Classic American West Coast Boxing

[L.A. kidd]

hey . guys I got the years wrong it was 1963, sorry, at my age sometimes looking back gets hazy.

[scartissue]

Kidd, that was a great story. You had me going right to the end wondering who he was in the ring with. I knew it wasn't going to be a clubfighter. I became enamored with west coast boxing app. a decade later. I'm in Chicago and we had a fledgling TV station just getting off the ground that subscribed to Boxing from the Forum and Boxing from the Olympic. Man, 2 nights a week I was immersed in Armando Muniz, Rodolfo Gonzalez, Halimi Gutierrez, et. etc. Been a die-hard since.

[L.A. kidd]

yeah scar, they were wonderful years. I was never a fighter. just a gym rat, I carried a lot of buckets.
I didn t want to fight. some people see the glory of the battles, me, I was the guy cleaning up the losers.

there were some great fighters in so cal, especially the lighter weights. I saw dick tiger at the Olympic he
was in raifu kings corner when he battled don Johnson. I was suprised how short he was. those lighter

weights were constantly in motion, I loved quarry. jerry that is, but what a puzzle as a fighter. he would
beat some of the top boys, and lose to bums like jimmy ellis. but, he could fight. I dont have much interest In fighters

today, give me the old Gilmore stadium, the el monte legion, the Olympic. you know the old butcher shops. the kind of
fighters whose hearts are as big as the stadiums.

[dagosd2000]

Take Me Out Of The Ball Game

I know some guys that think that fighting ain't that difficult a sport.It might look easy,but that conclusion might be the biggest misconception of the wanna be couch potato when he watches a fight on the tube.I've seen guys that master their particular sport,then want get up inside a ring, and find out real quick that they're in over their heads.I've seen guys walk off the street into a boxing gym thinking they can lick the world.Usually a trainer will throw him together with a one of the regulars to give him a look. After three minutes the walk in can't hold up his hands anymore and is chewing on his shredded lower lip. Often it's the bloody nose that breaks a newcomer's cherry.That's what happens to your beak when a 12 ounce glove jumps into your face for the first time.Welcome to the world of boxing.It's a humbling experience.

There's going to be a parallel to what I'm talking about when it comes to how an athlete can only make their actions seem free of pain only because they've spent endless hours honing their trade. This case in point is going to be validated when I share with you an experience I had with a fighter who used to mix it up on the undercards at the various venues in San Diego and Tijuana.His name was Benny Heron. I worked a short spell at the Navy Yard in National City pumping bilge water out of the ballasts of the mothball fleet docked at the pier. Benny was a stocky black guy who probably walked around putting up light heavy numbers in poundage. When he fought, he was 160 on the beam and fit.

Benny wasn't what you'd call a workaholic. The crew was a bunch of Mexicans and the lead man was also from TJ. Me,those guys knew my wife was Mexican and that I lived across the border,so I was a friend against outsiders so to speak.Benny,who was really black looking,couldn't fit in with the work crew,but looking back on it ,the feeling was mutual. So benny would find a nook in the ballast and sleep most of the day.Nobody said nothing though. I think it was because the Mexicans were either afraid of Benny or they thought he'd blow the whistle on them because they were all illegal.

One day Benny woke up from one of his naps and asked me if if I'd like to play on this all Black football team in Logan Heights.He told me that he had mentioned my name to the team and that some of the fellows had been teammates of mine at San Diego City College. I was up for it. Being the only cracker was jake with me. Besides,knowing some of those guys,I knew there'd be plenty of laughs.

Practice was at Ocean View Park in the ghetto. In fact the name of the team was "The Ghetto Messangers."I said I'd hook up with Benny at the park before the first practice session.When I arrived at the park I saw some familiar faces. The Petties brothers,whose older brother Neal played with the Baltimore Colts. And there was Humphrey"Hump" Covington who was the fullback in front of O.J. Simpson at USC. And then there was my future mentor teacher when I decided to became an educator,Henry "Downtown"Brown who also would lace them up from time to time at the Coliseum.He's gone know and I miss him terribly.

I was given a uniform,but I noticed that Benny was still in street clothes. I turned to him.
"Benny ,where's your uni?"
"Oh,"he said mubling,"I don't play."
"Why not?"
"My wife wants me around the house more."
Now I knew that wasn't on the level. I can't count the times we'd bust on down to TJ after work on a Friday and blow our pay in the streets of the Coahuila. Then we'd get back to San Diego late at night with a snoot fill and before dropping Benny off at his house,he'd tell me to stop at the gas station so he could wash off his dick before staggering in the door. He told me his wife would ask him to whip it out and give it the sniff test.So what was up with Benny not being on the team?

The players got into formation and we began practicing our plays.We had a pretty good squad. Lots of talent coming from a lot of experienced football players. But it wasn't long before I got an insight on why Benny was on the sidelines. We were running a passing drill and our QB couldn't connect with the wide out. The ball rolled out of bounds stopping at Benny's feet. Benny picked up the ball and wound up his arm wanting to get the pigskin back into play.He brought his wing way back and threw a ball that went end over end.My little sister could have heaved one better.As the missile went about 20 feet in the air like a chair going through space,I heard some of the guys laughing.It came to me right away. Benny might have been good remodeling another fighter's face,but when it came down to football,maybe he could have played on my little sister's team.Maybe.

