Classic American West Coast Boxing

[dagosd2000]

Roger- Alfred Hitchcock did direct a boxing movie called "The Ring" in 1927. I saw it on the Turner Classic Movie channel last year.

- Chuck Johnston

Chuck,I'll have to check it out.

[dagosd2000]

A Star Has Died

Last month it was Shirley Temple,today I saw the news that Mickey Rooney had died. Not many big name stars left from that Golden Age of cinema-the 30's. It's documented that the greatest fan base at one time during that era Shirley Temple and Mickey Rooney. With names like Gable,Tracy,and Garbo(and I can name a slew of others),it's hard to imagine two kids had more clout. But it was a time when the country,not to mention the world,was in bad times. There weren't the safety nets today like unemployment insurance and Social Security to help.So when a movie was just a dime,it was a heartwarming escape to see Andy Hardy or a little orphan girl stay positive about life. (But it was only a movie. They were doing pretty good in the pocketbook).But fantasy has a greater impact than reality in the media. I was a school teacher for 28 years. I knew all along that TV was the real teacher of kids.

Getting back to Mickey Rooney aka Andy Hardy. The young Judy Garland rose to stardom with that series also. Though Judy eventually went on with films and stage performances of the upper echelon,Mickey struggled to get Andy Hardy off his back. He was Andy Hardy,( between mostly minor productions) ,in the movies into the late 1950's.While Elvis was driving teenage girls hysterical.Mickey Rooney was,well,...who's Mickey Rooney to those baby boomers?

But Mickey Rooney knew his trade as well as any star previously or since. The guy could act. When Sir Laurence Olivier said that Rooney was as good as they get,rememberr it's not coming from Roger Esty

One of my favorite Rooney roles was the "Army",the cornerman who worked with Anthony Quinn's "Mountain River" in Rod Sterling's Requiem For A Heavyweight.Army poured his faith and caring for the pathetic and somewhat tragic Rivera.It's Army who's besides Mountain Rivera at the end when he made to understand that being a wrestler is going to keep his manager(Jackie Gleason.Another KO performance) from sleeping with the fish in the corrupt world of Gotham boxing.

Although Mickey Rooney may never have been a heavyweight or a mountain of a man in stature,he sure left us a ton of great memories from the screen.



Mick's pal,another legend, Judy Garland

[Chuck1052]

It is my understanding that Mickey Rooney made a very good living late in life performing in a live theatrical show called Sugar Babies with the great tap dancer, Ann Miller. This was after Mickey had some very serious problems financially and in his personal life. Mickey was one fine performer with great versatility and energy. I hope that Mickey's family and friends accept my condolences.

- Chuck Johnston

[dagosd2000]

Yesterday,Today,and Yesterday

So I'm watching the movie Yesterday,Today,and Tomorrow with Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni.The film was produced by Sophia Loren's husband, Carlo Ponti. The director, Vittorio DeSica. These four collaborated on a number of Italian films. It was like a family.Maybe it was. Sophia Loren is my favorite actress. I should say was my favorite. I don't think she'll make another movie. Well,I hope she doesn't.Not because she's old now,but I want to remember her yesterday. I like to look at her body of work. I like to look at her body. But there is something about her films,her Italian movies,especially that collaboration with her husband producing,DeSica directing ,and Mastroianni opposite. She's a woman.When I say woman, it's more than looks. A lot of girls have the looks. As far as looks, Sophia Loren was as good a looking a girl as there was.If a girl is goodlooking only,she's a girl. But Sophia Loren's soul...what she had inside. Her husband,Ponti,had difficulty describing it. He used words like"natural"."Inherent".The girl's ,I mean the woman's,secret was that she wasn't acting.What you see is what she is. But trying to direct an Italian to act is like trying to direct a shark to eat. Her delivery was a lead pipe cinch. Sorry all you Italian directors. Directing Italians is like directing the sharks how to eat their dinner.

Sophia Loren,who attributed her success to spaghetti,I don't think was insulting her directors. Maybe her hokey American movies with leading males like Anthony Perkins,Cary Grant(I don't believe in Santa Claus anymore and I don't believe that Cary Grant was once her lover ),and even Clark Gable doesn't cut it with me. It was a wash with her too,uncomfortable,,but Ponti said she had to make movies with American leading males. She had to have at least a facial reference here stateside.

Sophia Loren will always be my favorite. I'll never get tired of watching her movies. As time moves on her films are distanced back in the archives,but in my mind,with entertainment absorbed with Lohans and Cyruses,Sophia Loren becomes the greater magnification of feminine embodiment. So I won't look to tomorrow. I'll continue watching her movies today .The past has them.It's like they live in a dream.


The Spaghetti Eater

[dagosd2000]

Alcoholics Unanimous

[dagosd2000]

He Could Have Been A Contender

I wasn't born yet when he fought,but I saw enough of him on film to know if he hadn't died during his prime he would have gone down as the greatest heavyweight fighter in the world. Part of his problem was that he wasn't handled properly. His trainer/manager really didn't know what to do with him.I think he was half crazy himself.

But getting back to the fighter. I'm sure you remember him.He fought in Europe.He never made it across the pod.If he had,he could have packed Yankee Stadium to the doors. The Brown Bomber would have been bombed on. He had the height,reach,and strength unmatched in the history of the sport.Tremendous power in both hands. The guy was a killer.The only thing he was short on was his footwork. I don't think he skipped rope much.But it didn't matter. However,what really was the coup de gras was the intimidation he exuded towards his opponent. It wasn't an act. He was the most intimidating fighter the world has ever seen.How many times did people run away from him?They were licked before it started. The guy made Sonny Liston look like Mary Poppins.

But it all came crashing down. He died in a fire. Later some people said that he really didn't die in that fire,but got married somewhere in Europe.Too bad.He was the best I ever saw. He would have been unbeatable today.But they say dames can ruin a fighter.

I titled this story"He Could Have Been A Contender." That sounded good because of that line in "On The Waterfront ",but he would have easily taken the crown and not relinquished it until he'd had enough. I'd give you his name,but I don't think he had one. Funny.I guess they never got around to putting a moniker on him. But that's a mute point. You all know who I'm talking about.

[dagosd2000]

A Face In The Crowd

Back when I was first roaming the forum posting my stories and images of my artwork,someone asked what fighter inspired me the most when it came to picking up a brush. Without a hesitation ,I responded,Joe Louis. I don't know if Joe Louis was aware of it,but his face was one of the most interesting studies for an artist to try to capture on canvas and film. Sculpture was also medium that hands tried to mold his likeness into something deserving of honor.You had to take that challenge seriously.

