the dart tournament. They had plenty of empty glasses in front of them as Sally put another two full ones in front of them.
"Did you here about the guy who got in a fight with the guy because he wanted ketchup on his pastrami sandwich?"said Max to Vito.
"So? It's a free country."
"Only a moron would walk in a Jewish deli and order a pastrami with ketchup."
"Your always splitting hairs. You find fault with everything."said Vito
"The problem with you is,you're ignorant."
Both of them were starting to raise their voices.
"I heard you the other night saying Willie Pep was the best pound for pound fighter there ever was,"said Max getting closer to Vito's face.
"Well he was. Any idiot knows that."
"Sugar Ray was the best pound for pound. You're an idiot."
"I'm an idiot? You Shylock lawyer,"yelled Vito.
People were starting to take notice.
"You're kind always sitck together. Willie Pep was a bum.!"
"You're a real jerk. Sugar Ray learned everthing from Pep."
Both guys were starting to heave between words.
"Only you would put mayonaisse on a corned beef sandwich."
"I'll stick a corned beef sandwich up yours."
All of a sudden Jack walked in.He saw the stir at the end of the bar. He began to stare and walked over. He looked different.
"Sally",roared Jack. "Call a cab for these two. They've been cut off."
Jack reminded me of the days when he used to throw the stumble bums out of his North Park gym.
"Jack,"said Vito sheepishly looking up."Tell this guy that Willie Pep was the best pound for pound fighter who ever lived. He says Sugar Ray."
Jack smirked.
"You're both wrong. It was Primo Carnera
Just then Sally said. "The cabs are here."
Both guys were silent. Their heads down. Then I heard Vito say,"See I told you an Italian was the best fighter there ever was."
Last edited by dagosd2000 on 04 Jan 2013, 22:51, edited 1 time in total.
Teddys Place. No matter where life takes me,and its been interesting the last three years,I won't forget my days driving a bakery truck. Up at four in the morning running a route,making the deliveries. My route was downtown Chicago. Driving down there gave me grey hair. The heart of The Loop. 40 stops a day. It was a bitch but when the day was over,myself and the other drivers would meet at Teddys place for a few beers after we finished settling up and unloading our trucks. Teddys was a great neighborhood joint right around the corner from our depot at Diversy and Southport. We had so many laughs in there that those were some of the funnest times of my life. When I started fighting pro,everybody that frequented Teddys used to come watch me fight. One time after I beat my opponennt,Teddy himself stopped me when I was walking down the aisle after getting out of the ring. He said,"Bri,you won your fight,now I gotta win mine". He had just been diagnosed with Cancer and given 6 months. Later after changing,some press agent who was trying to co-op fighters for the benefit of some candy ass night club asked me if I was going to said club to "celebrate". I was a little more ...unhiged back in the eighties and my exact words were"fvck no. I'm goin to Teddys". Anyway,I left that job of driving a bakery truck in 96 but I think about those days every single day. I drove that truck for 11 years. A few months ago,I ran into a driver who I knew back in the day. He was making deliveries right in my neighborhood. Still at it. He told me that a few of the guys have passed on and things with the company we worked for,and he still did were real bad. A couple months ago,Hostess Cake went out of business. I wish I wouldve stayed in touch with those guys when I left..
Expug wrote:Teddys Place. No matter where life takes me,and its been interesting the last three years,I won't forget my days driving a bakery truck. Up at four in the morning running a route,making the deliveries. My route was downtown Chicago. Driving down there gave me grey hair. The heart of The Loop. 40 stops a day. It was a bitch but when the day was over,myself and the other drivers would meet at Teddys place for a few beers after we finished settling up and unloading our trucks. Teddys was a great neighborhood joint right around the corner from our depot at Diversy and Southport. We had so many laughs in there that those were some of the funnest times of my life. When I started fighting pro,everybody that frequented Teddys used to come watch me fight. One time after I beat my opponennt,Teddy himself stopped me when I was walking down the aisle after getting out of the ring. He said,"Bri,you won your fight,now I gotta win mine". He had just been diagnosed with Cancer and given 6 months. Later after changing,some press agent who was trying to co-op fighters for the benefit of some candy ass night club asked me if I was going to said club to "celebrate". I was a little more ...unhiged back in the eighties and my exact words were"fvck no. I'm goin to Teddys". Anyway,I left that job of driving a bakery truck in 96 but I think about those days every single day. I drove that truck for 11 years. A few months ago,I ran into a driver who I knew back in the day. He was making deliveries right in my neighborhood. Still at it. He told me that a few of the guys have passed on and things with the company we worked for,and he still did were real bad. A couple months ago,Hostess Cake went out of business. I wish I wouldve stayed in touch with those guys when I left..