[dagosd2000]

Jerry Quarry

[dagosd2000]

Dr. Jekyll vs. Mr. Hyde

They talk about dream matchups.Everyone wants to see Mayweather and Pacquiao settle the score. Then there's the hypothetical fights between fighters that aren't around anymore and fought in different eras. Ali/Louis for example. Ali/Marciano was decided by a computer. YAWN The fight I want to see is the fight a lot fighters have had with themselves. The battles they have with their demons.

We see our warriors in the ring and often equate them with gods. But often these visions transcend courage and bravery. It's an image that capitalizes the "g" to the higher being. The big letter God. Sure these battlers are flawed,But it's a boys will be boys thing. It's part of the fighter's persona. So the champ is banging every split tail that throws herself at him.He's got babies popping out from every cutie he's had sex with and thought using condom was for girly men.(But let's face it,it takes two to make baby. But maybe he told her he loved her?) He buys everyone in the world a drink and buys himself a all the drugs he can spend his purse on.(But c'mon man.The pushers aren't going to ask the champ to pay). The wife should look the other way. She's lucky she gets to sleep with such a manly man. Think of all the gals out there that would put up with all the grief just roll around in the sack with a man's man.A tough guy who can beat up all the rest of the less tough guys.(That's how it goes in the animal kingdom). They are tired of being married to a guy they can't get a charge out of anymore.

I remember Vicky LaMotta and Edna Mae Robinson(after their hubbies were out of the picture) almost bragging to a newly wed Mrs." Bonecrusher" Smith about what she might expect being married to a fighter.
"Oh when Ray would get upset,he'd whack me one."
Not to be outdone,Vicky LaMotta countered.
"Jake would let me have it too."
The ex misses were all smiles. I'm sure they weren't so gleeful when they got smacked around.By the way, after hearing these messages,Mrs. "Bonecrusher" had a look of shock.Thanks for sharing that.

Joe Louis was rarely at home with his wife and son. Marciano enjoyed the company of his girlfriend and made no bones about showing himself off with her in public.Ali was in the public eye in the Philippines with Veronica Porsche when his wife finally had had enough and tried to put a stop to her husband's prefight Thrilla' in Manila antics.

I was watching a documentary on the death of Arturo Gatti.Was it a suicide or a murder that gave him the final ten count? To me it doesn't matter. The "Thunder" was physically abusive to his wife and abusing also drugs and alcohol.But Arturo's fans can't let go of the idea that he was cheated.His wife had to have killed him. Equating courage in the ring with virtue is a pitfall if you are looking at your hero through rose colored glasses.

Of course we can come up with many fighters that aren't, or never were, fighting with Mr. Hyde.Many wives hung in there with there adolescent husbands /fighters until reality knocked some real sense into them.But to say that a fighter ,because of the brutality of his occupation ,can be excused for bad behavior is as immature as thinking that "boys will be boys."When Mr. Hyde beats Dr. Jekyll it's a defeat in the loss column that is a lot more devastating than any loss in the ring.


Arturo Gatti

[L.A. kidd]

there is a book out by steve springer entitled "hard luck " the story of jerry quarry. it was published in 2011 and ive read it

and found it a great read. it starts from his childhood when his dad jack quarry encouraged he and his brother jimmy to start

fighting when they were three years old. it talks of his golden gloves win of 1965 in Kansas city. and goes from the start of his career

to the end, I found it interesting to hear about how Eileen eaton wanted him to sign to fight exclusively with her. when jack quarry

refused,

she became angry, and she set up a fight with quarry and joey orbillo, she was hoping that orbillo would win, she really

thought he would. he was terribly out of shape in the Norton fight, and, after the fight he and Norton almost came to blows over a

remark Norton made to his wife Charlie. it goes through all of his fights, and leaves nothing out. when his dementia starts to

to take hold it becomes sad, also it speaks of his brother mike, and his dementia. all in all a great read.

[dagosd2000]

there is a book out by steve springer entitled "hard luck " the story of jerry quarry. it was published in 2011 and ive read it

and found it a great read. it starts from his childhood when his dad jack quarry encouraged he and his brother jimmy to start

fighting when they were three years old. it talks of his golden gloves win of 1965 in Kansas city. and goes from the start of his career

to the end, I found it interesting to hear about how Eileen eaton wanted him to sign to fight exclusively with her. when jack quarry

refused,

she became angry, and she set up a fight with quarry and joey orbillo, she was hoping that orbillo would win, she really

thought he would. he was terribly out of shape in the Norton fight, and, after the fight he and Norton almost came to blows over a

remark Norton made to his wife Charlie. it goes through all of his fights, and leaves nothing out. when his dementia starts to

to take hold it becomes sad, also it speaks of his brother mike, and his dementia. all in all a great read.