I doubt if Joe Louis thought much of why people wanted to replicate his image. If he thought it was because he was the heavyweight champion of the world,he was off the mark a little. Of course if he wasn't the champ he wouldn't have had the exposure. No doubt being the champ did help. If he would have been a contender only,the face would not have been out there for everybody too see. But that ain't what happened. He was the best heavyweight for a long time during a monumental priod of our history and he was a part of it.

So what about that face. His face told his story. Not about his personal life,but about his demeanor. His humbleness. As sad as it seemed at times(and that's the way the artist wanted it.Don't ask him to smile),it was a paradox of emotion. On the surface, the lack of emotion made one's mind wonder. How could a man with such a relaxed expression,be such a devastating force inside the boxing ring? He looked so relaxed.It was like he was immune from outside forces.He couldn't be intentionally stimulated.

It would have been a dumb idea to ask him for a certain pose. I remember watching the film when he came back from finally catching up with Billy Conn in their first fight. After that last right hand put the Irishman down for ten,Joe walked back to his corner like nothing had happened. Oh,they say that they told him not celebrate in the ring after a victory,but they didn't have to coach him on that point. When Marciano came into Joe's dressing room and was crying after knocking out Joe through the ropes,Louis told Rocky that he shouldn't be crying for him. It was all right. He was OK.

I paint a lot of faces. I don't like painting landscapes and flowers. If I had to I'd find something else to do. When I look through the faces of pugs,I've put the paint on canvas to quite a few. Some pans are more interesting than others. But when I see Joe Louis my nose starts to tingle. The blood rushes.I'd shed a tear,but Joe would say that everything was all right."I'm OK." I don't care.Sometimes I cry anyway.

[MikeSchreckwins]

Far Away Places

"I see the Crimea voted to be a part of Russia,"said Ed the bartender watching the news on the television behind the bar.
"It was pretty one sided,"I said swirling the swizzle stick in the glass of club soda in front of me.
"You said 400,000 Ukrainians fought Hitler in World War II."
"That's right."
"So why do the people in Crimea want to be a part of Russia?"
"Because they're Russian. Not Ukrainian."
"So Klitschko is a Ukrainian?"
"Yes."
"And so what was their beef?"
"They thought their president was going to make a financial deal with Russia."
"So?"
"The Ukraines want to be a part of Western Europe."
I was trying to make it as simple as I could to Ed.
"What's the difference?"
"The European banks want to get their grips into the Ukraine. They want it to be one big happy family."
I was beginning to doubt if I could get my point across.
"So why don't the people in Crimesa want to go along?"
"They don't trust Western Europe."
"Why should they trust Russia?"
"They think there are less strings attached with a Soviet loan. And besides,the people in the Crimea are mostly Russian."
"Russian.Ukrainian. What's the difference?"
Ed picked up the remote and started flipping the channels.
"Ed ,did you ever wonder why the Klitschkos like to fight in Germany?"
"Never gave it much thought."
"Ukrainians hate Russians more than Germans."
"Didn't Hitler kill a lot of Russians in the war?"
"Over ten million."
"It's not clear to me,"he said putting down the remote.
There was a college basketball game on.
"Try to put it this way. In the Civil War,the South wanted to be their own country."
"Yeah."
"Well ,Lincoln wouldn't let them do it."
"So that's what's going on over there that's like the Civil War?"
"Well the South didn't want to be a part of the Union.So the North invaded the South. And the U.S. is saying that the Russians shouldn't have gone into the Crimea."
"Why?"
"Because the new Ukrainian government is going to make it harder on the Russians who live there."
"Where?"
"In the Crimea."
"So who's right on all this?"
"All I know is that they should figure it out.I ain't no Russian and I ain't no Ukrainian."
Ed turned up the volume with the remote.
"Do you want to watch basketball or do you want me to put it back on the news?asked Ed.
"Leave it on the game.I've got more in stake with a basketball game than I do with two screwed up countries half way around the world."

The media doesn't give you both sides of the argument. Only the side the Govt. wants you to hear.
Best thing to do is have a barbeque and forget about it. Nothing you can do.

[scartissue]

He Could Have Been A Contender

I wasn't born yet when he fought,but I saw enough of him on film to know if he hadn't died during his prime he would have gone down as the greatest heavyweight fighter in the world. Part of his problem was that he wasn't handled properly. His trainer/manager really didn't know what to do with him.I think he was half crazy himself.

But getting back to the fighter. I'm sure you remember him.He fought in Europe.He never made it across the pod.If he had,he could have packed Yankee Stadium to the doors. The Brown Bomber would have been bombed on. He had the height,reach,and strength unmatched in the history of the sport.Tremendous power in both hands. The guy was a killer.The only thing he was short on was his footwork. I don't think he skipped rope much.But it didn't matter. However,what really was the coup de gras was the intimidation he exuded towards his opponent. It wasn't an act. He was the most intimidating fighter the world has ever seen.How many times did people run away from him?They were licked before it started. The guy made Sonny Liston look like Mary Poppins.

But it all came crashing down. He died in a fire. Later some people said that he really didn't die in that fire,but got married somewhere in Europe.Too bad.He was the best I ever saw. He would have been unbeatable today.But they say dames can ruin a fighter.

I titled this story"He Could Have Been A Contender." That sounded good because of that line in "On The Waterfront ",but he would have easily taken the crown and not relinquished it until he'd had enough. I'd give you his name,but I don't think he had one. Funny.I guess they never got around to putting a moniker on him. But that's a mute point. You all know who I'm talking about.

"A mute point" That is too funny, Rog. Seriously though, don't think Frankie would have made it over here. I believe the dude had a serious issue with cuts. I understand he had more stitches sewn into him then Henry Cooper and Chuck Wepner combined.

[dagosd2000]

Frank Knew...And So Did Everyone Else

It always cracks me up to read how some guys gets on a blog site and bum raps an athlete who's in the Hall Of Fame.The other day a friend of mine showed me a response on a baseball forum by some jerk who countered my friend's opinion that Derek Jeter was an all time New York Yankee great. This bozo got upset and said that Jeter couldn't be compared with the likes of a Mantle or Gehrig because he was only "a singles hitter." Well if you dig hard enough I guess there's a whisper of credence with that. But to make a crusade of that is stupid.

I see that stuff all the time on Boxrec. Muhammad Ali, with some posters, couldn't hold Larry Holmes jockstrap. Some Walter Mitty out there in cyberspace going on a rant at three in the morning on how Muhammad Ali was overrated. Get a life.

The point is that you don't see a guy,let's say Larry Holmes,crashing in on a thread trying his damnest to convince the world that Ali(or any fighter) was a bum. Athletes amongst their peers aren't so small.The same holds true for artists.