When you start getting on with age you think about stuff like that. I was going through some of my father's old things and I saw a Christmas card that read"Merry Christmas-Okinawa 1945". On the back were the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the guys in his platoon.They were from every part of the U.S.I wonder if they ever kept in touch?
Friday night was the weekly dart tournament at Jack's place. I'm not into darts ,but sometimes I like to watch. Jack always showed up. He really enjoyed pitching those things. It was always a friendly game. I think it was the highlight of Jack's week.
I pulled up a chair at the door entrance and Sally the bartendress slid me a beer. I could see at the other far corner of the bar was Max the attorney and Vito the insurance guy. They had offices up stairs above the bar right over Jack's.Max walked with a cane. Vito had a couple of hearing aids. They were always talking about how no one could trust anybody. I'm glad I never had to do business with them.
Every Friday night Max and Vito were there waiting to join the dart tournament. They had plenty of empty glasses in front of them as Sally put another two full ones in front of them.
"Did you here about the guy who got in a fight with the guy because he wanted ketchup on his pastrami sandwich?"said Max to Vito.
"So? It's a free country."
"Only a moron would walk in a Jewish deli and order a pastrami with ketchup."
"Your always splitting hairs. You find fault with everything."said Vito
"The problem with you is,you're ignorant."
Both of them were starting to raise their voices.
"I heard you the other night saying Willie Pep was the best pound for pound fighter there ever was,"said Max getting closer to Vito's face.
"Well he was. Any idiot knows that."
"Sugar Ray was the best pound for pound. You're an idiot."
"I'm an idiot? You Shylock lawyer,"yelled Vito.
People were starting to take notice.
"You're kind always sitck together. Willie Pep was a bum.!"
"You're a real jerk. Sugar Ray learned everthing from Pep."
Both guys were starting to heave between words.
"Only you would put mayonaisse on a corned beef sandwich."
"I'll stick a corned beef sandwich up yours."
All of a sudden Jack walked in.He saw the stir at the end of the bar. He began to stare and walked over. He looked different.
"Sally",roared Jack. "Call a cab for these two. They've been cut off."
Jack reminded me of the days when he used to throw the stumble bums out of his North Park gym.
"Jack,"said Vito sheepishly looking up."Tell this guy that Willie Pep was the best pound for pound fighter who ever lived. He says Sugar Ray."
Jack smirked.
"You're both wrong. It was Primo Carnera
Just then Sally said. "The cabs are here."
Both guys were silent. Their heads down. Then I heard Vito say,"See I told you an Italian was the best fighter there ever was."
Friday night was the weekly dart tournament at Jack's place. I'm not into darts ,but sometimes I like to watch. Jack always showed up. He really enjoyed pitching those things. It was always a friendly game. I think it was the highlight of Jack's week.
I pulled up a chair at the door entrance and Sally the bartendress slid me a beer. I could see at the other far corner of the bar was Max the attorney and Vito the insurance guy. They had offices up stairs above the bar right over Jack's.Max walked with a cane. Vito had a couple of hearing aids. They were always talking about how no one could trust anybody. I'm glad I never had to do business with them.
Every Friday night Max and Vito were there waiting to join the dart tournament. They had plenty of empty glasses in front of them as Sally put another two full ones in front of them.
"Did you here about the guy who got in a fight with the guy because he wanted ketchup on his pastrami sandwich?"said Max to Vito.
"So? It's a free country."
"Only a moron would walk in a Jewish deli and order a pastrami with ketchup."