Kidd,I remember in the early 70's Mike Quarry took on a local popular light heavy named Amado Vasquez in the ball park in the suburb of National City near San Diego. A predominantly Mexican neighborhood,the fans were nearly all pulling for Vasquez. If Amado had won,he'd be on his way to move up in the rankings. I remember the park being packed to the streets with people wanting to see the upset,but soon into the fight you could see that Vasquez was in over his head.The ref stopped it in the 7nth round. The Mexican crowd didn't like seeing their guy lose on a TKO especially by a Quarry. The aficianados were acting a little out of order. In Mike's corner was his wife,brother Jerry,his wife,and Ma Quarry. They jumped into the ring ready to take on all challengers.Though nothing physical transpired after that,it was interesting to see how the Quarry family stood up for each other.They didn't care if they were outnumbered 100 to 1.

[L.A. kidd]

there is a book out by steve springer entitled "hard luck " the story of jerry quarry. it was published in 2011 and ive read it

and found it a great read. it starts from his childhood when his dad jack quarry encouraged he and his brother jimmy to start

fighting when they were three years old. it talks of his golden gloves win of 1965 in Kansas city. and goes from the start of his career

to the end, I found it interesting to hear about how Eileen eaton wanted him to sign to fight exclusively with her. when jack quarry

refused,

she became angry, and she set up a fight with quarry and joey orbillo, she was hoping that orbillo would win, she really

thought he would. he was terribly out of shape in the Norton fight, and, after the fight he and Norton almost came to blows over a

remark Norton made to his wife Charlie. it goes through all of his fights, and leaves nothing out. when his dementia starts to

to take hold it becomes sad, also it speaks of his brother mike, and his dementia. all in all a great read.

Kidd,I remember in the early 70's Mike Quarry took on a local popular light heavy named Amado Vasquez in the ball park in the suburb of National City near San Diego. A predominantly Mexican neighborhood,the fans were nearly all pulling for Vasquez. If Amado had won,he'd be on his way to move up in the rankings. I remember the park being packed to the streets with people wanting to see the upset,but soon into the fight you could see that Vasquez was in over his head.The ref stopped it in the 7nth round. The Mexican crowd didn't like seeing their guy lose on a TKO especially by a Quarry. The aficianados were acting a little out of order. In Mike's corner was his wife,brother Jerry,his wife,and Ma Quarry. They jumped into the ring ready to take on all challengers.Though nothing physical transpired after that,it was interesting to see how the Quarry family stood up for each other.They didn't care if they were outnumbered 100 to 1.

Yeah, jack quarry drilled it into their heads early " there's no quit in a quarry" he was a cruel guy, he grew up in depression Oklahoma, and was a hard man. I used to watch quarry fight at the Olympic. he could fight. but, just took too many punches. :TU

[dagosd2000]

Very Little Italy

I heard the white lady sitting next to me talk to the person beside her that she had just gotten back from a trip to China.
"We went to the great Wall. We had to wait because they only allow 50,000 visitors a day."
The lady was wearing a a dress with flowers printed all over it. She had a gaudy ring on each one of her fingers. Her lipstick was a dark red and I could smell that musky old perfume that old women often put on.
"And if you ever go to China make sure you go to Kowloon,"she chattered on to the man sitting next to her.
I was sitting in a front row seat waiting for the movie to begin. The ConVivio Italian American Society was showing their monthly movie for their film festival. The movie was going to be Bread and Chocolate.
As I was waiting for the movie to begin,I wondered if the clocks were to be set back that night.
"Do we set the clocks back tonight?",I asked the lady who had just got back from her trip.
"Oh,I don't know. I've just got back from China today,"she said.
Before they began the movie,the director of the ConVivio Society spoke to the audience about the movie and the up coming films on the calender. I looked around the hall and couldn't tell if there were many Italians or Italian Americans in the room. Most of the people looked Anglo. I heard another lady behind me say that the women of Naples had taken to the streets to protest something about how the city was being polluted.

At eight o'clock the movie began. I had seen it before,but I attended the viewing because I wanted to lend my support for the center. The snacks were oatmeal cookies,the kind you buy in those value bins at the drug store. There was also popcorn and tea and coffee. I had a cup of coffee.

Like I said,I'd seen Bread and Chocolate before. It's about an Italian immigrant who has a work visa stumbling through his chores in a restaurant in Switzerland. He keeps screwing up and falling down and getting pushed around by a bunch of Swiss and Germans. The audience laughed a lot,but I didn't feel like laughing at him.If the setting was in Italy ,let's say in Milan and he was getting pushed around by an "aristocratic" Italian,the movie might have worked for me. But to see this Neopolitan take all this abuse frron these "blondies" was for me, insulting.There's even a part in the movie where he dyes his hair blond to "fit in." I guess that's why Italians like the Godfather and Goodfella type of flick. Those dagos took what they wanted and didn't back down. A lot of the mafia stuff in this country was a result of Italian immigrants wanting protection. When they got off the boat after the turn of the century they were the low men on the pecking order in the cities. Now the Irish had someone to kick around. Italians had that "organ grinder" persona. It was demeaning. Now with Coppola and Scorsese bringing the mafia in full glory to the screen,Italians could vicariously see themselves as "dons" instead of shuddering of the thought of anyone thinking of them as having a monkey with a tin cup shilling for them. But it's all a lie anyway. Italians aren't fruit peddlers nor button men in the street whacking guys. But I guess to an Italian man it's better to dream to be Al Capone than Mr. Bacagalup. There are no more Marcianos nor DiMaggios,but the mafia still is around, though not with as much muscle they once had.