Frank Sinatra was certainly full of himself,but you never heard him speak unkindly of another singer similar of style. He thought Ella and Tony and Dean were tops. It's documented. But like the case can be made that Ali really was "The Greatest",the same accusation can be said of Luciano Pavoratti. The big fellow,like his paisan Sinatra,was absolutely full himself...and a lot of pasta.Luciano also knew how to sell himself with a greater audience. He was one of the first opera singers to perform and record extensively with pop artists. Not only was it good for business,but it got to show anyone who could carry a tune who was really "The Greatest." The big guy would be on stage with,let's say,Crosby ,Stills,and Nash and he'd let them do their thing first. Then,like Ali entering the ring,he was ready to blow the house down.The giant body in full beard, decked out in his tuxedo,he'd let loose with the lyrics of a pop tune that was made famous by someone other than himself. Pavoratti was a force unequaled in the vocal world. The Beatles Generation and Rock and Rollers who appeared with him would cross their arms and lean back on the stage when Pavoratti began to sing his magic.They knew then who was boss.(Like Jake LaMotta pacing in the dressing room in Raging Bull)

I remember when Pavoratti sang at the Hollywood Bowl in front a sell out crowd.Frank Sinatra and his family were sitting front row. Luciano ,before he went into Puccini,sang a medley of Frank's hits. The reactions of the Sinatra's,especially Ol' Blue Eyes,were like the crazed bobbysoxers of the forties.They also knew who had the best pipes on the block.

They once asked Pavoratti what genre of the song he liked the best. The big Italian,who never responded too seriously in front of a camera,settled down on this question. With straightforward eyes he dug in and said,"I am a op er a singer. This is first. I sing the op er a more than anything else. Next, I sing classical songs with the piano. Then I'll sing op er a arias.Last I sing with the pop singer.He wanted everyone to get that straight. What he also wanted to get straight was to let his fellow operatic vocalists know that he thought of them as being equals...well almost.


http://youtu.be/rpxXlhTP8os

Che Gelida Manina-- Puccini

[dagosd2000]

Judgment

Rereading Jack Johnson's autobiography, first published in 1927, there is a foreword by Ed. W. Smith the widely known sports critic and referee of his day. He quotes:"Johnson's ring work always has presented the highest in the artisanship of his craft. Always a past master of defensive work and positively uncanny in his judgment of what the other fellow is about to do..."

I've always liked that assessment when prioritizing a list of the greatest fighters in the annals. The word "judgment" is the key. Having that ability to see what the opponent has in store . That's a huge advantage in the ring. Of course the fighter has to have some skills to counter what the other guy has mapped out.But to be able to stay a step ahead of the other guy puts the mental strain on the other guy .It can frustrate the hell out of him.

It's an advantage that's learned over time.The great ones pick it up naturally,more quickly. The lesser fighters take their lumps. The tomato cans take their beatings.Recently ,I saw an interview with Roberto Duran. He said,very seriously,that he could see what was going on with his opponent inside the ring. Ali had that vision. Of course Ray Robinson.Two Southland fights about this topic of 'judgment" come to my mind. One was the Armando Muniz/Emile Griffith fight. Emile was nearing the close of his great times in the ring and Muniz was in his prime little" toro" mode. But Griffith played,maybe not the matador,but cat and mouse with Mando.At the end of ten,Muniz was at his wits end. The other fight(actually two fights that were copies),Jose Napoles and Indian Red.The older Lopez was an ornery fighter who manhandled Hedgemon Lewis,but when it came to roughing up Napoles,Jose spread out Ernie like soft butter on a slice of bread. Jose was relaxed and in control the whole way. He saw the tight Lopez straining to get at him,but Jose finished him off both times with that easy going kind of herky jerky style of his.Jose saw everything.Glasses couldn't have helped Ernie.

Henry Armstrong ,as much of a human dynamo as he was,played into the hands of Fritzie Zivic. It was Armstrong who ,like his nickname signified,took a hammerin' from Zivic's uppercuts. Both fights were similar. Zivic,who was considered one of the craftiest fighters(and a little dirty),saw what Armstrong had to offer with his perpetual motion and "judged" Armstrong into ceding his crown with blows from underneath.

Do boxing historians rank Zivic a greater fighter than Armstrong? No they do not. But was Zivic a better fighter than Armstrong?Yes he was.They say styles make for interesting matchups.Also it's good to know what the opponent has to bring to the table before he hits you with the kitchen sink.


Lil' Arthur. The great Jack Johnson

[Chuck1052]

During the 1970s, Jim Healy worked alone while doing the play-by-play on boxing telecasts at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Like many British sports play-by-play announcers on television at the time, Healy talked relatively little, letting the television audience make up their own minds about what they saw. Don Dunphy was another American play-by-play announcer who said relatively little on boxing telecasts.

While I thought that Healy was competent while doing play-by-play on boxing telecasts, it was also my feeling that he was really in his element while doing his daily fifteen-minute radio sports shows late in the afternoon from Monday to Friday each week. For his very fast-paced, informative radio shows, Healy seemed completely transformed and talked constantly in a very rapid manner while delivering very short segments of sports news, gossip and very strong personal opinions. Each segment usually lasted only a few seconds. The recorded sound of a telegraph key in action came just before each segment much of the time. But Healy also used certain very small sound clips of laughter or comments before and after many segments.

The telegraph key sound clip seemed to be the most used one by Healy on his radio show. But the second most-used clip was of the very distinctive laugh of a baseball manager named Norm Sherry. Healy would usually use the clip of Sherry's laugh at the end of a funny comment or segment. Other memorable sound clips used on Healy's radio show included heavily censored comments of the Los Angeles Dodgers manager, Tommy Lasorda, about the performance of Dave Kingman and the playing ability of Kurt Bevacqua; a recording of Earl Schieb, the owner of a huge car painting chain, saying in his very distinctive voice, "Rrriiight!"; a recording of Willie Nelson singing "Georgia" whenever Healy had a comment about the then-Rams owner, Georgia Frontiere; and a recording of the song, "As Time Goes By" whenever the subject of sports figures' love lives came up.

When it came to sports in general, Healy was very knowledgeable and seemly had an incredible number of anonymous sources in the days before the internet. He apparently borrowed heavily from Walter Winchell, the famous gossip columnist who had a very popular radio show, when it came to developing his own radio show. For someone who did boxing telecasts from the Olympic Audiutorium on a weeky basis, Healy devoted surprisingly little time to boxing on his radio shows.

I seriously doubt if I described Healy's radio show adequately. If you have a chance to listen to a recording of the show, don't turn it down.

- Chuck Johnston

[dagosd2000]

Customary

I remember going to the big fights in Tijuana back in that era of the 60's and 70's when it was quite common to see Mexican legands like Napoles,Olivares,and Saldivar take on opponents. The two big venues were the Municipal Auditorium,which is still very active showcasing boxing and wrestling matches,and the old downtown bullring,which was torn down because it was determined to be structurally unsafe. Today,if a fight warrants a big crowd,the venue could be at the Bullring By The Sea which is located in Playas De Tijuana or at the Caliente Racetrack. There aren't any important fights in Tijuana anymore. Mexican fighters with potential will eventually gain their recognition across the border(often at the numerous Indian reservations0,and if a championship bout is in order,the big arenas in the Southwest,Texas,and Las Vegas will be apropos.