"Your always splitting hairs. You find fault with everything."said Vito
"The problem with you is,you're ignorant."
Both of them were starting to raise their voices.
"I heard you the other night saying Willie Pep was the best pound for pound fighter there ever was,"said Max getting closer to Vito's face.
"Well he was. Any idiot knows that."
"Sugar Ray was the best pound for pound. You're an idiot."
"I'm an idiot? You Shylock lawyer,"yelled Vito.
People were starting to take notice.
"You're kind always sitck together. Willie Pep was a bum.!"
"You're a real jerk. Sugar Ray learned everthing from Pep."
Both guys were starting to heave between words.
"Only you would put mayonaisse on a corned beef sandwich."
"I'll stick a corned beef sandwich up yours."
All of a sudden Jack walked in.He saw the stir at the end of the bar. He began to stare and walked over. He looked different.
"Sally",roared Jack. "Call a cab for these two. They've been cut off."
Jack reminded me of the days when he used to throw the stumble bums out of his North Park gym.
"Jack,"said Vito sheepishly looking up."Tell this guy that Willie Pep was the best pound for pound fighter who ever lived. He says Sugar Ray."
Jack smirked.
"You're both wrong. It was Primo Carnera
Just then Sally said. "The cabs are here."
Both guys were silent. Their heads down. Then I heard Vito say,"See I told you an Italian was the best fighter there ever was."
Expug wrote:Teddys Place. No matter where life takes me,and its been interesting the last three years,I won't forget my days driving a bakery truck. Up at four in the morning running a route,making the deliveries. My route was downtown Chicago. Driving down there gave me grey hair. The heart of The Loop. 40 stops a day. It was a bitch but when the day was over,myself and the other drivers would meet at Teddys place for a few beers after we finished settling up and unloading our trucks. Teddys was a great neighborhood joint right around the corner from our depot at Diversy and Southport. We had so many laughs in there that those were some of the funnest times of my life. When I started fighting pro,everybody that frequented Teddys used to come watch me fight. One time after I beat my opponennt,Teddy himself stopped me when I was walking down the aisle after getting out of the ring. He said,"Bri,you won your fight,now I gotta win mine". He had just been diagnosed with Cancer and given 6 months. Later after changing,some press agent who was trying to co-op fighters for the benefit of some candy ass night club asked me if I was going to said club to "celebrate". I was a little more ...unhiged back in the eighties and my exact words were"fvck no. I'm goin to Teddys". Anyway,I left that job of driving a bakery truck in 96 but I think about those days every single day. I drove that truck for 11 years. A few months ago,I ran into a driver who I knew back in the day. He was making deliveries right in my neighborhood. Still at it. He told me that a few of the guys have passed on and things with the company we worked for,and he still did were real bad. A couple months ago,Hostess Cake went out of business. I wish I wouldve stayed in touch with those guys when I left..
Thanks for that Brian. Kind of sad how people that mean so much to us at one time become a past memory. But it would be even sadder if there were no memories!!
Very true Randy. You're right and that needs to be remembered. Its funny how in a couple weeks I turn 52 and man I look around and I've lost a bunch of friends. They've died in different ways and circumstances but I guess that's just the way things are. If you want to make God laugh,just tell him your plans for tomorrow.
Friday night was the weekly dart tournament at Jack's place. I'm not into darts ,but sometimes I like to watch. Jack always showed up. He really enjoyed pitching those things. It was always a friendly game. I think it was the highlight of Jack's week.
I pulled up a chair at the door entrance and Sally the bartendress slid me a beer. I could see at the other far corner of the bar was Max the attorney and Vito the insurance guy. They had offices up stairs above the bar right over Jack's.Max walked with a cane. Vito had a couple of hearing aids. They were always talking about how no one could trust anybody. I'm glad I never had to do business with them.
Every Friday night Max and Vito were there waiting to join the dart tournament. They had plenty of empty glasses in front of them as Sally put another two full ones in front of them.
"Did you here about the guy who got in a fight with the guy because he wanted ketchup on his pastrami sandwich?"said Max to Vito.
