Classic American West Coast Boxing

[dagosd2000]

I only spoke to Dundee once but he wasn't at all like he was on television-he came across as a very hard guy. For what it's worth he was still working with amateurs less than two weeks before he died-he was actually in the ring demonstrating moves.

During the two weeks Dundee was in San Diego with Ali,Ali called all the shots when it came to his workouts:the number of rounds he wanted to spar,who he wanted to spar with,the time he wanted to spend hitting the bags.There were even times when Ali wouldn't work out because he said he had a "cold."That didn't stop him from walking around the ring with a microphone and entertaining the crowd.. Dundee would be hanging on the ring ropes and Ali would say "Angelo get me the sparring gloves." Or "I need you to get me a different headgear."Dundee seemed content to be the gofer.Dundee started out learning about boxing in Lou Stillman's gym watchng guys like Ray Arcel and Charley Goldman(who he thought was the best)When I say that Dundee was "overrated" I apply that to the great fighters he was connected to: Ali,Leonard,Napolos,Rodriguez,Ramos.He did have a hand in making Jimmy Ellis a good fighter. But otherwise Dundee never started from scratch with the others.Basilio started with Al Nitro and Johnny DeJohn .Pastrano can give credit to Dundee. Foreman and De La Hoya brought him into the fold for appearances.Some way my father knew Angelo Dundee.I think it had something to do with the Mob.When after Luis Rodriguez KO'd Rafael Gutierrez in a title eliminator down here in San Diego my father(like I said in my last post)went into the ring(to my surprise) and I heard him say to Dundee,"Well,Angelo you're gona' get your shot."(with Monzon).It also surprised me that my father even wanted to go to the fight.I think he was keeping an eye on things for the Wise Guys.He was on the phone with those guys almost every day about something.

[dagosd2000]

Silent Partner

To belabor my point about Angelo Dundee's lack of participation regarding involvement in the training process I'll give you my impressions watching Luis Rodriguez train for a title elimination fight(for Monzon's crown) with the Mexican Rafael Gutierrez here in San Diego. it was a winding down process two weeks prior to the bout. The training facility was set up at the Stardust Hotel in Mission Valley.The fight was to take place on the 31st of March, 1969 at the San Diego Sports Arena. The 8 and O Kenny Norton was on the undercard. He also was working out at The Stardust.Everyday he'd bring along his young son Kenny Jr.

It was a pretty big fight for San Diego. Rodriguez had fought just about everybody of notice in the welterweight and middleweight brackets. He'd been the 147 pound champ for 90 days until Emile Griffith re won the belt.It's an old story. Many thought Luis was the better fighter against Griffith in 3 out of the 4 times they met. The time Luis finally got him was in Los Angeles at the LA Coliseum winning a decision and the crown.(BTW: this was also the night that Sugar Ramos killed Davey Moore )Rodriguez finally getting the break from the officials was the fight I thought Emile got the short end of the stick. He complained plenty after the fight was over.But it was Rodriguez's gripe for the rest of his life that the refs got it wrong the other three times When being interviewed here in San Diego by the scribes Louie pissed and moaned as much about the losses to Griffith as his upcoming fight with Gutierrez.

I was a big fan of Rodriguez. I never thought he got his just dues. He was usually fighting on the other guy's home turf and that was mainly due because El Feo never really had a local base of operations.Angelo Dundee arrived in his customary two weeks prior to the fight. His face was more well known than Rodriguez's but that was because of his association with Muhammad Ali.But when it came to Dundee's role as head trainer he stayed away from getting hands on. Rodriguez called all the shots.And let me tell you he let you know who was running the show.

One time Johnny Wise,a local middleweight, was told by Louie to get in the ring and spar for three rounds. Wise tried to beg off saying that he couldn't wear the headgear because he had a facial rash.Luis,who spoke very broken English threw the headgear at Wise and told him to "get in the f--kin' ring." Wise complied..Victor Basilio ,another local fighter and who was scheduled to fight on the card,was also employed by Rodriguez to give him some work. Before the sessions Rodriguez would take Basilio aside and explain to him in Spanish what he wanted him to do during the sparring. Dundee was talking to the press at time.Jose Napoles, who had just got his papers in order and had been fighting some tune ups to prep for his world title shot with Curtis Cokes, was a visitor to give his compadre some backing. Jose walked over to Dundee and they shook hands but the hugs were for his fellow ex patriot.