But back in the day in TJ of no pay TV the fighters had to rely drawing their salaries from the handle at the turnstiles.But back then the fights were more electric.They were simbionic events of aficianados who felt closer,and in a way,part of the action. On hot summer nights sitting on the rickety bleachers of the downtown bullring stick in my mind. Where in the afternoon the bull would receive his blood bathed death collapsing on the dirt, and then having his carcass dragged off to the meat market,(later to be quartered for consumption at the orphanages)it was in the night that the human beings would try to be each the matador.

I never saw a stinker at that old landmark,the downtown bullring. God forbid if a fighter would commit a sacrilege by not wanting to bare his manhood inside the ring. He wouldn't leave the premises alive,or at least get pummeled with bottles and chairs from arena floor.I remember a few knives being hurled.

Before the first gong of the night,the aficianados(a casual observer wouldn't dare set foot inside)would work themselves up into hysteria with a combination of native rituals. The agave juices and brewed hops fueled the crowd who felt entitled to see a fight to the death,if it were all possible. Perhaps the inebriation could transform their anticipations into hoping for a demise on the canvas.But instead of the fallen being carted to the slaughter house,he would be revered for as being a mortal Spartacus,even a saint perhaps.A tragedy higher than anything Shakespeare could think up.

Two prefight customs that come to mind were throwing around at ringside of a woman's blood soaked crotched underpants. I wouldn't use the word"panties" because the garments were big enough to fit woman the size of Andre the Giant. It was special if the soiled underclothing happened to be thrown at you and you could grab it from the desperate hands of competing hysterical fight fans,and then fling it with gusto at another one of the crazies. You could talk about that one in the cantina in the Coahuila afterwards.

Usually in syncopation with the underpants throwing was the tossing around of the dead rattlesnake. It was like handling the souvenir of the aftermath of a Roman Legion battle. Another coup. Look fellas.See what I've got.

I miss those days. the fights in TJ don't warrant that kind of enthusiasm anymore,or it seems. Today most of the main events are between women.But wait a minute. There might be something even more bizarre. Two female savages trying to kill each other.Who needs snakes and bloody underpants to feel fullfillment?



Jose Napoles

[dagosd2000]

In the Back Room

My father would bring me along all the time when he'd go into The Sports Palace on lower Market Street.My father wasn't a drinker so when he went in there it was to see Bob or his brother Charley.The brothers were a throwback to the Roaring 20's and were on the in on a lot of big happenings back then. Bob's back round was in the burlesque business. He owned the Hollywood Theater next door to his bar. It was the only burlesque house still running in the U.S. Charley was around the fight game and had a part of Jack Dempsey once. My father grew up around his father Diamond Joe in Chicago, and then all of his father's underlings like Capone and Sam Giancana. It was an era like the Wild West except the gangsters used Tommy Guns rather than Colt 45's and had names like Nitti and Siegal instead of Younger and James.

Johnston's joint was in a twilight of the good old days and the sun was setting pretty fast.Lower Market Street needed a coat of paint and the once elegant hotels were now home to the down and out. Yesterday's newspapers and empty wine bottles lined the curbsides.I remember one hazy afternoon my father invited me along to the Palace stepping over a few winos in the process.

Inside the front door was that big picture of Ike and Rocky Marciano enjoying a laugh. Next to that one was the picture of the famous Greek wrestler, Jim Londos. I think he was living in Oceanside just up the coast from San Diego. The inside of the bar was starting to wear,but it was a time when Bob knew the life of his saloon and the burlesque house would succumb to father time. His idea of entertaining was being ignored by the Rock an' Roll generation.

I heard Joe Foss playing a standard at the piano as we walked in. Joe bounced around the downtown watering holes wherever there was a piano and always had a following, although his fan base was either losing their hair more or it was turning gray. Some of his former fans were now hearing the harp being played.

My father walked up to the bar,I remember,and the barkeep jerked his head to the side.
"Joe,"he yammered,'Bob's in the back room. He's with Doc. He's expecting you."
"Get my son a Coke ,"said my father.
The bartender popped open a bottle of Coca Cola and handed it to me. I followed my father to the back room,Johnston's office.There was another man in the room.An old guy sitting at Bob's desk.
"How's it going Doc?"asked my father to the old man sitting at the desk wearing a sweater that looked as old as he was.The man's teeth were yellowed by tobacco and his hands were pocked with age spots.His eyes though didn't resemble the rest of him. They were clear and moving like they were transmitting everything they took in to be assessed by his brain.My father told me later that Doc was handling San Diego's Archie Moore who was the light heavywieht champ.
"Ok Joe.How 'bout yourself? Still on the phone to Chicago?"
"Yeah. I miss those times. Not many of those guys left."
I sat on a chair in the corner taking in the conversation between three people who were living in their memories.
"How's Bobbie doing Bob?"asked my father,
"She still struts out on that runway.Eddie's still telling the same jokes and Bobbie's still twirling the pasties."
Everyone got a chuckle out of that.My father then turned to me.
"Son,did you know that Doc here used to manage Jack Dempsey?"
"Really?"
I didn't know what to say.
"Doc,"my father went on,"You did pretty well with him."
"Before he got sore at me,we both made a lot of money,"said the old man.
"They still don't believe you loaded his gloves in Toledo."
"Dempsey was like Ruth. An idol of his times. The fans are in denial about that glove episode. I was always a shady character."
"Ever talk to Dempsey again?"
"No. It's all in the past."
Doc opened a pack of smokes.
"Remember that movie The Prize Fighter And the Lady?" asked Doc as he pulled a cigarette from the pack and lit it.
"The one with Max Baer,"said Bob.
"And Myrna Loy,"added my father.
"Remember the part just before Baer in the movie was going to fight Carnera and the ring announcer introduced Dempsey and Willard into the ring to the crowd?"
"Vaguely,"answered my father.
"Nest time you see that movie and it comes to that part lookook at Dempsey as he Willard shakes his hand. Dempsey can't even look at him. His face is down looking away from Willard."
"I guess Dempsey knew,"said my father.
"Willard did too. You know I had Jack jump out of the ring after the first round .I thought it was over.I wanted to collect my side bet. Jack took off his gloves and tossed the evidence away."
"But didn't they make him get back in the ring?"asked my father.
"That big farm boy wanted to go on so Jack had to lace them up again. It went another round before they threw in the towel.
But you know Dempsey couldn't floor Jess again after that first round."
"Maybe Dempsey wouldn't haven't won the title if you hadn't have loaded his gloves,"exclaimed Bob.
"Gentlemen,"said Doc after exhaling his cigarette smiling,"It wasn't the first time."