"So? It's a free country."
"Only a moron would walk in a Jewish deli and order a pastrami with ketchup."
"Your always splitting hairs. You find fault with everything."said Vito
"The problem with you is,you're ignorant."
Both of them were starting to raise their voices.
"I heard you the other night saying Willie Pep was the best pound for pound fighter there ever was,"said Max getting closer to Vito's face.
"Well he was. Any idiot knows that."
"Sugar Ray was the best pound for pound. You're an idiot."
"I'm an idiot? You Shylock lawyer,"yelled Vito.
People were starting to take notice.
"You're kind always sitck together. Willie Pep was a bum.!"
"You're a real jerk. Sugar Ray learned everthing from Pep."
Both guys were starting to heave between words.
"Only you would put mayonaisse on a corned beef sandwich."
"I'll stick a corned beef sandwich up yours."
All of a sudden Jack walked in.He saw the stir at the end of the bar. He began to stare and walked over. He looked different.
"Sally",roared Jack. "Call a cab for these two. They've been cut off."
Jack reminded me of the days when he used to throw the stumble bums out of his North Park gym.
"Jack,"said Vito sheepishly looking up."Tell this guy that Willie Pep was the best pound for pound fighter who ever lived. He says Sugar Ray."
Jack smirked.
"You're both wrong. It was Primo Carnera
Just then Sally said. "The cabs are here."
Both guys were silent. Their heads down. Then I heard Vito say,"See I told you an Italian was the best fighter there ever was."
By the way, it made the news last week, two guys at a Subway Sandwich shop ( A customer and an employee), got in a fight when the customer ordered a Philly cheesesteak Sandwich with ketchup!! The employee refused to serve a cheesesteak with the ketchup. It got so heated the employee threatened to kill the customer and a fight ensued!! Ketchup with a cheesesteak?
Expug wrote:Very true Randy. You're right and that needs to be remembered. Its funny how in a couple weeks I turn 52 and man I look around and I've lost a bunch of friends. They've died in different ways and circumstances but I guess that's just the way things are. If you want to make God laugh,just tell him your plans for tomorrow.
Friday night was the weekly dart tournament at Jack's place. I'm not into darts ,but sometimes I like to watch. Jack always showed up. He really enjoyed pitching those things. It was always a friendly game. I think it was the highlight of Jack's week.
I pulled up a chair at the door entrance and Sally the bartendress slid me a beer. I could see at the other far corner of the bar was Max the attorney and Vito the insurance guy. They had offices up stairs above the bar right over Jack's.Max walked with a cane. Vito had a couple of hearing aids. They were always talking about how no one could trust anybody. I'm glad I never had to do business with them.
Every Friday night Max and Vito were there waiting to join the dart tournament. They had plenty of empty glasses in front of them as Sally put another two full ones in front of them.
"Did you here about the guy who got in a fight with the guy because he wanted ketchup on his pastrami sandwich?"said Max to Vito.
"So? It's a free country."
"Only a moron would walk in a Jewish deli and order a pastrami with ketchup."
"Your always splitting hairs. You find fault with everything."said Vito
"The problem with you is,you're ignorant."
Both of them were starting to raise their voices.
"I heard you the other night saying Willie Pep was the best pound for pound fighter there ever was,"said Max getting closer to Vito's face.
"Well he was. Any idiot knows that."
"Sugar Ray was the best pound for pound. You're an idiot."
"I'm an idiot? You Shylock lawyer,"yelled Vito.
People were starting to take notice.
"You're kind always sitck together. Willie Pep was a bum.!"
"You're a real jerk. Sugar Ray learned everthing from Pep."
Both guys were starting to heave between words.
"Only you would put mayonaisse on a corned beef sandwich."
"I'll stick a corned beef sandwich up yours."
All of a sudden Jack walked in.He saw the stir at the end of the bar. He began to stare and walked over. He looked different.
"Sally",roared Jack. "Call a cab for these two. They've been cut off."
Jack reminded me of the days when he used to throw the stumble bums out of his North Park gym.
"Jack,"said Vito sheepishly looking up."Tell this guy that Willie Pep was the best pound for pound fighter who ever lived. He says Sugar Ray."