I know when Dundee started getting involved with the Latino fighters he was urged to learn Spanish. I never heard him speak a word of it for two weeks in San Diego.I never gave it much thought.Angelo Dundee certainly crossed paths with a lot of great fighters but for the moist part,at least with the Latinos, it was like two ships passing each other in the night.


Emile Griffith

[goose 5]

Dundee took David Love to Nova Scotia to box Ralph Hollett in the early 1980's. Hollett's trainer wrapped his hands without Dundee being present to watch-when Dundee protested and asked for the wrapping to be re- done so he could observe an ex-fighter(and brother of Hollett's trainer) named Ace McCluskey threatened to put Dundee's head through a wall and Dundee literally ran out of the room. Do you know David Love ?I'd like to know his memories of the incident.

[dagosd2000]

Dundee took David Love to Nova Scotia to box Ralph Hollett in the early 1980's. Hollett's trainer wrapped his hands without Dundee being present to watch-when Dundee protested and asked for the wrapping to be re- done so he could observe an ex-fighter(and brother of Hollett's trainer) named Ace McCluskey threatened to put Dundee's head through a wall and Dundee literally ran out of the room. Do you know David Love ?I'd like to know his memories of the incident.

Sorry ,I don't know anything about that incident but I do know David Love a little. A local San Diego fighter who went to Kearny High School.Though a local he wasn't that popular in San Diego. Saw him fight a few times at the Coliseum-a KO loss to the undefeated Renato Garcia and two decision wins over Marcos Geraldo. Love was tall with a long reach.He had a weird boxing style where he'd plant his back foot and pivot off that foot and hone in on his opponent. He was cocky and erratic. Some of his wins were against very good fighters.He went to Philly and beat Bennie Briscoe and Willie Monroe. He also beat Boogaloo Watts in San Antonio. by KO. Dundee saw him fight back east and thought he had the genuine article.But Love was not focused.His training habits lacked dedication. After beating Briscoe he only won one time in eight tries. The Hollett fights were at the end of his career. When James Kinchen was starting out he trained with Love who by that time was nearing the end of his career.

I know a few years ago he was running a gym near San Diego State University.He had a small stable of fighters.When I was working in the school district I saw him at the Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course.He still had that swagger. He said that his pro record was something like 30 wins and 2 losses.I didn't want to question him about that. It wasn't worth it.


David Love with one of his fighters

[dagosd2000]

Clearing Out

They moved the migrant camp from along the fence at the border on the Tijuana side.The Mexican government wanted to keep them contained.They didn't want the migrants to leave the area. The city built a fence to help keep them in check. But a few weeks ago the police came in unannounced at 4 in the morning on a Sunday and moved the migrants out of the place they called home since January of 2021 The camp was funded by the Biden administration. The migrants were waiting to make appointments with U.S. State Department officials in order to seek asylum. The mayor of Tijuana said that the camp was unsafe and unsanitary and posed a threat to the safety of the community..There were about 400 migrants living there at the time.

I took a picture of the vacant area as I was driving across the border into Tijuana.My aim of going to Tijuana was thinking of buying some tickets for the Munguia fight on the 19th of this month.The fight is going to take place at the Bullring By The Sea.Tickets are only sold at the Farmacias Roma that is the largest chain of drug stores in the city.I didn't want to go by myself so I called my granddaughter's husband and asked him if he wanted to go. They live in Tijuana. I told him to ask my other two granddaughters if their husbands wanted to also go. I got the thumbs down from all three. I said I would treat them but they sounded like they weren't up for it.None of them knew about the fight even though if I had to pick the most popular local fighter in TJ it would be Jaime Munguia.

It was just as well. The bullring is located at the beach in the colonia Playas De Tijuana.I remember when they first built it. It's right next to the border. It used to be that U.S. Immigration would let the Tijuaneros cross into the state park that was located just on the other side of the line. There was no fence like they have now. The Tijuaneros didn't need papers. as long as they stayed in the park. There were some Immigration cars parked in park but there was never a problem. The people from TJ especially liked the restrooms and the outdoor showers.They'd shower for what seemed like 30 minutes.But evey day after the park closed they had to replenish all the toilet paper because the Tijuaneros helped them selves to it.

As far as the fight It'll be cold.I won't get home until late.I'm kind of glad they didn't want to go. Back in my prime I would have gone by myself without batting an eye.

