Classic American West Coast Boxing

[dagosd2000]

Mickey Walker

[dagosd2000]

Roses

He was the best lineman I ever plyed with. Gus was a year younger than me. His older brother ,who was a year older than me,was on the varsity the year before. Gus was on the junior varsity. His brother was good ,but Gus was better.Gus took after his mom. She was a big woman and Gus got his size from her. My senior year our first string center came down with hepatitus before our first game and Gus had to step in.He was the only junior on the starting offensive line so we all encouraged him . Gus was great that year. He had the athletic abilty and could think. He called our blocking assignments. In no time the players and coaches were confident. He was no weak sister.

But if Gus took after his mother on the physical end,his temperment was on the side of his old man. Gus was named after his dad who was named Steve. Since Gus didn't didn't want to be called Steve,he called himself Gus. Steve,Gus's dad, was the day bartender at the Arizona Bar down at the beach. In the 60's the Arizona was a "good 'ol boys" club. There were no room for hippies or pot heads. The bar turned a cold shoulder to that ilk.

Gus's older brother went into the Coast Guard Academy after school and played football for Otto Graham. The kid didn't smoke or drink and Gus told me once that his brother and his wife were virgins on their wedding night. It was planned that way. The old man was proud of his oldest son,but it was Gus who resembled his dad. Ornery,loud. A real horses ass at times.

It was Gus who got the big offers out of school. Every big team on the coast wanted him. Gus was good with the grades. His brother was straight A's,but I always thought Gus was smarter. Things came real easy to him. He was more mechanical and he understood situations and people.

I lost contact with Gus for about a year. I was down at the beach doing nothing. Spinning my wheels when I should have been making something of myself. I let the 50's swallow me up to make a long story short. We had a place near the beach close to where Gus and his mom and dad lived. One summer day i saw Gus walk to the little grocery store. I couldn't believe how huge he was. It wasn't muscle ,but water weight. He looked like he was sloshing water when he walked.

I yelled at him to come up to the porch,but he waved me off. I was thinking shouldn't he be up at USC practicing with the team.

Ocean Beach in those days was Haight-Ashbury south. But we had the beach and the weather. We also had the drugs. At the end of the summer I saw Gus again. It looked like he dropped a hundred pounds. His skin was wrinkled. He looked old and his hair was long. I stopped him this time when I saw him at the store.
"What have you been doing?"I asked.
"I've got a job at Convair. I went to City College and learned how to operate a lathe."
"What happened with USC?"
Gus really didn't answer my question,but talked about how he had a place with Squawky and The Sheriff at the end of Voltaire Street.Well I knew who those guys were. A couple of hypes,but in my mind I couldn't believe Gus was partaking to their habits. I went over a few times to visit him at his place. Squawky and The Sheriff weren't working and Gus would come home at night and the refrigerator would be empty. I knew Gus was floating those two balloon heads along with their friends.

After awhile Gus's car broke down. He didn't have the scratch to fix it,so he peddled his bike to work.I stopped going over to his place. He didn't seem like he had room to share company with me. He would get all excited around the shoot 'em up boys. I finally got my head out of my ass to know that Gus was one of them. He finally couldn't hold on to the job. He spent all day just trying to score heroin.