The Manassa Mauler,Jack Dempsey

[dagosd2000]

The Celluloid Life

"No sports on TV?"I asked Ed the bartender.
Champs in the afternoon was always pretty empty especially during the week.
"Only if you're interested in watching the World Series of Poker,"answered the bartender as he was washing some glasses.
"They shouldn't put that on ESPN. Poker is not a sport."
"I'd rather watch a crap game,"said Ed laughing.
Ed drew a draft and put it on a coaster in front of me.
"So what's that old movie you're watching?"
"The Harder They Fall."
"That was one of Bogey's last movies.He's plays a sport's writer.He gets strung along by the guy's manager to 'build up' this big Argentinian up to be a contender,"I said.
"So you know the story,"said Ed turning up the volume.
"I think Max Baer and Jersey Joe Walcott are in this one."
"Yeah.Baer plays the champ that this Toro stiff,'the up and coming guy', is going to fight for the championship and Jersey Joe is this patsy's trainer."
"Isn't Rod Steiger the manager?"
"Yeah.It's a pretty good movie."
A couple of customers walked in and took seats at the front door. Ed went over to take their orders. I started to watch rthe movie. It was about half way through. I'd seen it before a few times. I'd always watch it if it was on. I liked seeing Baer and Walcott. What they looked like after their fighting days . After Ed served the two customers he walked back and we watched the film together.
"Max Baer sure looked old and out of shape in this movie,"said Ed.
"They must have told him that he needed to look like he was somewhat in fighting shape,but I know what you're saying. He looked worn out."
"I think he died of a heart attack a few years later."
"He wasn't 60 years old when he died."
"Walcott is showing his age also,"said Ed.
The scene we were watching is where Bogart is trying to convince this Toro stiff that he's a really a bum and all his fights leading up to his championship fight have been fixed.Toro ain't buying it,but gets knocked out by Baer and to make a long story short, goes back to Argentina with 64 bucks in his pocket. We watched the end of the movie not saying a word to each other.
"Do you think it was like that?"asked Ed.
"It was like that,but I don't think people talked that way in real life."
"What do you mean?"
"Remember,this is Hollywood. These guys are all actors."
"Everyone except Baer and Walcott,"said Ed refilling my glass.
"But I don't think they ever won an Academy Award."
"That's for sure."
"You got to be an actor to get one of them prizes."


Humphrey Bogart

[El Gallo]

Dan Hanley's latest, Gaspar "El Indio" Ortega . . .

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/blog/?p=20159

[El Gallo]

During the 1970s, Jim Healy worked alone while doing the play-by-play on boxing telecasts at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Like many British sports play-by-play announcers on television at the time, Healy talked relatively little, letting the television audience make up their own minds about what they saw. Don Dunphy was another American play-by-play announcer who said relatively little on boxing telecasts.

While I thought that Healy was competent while doing play-by-play on boxing telecasts, it was also my feeling that he was really in his element while doing his daily fifteen-minute radio sports shows late in the afternoon from Monday to Friday each week. For his very fast-paced, informative radio shows, Healy seemed completely transformed and talked constantly in a very rapid manner while delivering very short segments of sports news, gossip and very strong personal opinions. Each segment usually lasted only a few seconds. The recorded sound of a telegraph key in action came just before each segment much of the time. But Healy also used certain very small sound clips of laughter or comments before and after many segments.

The telegraph key sound clip seemed to be the most used one by Healy on his radio show. But the second most-used clip was of the very distinctive laugh of a baseball manager named Norm Sherry. Healy would usually use the clip of Sherry's laugh at the end of a funny comment or segment. Other memorable sound clips used on Healy's radio show included heavily censored comments of the Los Angeles Dodgers manager, Tommy Lasorda, about the performance of Dave Kingman and the playing ability of Kurt Bevacqua; a recording of Earl Schieb, the owner of a huge car painting chain, saying in his very distinctive voice, "Rrriiight!"; a recording of Willie Nelson singing "Georgia" whenever Healy had a comment about the then-Rams owner, Georgia Frontiere; and a recording of the song, "As Time Goes By" whenever the subject of sports figures' love lives came up.

When it came to sports in general, Healy was very knowledgeable and seemly had an incredible number of anonymous sources in the days before the internet. He apparently borrowed heavily from Walter Winchell, the famous gossip columnist who had a very popular radio show, when it came to developing his own radio show. For someone who did boxing telecasts from the Olympic Audiutorium on a weeky basis, Healy devoted surprisingly little time to boxing on his radio shows.

I seriously doubt if I described Healy's radio show adequately. If you have a chance to listen to a recording of the show, don't turn it down.

- Chuck Johnston

I agree, Chuck. Jim Healy had an engaging style and was fun, but he really was not a boxing man. The best ever at the Olympic was the duo of Dick Enberg & matchmaker Mickey Davies. Tom Harmon & Tom Kelly did well for KTLA Ch-5, as well. Healy came on when the Olympic went from KTLA to KTTV Ch-13.

[dagosd2000]

Dan Hanley's latest, Gaspar "El Indio" Ortega . . .

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/blog/?p=20159

Dan,I asked Ortega in 2009 when was the last time he was back in TJ. Then he said it was 10 years. He said there was nothing there for him anymore. There's an old gym in a park just on the other side of the fence on the Mexican side named Indio Ortega Gym painted on the outside. I wrote a story sometime back about how I stumbled upon it one afternoon. The gym is abandoned and there's graffiti all over it.There's an old ballpark there too. It used to be home before World War II for a Japanese semi pro team.It looked like this facility was also given up.The infield choked with weeds and the bleachers falling apart.When I was a teenager I played a baseball game there against a team from the Tijuana Fire Department. The main thing that I think the park is used for now is the hypes come around at night and shoot up. Needles are strewn all over the place.

Gaspar was right.Nothing for him to go back to TJ.

[dagosd2000]

During the 1970s, Jim Healy worked alone while doing the play-by-play on boxing telecasts at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Like many British sports play-by-play announcers on television at the time, Healy talked relatively little, letting the television audience make up their own minds about what they saw. Don Dunphy was another American play-by-play announcer who said relatively little on boxing telecasts.

While I thought that Healy was competent while doing play-by-play on boxing telecasts, it was also my feeling that he was really in his element while doing his daily fifteen-minute radio sports shows late in the afternoon from Monday to Friday each week. For his very fast-paced, informative radio shows, Healy seemed completely transformed and talked constantly in a very rapid manner while delivering very short segments of sports news, gossip and very strong personal opinions. Each segment usually lasted only a few seconds. The recorded sound of a telegraph key in action came just before each segment much of the time. But Healy also used certain very small sound clips of laughter or comments before and after many segments.