Driving back to San Diego ,waiting in the Sentri line, I was wondering where those migrants were going to live now.The people of Tijuana don't want them. They sort of look down on those migrants because they're from Central America.A Mexican will just about always make the distinction that the migrants in those camps are from Central America.But there are a lot of migrants from the south of Mexico in those camps too.

Tijuana has always been a tough go to make ends meet. It's like every man for himself. You do what you gotta' do.There aren't any safety nets if you;'re down on your luck. Crossing back into the U.S. and driving on the freeway I said to myself there isn't a freeway in all of Mexico as modern as this one. You take it for granted driving on the freeways up here.By the time I got home I had forgotten all about the fight.



The migrant camp along the border.Before...



and after.

[dagosd2000]

Wanting To Feel Like One Of The Boys

It was no secret.If you wanted to raise your blood pressure 50 points get in the car with Archie Moore.To hear the people that were close to him you might ride shotgun one time and that was it.Chalk it up as an experience if you were lucky to walk away from it in one piece.When I was lending him a hand at his boys club I figured I'd never get asked to get in the car with him.But one day the Old Mongoose caught me off guard.i was inside the club helping some of the kids doing their homework when he approached me and said if I'd like to go with him to C&M Meat Market in National City.He was about to give one of his block parties in front of his house and he asked me if I'd like to go with him to pick up a load of food to take to his house in Southeast San Diego. What could I say? If I said "no" he'd feel slighted. So I'd said I'd go.

I'd say it would have been a 20 minute drive from the boys club to the meat market..But if what everyone was telling me about his driving he probably would have lopped off half of that 20 minutes. So I went and clutched the armrest of the passenger door.

But to my relief it wasn't pedal to the metal. He drove his car quite normally. We talked a little. He told me that he was going to cook up a mess of fried chicken and baste the birds with his "secret" barbeque sauce.We got to his house and unloaded the goods and then went back to the boys club.

Later,one of the regulars at the club asked me what it was like to drive with him.
"You're all right about that,"I said."It was like an E ticket ride at Disneyland."
I sure didn't want to feel left out of that club that had experienced what it was like to have their blood pressure rise 50 points.


Archie Moore

[dagosd2000]

What Fight?

Well,I 'm glad I didn't go to that Munguia fight I was talking about the other day.The fight was last night.I saw it this morning on YouTube.

It didn't do Munguia any good.The guy he fought,D'Mitrius Ballard,didn't put up much of a fight. The guy Munguia fought the last time out,Gabriel Rosado, was a tough cookie.He put up a good fight and showed a tough beard taking Munguia the distance. But this Ballard was a cream puff in comparison.He felt himself around the ring flicking a weak jab and keeping away sometimes trying an equally inept counter to what the searching Munguia was offering early. As soon as Ballard got caught with a good shot he fell apart like a wet taco.

Ballard came into the fight undefeated.After watching him playing duck and cover last night it makes me question the quality of opposition he had faced to have an unblemished record except for one draw. Ballards' bio showed that he was from back East but then again he was no stranger to ring venues here out West.

The fight lasted a little less than 3 rounds.Like I say you can watch the replay on YouTube. The fight was held at the Bullring By The Sea . (The old downtown bullring was torn down sometime in the mid 1990's)The crowd was packed to the doors-15 thousand so said the American announcing team. That told me the fight had to have been broadcast somewhere yet my cable provider didn't have it on their menu.I had priced the tickets at one of the Farmacia Romas in Tijuana last week. (I'm guessing they have a part of Munguia)That was the only outlet that was selling tickets. 8 dollars U.S. for general admission up in the grandstands.40 bucks to sit down below,

But like I said even though Munguia won easily it wasn't a fight that did him any good.If Jaime is to get prepared to fight a Benevides,a Saunders,Lara,or a Charlo(not to mention the best P4P around,Canelo Alvarez) he needed to be tested more than what Ballard had to offer him last night.

Munguia isn't ready to fight Alvarez yet ,and for the aforementioned others he ought sign to get in the ring with one of them to see what he'smade of.Munguia picked the right guy to train him,Erik Morales. Morales has polished his charge teaching him move his head and not stand straight up in front of his opponent.But Munguia is not the slick boxer.He's got to get close to get into exchanges so he can land his big left hook.Right now Alvarez would eat him up. If Jaime can beat the best the contenders at 160 then they'll make that match with Canelo.It will be the biggest fight between two Mexicans since when Alvarez fought Chavez Jr.But the promoters will have that one in Las Vegas.Maybe San Antonio.They'll draw plenty of Mexicans there locally and from across the border. .The Bullring By The Sea in Tijuana will have to settle for another D'Mitrius Ballard against another up and coming Mexican prospect.