Gus went to jail. An honor camp. Not for using or selling smack,but for stealing. He was up in the mountains for 10 months. I was the only one who visted him. His dope friends never came out ad Gus's old man had disowned him by now.
After he served his time I gave him a lift back to the beach.He was clean now. He'd gotten the color back in his face. I asked him if he wanted something to eat. We stopped of the Sea Shore Diner. After we ordered Gus said he had to make a phone call. He left and I didn't see him for an hour. When he came back I could tell he was on the nod. Blood was dripping from his forearm.
"Where'd you go?"I asked.
"See a guy about a place to stay."
Gus barely touched his sandwich. I dropped him off by the pier .That was last I saw of him until one day his brother called me. His brother was a minister in Orange County. He told me Gus was in a county run hospital in LA. I went up with the wife to visit him. It was one of those old run down looking places were they put patients who had no other means of paying. When I walked into the room,Gus was lying flat on the bed. He was watching television. Gene Autry reruns.
"Rog,"he yelled in that coarse voice. "Good to see you."
I introduced my wife to him. Gus didn't want to talk about fast times in Ocean Beach. He wanted to talk about being a kid again playing football.
"Rog,you were a 4 man and I was a 5 man. Remember the Clairemont game?"
"I sure did."
I never felt so sorry for a guy in my life.
"Rog,they opened up my heart. I had a pretty bad attack .I was in a coma for a month."
"How are you doing now?"
"Better. When I get out I want to go back to work. Inspection on the assembly line."
Gus was so weak it took all his strength just to lift his head and arms.
"Rog ,I want to tell you something only you and my brother know now. When I went out for football in high school 'ol Doc Distler found that I had a bad valve in my heart. He didn't want to let me play,but my old man told him to keep it on the QT. Afwards he would get me the operation. Well he never did. The USC docs found the bad heart valve and that was it."
I was stunned.
"Rog,you're luckiest guy in the world. You've got a great wife and you've always been my best friend."
"Thanks,"I said sheepishly.
"My problem was that I never took time to smell the roses. To tell you the truth I didn't even know where they were."
After sometime in the hospitsl room we said goodby. I told him I'd be back soon. About a week later Gus's brother called and said that Gus had died in his sleep. At the ceremony at the church I made sure I brought plenty of roses.

[dagosd2000]

A Walk In The Park.

For years whenever I've needed any minor repair on my old Astro Van I'd take it to my mechanic in the Zona Norte in Tijuana. The mechanic's name is Teo. He's a big boxing fan. His son also works with him. My brother in law,"El Mumia",used to work for him too,but he was stealing from people's cars so Teo got rid of him. One day I was getting my front brakes done for 40 bucks.
"Rogelio,"Teo said to me,"if you want to go for a walk there is a park along the road about 3 kilometros. It has an athletic field and a boxing gym."
"I think I'll do that,"I said. "See you in awhile."
I knew where the park was. Many years ago when I was in high school my father formed a pick up base ball team. It was pretty good. Aside from the minor league Padres,we probably could have trimmed any other club in town. We played a game at that ball park. It was a nice little stadium remembered. Dirt field,bleachers behind homeplate and down the lines.

I walked casually down the street from Teo's. The Zona Norte runs parallel along the U.S. border. I often think if you were a good pole vaulter you could vault into the U.S. without hassling with dealing with a "coyote."The sun was warm and bright and the neighborhood quiet except for the cars whizzing by along on the road by the border fence. I walked past Erik Morales's gym. You couldn't tell it was a gym because it was upstairs from his family's little store. I saw the park as I turned the corner.

The place was empty. There was no one working there. The ball field was full of rocks and broken bottles. Parts of the bleachers had been torn down. The place had a film of dust on it. I looked at the ball park. The outfield fence had a big hole in it. It was funny. If you hit a ball far enough the ball would land on the U.S. side of the border.

I didn't want to stay. I thought I'd just walk back to see how my car was doing. As I looked to the side,I saw a building with all the windows broken. There was a big rusty padlock on the door. On the side of the building was painted the words,"Gimnasio de Box 'Indio Ortega'".

Gaspar "Indio" Ortega was a Tijuana product. I think I saw him fight more on TV than any other fighter. He was a welter who fought them all. Paret,Griffith,you name all the crop of crack welter weights at that period,"Indio" fought them. He had over 140 fights.He fought in little arenas like in Reynosa to the the big time of Madison Square Garden. At the boxing conventions in Los Angeles I'd sometime see him and his wife. He liked talking to me about what's going on in TJ. He hasn't been there for years. He lives in New York City.His son is a fight referee there. My wife and Gaspar really hit it off though. They were from poor backrounds and knew what it was like to live without. One afternoon we had lunch together while his wife was at the hospital to get dialysis. Soft spoken and humble.That was what kind of man he is. But I remember when he was the toast of Tijuana. He'd come back to Colonia Morelos,where he grew up, driving a fancy sport car with a blonde sitting beside him. He'd buy all the people that were in the local park ice cream and talk to everybody. That was a long time ago.