The telegraph key sound clip seemed to be the most used one by Healy on his radio show. But the second most-used clip was of the very distinctive laugh of a baseball manager named Norm Sherry. Healy would usually use the clip of Sherry's laugh at the end of a funny comment or segment. Other memorable sound clips used on Healy's radio show included heavily censored comments of the Los Angeles Dodgers manager, Tommy Lasorda, about the performance of Dave Kingman and the playing ability of Kurt Bevacqua; a recording of Earl Schieb, the owner of a huge car painting chain, saying in his very distinctive voice, "Rrriiight!"; a recording of Willie Nelson singing "Georgia" whenever Healy had a comment about the then-Rams owner, Georgia Frontiere; and a recording of the song, "As Time Goes By" whenever the subject of sports figures' love lives came up.

When it came to sports in general, Healy was very knowledgeable and seemly had an incredible number of anonymous sources in the days before the internet. He apparently borrowed heavily from Walter Winchell, the famous gossip columnist who had a very popular radio show, when it came to developing his own radio show. For someone who did boxing telecasts from the Olympic Audiutorium on a weeky basis, Healy devoted surprisingly little time to boxing on his radio shows.

I seriously doubt if I described Healy's radio show adequately. If you have a chance to listen to a recording of the show, don't turn it down.

- Chuck Johnston

I agree, Chuck. Jim Healy had an engaging style and was fun, but he really was not a boxing man. The best ever at the Olympic was the duo of Dick Enberg & matchmaker Mickey Davies. Tom Harmon & Tom Kelly did well for KTLA Ch-5, as well. Healy came on when the Olympic went from KTLA to KTTV Ch-13.

I agree Rick. Healy wasn't a boxing man,but he was sort of a character. I remember how he and Harry Kabakoff would get into it on the air.I also remember how he was doing an interview with Jerry Quarry and Deacon Jones on television.Jerry was just coming off a beating from Joe Frazier. Jones had just finished 2nd in the MVP voting for best player in pro football.I mentioned this before on the thread when Jones alluded to the idea that if he wanted to be a fighter he could be the champ because he had so much confidence . He more or less told Quarry that he lacked this kind of determination.Next thing you know the Irishman is hovering over the Deacon,fists clenched and telling him that he's going to kick his ass. Healy then broke to a commercial. When the show resumed the Deacon had left the building.

Engberg didn't know much about boxing either. He was just breaking into broadcasting and was doing the fights from the Olympic with Mickey Davies. After a season of broadcasting the fights,Davies asked him which fighter impressed him the most.I was guessing he'd say Mando Ramos or Ruben Navarro. Answer: Manny Lugo. The guy who threw punches with both hands at the same time! Not much of a fighter,but he got a lot of laughs.

I remember the broadcast of Ali's second fight with Jerry Quarry in Las Vegas. Tom Harmon was one of the announcers. All through the fight he's calling Ali "Clay". After the fight Harmon climbs into the ring for an interview with Ali and says,"Nice fight champ."

[dagosd2000]

Baby

I unwind when I go to the gym with my grandson Adam. I watch him workout in Tiger Small's class. It's full up with a mix of people who break plenty of sweat under the direction of Mr. Smalls. Tiger knows he doesn't have a potential contender with this lot,but the group is a happy group because Tiger doesn't stress upon them any demands beyond their capabilities.While I watch the goings on I often sit beside Tiger's 14 year old daughter. I ask her how school is going and life in general.I tell her about how it was when I was her age and try to point out the differences and contrasts.Being a former teacher,I feel I'm giving another lesson. We get along very amiably.

Once in a while though I'll get up and walk to one of the boxing rings and watch some of the more dedicated get down to business. I wouldn't say the gym is a Mecca for the cream of the crop of local pugilists.(There aren't that many in the first place). To tell the truth I couldn't name a gym in the area for that kind of talent. (Maybe the Crea Gimnasio in TJ).There's one fighter I like to watch though. A black guy,lean and wiry.Looks like he's been at it for a while. He knows what he's doing in there and he goes at it pretty good when he can find a comparable sparring partner. Outside the ropes he's quiet and polite. His wife sits with their baby,who's inside a carriage, waiting for him to finish training.He's sweaty and tired when he climbs down from the ring.He pulls on an old sweater and crams his gear into his bag. Then he walks out the gym,not before having a few friendly words with everyone in his path, going out the door. Both him and his wife are nice people.Quiet. Their baby is very quiet too.I've never heard the baby cry. Sometimes I'll look at the baby in his carriage. The baby is either sleeping or just staring up at his mother. Sometimes she holds him. Maybe the baby feels like I do inside the gym. A place where people come to fight has the irony of having an atmosphere of serenity. I know I get that feeling there. But how can a baby realize something like that? But babies are instinctual.They're in touch with their feelings more than any other time in life.Here's another analogy. A gym can be maternal in a way. Like regressing back to the womb. But that's stretching it a bit.But I bet if that baby could talk I wouldn't get an argument.


Another babe(y). Babe Didrikson

[El Gallo]

During the 1970s, Jim Healy worked alone while doing the play-by-play on boxing telecasts at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Like many British sports play-by-play announcers on television at the time, Healy talked relatively little, letting the television audience make up their own minds about what they saw. Don Dunphy was another American play-by-play announcer who said relatively little on boxing telecasts.

While I thought that Healy was competent while doing play-by-play on boxing telecasts, it was also my feeling that he was really in his element while doing his daily fifteen-minute radio sports shows late in the afternoon from Monday to Friday each week. For his very fast-paced, informative radio shows, Healy seemed completely transformed and talked constantly in a very rapid manner while delivering very short segments of sports news, gossip and very strong personal opinions. Each segment usually lasted only a few seconds. The recorded sound of a telegraph key in action came just before each segment much of the time. But Healy also used certain very small sound clips of laughter or comments before and after many segments.

The telegraph key sound clip seemed to be the most used one by Healy on his radio show. But the second most-used clip was of the very distinctive laugh of a baseball manager named Norm Sherry. Healy would usually use the clip of Sherry's laugh at the end of a funny comment or segment. Other memorable sound clips used on Healy's radio show included heavily censored comments of the Los Angeles Dodgers manager, Tommy Lasorda, about the performance of Dave Kingman and the playing ability of Kurt Bevacqua; a recording of Earl Schieb, the owner of a huge car painting chain, saying in his very distinctive voice, "Rrriiight!"; a recording of Willie Nelson singing "Georgia" whenever Healy had a comment about the then-Rams owner, Georgia Frontiere; and a recording of the song, "As Time Goes By" whenever the subject of sports figures' love lives came up.