Jaime Munguia versus D'Mitrius Ballard

[dagosd2000]

Life's Not Fair

The guy who said,"Life's not fair.Get over it" had to have been talking about something like getting back to your car in the parking lot and finding that some car had scratched the fender. Then I think about something that doesn't fit into an analogy of just forgetting about it.

I've attended a lot of these boxing ceremonies in the Southland where you see a gathering of fighters current and present in the audience. Armando Muniz is a constant familiar face.Sooner or later it comes down to two things.
One:Armando being called the "uncrowned champ" by everyone that brushes by.
Two:Armando explaining what happened that night in Acapulco when he was Dq'd against the champion Jose Naploles in his try to wrest from him the welterweight championship.
I wonder if Armando gets tired of all of it.

He's talked to me about it.I never asked him to go into it. I just said that I had found Napoles in Ciudad Juarez sitting outside his rented house smoking a cigar and waving to all the passersby.Mando wasn't anxious in his discourse. He's got it pretty down pat.He'll use the same script whether it's a one on one or in front of a gathering.

Jose Sulaiman walked into his dressing room before the fight and asked him the curious question if he came down here "to win?"How Naploles was obviously hitting him repeatedly below the belt trying to salvage the win and the referee was reading the papers.Ramon Berumen ,the referee, was not only taking the cue from Sulaiman to intervene awarding the fight to Jose on a foul but that Berumen was Sulaiman's nephew.And then there are the trivialities like after the robbery Sulaiman tried to appease Muniz by making a grandstand play by taking off his watch and giving it to the drained challenger.(I wonder if it was a Rolex?)

I think by now Armando knows life ain't fair. He knew it before that fight. He had a second chance against Mantequilla and lost the rematch fair and square.Later,Carlos Palomino ,now the 147 kingpin,gave Muniz a crack at the title and Armando again came up short.

When Nam was going great guns Armando was in the service boxing for the Army. He never left the States.That was because there were no other grunts that could wup him.I wonder what those Gi's were thinking over there in the rice paddies having the Viet Cong shooting at them and knowing Armando was fighting in boxing tournaments back in the U.S.? And then there was me who failed my physical at the induction center because I was overweight for my height. So I went back on the bus and went to college and learned what the principle products of New Hampshire were while the guys who passed their physicals went to fort Ord and then to Mekong Delta.Whoever said" Life's not fair"had something.


Armando Muniz admiring some of my art

[goose 5]

Hi Roger-I've spent a few hours talking with Mando Muniz and like him a lot. After watching all the recent trash talk between Amir Khan and Kell Brook I miss sportsmen like Mando Muniz.

[dagosd2000]

Hi Roger-I've spent a few hours talking with Mando Muniz and like him a lot. After watching all the recent trash talk between Amir Khan and Kell Brook I miss sportsmen like Mando Muniz.

Gosse
I agree.A good husband and father. He wasn't at Rick Farris' last WCBHOF banquet last October. Two years ago before Covid came around Armando was there.He got inducted into the Hall. He said that the dementia was beginning to creep in thus the DMV had yanked his license. His daughter drove him to the event. A man's man who's down to earth.I told him that I had talked to Jose Napoles when I met him in Ciudad Juarez.Napoles said he felt about about how the first fight worked out.Armando was moved by that.I hope he's doing well.


Rick Farris,Armando Muniz,and Bobby Chacon

[goose 5]

Sorry to hear about Mando's dementia. He once told me that he never had a street fight in his entire life; I found that interesting.

[dagosd2000]

The Poolroom Hall Of Fame

I remember as a kid hearing those guys that hung out in the poolroom on Chicago's Southwest Side talk about the fighters.Of course the best fighters were Italian. They'd get hysterical describing how Marciano destroyed Joe Louis. They never mentioned that Louis was old and shot and needed the money.It was like Louis was coming off his win against Baer and was in his prime and then Ricky knocked him through the ropes. i was too little to put in a word for Louis.If I had those dagos would have told me to go play with my dolls.

Then there was Willie Pep. Those greaseballs talked about his win over Saddler and never brought up the other three times Sandy stopped him.If I had said something about that I'd have probably got that,"What are you a n----r lover?"crap stuck in my ear.