Jack smirked.
"You're both wrong. It was Primo Carnera
Just then Sally said. "The cabs are here."
Both guys were silent. Their heads down. Then I heard Vito say,"See I told you an Italian was the best fighter there ever was."
By the way, it made the news last week, two guys at a Subway Sandwich shop ( A customer and an employee), got in a fight when the customer ordered a Philly cheesesteak Sandwich with ketchup!! The employee refused to serve a cheesesteak with the ketchup. It got so heated the employee threatened to kill the customer and a fight ensued!! Ketchup with a cheesesteak?
Expug wrote:Teddys Place. No matter where life takes me,and its been interesting the last three years,I won't forget my days driving a bakery truck. Up at four in the morning running a route,making the deliveries. My route was downtown Chicago. Driving down there gave me grey hair. The heart of The Loop. 40 stops a day. It was a bitch but when the day was over,myself and the other drivers would meet at Teddys place for a few beers after we finished settling up and unloading our trucks. Teddys was a great neighborhood joint right around the corner from our depot at Diversy and Southport. We had so many laughs in there that those were some of the funnest times of my life. When I started fighting pro,everybody that frequented Teddys used to come watch me fight. One time after I beat my opponennt,Teddy himself stopped me when I was walking down the aisle after getting out of the ring. He said,"Bri,you won your fight,now I gotta win mine". He had just been diagnosed with Cancer and given 6 months. Later after changing,some press agent who was trying to co-op fighters for the benefit of some candy ass night club asked me if I was going to said club to "celebrate". I was a little more ...unhiged back in the eighties and my exact words were"fvck no. I'm goin to Teddys". Anyway,I left that job of driving a bakery truck in 96 but I think about those days every single day. I drove that truck for 11 years. A few months ago,I ran into a driver who I knew back in the day. He was making deliveries right in my neighborhood. Still at it. He told me that a few of the guys have passed on and things with the company we worked for,and he still did were real bad. A couple months ago,Hostess Cake went out of business. I wish I wouldve stayed in touch with those guys when I left..
Expug wrote:Very true Randy. You're right and that needs to be remembered. Its funny how in a couple weeks I turn 52 and man I look around and I've lost a bunch of friends. They've died in different ways and circumstances but I guess that's just the way things are. If you want to make God laugh,just tell him your plans for tomorrow.
On January 30, I'll turn 61.
As Michael Landon once told us shortly before his death at age 54, "Live every day guys!"
And I do!
My dad had just passed away and I wanted to talk to some Marine veteran,like my dad,who was in the War. I never talked much about the War with my dad. I don't think he wanted to talk with me about it. Oh he talked about everything else. Sometimes it drove me crazy. But the War,hardly mentioned it.
I knew of an old timer I'd see at the barber shop once in a while. He was Marine vet. I knew he was in the War. The guys told me about him. Name was Gus. Lived at the trailer park next to the canyon. One day I saw him standing in front of his trailer. One of them aluminum jobs. Not very big. Stood out by itself in the middle of the park.I thought I'd start a conversation.
"Your name Gus.?"
"That's right,"he said. His face was fresh and his voice was smooth and soft.
"Say weren't you a Marine in WW2? I heard the guys at the barber shop talking."
"Why yes I was."
I thought I had my foot in the door.
"My dad was a Marine in the War. Ist Division. Okinawa and Pelilieu."
"He must have seen a lot of action,"said the old timer.
There was a small dog resting at his feet.
"This is my dog,Jasper. He's a rescue. A poodle mix."
"Why he's a fine looking dog."
"Got him after my wife passed away."
I wanted to get back to the War.
"Where did you serve?"
"I was at Wake Island."
"That was right after the War began."
"Yes",Gus said. He lowered his head.
"Must have been tough."
I felt lost.
"They didn't want to send reinforcements. Left us there alone."
"So you were a prisoner of war,"I said.
The old guy paused.
"Sometomes I wish we hadn't surrendered."
I didn't know where to go after this.
"Did you know I did some boxing after the War?"He said.