When it came to sports in general, Healy was very knowledgeable and seemly had an incredible number of anonymous sources in the days before the internet. He apparently borrowed heavily from Walter Winchell, the famous gossip columnist who had a very popular radio show, when it came to developing his own radio show. For someone who did boxing telecasts from the Olympic Audiutorium on a weeky basis, Healy devoted surprisingly little time to boxing on his radio shows.

I seriously doubt if I described Healy's radio show adequately. If you have a chance to listen to a recording of the show, don't turn it down.

- Chuck Johnston

I agree, Chuck. Jim Healy had an engaging style and was fun, but he really was not a boxing man. The best ever at the Olympic was the duo of Dick Enberg & matchmaker Mickey Davies. Tom Harmon & Tom Kelly did well for KTLA Ch-5, as well. Healy came on when the Olympic went from KTLA to KTTV Ch-13.

I agree Rick. Healy wasn't a boxing man,but he was sort of a character. I remember how he and Harry Kabakoff would get into it on the air.I also remember how he was doing an interview with Jerry Quarry and Deacon Jones on television.Jerry was just coming off a beating from Joe Frazier. Jones had just finished 2nd in the MVP voting for best player in pro football.I mentioned this before on the thread when Jones alluded to the idea that if he wanted to be a fighter he could be the champ because he had so much confidence . He more or less told Quarry that he lacked this kind of determination.Next thing you know the Irishman is hovering over the Deacon,fists clenched and telling him that he's going to kick his ass. Healy then broke to a commercial. When the show resumed the Deacon had left the building.

Engberg didn't know much about boxing either. He was just breaking into broadcasting and was doing the fights from the Olympic with Mickey Davies. After a season of broadcasting the fights,Davies asked him which fighter impressed him the most.I was guessing he'd say Mando Ramos or Ruben Navarro. Answer: Manny Lugo. The guy who threw punches with both hands at the same time! Not much of a fighter,but he got a lot of laughs.

I remember the broadcast of Ali's second fight with Jerry Quarry in Las Vegas. Tom Harmon was one of the announcers. All through the fight he's calling Ali "Clay". After the fight Harmon climbs into the ring for an interview with Ali and says,"Nice fight champ."

[dagosd2000]

The Impresario

To hear Jack Johnson explain it ,he threw the fight against Willard in Havana because the deal was that if he laid down he'd get to cross back into the U.S. and not go to prison.Also the emphasis was that Jack grieved to see his mother. In his autobiography he wrote in '27 he said that the government doulble crossed him and back off on the amnesty part. Jack wished he hadn't fallen down in the 26th round.He could have whipped the Kansan with one hand tied behind his back. But I guess Johnson didn't want to go to jail as much as he wanted to see his mother again so he high tailed it back over to Europe pretending to be a bullfighter and world class fighter. He wasn't close to something world class in Europe nor was he anything like he was against Willard when he stepped into the ring against Jeff in Reno Nevada. The film at the Oriental Park Racetrack showed a champion who'd been living on his laurels.He was trying his darnest,but the heat and Jess Willard were too much to overcome.It was a tale that he tried to convince the world until he smashed up his car in North Carolina perishing in the process. He was speeding his way up to watch the 2nd Louis/Conn fight. When the Irishman lost he made no excuses.

A sidelight to that fight in the Caribbean always fascinated me. The boxing fans around the globe wanted to see Johnson fight in the Western Hemisphere,but the States was out of the question. There were promoters that had plenty of the green stuff to put something together with Jack and Jess,but a venue couldn't be nailed down. Then of all people a man on the run,who was once the most powerful figure in his country wanted to make the match. The guy's name was Pancho Villa. The revolutionist was cornered in the state of Chihuahua,but he wasn't cowering.He had the gold and the wanted to talk to the contestants. Johnson thought that that was the way it was going to come off. the fight would take place in Juarez,but Carranza was the president of Mexico and he had the muscle and was on the side of the gringos.(It was president Wilson who allowed Carranza's General Obregon to cross into the U.S. at Douglas Arizona circling behind Villa's army and unleashing a terrible blow to Pancho's Dorados at the Battle Of Agua Prieta).If Johnson was going to think he was going to defend his title in Mexico he'd have to disembark at Tampico or Vera Cruz.The federales would be waiting to put him in chains and bring to the border and be arrested by our government.

So Pancho lost his bid to be the next Tex Rickard Mexican style. Five years earlier it would have been no problema,but then Jack was still having his way with white fighters until the lawmakers decided the only way to squelch the whole thing was to bring Jack up on violating the ridiculous Mann Act(that was never enforced before)only Jack dressed up as a baseball player on a negro team and got across to Canada and then on a boat with a small entourage to Paris and other fun places.

But Pancho and Jack would have made a sportsmean's odd couple non papareil.A once illiterate peon boy enslaved on a hacienda and a black man whose lineage in the U.S. was marred by slavery could have put on the greatest show on Earth.Two men who came from nowhere deserved to have that moment.

[dagosd2000]

The Impresario

To hear Jack Johnson explain it ,he threw the fight against Willard in Havana because the deal was that if he laid down he'd get to cross back into the U.S. and not go to prison.Also the emphasis was that Jack grieved to see his mother.He wated to get back in the worse way. In his autobiography he wrote in '27 he said that the government double crossed him and backed off on the amnesty part. Jack wished he hadn't fallen down in the 26th round.He could have whipped the Kansan with one hand tied behind his back. But I guess Johnson didn't want to go to jail as much as he wanted to see his mother again so he high tailed it back over to Europe pretending to be a bullfighter and a world class fighter. He wasn't close to something world class inside the ring in Europe(as far as the bullfighting I think that pretty much bull poop.Now you don't have to edit me Boxrec) nor was he anything like he was against Jeff when he stepped into the ring against the strong farm boy at the horse oval . The film at the Oriental Park Racetrack showed a champion who'd been living on his laurels(and fried chicken and Cuba Libres).He was trying his darnest,but the heat and Jess Willard were too much to overcome.It was a tale that he tried to convince the world until he smashed up his car in North Carolina perishing in the process. He was speeding his way up to watch the 2nd Louis/Conn fight. When the Irishman lost he made no excuses.

A sidelight to that fight in the Caribbean always fascinated me. The boxing fans around the globe wanted to see Johnson fight in the Western Hemisphere,but the States was out of the question. There were promoters that had plenty of the green stuff to put something together with Jack and Jess,but a venue couldn't be nailed down. Then of all people a man on the run,who was once the most powerful figure in his country, wanted to make the match. The guy's name was Pancho Villa. The revolutionist was cornered in the state of Chihuahua,but he wasn't cowering.He had the gold and wanted to talk to the contestants. Johnson thought that that was the way it was going to come off. The fight would take place in Juarez,but Carranza was the president of Mexico and he had the muscle and was on the side of the gringos.(It was president Wilson,prior, who allowed Carranza's General Obregon to cross into the U.S. at Douglas Arizona circling behind Villa's army and unleashing a terrible blow to Pancho's Dorados at the Battle Of Agua Prieta).If Johnson was going to think he was going to defend his title in Mexico he'd have to disembark at Tampico or Vera Cruz.The federales would be waiting to put him in chains and bring to the border and be arrested by our government.