Then there was Basilio's win over Sugar Ray. Forget the rematch.There wasn't one the way those guys retold it.I knew when to keep quiet.And to hear them talk about how LaMotta gave Sugar Ray a beatin'.. I don't have to tell ya' that was the only time those two met in the ring according to those "historians."

Even the big guy Primo Carnera got a lot of slack with those spaghetti benders.. They didn't talk about him a lot but anything that came out of their mouths about De Preem was at least commendable.Hey,he was the heavyweight champ. Again,(I saw him once in San Diego in the early 60's.He was still trying to make ends meet by wrestling. He was on this local sports show and what do you think this hometown rube asks him?"Is it true you threw fights?")if I had interjected those dagos talking about Carnera with something like he was tied in with the Mob and most of those KO's in his "win" column were dubious and it would be a cold day in hell if he ever made it into some boxing hall of fame I would have left that poolroom with as cue stick stuck up my ass.

No. I knew when to keep my mouth shut around those guys. There were my uncles and my old man and all the goombas. They were no strangers to that poolroom.Of course they didn't want me in there.It was no place for a little kid.But that never stopped them from making that place their school of hard knocks.

That poolroom was like a learning center for how to become a racketeer.Sub rosa courses in how to steal,rob a liquor store,cheat at cards,hijack a truck,get a gat;you get my drift.

You never saw anyone that wasn't from The Patch inside that poolroom. No blacks,Jews,even the Micks knew they weren't welcome.They had their own poolrooms in their neighborhoods anyway ,and no Italian would think of crossing the line to go into those places

Yeah,that poolroom was no place for anyone that wanted to walk the straight and narrow.They even had a picture of Mussolini hanging on the wall. He wasn't all bad from where they were sitting.At least he made sure the trains ran on time


.
Primo Carnera

[dagosd2000]

Happy Days

My cousin Bobby lived in North Hollywood with his dad,my uncle Bob.Uncle Bob was my mother's brother. Bobby was a big wrestling fan. I was a fan too but not as much as Bobby. Most of the time Bobby and my uncle would drive down to San Diego to visit but sometimes we'd all go up there.One time I remember,it was the late 50's,that we dove up to visit and our dads took us to the Hollywood Legion Stadium to watch the wrestling matches.

Argentine Rocca was the big draw and he was my favorite wrestler.Bobby liked him too but he was more of a fan of Freddie Blassie. Blassie was one of those "bad guys." Rocca was a "good guy,."They weren't going to wrestle each other but they were both on the same card.Blassie was part of a tag team.His partner was Mr. Moto. Moto was a "bad guy" when he grappled up in LA. When he came down to San Diego to wrestle in The Coliseum he was a "good guy." Blassie was always a "bad guy."Argentine Rocca never wrestled in San Diego that I can remember.

The Hollywood Legion Stadium was within walking distance from all the big movie studios.Most of the movie stars went to The Legion to watch the fights and the wrestling matches.They also frequented The Olympic Auditorium but not as much as The Legion.

I remember walking inside The Legion and what what first hit me was that the ring was below the street level.It wasn't that big inside but it seemed like a comfortable neighborhood venue. I didn't see any movie stars when I went.I thought I would but got skunked. But I did see Argentine Rocca wrestle. He didn't wear any shoes. He was a big man and was noted for his acrobatic leaps.That night he wrestled some guy I can't remember. Never heard of the guy before.The other guy fought "dirty" but Rocca made short work of him in one quick fall.

After the matches we all went out to eat at the Bob's Big Boy with the "Big Boy" statue outside in front with him holding a plate with that big hamburger. I always liked the Thousand Island dressing they put on the burgers.

If you think that my writing for this piece is kind of simple I intended it to be.You see back then things were more simple. Life wasn't that compicated.It was more easy going. You could say life was less full yet happier.

[dagosd2000]

Argentine Rocca vs. Primo Carnera

[dagosd2000]

Not Slapsy At All

Slapsy Maxie Rosenbloom appeared in more movies and televison programs than any other boxer in history.He was mainly the character actor playing the punch drunk ex pug.Comedy was his forte. He let himself be cast as a fool and afterwards took his money to the bank.People poked fun at him and he took it on the chin. The laugh was at his expense.If you didn't know any better you'd think that Rosenbloom was a tomato can when it came to prizefighting.