"No I didn't"
I felt more at ease.
"Boxed heavyweight."
"How'd you do?"
"Pretty uneventfull career,but it was fun."
"Any big names?"
"Archie Moore."
"How did it go?"
"Well to tell the truth,I helped get him ready for his fight with the big Cuban ,Valdes.The winner was to fight Marciano."
"That must have been an experience,"
"You know I learned more in month with that guy than I did all my time fighting."
"That's why they called him the Mongoose I guess."
"You know what he did with that Cuban?"
"What?"
"They fought in the desert in Nevada. Moore kept Valdes facing the sun all fight. Worked and tricked him into facing the sun.Tired the big man out. Won going away."
"Wow". This was better than talking about the War.
"Besides I never had such a happy time in a training camp.In the evenings Archie would sit at the upright and we'd all sing songs."
It seemed like the end of our discussion.
"I watch birds now. Me and Jasper.Plenty of birds in the canyon. Belong to the Audobon Society. Met a lady friend there. We're both docents at the Wild Life Center on the weekends. Come out some time."
"I sure will,"I said.
I said good by and how nice it was meeting him. As I was walking away Gus said,"Son. A while back a film crew did a documentary on Wake Island. Flew some of us back there to tell the story. Left a lot of buddies there."
"How was it?"I asked.
"Well son.I'm glad I went,but I'll never go back there again."
Last edited by dagosd2000 on 06 Jan 2013, 11:15, edited 1 time in total.
Before my family flew out to LA for the California Boxing HOF event, I attended a Ring 8 meeting about a week beforehand. Filled with the usual crowd and attended by a few champions, Pres. Bob Duffy was at the microphone conducting the meeting business. At a certain point, he stopped to once again say that Charlie Norkus Jr will be going out soon to CA to receive his father's honor. I was asked to say a few words on the upcoming event. I had with me a list of Inductees that Rick gave me and I knew the bios on about 1/2 of the list. But a few men escaped my memories. As I read off each and every name-from the crowd came a few oohs and aahs.
After I was done-I asked for "any questions?". Dave Diamante, boxing announcer in the metro NY area, and now house PA voice at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn stood up and said "Norman Parra- what a great fighter from the West, a good friend, and please send my regards, He has a great story of accomplishment". A few shouts on Tony Lopez's name can be heard from the crowd talking. I can hear James Kinchen & Jesse Burnett's names being bantered about by and envious crowd. Overall I can tell that the list of names made a huge impression on the men and women in attendance. As one voice they all wished me "Great times and Congratulations" before I left the mike.
After the meeting, Long time Judge and friend Harold Lederman caught up with me and as we walked out together, he said that if I can remember " please send my regards to Steve Corbell (not an honoree,but an attendee at the dinner) and Fritz Werner, a long time friend and official. (Harold could not make the event because of a boxing assignment in upstate NY that weekend, and was with Julie (his daughter) on the TV bouts). He said "Fritz Werner is one of the best officials he ever worked with, and he has a great story of his own to tell. Please tell him Congratulations for me". He did not mention his Marine Service to me.
At the dinner, as I listened to as many speeches as I could- Fritz Werner's, I heard loud and clear. Reading his bio in the journal, I was amazed at Mr Werner's life.
One of our Nation's true heroes. Truly an Amazing man. A few minutes later I found myself at the mic talking about my dad during his Induction.
As I left to take my seat with his wonderful plaques, there standing with his arm crutches was Fritz Werner at my table 10. Before I can get a word out, He greeted me and said "Congratulations- you know I knew your father when he was in the Marines". Stunned- I found an empty chair nearby and insist he sit with my family. He did. For a minute or two, he told me " that my father was one of the reasons he did not pursue a fight career in the ring. He saw my father fight as a Marine (as my father travelled his 2 years in the Marines and fought bouts coast to coast representing the US Marines). He said after he saw my father fight other service men-he was convinced actual Ring fighting was not for him. In my head, I couldnt help think about this man's Gallant career in the Service raising in Rank to Lt Colonel, and probably has a Chest full of Medals that must weigh a ton as he stands tall and earned every one of them. The journal says he served 37 years in the US Marines . Sometimes a service career is not judged by time, but where they were during that time. I believe Fritz Werner's career can be one of those situations. All this time we kept a firm handshake, and I was just so pleased that we met up at the event. I told him Harold sends his regards and Congratulations, and he acknowledged their long-standing friendship. He said he spoke with Harold the week before.