I wanted to walk closer to the gym. I stepped on some broken glass. I looked down and saw a used hyperdermic needle. I thought it best to go back to Teo's. As I walked along the tree lined street ,I thought about the time I saw "Indio" at the barber shop in Colonia Morelos. I was with my dad. We were both getting haircuts. It was just after "Indio" failed to take the crown from Griffith at Madison Square Garden. My father and I told him we saw him on television. We told him we were pulling for him to win.
"I tried my best,"he said. "I hope at least I gave you your money's worth."

[dagosd2000]

"Indio" Ortega and my wife, Maria, sharing stories about Mexico

[dagosd2000]

Gaspar "Indio" Ortega

[CNorkusJr]

Gaspar Ortega was such a Great fighter. A friend of my dad's and still revered here in NYC. Thanks for the picture posting.

[dagosd2000]

Gaspar Ortega was such a Great fighter. A friend of my dad's and still revered here in NYC. Thanks for the picture posting.

Thanks Charley. When Gaspar was out here on the coast a few years ago, him and his wife came here with Carlos Ortiz and his wife. Carlos said he had a nightclub in New York City. Know anything on that?

[CNorkusJr]

Gaspar Ortega was such a Great fighter. A friend of my dad's and still revered here in NYC. Thanks for the picture posting.

Thanks Charley. When Gaspar was out here on the coast a few years ago, him and his wife came here with Carlos Ortiz and his wife. Carlos said he had a nightclub in New York City. Know anything on that?

Personally, I dont know of a place that Carlos had. It was probably before my time and I never heard my dad talk of it. I can tell you this though. Just about every boxer in the 40's and 50's that did well (turn a living profit in life) opened up a bar/grill somewhere in the tristate area, INCLUDING MY FATHER.

With the success of Jack Dempsey's places (yes he had a few locations before ending up on 7th Ave); every bigger name fighter opened up a joint somewhere. Some just used their names on the front of the places and made a few appearances for a check, while another team ran the day to day operations. Some became more famous than others like Sugar Ray Robinson's place in Harlem, Tony Canzonari's place on 72nd St, Mickey Walker's Toy Bulldog Tavern, and a host of others that were just fleeting in their prosperity. My dads place occurred in the mid fifties when his name from the TV fights were drawing well. He teamed up with another man and rented space on 3rd Ave around 37th St, Manhattan (near todays outlet of the Queens-Mid town Tunnel entrance to Manhattan). My father was still boxing and the place drew well, especially on TV fight nights, but my father was one of those absent-partners using the name on the front. "Charlie Norkus's Bar and Grill" lasted about 3-4 years I was told, when my father started realizing that money was being stolen out of the till. He was told that most of the days and nights were drawing well, but the weekly take was losing money.
Not one to point fingers to someone he was not sure of taking the till, he rather just closed up the place.

The business did pay him back in spades though. After his Ring retirement in 1959, his name as well as his bar experience got him a top notch liquor salesman job with a big wholesaler out of Queens NY. He had big accounts from Queens and Nassau Counties, and was named Salesman of the Year several times in his career 1963-1993.
Even friend Jake LaMotta called one evening to see if my father could line him up with a salesman job, which he did-shortlived. Its chronichled in Jake"s sequel book "Raging Bull II" .(Bottom Line- Jake was too "Big" a star to get to 20-25 accounts a day, plus everybody wanted to buy him a drink and he had a hard time saying no. My dad knew this when he called but Jake persisted and need a good job at the time, but my father had a friend in Jake and assisted him in meeting the big boss".)