When the movie ended I looked for the director of the center. I wanted to ask him if he was considering to have me put on an art exhibition at the center. I had said I'd split any profits 50/50 with the ConVivio. When I caught his eye from across the room,he walked in the other direction. So I walked out to my car and drove home. As I was driving I was thinking about the Italian neighborhood in San Diego. I don't ever remember it being referred to as" Little Italy." It was either "India Street'(the main drag through the neighborhood) or" Wop Town." The Italian section then was modest with a few rstaurants and bars,the usual grocery stores, all Italian owned. Many of the Italian families were involved with fishing. But that is all gone now. The industry was sold off when taxes,crews,fishing boundaries,and the environmentalists drove the business away to other countries.

So now the neighborhood is "Little Italy."There's a big lighted arch over India Street that reads "Welcome To Little Italy." The new trendy restaurants are all over priced and the food is disappointing. But the tourists stand in line not knowing the difference. They think they're getting the real thing.The cannolis are out of a box and the pasta comes in frozen off the truck also in a box. It's all sold to them that way ,but they believe "mama" made it. Maybe that's why you don't see any "goombas" rolling their spaghetti on the forks down there. But what's the use telling anybody.People would rather believe the hype and dream along.Que sera sera.

[dagosd2000]

Connie Francis,a nice neighborhood Italian girl.

[dagosd2000]

Groomed

Today, me and the wife took our two poodles to get haircuts at their vet in TJ.They have a good groomer there who has worked with our animals before. It was going to take awhile so I brought a couple of my grand daughter's paintings to get framed at Esther's just off third and Revolution.Esther's is about five blocks away from the vet. My wife waited at our daughter's place in Canon Jhonson while I waited for the framing to be completed. The groomer at the vet said the work on the two dogs would take around three hours. I knew the frames would be put on way before that so I knew I had to kill some time.

I doubled back to the vet to check on the "girls" and saw that the trimming was going along as expected. The younger dog is a "peleonera" and the groomer was having his work cut out for him,literally. She wasn't biting him,but didn't like being constrained for a clipping.

I knew there was a boxing gym a few doors down from the vet so I had prepared myself and brought my camera.I figured there might be something interesting to discover.The hand painted sign above the door read "Makito's Boxing Gym." I walked inside and the first thing I noticed is there wasn't a traditional boxing ring. Just a mat on the floor and some posts with ring ropes.I noticed the ring ropes were saggy.A few light bulbs were the only sources of light in the gym.The heavy bags were the old canvas types with duct tape wrapped around. I saw a smaller man wearing sweat pants holding the mitts catching punches from a bigger man wearing a head gear. Behind a counter just inside the door was a younger woman reading a magazine. I wanted to start a conversation,but didn't couldn't come across straight forward.
"My nephew is interested in taking boxing lessons,"I told her.
She quickly put down the magazine and smiled.She looked kind of plain,but you could tell she was very nice.
"Oh,we have boxing instruction," she said in a soft voice.
"Do you have experienced trainers?"
"Oh,yes,"she answered pointing to the smaller man with the mitts."Makito was a famous fighter in Brazil. You can see his trophies in that case next to the wall."
I walked over to the case and saw some title belts and trophies inside an old wooden showcase. There also some old newspaper clippings on the wall above the case.Because of the dim light I couldn't read what was on the clippings. That and my eyesight isn't that good.I walked back to the counter.
"How much to join?"I asked the girl.
"300 pesos a month or twenty five dollars."
She then handed me a flyer with a price list.
"We open 9 to 12 and then close. We then reopen at three o'clock."
While we were talking the smaller man was coaching the bigger guy on how to throw a right hand behind his jab. I watched the two men spar with each other for a few minutes. Then I thanked the girl behind the counter.
"Thank you,"I said to her. She had a very pretty smile.

I walked outside back towards the veterinarian's. While I was inside the gym,I never took my camera out of my pocket.I couldn't think of a reason to take a picture.

[dagosd2000]

Ricardo"Pajarito"Moreno

[L.A. kidd]

great story, maybe a shot of the gym from the street.

[dagosd2000]

great story, maybe a shot of the gym from the street.

I'm going down next week. I'll take picture of the gym from outside,maybe inside. I did a story on a similar gym in TJ awhile back near where my daughter lives in Colonia Independencia. Noted there's a new name on the door. Took some shots inside the place. Boxing gyms are having a tough go of it in Tijuana.Mixed Martial Arts is the rage down there now. Cheto's Gym, that used to be in Plaza Santa Cecelia, closed a few years ago. Julio Cesar Chavez opened it up ,then sold the place. Tony Margarito has a gym in Colonia Pancho Villa. Erik Morales has a gym in the Zona Norte. Have a story and pics of that place way back on the thread.The number one gym in TJ,and always has been,is the boxing gym at the government park in town named the CREA. All the great Mexican fighters worked out there. Even Margarito and Morales will bring a prospect there to get in the ring with quality sparring partners.