His fistic career spanned from 1923 through 1939. He won the vacant light heavyweight championship in a match with Jimmy Slattery in 1930. Rosenbloom was one of the most active fighters in the history of the sport engaging more than 270 fights.Often, he'd have only a few days between bouts.He fought them all including Mickey Walker,Tiger Flowers,John Henry Lewis,Ace Hudkins,Jimmy Braddock,Ted Kid Lewis,Harry Greb,and Young Stribling just to name a few.Although he fought so often and against so many name fighters there is no film that had lasted the test of time of any of his fights.But like I said, there is a wealth of Slapsy Maxie on cinematic celluloid.

To conclude that Rosenbloom was not playing with a full deck is to deal him a low blow. You might think by seeing him on the silver screen that he wound up punchy due to fighting. But it's just an act. After retiring from boxing Rosenbloom opened his own place on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. His restaurant was one of the most popular meeting places in town .The food was gourmet and the entertainment top drawer.

But I've got to level with you. I always thought that Rosenbloom's depiction of a punch drunk fighter wasn't off the mark. I mean every role I saw him in on the screen he was nutty as a fruit cake.The thing that turned me around was when I saw Rosenbloom as a guest contestant on Mike Stokey's television program Pantomime Quiz,Each guest would be on a team of four and get a card that contained a common phrase.Then he'd have to mime the quote to his teammates and they would have to guess what it was.When I saw that Rosenbloom was one of the contestants I began feeling sorry for him. But to my amazement he was insightful and sharp as a tack communicating what was on his card.I can't remember what was written on the card but he conveyed the saying cleverly and his team solved it in under a minute. He seemed totally out of character.He was brilliant But let's face it he was also an actor and what I saw in his films was an act.

Got to give Rosenbloom credit for acting the fool and not wanting to deviate from the ruse.Too bad there isn't any film of his fights.I'm sure there's nothing to see there that's mindless.



Slapsy Maxie


Slapsy Maxies on Wilshire

[dagosd2000]

Ways Of Getting Around It

https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Docume ... c.Default)

This is the way it goes in California if a fighter fails to go the distance.Sounds pretty good but like anything else in the shady world of boxing the spin doctors can find ways of getting a presumed injured fighter back into the ring skirting the rules and regs.

For instance what's to stop a fighter that has been stopped in his last bout to show up the next day inside a ring in another of the 50 states? What's to prevent a fighter who has been counted out in his previous bout not to go to the gym the next day and spar? This happened to a fighter here in San Diego.

I won't mention his name.I had before but his son (who was just a toddler at the time)PM'd me and took umbrage with my take on the matter. The fighter,who had plenty of guts yet unmatched with equal talent, died after a sparring session in his dad's gym.He had been suspended for 30 days after being stopped in a fight. His dad was also his manager and trainer. The kid,like I said, wasn't afraid of anyone but because he lacked a big punch and led with his chin his opponents weren't wary of him either. His dad thought he was a world beater. The boxing ilk around town were questioning if the father/ son relationship wasn't serving in the best interests of the kid. After working out with a much bigger fighter(the kid was a lightweight)he went to take a shower and collapsed.The dad and his wife(who was also an integral part of the business)were devastated.The gym was like a second home. Everyone who trained there was like family.

The gym remained open. Years later I went there to watch Terry Norris spar with another local fighter named Gilbert Baptist. Norris was preparing for his fight with Ray Leonard. The gym was on the upper floor of this building on Broadway. At the top of the stairs there were newspaper clippings in this glass case of the deceased young fighter. The dad would talk about him like he was still around. The mom was seated at a desk doing paperwork. The atmosphere was very congenial.All was bittersweet to say the least. When the kid's son PM'd me he said that his dad had some kind of brain flaw and he would have died anyway. The boy also reminded me that the times he remembered of the gym (the father had renamed the gym after his son)were the happiest moments of his life. His grandparents had passed away. Although he was very young he still remembered his dad.

If you look up the word "bittersweet" in the dictionary you'll see a picture of a fighter.

[dagosd2000]

Fame Raised On Frailty

The legends of the heavyweight division have had their accolades countered by the critics who have questioned the quality of the opponents they have faced in the ring.

Start with Jeffries. He pounded a 160 pound Fitzsimmons into submission;Corbett who laid claim tiring out a a crude bareknuckle fighter/wrestler with a bloated rep to match his stoutness..