By the way, Chuck Wepner is quite a success story in New Jersey to this present day as a liquor salesman, doing the same thing my father did, but they never worked together-my dads license was in NY and Chuck's is in Jersey still.

Several fighters,even today try their luck at opening a place, but realizing long,long hours and more headaches than a KO punch, most fold early.
Gerry Cooney ran a successful place on Long Island in his hey day that too folded after a decade or so.

To answer your question on Carlos Ortiz, I am not sure-probably if I was young in early 60's.

[dagosd2000]

Gaspar Ortega was such a Great fighter. A friend of my dad's and still revered here in NYC. Thanks for the picture posting.

Thanks Charley. When Gaspar was out here on the coast a few years ago, him and his wife came here with Carlos Ortiz and his wife. Carlos said he had a nightclub in New York City. Know anything on that?

Personally, I dont know of a place that Carlos had. It was probably before my time and I never heard my dad talk of it. I can tell you this though. Just about every boxer in the 40's and 50's that did well (turn a living profit in life) opened up a bar/grill somewhere in the tristate area, INCLUDING MY FATHER.

With the success of Jack Dempsey's places (yes he had a few locations before ending up on 7th Ave); every bigger name fighter opened up a joint somewhere. Some just used their names on the front of the places and made a few appearances for a check, while another team ran the day to day operations. Some became more famous than others like Sugar Ray Robinson's place in Harlem, Tony Canzonari's place on 72nd St, Mickey Walker's Toy Bulldog Tavern, and a host of others that were just fleeting in their prosperity. My dads place occurred in the mid fifties when his name from the TV fights were drawing well. He teamed up with another man and rented space on 3rd Ave around 37th St, Manhattan (near todays outlet of the Queens-Mid town Tunnel entrance to Manhattan). My father was still boxing and the place drew well, especially on TV fight nights, but my father was one of those absent-partners using the name on the front. "Charlie Norkus's Bar and Grill" lasted about 3-4 years I was told, when my father started realizing that money was being stolen out of the till. He was told that most of the days and nights were drawing well, but the weekly take was losing money.
Not one to point fingers to someone he was not sure of taking the till, he rather just closed up the place.

The business did pay him back in spades though. After his Ring retirement in 1959, his name as well as his bar experience got him a top notch liquor salesman job with a big wholesaler out of Queens NY. He had big accounts from Queens and Nassau Counties, and was named Salesman of the Year several times in his career 1963-1993.
Even friend Jake LaMotta called one evening to see if my father could line him up with a salesman job, which he did-shortlived. Its chronichled in Jake"s sequel book "Raging Bull II" .(Bottom Line- Jake was too "Big" a star to get to 20-25 accounts a day, plus everybody wanted to buy him a drink and he had a hard time saying no. My dad knew this when he called but Jake persisted and need a good job at the time, but my father had a friend in Jake and assisted him in meeting the big boss".)

By the way, Chuck Wepner is quite a success story in New Jersey to this present day as a liquor salesman, doing the same thing my father did, but they never worked together-my dads license was in NY and Chuck's is in Jersey still.

Several fighters,even today try their luck at opening a place, but realizing long,long hours and more headaches than a KO punch, most fold early.
Gerry Cooney ran a successful place on Long Island in his hey day that too folded after a decade or so.

To answer your question on Carlos Ortiz, I am not sure-probably if I was young in early 60's.

Thanks Charley. Not many fighters were good running their own places,especially if it was a bar.Burke Emery's bar,Champs,I think is on its last legs. His companion Shirley passed away and Burke is in a rest home.His family wanted him to sell the joint when Shirley was alive.. Probably going to happen soon.

[Expug]

yeah, it sounds so good to be able to have a nice joint after successful ring career. A popular watering hole where fight fans can gather and pat you on the back,tell you they've seen you fight so and so,tell stories etc. But, I guess the reality is,bars are a pain in the dupa to run. Too many hassles,too many knuckleheads,too many hours among other headaches. Its the type of thing that sounds great but reality is a different animal....