[dagosd2000]

Father And Son

Tiger Smalls called me the other day and told me his son Prince was lined up to fight on a card at the end of November at the Crown Royale Hotel.A Bobby D promotion,the fight is a six rounder,the longest scheduled bout for the 22 year old fighter who is trained under the watchful eye of his dad.

Tiger told me once that he never encouraged Prince to become a fighter.It was Prince's desire to take up the sport. With that motivation Tiger decided he didn't want his son to start off on the wrong foot. Tiger,having held a version of a featherweight title,decided to step in and make sure that his son would be handled smartly.

It's been said that fathers shouldn't coach their sons,especially in the sport of boxing. They're too close. There can be too much care attending to the son. The father can feel the pressure of protecting his son and not wanting to rush him along to fast. Match him with an opponent he's not ready to face.But then the opposite can happen and the father can bring him along too slowly and then when the time comes to face a stiffer competitor the roof collapses. Sometimes the son wants to test the waters without dad putting his toe in first.Maybe the son has an idea of how he wants to approach fighting that's contrary to what dad has gone through ,especially if dad was a former fighter.We boxing buffs know these stories.

But what I've seen with the Smalls father and son package is a bond that is very close and moving in the right direction. A father who is acutely aware of how to manage and train his son. He won't throw him to the wolves.Tiger is almost literally guarded with his son as a the jungle tiger is with his offspring.When approached by people towards his son,Tiger has that "eye" of the striped animal of the jungle. It's you are either with us or against us. If there's an odor of doubt you'll see the claws extract.

The relationship is also bound with the faithful.Sparring partners,friends,and family. It's a fraternity that will exclude and vanquish the ones that won't accentuate the positive.This is good. This is loyalty.With boxing you can't have a locker room lawyer.That voice will be stifled in a hurry.It's a cancer.

So the other day Tiger got on the horn and said Prince would put on a public display of his workout at the gym. Friends were invited. I felt glad I got an invite. Prince is getting ready to fight his first six rounder against a fighter from Mexico ,Jose Iniguez. I asked the usual questions.Are you comfortable at feather so far?Have you seen this guy fight? Everyone close wants to see a good showing by Prince. He hasn't fought since May when he won easily over Victor Serrano at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.Tiger wanted his son to rest up for awhile after that fight. Get away from the gym and relax. Come back fresh and now get ready for his move up to six rounds. I'll be there to see him.I've seen all his fights except for his debut in TJ.I told Tiger to keep Prince away from fighting across the border especially early in his career.I felt I had the confidence to pass that along. So far all the rest of Prince's fights have been in San Diego.

As time marches on Prince will move with it eventually leaving the San Diego venues and lacing up the gloves in bigger arenas. He'll know that his father will be by his side to make sure the extra curriculars are taken care of and everything is on the positive side.

[dagosd2000]

Return Match

So Tiger Smalls calls me up the other day to tell me that he liked the story I wrote about his son Prince's upcoming fight at the end of the month.Tiger thought the story was "awesome."
"You know me by now,"I said."I like to work the human interest angle."
I wanted to convey the close relationship Tiger has with his son.That was more important than facts and figures.
"That's what I wanted to come across,"said Tiger.
Then Tiger asked me if I knew of a gym in Tijuana called" Gonzalez Gym."He asked me how often I go to TJ.
"Sometimes once a week. Sometimes less,"I answered.
"How come you're down there so much?"
"I"ve got a daughter down there. Grandkids. Great grandkids."
I've also got a lot of friends in Tijuana. I used to live and work there. I used to coach American football at a private school named CETYs,but the pay wasn't worth it . Nobody at CETYs was making a fair wage. The owner of the school was a guy named Jose Fimbres,the owner of one of the largest super market chains in Mexico,but he certainly didn't compensate his help.


"So when are you going again?"asked Tiger."My son's opponent trains at this Gonzalez gym. You know where it is?"
"No,but I'm going down there Wednesday and I'll drop by a gym near my daughter's place.Maybe the owner knows. I'm sure they know where all the boxing gyms are in TJ."
"That would be great.Maybe you can get an interview with this Iniguez guy Prince is fighting and see what he looks like in training."
"That's a possibility."
"Maybe we can go down there sometime and Prince can work out with some of the fighters."
"I've been telling you that. There's a lot of good fighters at his weight.In fact most of the Mexican prospects come up north to train in TJ at the CREA."
"After Prince's fight maybe we can put something together."
"I went to a gym in the neighborhood last week.I'll go there again and see if they know of this Gonzalez Gym."

I told Tiger I'd get back with him.Now I had made a commitment.I wrote on the thread last week that I had dropped in to this gym on Constitution Boulevard.I described that the place was struggling. Struggling like just about every place in Tijuana.I said to the girl behind the desk that I was interested in enrolling my nephew for boxing lessons. That was a lie.I just wanted to see what the gym was like and maybe take some pictures and talk with the owner,an ex fighter by the name of Makito.But he was busy training a younger kid so I left without an interview and any pictures.I didn't feel good about what I had done. My ulterior motive for walking in didn't sit well with me.But now I had told Tiger that I would be going back to the gym to make inquiries about this Gonzalez gym. I felt trapped,but my word is my bond and that trumps everything else.