Jack Johnson the man who beat a fat Jeffries who was enjoying his retirement baling alfalfa carrying his 300* pound body then being dragged back after a 5 year absence to be the Great White Hope;Stanley Ketchel who had to give up 60 pounds to the giant Lii' Arthur who tossed him around the ring like a rag doll then catching Jack with a lucky punch and within 10 seconds was lying prone on the mat minus his front teeth.

Jack Dempsey who had in his corner the most crafty and unscrupulous manager of all time Doc Kearns who made sure that he carefully handpicked a roster of opponents comprised of a glass jawed French light heavyweight,a dying man consumed by Brights disease,and a buffonish South American who should have won the title by knocking The Manassa Mauler through the rope into Jack's army of the press corps.

The long lasting Brown Bomber who starched the guys he faced with such easy dispatch that the scribes called his march through the heavyweight ranks "The Bum Of The Month Club."

Then came Marciano who built his fame on the broken down old bones of heavyweights who should have retired long before they met Rocky in the ring.

Last but not least is Cassius "Muhammad Ali" Clay.When he had it all together as a young charge when he beat the likes of the cowardly bully Liston,Henry Cooper,Floyd Patterson,Archie Moore,Doug Jones,Cleveland Williams, and Zora Folley.I could add on but I think you get my drift.

I know the Johnny Come Latelys to the sport are going to carp about my omissions of Smokin' Joe and Big George but they lost to the dead legged Ali after the government figured the Vietnam War was working against them and let Muhammad fight again.And then came Larry and Iron Mike and Lennox and the K brothers. Today it's Fury.The future list is bound to be a hyped up sham.

So what does it all mean? Depends where you're looking at it from.If your guy wins then he's a legend.But then the guy on the losing end was not worth the price of admission.

I know I simplified things a lot but it gives me something to do.


Tyson Fury.A legend? If he is neither should the past ones have their names inscribed on stone.Does that make you feel better?

[dagosd2000]

The Murder Capital Of The World

I keep talking about the sordid things that go on in Tijuana. Sometimes I call it "The Murder Capital Of The World."I know there's a lot of Tijuaneros that don't like to hear that term called about the city.They're not proud of that. They'll talk about all the murders in private in subdued tones but they don't like it. It's gotten to a point now that they know they have to live with it.It's too far gone.

Per 100 K people who live in Tijuana 138 of them will be murdered. That's the highest rate in the world.Of the top 4 highest per capita homicide rates 3 of the cities are in Mexico.Acapulco is 2nd with 110 per 100K. homicides. Caracas,Venezuela is 3rd with 99.Ciudad Victoria is 5th with 86.

The Mexican news nationally and especially the local news broadcast from Tijuana gives a daily running count of the bloodshed. A few days ago in the pueblo of Santa Maria De Las Gracias, which is about ten minutes by car from were me and the wife built our house in her hometown of Jiquipan,Michoacan, there was a wake for a deceased narco. Evidently a rival cartel didn't appreciate the homage so they barged into the house where the wake was and lined up everybody outside and gunned them down, 17 people including women and children were murdered.

I could go on and on with this.The president of Mexico, Manuel Obrador sent 2000 federal troops to Tijuana to try to get a handle on the drug war that's been going on.There's the Tijuana cartel at war with the cartels that are moving in from the outside-the Sinaloan cartel,the New Generation cartel from Jalisco(they're also causing the problems in Michoacan trying to take over the La Familia cartel.

There's not a state in the republic that isn't having a drug war.But it's become more than a problem with cartels smuggling drugs.Extortion and kidnapping are part of their agenda.Now they've even moved in on controlling the business community.Here's an example. A coupe of weeks ago the largest grower of avocados in the world(that happens to be in Michoacan)was happy as a clam exporting his crop to the U.S. If you like guacamole then what you've been eating was grown in Michoacan.Years ago it wasn't that way. The north county of San Diego was the principle supplier of avocados in the the U.S. but the trickery of NAFTA quashed that. The cheap labor in Mexico made U.S. agricultural firms become partners with their Mexican counterparts.So I guess what happened was the U.S. side of the union had inspectors down in Michoacan overseeing the operation. Well,the cartel was also in on the action and didn't like the gringos sticking their noses in the avocado dip..They sent a threatening text to one of the U.S. honchos to back off. The U.S. rep then notified our state department. Guess what? Avocados go for a dollar an avocado here because we cut off the Mexican supply to teach them a lesson..( BTW.an avocado costs more in Michoacan where they grow them than in the U.S. before this shutdown)

But strong arming the avocados owners is different than lining up people at a wake and shooting them in cold blood.But then again you can never tell with the cartels.They have no rules.They'd just as soon drown you in a vat of guacamole than put a bullet in you head.