[dagosd2000]

yeah, it sounds so good to be able to have a nice joint after successful ring career. A popular watering hole where fight fans can gather and pat you on the back,tell you they've seen you fight so and so,tell stories etc. But, I guess the reality is,bars are a pain in the dupa to run. Too many hassles,too many knuckleheads,too many hours among other headaches. Its the type of thing that sounds great but reality is a different animal....

Brian
From what I've seen,one of the most important things about having a bar is not to drink your place.You start to lose control. In a way it's a sign of weakness. Under aged kids,snorting coke in the bathrooms,employees stealing,fights...a nice flower shop sounds nice

[dagosd2000]

The Beef

I always thought that Burke's place was OK-running smoothly. Burke and Shirley treated their bartenders good. The help liked working there and always spoke highly of Burke and Shirley. One of his bartenders lived in my condo complex. He was a nice guy.His name was Chuck. He was a younger kid in his 30's I'd guess. I'd go in when he was working once in a while to shoot the breeze over a beer. He knew about Burke's boxing backround so we'd often talk about the fight game.

One day Chuck was telling me that he was having trouble with some of the homeless people who were living in the canyon in back of the place. They'd come around and panhandle. Most of them were released from County Mental Health. Meth was their big problem along with anything else that could get them loaded. They were like vampires roaming around at night seeing what they could get into. Stealing was a means of getting by.Problem was they didn't want to work. Some were on some government dole,but they'd use up what money they had on drugs and booze. I'd see them in the morning digging through the sanitaners by the shopping center looking for food.

One afternoon after work I dropped into the place and had a beer and talked to Chuck to see what was new. He said that last night one of the bums came stumbling into Burke's talking loud and crazy. He called the cops ,but they never arrived. Besides he had to get the guy out of there fast.Can't have disturbances like that when you have a bar. Then the vice squad and the ABC is visiting you all the time.

Well Chuck said he had to bodily remove the guy.Chuck said the bum said he was coming back and would get even.

The next morning ,real early, I heard sirens. Woke up everybody. I walked down to the corner from my place and saw the firemen hosing down Burke's bar. The place didn't reopen for 5 months. In the meantime I saw Chuck around the condo units. He didn't know who did it. They investigated and came up dry. All that was known was someone through gasoline under the door and torched the place.

At one time I thought of having my own place. A friendly joint where everbody was friends with no problems. Then I thought I'd have to find a spot not in front of a canyon.

[dagosd2000]

Ace Hudkins

[dagosd2000]

yeah, it sounds so good to be able to have a nice joint after successful ring career. A popular watering hole where fight fans can gather and pat you on the back,tell you they've seen you fight so and so,tell stories etc. But, I guess the reality is,bars are a pain in the dupa to run. Too many hassles,too many knuckleheads,too many hours among other headaches. Its the type of thing that sounds great but reality is a different animal....

Brian
From what I've seen,one of the most important things about having a bar is not to drink in your place.You start to lose control. In a way it's a sign of weakness. Under aged kids,snorting coke in the bathrooms,employees stealing,fights...a nice flower shop sounds nice

[dagosd2000]

yeah, it sounds so good to be able to have a nice joint after successful ring career. A popular watering hole where fight fans can gather and pat you on the back,tell you they've seen you fight so and so,tell stories etc. But, I guess the reality is,bars are a pain in the dupa to run. Too many hassles,too many knuckleheads,too many hours among other headaches. Its the type of thing that sounds great but reality is a different animal....

Brian
From what I've seen,one of the most important things about having a bar is not to drink in your place.You start to lose control. In a way it's a sign of weakness. Under aged kids,snorting coke in the bathrooms,employees stealing,fights...a nice flower shop sounds nice

Burke Emery once told me he ran a bar in Montreal. Towards closing the French/Canadians and the English/Canadians would get pretty tight and before you knew it there'd be this brawl.After some thought they decided after the bar closed they'd charge a buck and a half for spectators to watch the brawl each night.Sounds like fun and games.