I told him how thrilled I was to meet him and hope one day to do it again- I Thanked him for his Service, and Congratulated on his Induction. In parting, he stated "Your dad was one helluva of a fighter, and not only I, but every Marine had his back when he was on TV".
This was another Wonderful moment that I will never forget. God Bless All Our Servicemen and Service Women. God Bless Fritz Werner.
CNorkusJr wrote:Before my family flew out to LA for the California Boxing HOF event, I attended a Ring 8 meeting about a week beforehand. Filled with the usual crowd and attended by a few champions, Pres. Bob Duffy was at the microphone conducting the meeting business. At a certain point, he stopped to once again say that Charlie Norkus Jr will be going out soon to CA to receive his father's honor. I was asked to say a few words on the upcoming event. I had with me a list of Inductees that Rick gave me and I knew the bios on about 1/2 of the list. But a few men escaped my memories. As I read off each and every name-from the crowd came a few oohs and aahs.
After I was done-I asked for "any questions?". Dave Diamante, boxing announcer in the metro NY area, and now house PA voice at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn stood up and said "Norman Parra- what a great fighter from the West, a good friend, and please send my regards, He has a great story of accomplishment". A few shouts on Tony Lopez's name can be heard from the crowd talking. I can hear James Kinchen & Jesse Burnett's names being bantered about by and envious crowd. Overall I can tell that the list of names made a huge impression on the men and women in attendance. As one voice they all wished me "Great times and Congratulations" before I left the mike.
After the meeting, Long time Judge and friend Harold Lederman caught up with me and as we walked out together, he said that if I can remember " please send my regards to Steve Corbell (not an honoree,but an attendee at the dinner) and Fritz Werner, a long time friend and official. (Harold could not make the event because of a boxing assignment in upstate NY that weekend, and was with Julie (his daughter) on the TV bouts). He said "Fritz Werner is one of the best officials he ever worked with, and he has a great story of his own to tell. Please tell him Congratulations for me". He did not mention his Marine Service to me.
At the dinner, as I listened to as many speeches as I could- Fritz Werner's, I heard loud and clear. Reading his bio in the journal, I was amazed at Mr Werner's life.
One of our Nation's true heroes. Truly an Amazing man. A few minutes later I found myself at the mic talking about my dad during his Induction.
As I left to take my seat with his wonderful plaques, there standing with his arm crutches was Fritz Werner at my table 10. Before I can get a word out, He greeted me and said "Congratulations- you know I knew your father when he was in the Marines". Stunned- I found an empty chair nearby and insist he sit with my family. He did. For a minute or two, he told me " that my father was one of the reasons he did not pursue a fight career in the ring. He saw my father fight as a Marine (as my father travelled his 2 years in the Marines and fought bouts coast to coast representing the US Marines). He said after he saw my father fight other service men-he was convinced actual Ring fighting was not for him. In my head, I couldnt help think about this man's Gallant career in the Service raising in Rank to Lt Colonel, and probably has a Chest full of Medals that must weigh a ton as he stands tall and earned every one of them. The journal says he served 37 years in the US Marines . Sometimes a service career is not judged by time, but where they were during that time. I believe Fritz Werner's career can be one of those situations. All this time we kept a firm handshake, and I was just so pleased that we met up at the event. I told him Harold sends his regards and Congratulations, and he acknowledged their long-standing friendship. He said he spoke with Harold the week before.
I told him how thrilled I was to meet him and hope one day to do it again- I Thanked him for his Service, and Congratulated on his Induction. In parting, he stated "Your dad was one helluva of a fighter, and not only I, but every Marine had his back when he was on TV".
This was another Wonderful moment that I will never forget. God Bless All Our Servicemen and Service Women. God Bless Fritz Werner.