[scartissue]

Not Slapsy At All



To conclude that Rosenbloom was not playing with a full deck is to deal him a low blow. You might think by seeing him on the silver screen that he wound up punchy due to fighting. But it's just an act. After retiring from boxing Rosenbloom opened his own place on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. His restaurant was one of the most popular meeting places in town .The food was gourmet and the entertainment top drawer.





Slapsy Maxie


Slapsy Maxies on Wilshire

Rog, how long did Slapsy Maxie's operate? Was it successful for as long as it ran?

[dagosd2000]

Not Slapsy At All



To conclude that Rosenbloom was not playing with a full deck is to deal him a low blow. You might think by seeing him on the silver screen that he wound up punchy due to fighting. But it's just an act. After retiring from boxing Rosenbloom opened his own place on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. His restaurant was one of the most popular meeting places in town .The food was gourmet and the entertainment top drawer.





Slapsy Maxie


Slapsy Maxies on Wilshire

Rog, how long did Slapsy Maxie's operate? Was it successful for as long as it ran?

Dan
Rosenbloom's place was only open for around 5 years during the 40's.However,the food and entertainment was great. Just about all the celebrities in town frequented his joint. Van de Kamps Bakeries bought him out offering him a deal he couldn't refuse. For him running his restaurant was probably more of a chore than fighting in the ring.



Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis having fun at Slapsy Maxies

[dagosd2000]

Maxie's menu.Very chic

[chrisjs1985]

Love reading about and seeing Maxie's place. Same with Lew Tendler's in Philly. I even got a classic t-shirt with the log of Tendler's.

[dagosd2000]

Love reading about and seeing Maxie's place. Same with Lew Tendler's in Philly. I even got a classic t-shirt with the log of Tendler's.

Chris
How about those prices? No entree over 5 bucks.Pulled into the drive thru at MacDonalds this morning for a cup of coffee. The guy in front of me ordered I guess breakfast:Juice,coffee, and an egg McMuffin meal.Came to almost 15 dollars!
You know they talk about "Ok back then you made less money and things were cheaper." When I was 18 years old (!964) I was clearing 400 dollars a month working at MacDonalds.I was renting a house in a little cottage at the beach for 60 dollars a month.You can't find a rent in San Diego for under 2 grand.I bought a 57 Chevy Bel Air for 175 dollars. Gas was 20 cents a gallon. Here in San Diego gas has gone up a buck in one week to 5 dollars a gallon..Diesel gas which is the cheapest to make was 9 cents a gallon. Today it costs more than regular gas.

Take me back to Slapsy Maxies and I'll order the New York steak with all the trimmings,have a few whiskey and sodas, and pay no cover to listen to Sinatra sing "All Or Nothing At All" and get out of there having change from a sawbuck.

[dagosd2000]

Love reading about and seeing Maxie's place. Same with Lew Tendler's in Philly. I even got a classic t-shirt with the log of Tendler's.

Chris
How about those prices? No entree over 5 bucks.Pulled into the drive thru at MacDonalds this morning for a cup of coffee. The guy in front of me ordered I guess breakfast:Juice,coffee, and an egg McMuffin meal.Came to almost 15 dollars!
You know they talk about "Ok back then you made less money and things were cheaper." When I was 18 years old (!964) I was clearing 400 dollars a month working at MacDonalds.I was renting a house in a little cottage at the beach for 60 dollars a month.You can't find a rent in San Diego for under 2 grand.(4 g's in the more swank neighborhoods)I bought a 57 Chevy Bel Air for 175 dollars. Gas was 20 cents a gallon. Here in San Diego gas has gone up a buck in one week to 5 dollars a gallon..Diesel gas which is the cheapest to make was 9 cents a gallon back then. Today it costs more than regular gas.

Take me back to Slapsy Maxies and I'll order the New York steak with all the trimmings,have a few whiskey and sodas, and pay no cover to listen to Sinatra sing "All Or Nothing At All" and get out of there having change from a sawbuck.

[dagosd2000]

Jerry Lewis reminiscing about playing at the Copa and Slapsy Maxies