Today I went back down to TJ. I had to take care of a few things,but eventually I got back to Makito's gym. Somewhat to my relief there was a big padlock on the door. I took a picture from outrside,got in my car ,and drove back across the border.But just because I was let off the hook,doesn't mean I won't try again. You see I don't want to "use" anyone. especially down there. People are like I said,struggling. You think things are tough here?Try making ends meet in TJ.If you're not connected or a mafia type ,life is a dead end street.But just because you're on top doesn't mean that there are others that want to take you down. People who go about life trying to live the straight and narrow never get out from under it.That's why Mexico is rife with crime.Try living the honest way and you'll get walked all over.You do what you have to do. A lot of people are getting hurt so you have to be tough to stand up to it.People down there aren't whiners like a lot of people here.I always see life in its proper perspective after going to Tijuana.

So I'll be back to Makito's. My guess is that there is another name for this Gonzalez gym. It will probably be a wash.But I promised Tiger. I just wish I could do a little something .

[dagosd2000]

Old Fashion

"How's your daughter doing?"I asked the owner of the donut shop.
I was sitting on the concrete bench at the local strip mall having a cup of coffee when the Cambodian man who ran the donut shop with his wife walked by .I was with my two poodles feeding them dog biscuits as they were begging for more.
" She doing real good now."
"She's a social worker in Orange County.Right?"
"Yes ,she interpret for the county social worker for Cambodian people."
"I remember when she was a little girl and helped you and your wife in the donut shop."
"She get financial help from government to go to college and study social worker."
"That's great."
"She did like me when government help me to start business with donut shop."
"That's great,"I said again.
The Cambodian man and his wife have had the donut shop in the neighborhood for over twenty years. There was a Winchell's across the street,but when that folded,the Cambodian man and his wife opened up their place.They have a steady clientel.He gets up at 1 o'clock every morning to drive down from Oceanside,which is about 30 miles up the coast,to open the shop and make the donuts and begin business at 5 am.
"My daughter wanted to quit her job about a month ago,"said the Cambodian as he was standing smoking a cigarette.
"What was wrong?"
"She say that she couldn't stand seeing babies that were abused by their parents. I tell her that's not your problem."
"Did you tell her that you and your wife saw a lot of bad things in Cambodia?"
"I try to tell her,but unless you live it,it is hard to believe."
"She was born here wasn't she?"
"Yes.She was born here. One time when she went to college her professor asked the class to write about a ugly social experience. I told her the story of me and her mother in Cambodia with Khymer Rouge."
"How did it go?"
"She win first place.Win prize of 100 dollar."
"That's great."
"I no tell her all the story. Like the movie, Killing Field. They can only tell small part. If they show everything,people can not watch it. You have to live it."
The Cambodian crushed his cigarette out and put it in the trash can next to the bench where I was sitting with my dogs.
"But now my daughter is all right. She knows that you can't control everything."
"Too many people here in the United States worry about things that are not that important.They stress out over nothing."
"People like that will always be unhappy,but in this country I am happy because I have more freedom than in Cambodia.I start not knowing even the language,but I have my own business."
As we were talking, Mack the homeless guy, walked by with his bag of plastic bottles and aluminum cans.He sat down on the bench with me and began petting my dogs.
"How's it going Mack?"I asked him.
"Oh it's going pretty good. I collected enough junk last week so I could stay at the Easy 8 down the hill for a couple of nights.I invited Chris and his girlfriend to stay with me."
Chris and his girlfriend were friends with my wife. Together,with Mack and my wife,they roam the neighborhood looking for things to recycle. Chris's girlfriend is in a wheelchair.Sometimes they help my wife and give her some of their bottles and cans. My wife will sometimes lend them money before they get their checks at the end of the month. They always pay her back.
"You still 86'd from going inside any of these places at the mall?"
"Yeh,if I need something I have Chris go inside and get it for me."
"Mack,you know this guy?He owns the donut shop at the corner."
Mack didn't say anything.I looked at the Cambodian.
"You'd sell Mack some donuts wouldn't you?"
"Sure,"said the Cambodian with a big smile.
"Mack,you have to try his old fashions. He makes the best ones in town."
Mack still didn't say anything. He got up and took his bag with all the bottles and cans.
"Say 'hi' to 'mama' for me",he said ."Later we'll walk the neighborhood and look for cans."
As Mack walked away,the Cambodian man sat on the bench with me and my dogs.
"Sometimes when people treat you bad,it is difficult to trust anyone ."
"But I bet if Mack tastes one of your old fashions you'd become friends real fast."