[dagosd2000]

Locked Up Abroad

One of my early teaching assignments was at Juvenile Hall. It wasn't like regular teaching where you had to have daily lesson plans,state text books,course curriculums. No parent conferences,no graduations,no sending a kid to the principal's office.You could teach anything that day you wanted. Only supplies were pencils and paper. If a kid broke his pencil lead,he'd have to show you the broken lead,turn it in,and then get a new pencil. They construed that a broken pencil lead could be a weapon or a tool for grafitti. People would say to me that it must have been a dangerous job. Nothing of the sort. There were always probation offcers around and if a kid did something wrong like talking in class,he could get locked up in his room for 24 to 72 hours and get an "F" for the day. It was strange to see some kid who was waiting trial for murder be a model citizen because he didn't want to lose anymore of his freedom. Oh sometimes there would be a fight.Anyone involved would be put in the "Improve Unit"which was solitary confinement,but that was seldom.

Kids were broken down into various groups. Age,degree of offense,and gang affiliation.Then they were put in their appropriate dorms. The dorm I liked the best was one for the illegals.They used me in there a lot because I could speak Spanish and my wife was Mexican. That was a big plus. Most of the kids were Mexican nationals who had broken the law on the U.S. side. Kids were in there for selling drugs or stealing mostly. They were either awaiting a hearing or on their way to be deported.

To tell the truth it was like pulling teeth in the other dorms to get the kids to get a move on. They'd come around to it,but not after taking their damn time and complaining. The illegals were different. You didn't have to ask them to do anything. They cleaned their rooms,ate all their food and never griped(though I know they missed Mexican cooking). I never had to break up a fight. They enjoyed going out and playing soccer on the athletic field. In the day room they'd watch TV. Sometimes I would bring Mexican movies-old ones with actors like Pedro Infante and La India Maria. Those kids really appresiated those movies.

One day I asked one of the kids why they were so happy and wouldn't put up a stink about anything. The kid said that they were happy not to be beaten by the probation officers,that they had their own beds,central heating and air conditioning,hot showers,could go to school,there was a doctor around if they got sick,and had three meals a day.

I thought that wasn't asking much,but then again many Americans complain about things that aren't really that important.

[dagosd2000]

Ruben Olivares

[dagosd2000]

The Up And Up

"So Jesse what are you having? I'll buy,"I said to the ex-fighter. The restaurant was empty except for me and him at the counter.
"Just coffee. I don't have an appetite this morning."
The waitress came over and I ordered two coffees black. The restaurant was off a ways from Revolution. It opened up a short time ago featuring the latest lattes and frappes. The place wasn't doing so well. There wasn't much tourist traffic in Tijuana anyway and this place being off the beaten path was dying a slow death.
"My hands are killing me this morning,"he said."The cold weather makes the rheumatism act up."
"Didn't you have problems with your hands when you were fighting,"I asked.
"I had problems with my hands and problems with my managers and then problems with my wife. Afterwards came the problems with bottle,"said Jesse.
The waitress came over with the two cups of coffee.
"This is my last day,"she said. "If the owner can't come up with the rent at the end of the month,it will be everyone's last day."
Jesse put some water in his coffee.
"I remember your fight with Leonard.You gave him a good going,"I said.
"Probably my best fight. At least the one everyone talks about."
"What happened after that? You fought down here again."
"I was supposed to fight down here again. I fought more than 20 fights down here."
"Why was that?"
"I was a set up guy,a fall guy,most of those fights weren't on the level."
I didn't want to say anything before,but since he brought it up I followed his lead.
"I remember reading something about that in the paper,"I said.
"What could I do? I couldn't fight and make any money if I didn't go along with the gamblers."
"That's a shame."
"It happens more than you think.Anytime you can bet on something you get the creeps hanging around."
"I used to wonder what went on at Caliente."
"Caliente,the Jai Alai,the boxing matches.Nothing was on the up and up."
"I always wondered about that."
"If you bet on anything don't bet on something that can't talk."
We had finished our coffees. The waitress asked if we wanted refills.
"No",said Jesse."My friend is paying."
"Don't worry,"she said."It's my last day.After this afternoon they won't see me again.How do you Americans say it? The coffee is on the house."