So Pancho lost his bid to be the next Tex Rickard Mexican style. Five years earlier it would have been no problema,but then Jack was still having his way with white fighters until the lawmakers decided the only way to squelch the whole thing was to bring Jack up on violating the ridiculous Mann Act(that was never enforced before)Only Jack dressed up as a baseball player on a negro team and got across to Canada and then on a boat with a small entourage to Paris and other fun places.

But Pancho and Jack would have made a sportsman's odd couple non papareil.A once illiterate peon boy enslaved on a hacienda and a black man whose lineage in the U.S. was marred by slavery could have put on the greatest show on Earth.Two men who came from nowhere deserved to have that moment.


Pancho Villa

[dagosd2000]

A Charming Little Path

"Mommy tells me that you've got a bank card,"I said to my grandson Adam.
"Yes abuelito.I need one for the work I'm doing",he said getting into the car.
Adam had finished his workout at the gym and now I know he wanted his six tacos from Jack In the Box.As we driving to Jack In The Box I was curious to find out what line of work Adam had gotten into.
"So what kind of job to you have Adam?"
"I edit videos for people on Youtube."
"What do you mean?"
"Well these people have videos and I edit them for them and then they post them on Youtube."
I was a little lost,but I tried to pursue a bit further.
"So can I see them on Youtube?"I asked.
"Sure .I'll write down the site."
I got out a paper and pen from the glove compartment and handed it to Adam. He began writing down the address.

After dropping Adam off I went home and got on the computer and found Youtube. I typed in the what was on the slip of paper:"GTA 5 Funny Moments." There was a bunch of "GTA 5 Funny Moments so I clicked on the first one. It was like one of those video games that have a car chase and a lot of shooting at people. I clicked off after several minutes. I didn't bother looking at any of the others. Adam told me later he was pulling down a hundred and fifty a month doing this editing and now that he had his debit card he was in line to make a lot more money. He said there's a group over in England that takes in a million a month with this editing.

I write on the Classic West Coast Boxing thread.I've been off and on for seven years. That's when Brian Higgins started if off with a post on Indian Red Lopez. There were about a dozen or so "regulars' who joined in. It was fun.We all got along pretty well.Then a guy came around who liked to "sand bag" me so I disappeared for a couple of years. When I came back,there were only a few left. A couple of new guys were on the thread,but I haven't seen them around lately.

I remember when it all began. We thought it was going to be testimonial to the old days of boxing. Something above the stale back and forth arguments on the other threads. Granted,there's just so much you can bring up that's fresh,but we would interject our thoughts on the culture of the Southland and its affect on the sport. We covered a lot of things.Music,food,the Latino thing with the sub cultures of Mexican and Chicano with the counters of other races White and Black.Throw in the rest of the Latin world and you had some pretty interesting stuff.But what made it especially interesting, with a bit of charm and poignancy, were the personal anecdotes of the people who saw and lived that era of Classic West Coast Boxing.

Now it seems like the thread is running out of steam. I don't care. I still like to write my stuff. It's an avenue for me.Perhaps with the lesser volume of contributors,I could call it a little lane. A charming little path. But it's been mostly a thread of a higher merit. The editors still keep high on their list. I appreciate that.

While I was looking at my grandson's edited videos,I was amazed by the volume of "hits" on these things. One had a million in three days for an example.Another had 5 million in three weeks. West Coast Boxing has been looked at about a half a million times in seven years. Not bad for a charming little path.


My grandson,Adam.6 years of age.

[scartissue]

A Charming Little Path

"Mommy tells me that you've got a bank card,"I said to my grandson Adam.
"Yes abuelito.I need one for the work I'm doing",he said getting into the car.
Adam had finished his workout at the gym and now I know he wanted his six tacos from Jack In the Box.As we driving to Jack In The Box I was curious to find out what line of work Adam had gotten into.
"So what kind of job to you have Adam?"
"I edit videos for people on Youtube."
"What do you mean?"
"Well these people have videos and I edit them for them and then they post them on Youtube."
I was a little lost,but I tried to pursue a bit further.
"So can I see them on Youtube?"I asked.
"Sure .I'll write down the site."
I got out a paper and pen from the glove compartment and handed it to Adam. He began writing down the address.

After dropping Adam off I went home and got on the computer and found Youtube. I typed in the what was on the slip of paper:"GTA 5 Funny Moments." There was a bunch of "GTA 5 Funny Moments so I clicked on the first one. It was like one of those video games that have a car chase and a lot of shooting at people. I clicked off after several minutes. I didn't bother looking at any of the others. Adam told me later he was pulling down a hundred and fifty a month doing this editing and now that he had his debit card he was in line to make a lot more money. He said there's a group over in England that takes in a million a month with this editing.

I write on the Classic West Coast Boxing thread.I've been off and on for seven years. That's when Brian Higgins started if off with a post on Indian Red Lopez. There were about a dozen or so "regulars' who joined in. It was fun.We all got along pretty well.Then a guy came around who liked to "sand bag" me so I disappeared for a couple of years. When I came back,there were only a few left. A couple of new guys were on the thread,but I haven't seen them around lately.

I remember when it all began. We thought it was going to be testimonial to the old days of boxing. Something above the stale back and forth arguments on the other threads. Granted,there's just so much you can bring up that's fresh,but we would interject our thoughts on the culture of the Southland and its affect on the sport. We covered a lot of things.Music,food,the Latino thing with the sub cultures of Mexican and Chicano with the counters of other races White and Black.Throw in the rest of the Latin world and you had some pretty interesting stuff.But what made it especially interesting, with a bit of charm and poignancy, were the personal anecdotes of the people who saw and lived that era of Classic West Coast Boxing.

Now it seems like the thread is running out of steam. I don't care. I still like to write my stuff. It's an avenue for me.Perhaps with the lesser volume of contributors,I could call it a little lane. A charming little path. But it's been mostly a thread of a higher merit. The editors still keep high on their list. I appreciate that.

While I was looking at my grandson's edited videos,I was amazed by the volume of "hits" on these things. One had a million in three days for an example.Another had 5 million in three weeks. West Coast Boxing has been looked at about a half a million times in seven years. Not bad for a charming little path.


My grandson,Adam.6 years of age.

Roger, I just love your stuff and never want to see it end. So, keep them coming.