[dagosd2000]

Sam McVey

[dagosd2000]

Picture On The Wall

When George Radovich died around twenty years ago,his sold the Arizona Café. George never wanted his son,who inherited the joint, to frequent the bar. I only saw his son in there once.It was something he wanted to talk to his father about. He didn't even pull up a bar stool. I think the kid went to law school and wound up making pretty good money.George was looking flush too. He had the bar and the bowling alley next door. He also owned several properties in Ocean Beach. George knew how to operate his place. He didn't blow his money. One time he told me he had two rules about how he operated things. He never bought anyone a drink and he never got drunk in his own place. So when George died ,the Arizona was still in the black.But his son didn't want any part of running a bar. Although his father knew the life and enjoyed it,he instilled in his son that hanging out in bars was no way to live your life.The son saw his father leave his mother for one of the bar flies.

But it's like I said,George died and then the son unloaded the place. I hadn't been to the Arizona since George was living.I'd heard that the new owner changed everything around inside. The bowling alley was sold to a guy who made T shirts. People told me I wouldn't recognize the insides.

The other day I was in Ocean Beach and had some time to kill.I took a stroll to the Arizona to see if any footprints were left.The outside still looks the same. It's an old brick building. There's a room upstairs that George put his mother to live in when she got old.George and all his workers and pals were some kind of Yugoslavians. They all belonged to the "Serbian Defense League."Like they wanted to go back and kick Tito's ass.But that's another story I'll tell you about later.

When I walked inside the Arizona I was all turned around. They'd taken out the bar along the wall to the right as you walked inside.The piano was gone and that old juke box with the Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey records was probably in some antique shop.The walls were plastered with flat screens and and the bar was one of those circular things in the middle of the floor. The old caricatures that use to hang behind the bar were gone. They were drawings of all the "regulars" who used to belly up to the bar. The son more than likely took them with him.But one thing was up the wall that sort of surprised me. It really seemed out of place. It was a photograph of Bob Murphy the fighter. George had handled him when he'd gotten out of the Navy when the Irishman decided he liked to eventually get paid for knocking other people's brains out.Then Travis Hatfield stepped in and Murphy went on to eventually get a shot at Joey Maxim's title. That fight I wrote about if you remember. You know when Murphy's pal and sparring partner Earl Anderson said before the fight in the dressing room Murphy,the betting favorite, was crying and busting up all the furniture.

Anyway I tell the bartender about how I used to frequent the joint and now everything is different.I wanted a club soda. I stay off the hooch in the mornings. My wife sure is happy with that.
"Yeh,"he said putting the club soda on a napkin."Some of the old timers come in here and face the wall where the old bar was."
"I noticed one thing that's still here is that picture of that fighter.You know who that is?"
"No.I've been asking,but nobody knows."
"I'm surprised none of the old guys mentioned his name. That's Irish Bob Murphy.Radovich handled him for awhile in the amateurs."
The bartender broke out a pencil and paper.I then proceeded to tell him some of the infamous stories of Bob Murphy when he hung out at the Arizona Café. Of course they were tales that were passed on down and embellished by the crowd that drank with him back in the 50's. Guys like Tony Panza who use to run the bowling alley. George had a way of telling how Murphy would take who he didn't like out side and give him a going over.I wished I could have been around.Ross Miller,the old fisherman who's gone now,told me about how Murphy high jacked the beer truck parked outside and rolled it in the street.As I was jaw jacking the bartender was writing everything down.

I finished the club soda half way. I wanted to leave. The Arizona wasn't how I remembered it. I asked the bartender what was the damage.
"Oh,it's on me,"he said."Come back anytime and tell me some more about Bob Murphy."
"I'll tell you something pal,"I said leaving a dollar bill on the counter."I could write on book on what went on in here."

[dagosd2000]

Rubber Match

I promised Tiger Smalls I'd be going down to TJ to Makito's Gym to see if I could find out about anything on where this Gonzalez Gym is and maybe I could see the guy Tiger's son is fighting train. Well I was in Tijuana Wednesday and the result was the same as the week before,a lock on the door. You don't hold much faith on what's posted on a door about when a place opens and closes in Mexico.The sign on Makito's Gym read closed at noon until one.I got there at 11 thirty.The lock was on the door.That's Mexican time.

I remember one time I was walking around a "paseo" in downtown where all those various curio shops are and this dude on a racing bike all decked out in a uniform that made him look like he was ready to enter the Tour De France pulls up along side of me and asks when the shops open their doors.
"They'll open when the owner feels like opening,"I said.
"What do you mean by that?"
I detected a British accent.
"You don't see any signs on a door saying what time they open do you?"beginning to get exasperated.
The guy peddled off with a huff.
I guess Makito last Wednesday thought it was time to shut it down when he felt like it. Mexicans don't want to feel slaved to a clock. So I called Tiger when I got back to say I came up dry again.
"No problem,"said Tiger."What I need to know is about this Iniguez dude that Prince is fighting. He weighed in at 142. The fight was made at 25."
"Are you going through with it?"
"Sure. Prince has trained hard for this. What I want you do is get on the BoxRec search and see if this Iniguez had fought at this weight before.If it's a habit with him."
I told Tiger to sit tight as I brought up the search on my computer. I came up with Iniguez's record.No notes on any weights.
"It shows nothing on what he's been fighting at. I'll look at his opponent's fights and see if there's anything there on what their weights were."
I searched a few of Iniguez's stronger opponents and again there was no weights on these guys.
"Look Tiger, I wouldn't worry too much. If Prince is in shape he should take this guy. He's been stopped 11 times in his 18 losses.It's scheduled for 6. By the time the third round comes around he'll be out of gas."
"He looked soft at the weigh in.The fight has been changed to a 4 rounder."
"LaMotta always had 15 pounds on Robinson when they fought."
"Ok champ.Thanks."
"Tiger,"I said not wanting to forget."It's my grandson's and his father's birthdays this weekend. They've made reservations to go out to eat Friday night.I might not make it to the fight."
"Don't worry about that."
"If I can get out early, I'll go."
"Don't worry champ,"Tiger said again.