[dagosd2000]

Self Portrait Of The Artist

[CNorkusJr]

yeah, it sounds so good to be able to have a nice joint after successful ring career. A popular watering hole where fight fans can gather and pat you on the back,tell you they've seen you fight so and so,tell stories etc. But, I guess the reality is,bars are a pain in the dupa to run. Too many hassles,too many knuckleheads,too many hours among other headaches. Its the type of thing that sounds great but reality is a different animal....

No doubt Brian. My father told me during his salesman job that restaurants in New York area exist on average less than five years, and the majority of new bars even have less of a time span. You can tell a place is on its way out by the liqour salesmen: If the salesman have to place an order C.O.D. when the truck arrives, its living day to day.

I remember when the country kind of went on a health kick (in the sense), wine coolers became popular with the kids & adults instead of beer, booze was fading quick as the men from the 40's and 50's drinkers were slowing up,and then when age limit went from 18 to 21, it really kick the booze business in the pants.

Bars needed to get a theme to them to help drive their attendance, so "Sports bars with big BIG TVs drew crowds and still do", or food had to be offered, the old mainstays from the past usually fades out with those headaches listed above by you. Some old places in Manhattan still draw like "McSorleys Ale House" and "Chaunceys-(a one time speak easy)" still get the old crowd as well as tourist. Of course if everyday was St Patricks Day, there would be millionaire bar owners around.
By the way, many bars in New York are now owned by a organization or conglomerate of people who will own 10-15 places, so if one fails, they close up and open another and never feel the pinch of private bar ownership.

Just to change the subject a little, got an email from the Boxing HOF in Cananstota, NY. THey send out emails from time to time and you can get on their email list by going to their website. Gaspar Ortega has been confirmed that he will be in attendance on Induction Day in June. They want to get as many welterweight Champs their as possible for this years events. Hagler coming in from France will be there too.

[CNorkusJr]

Self Portrait Of The Artist

Thats quite a job Roger, not an easy task to do.Great work !!

[Expug]

yeah, it sounds so good to be able to have a nice joint after successful ring career. A popular watering hole where fight fans can gather and pat you on the back,tell you they've seen you fight so and so,tell stories etc. But, I guess the reality is,bars are a pain in the dupa to run. Too many hassles,too many knuckleheads,too many hours among other headaches. Its the type of thing that sounds great but reality is a different animal....

No doubt Brian. My father told me during his salesman job that restaurants in New York area exist on average less than five years, and the majority of new bars even have less of a time span. You can tell a place is on its way out by the liqour salesmen: If the salesman have to place an order C.O.D. when the truck arrives, its living day to day.

I remember when the country kind of went on a health kick (in the sense), wine coolers became popular with the kids & adults instead of beer, booze was fading quick as the men from the 40's and 50's drinkers were slowing up,and then when age limit went from 18 to 21, it really kick the booze business in the pants.

Bars needed to get a theme to them to help drive their attendance, so "Sports bars with big BIG TVs drew crowds and still do", or food had to be offered, the old mainstays from the past usually fades out with those headaches listed above by you. Some old places in Manhattan still draw like "McSorleys Ale House" and "Chaunceys-(a one time speak easy)" still get the old crowd as well as tourist. Of course if everyday was St Patricks Day, there would be millionaire bar owners around.
By the way, many bars in New York are now owned by a organization or conglomerate of people who will own 10-15 places, so if one fails, they close up and open another and never feel the pinch of private bar ownership.