Well dinner lasted pretty long. I could have made an excuse to leave,or just not to go,but there wasn't much of an urge on my part. Saturday I looked to see the results of Prince's fight. They hadn't been posted yet. Sunday morning the outcome was on BoxRec. Prince had won a decision. I saw that he had won every round. He probably had an easier go of it in the ring than I did running around trying to track down Jose Iniguez all over TJ. But then like they say,you don't have to get inside the ring with the guy.

[dagosd2000]

[dagosd2000]

Rick Farris and Armando Muniz sharing a laugh with Bobby Chacon.

[dagosd2000]

Nature Of The Beast

My wife was out collecting bottles and cans walking the dogs so I decided instead of watching television at home I'd go to Champs and watch television there. I saw a few people I knew from our condo complex inside so I sided up with them to have a drink. Ed ,the bartender, was about to end his shift and was closing out his drawer.I set up a round for my friends and tipped Ed before he planted himself over at the dart board like Burke Emery used to do after finishing his shift bartending.
"How's ol' Burke doing?"I asked Ed.
"He's still at the home."
"Still acting feisty?"
"That's what his nephew says.Every time I see him he's got some old geezer in a choke hold."
Tim the painter who lives at the condo complex and is a frequenter to the bar asked Ed if Burke was suffering from "dementia."
"I guess you could say that,"said Ed."You could call it fighter's dementia,but he's getting old anyway. He's in his mid seventies you know."
"Burke took a lot of shots fighting,"I interjected.
"Oh yes,"Ed went on."You could see him slipping into it recently."
Ed set down the round of drinks in front of the people I was with at the bar.
"You know I'm nearing 70 and I don't want to wind up a grumpy frightened man,"I said.
Tim laughed and put his arm on my shoulder.
"You don't act like you're old Roger,"he said.
"That's why I enjoy your kind of company rather than being around old people.You guys are at least alive."
"Ever think you'll wind up old and scared?"he asked.
"I'll substitute 'angry' for 'scared'",I said laughing.
"I think those old grumpy guys were always that way,"said Tim.
"I think they were always afraid and now they're always miserable,"I shot back.
Ed had finished counting out his drawer.
"Well if I don't see you guys again have a happy Thanksgiving,"he said.
Ed shook hands with all of us and went to the corner of the bar to pitch darts.
"Ed sees Burke quite often," I remarked.
"Too bad the way Burke turned out,"said Tim.
"I guess he's a handful at the home."
"Maybe that's what you mean by turning 'angry' instead of being afraid ".
"That's how I've always remembered him.I don't think he was ever afraid of nothing.Burke was one of those guys who wasn't afraid to say what he had on his mind with his fists."



Burke and me

[dagosd2000]

He Could Have Been A Contender

I'll put my tongue in my cheek with this one. All the fantasy matchups and the coulda' shoulda' woulda's on the forums,here's my nominee for "he could have been a contender" thread. I'm talking about the one and only Johnny Puleo.Yes,the little guy who formed his "harmonica gang".He was always pissed off because he would get shoved around when he was performing with the other harmonica players. The gall of these guys to treat their boss in such a manner. But Johnny didn't take the abuse without retaliating.He'd get worked up until he'd unload a punch on one of the other tooters. If you watch the tape(see below),you'll notice the leverage Johnny gets into his swings.Someone once told me Jack Blackburn watched Johnny and his gang perform and would study how Johnny executed his deliveries. He would tape Johnny's concerts,study and break down every sequence of Johnny's blows,and then take this knowledge with him to the gym and transfer his perceptions to the young Joe Louis.Joe didn't know it, and I'm sure Blacburn didn't divulge anything,but it was that little dynamo,Johnny Puleo,the original Italian Stallion,who served as the prototype for speed and dispatch to render a man unconscious.

I believe Johnny Puleo could of been one of the great battlers in the squared circle, talked about in the same breath as Jimmy Wilde,Terry McGovern,and the sweet scientist of swing,Joe Gans. Too bad Johnny chose to blow wind into a musical instrument when he could have been blowing another fighter's brains out with his mighty swings.

But I don't want to get into a debate if Johnny coulda', shoulda',or woulda'.It's all hypothetical. It's a fantasy.We'll never know. Johnny isn't with us anymore. I remember watching him on early television. He sure made me laugh.Johnny Puleo a fighter?I'm glad he played it out like he did. He made people laugh. Maybe that's more important than inflicting a hurt on someone.
http://youtu.be/v2WFw9oSBlI

Johnny Puleo and his Harmonica Gang with Milton Berle

Johnny Puleo