Just to change the subject a little, got an email from the Boxing HOF in Cananstota, NY. THey send out emails from time to time and you can get on their email list by going to their website. Gaspar Ortega has been confirmed that he will be in attendance on Induction Day in June. They want to get as many welterweight Champs their as possible for this years events. Hagler coming in from France will be there too.

Yes Charlie, its all "brass and fern" joints now when it comes to most of the bars around the country. As you mentioned, you gotta have a theme.
I went to McSorleys last season when we were playing in New York with one of our players.I love that place. What a history it has. Ive never seen a tavern like that anywhere. probably because its one of a kind.

[bennie]

CORRECTION

Prince Smalls will be fighting in Tijuana March 29th not March 22nd. Saw him spar today. He looks very sharp. Doesn't seem like a kid making his pro debut. Got to credit his dad,Tiger Smalls,for preparing him in the amatuers and getting him ready in the gym.

Tiger Smalls was linked to a fight with Scott Harrison over here a few years ago, so I started looking the guy up. Turns out Smalls featured in a magazine called "High Times". According to the feature, Smalls smoked marijuana several times a day and was pictured proudly holding a blunt (a cigarette where the tobacco is replaced by marijuana). He was quoted as saying that sparring while high is "like playing a video game."

[dagosd2000]

CORRECTION

Prince Smalls will be fighting in Tijuana March 29th not March 22nd. Saw him spar today. He looks very sharp. Doesn't seem like a kid making his pro debut. Got to credit his dad,Tiger Smalls,for preparing him in the amatuers and getting him ready in the gym.

Tiger Smalls was linked to a fight with Scott Harrison over here a few years ago, so I started looking the guy up. Turns out Smalls featured in a magazine called "High Times". According to the feature, Smalls smoked marijuana several times a day and was pictured proudly holding a blunt (a cigarette where the tobacco is replaced by marijuana). He was quoted as saying that sparring while high is "like playing a video game."

We'll see what happens. I noticed an Islamic tattoo on Tiger Smalls. He may have taken over a new leaf as far as drugs and alcohol(if that was an issue).The son seems very straight and polite.REDEMPTION!!!

[dagosd2000]

A New Face

"I don't even remember half of it,"said Burke stirring his coffee.
"By looking at the press clippings on the wall,it seems like you were living the high life,"I said.
Burke was sitting at the end of the bar checking last night's receipts. The scar tissue over his eyes was purplish. Hard to say how many times his nose had been broken.
"The high life. Yes,that's what it was. I'd spend it on booze and broads and blow the rest."
"Well at least you wound up with your own place,"I said.
"You remembered I tended bar here.When O'Riley wanted to sell it I went in on it with Shirley."
"You did OK."
"Did is more like it. The younger crowd goes to the bars at the beach. They don't want to drink with guys who were in Nam."
"That's funny. To think that the 60's were that long ago."
"Last night's receipts can show you that."
As usual during the day,there wasn't much action. On the weekends at night it would fill up,but it was not enough to make much profit.
"Some of my customers have passed away,"said Burke.
"Maybe you need to change the decor in here."
"I'm too tired to do that. I don't drink anymore. I come in to play darts and fool around with the poker machine."
"How's the Bay Hill Tavern doing next door? They 've been open now for a month."
"Not doing my place any wonders. The younger set goes there. The barmaids have big boobs and are young. Couldn't get that kind of help in here."
"I'm telling you,you need to put a new face on this place."
"I wouldn't like it.I wouldn't go next door on a bet. Not my style."
Burke put the receipts in a box.
"I don't even have a system to keep tabs on this joint. Next door they have a gadget that automatically measures the drinks and displays the price on the computer.'
"That's beyond me."
"Think how far that's beyond me? I don't even own a computer."
"Yeah,a new face would not be the same."
Burke laughed and turned to me pointing his finger at his face.
"See this mug. I've had it over 70 years. I wouldn't change it for nothing."



Burke Emery and me.