Classic American West Coast Boxing

[dagosd2000]

The Little Shack On The Corner

It's been a few years since I last visited the CREA gym in Tijuana and watched the fighters workout.Over the years the place has changed.It used to be a serious gym for the fighters to train in. The CREA had a reputation for being the spot where the best fighters in Tijuana would practice their trade.When one of Mexico's finest blew into town, like an Olivares or a Chavez, they'd make sure they'd catch a workout or two at the CREA. Now it's mostly a family atmosphere.Exercising at your own pace takes precedent over a slugfest for bragging rights Inside.Mostly kids and women go through the motions now. Romulo Quirate still is in charge(at least the last time I was there) but he doesn't have another Jibaro Perez to show how to hook and counter. Now it's Jibaro's son who shows up twice a week. He's a dentist by profession.

But Romulo Quirarte opens the doors to keep the kids off the street instead of finding trouble on the outside. So he doesn't have another champion but it all comes out in the wash. Maybe it's one less kid they find with a bullet in the back of his head lying in an alley in the morning.

But there was another savior of lost souls who was functioning on a heavenly plateau who had a place of refuge just up the street from the CREA. She was an old lady who lived in a one room shack on the corner.Inside all the waifs in the neighborhood would bed out with her in side that shack.I never caught her name. Everybody called her "Abuelita" (Little Grandmather).She was a scrawny gal;probably was a lot older looking than she was;bronze skin that was full of wrinkles;no teeth that didn't keep her from putting a smile on her face; and iron gray hair that she braided. I don't think she ever took off her frayed food stained apron.Besides that slew of kids she tended to she always had a few stray mutts that she'd have something on hand to give them to eat. She may have looked like one of those old ladies you'd see harboring those kids in a Little Rascals serial yet her manner was adolescent.

Everyone in the neighborhood made sure she had enough on hand and no need for more to keep that proper order working smoothly. Whether it was scant money or food she got enough to live on happily. The kids and those dogs on that corner was her little corner of heaven.

The last time I went to keep tabs on the CREA I noticed that the little shack on the corner was gone,just a slab of concrete was left.Before I went inside the park I asked the security guard what happened.
"The old lady died. It happened very suddenly."
I was taken off guard.
"That's terrible,"I said knowing that what I just uttered sounded banal.
"We took up a collection to bury her,"said the security guard.
"How about the kids?"
The security guard just shrugged his shoulders.

I then proceeded to walk inside the gym. I was hoping that maybe Romulo Quirarte was showing one of them how to throw a left hook.


CREA gym,Tijuana

[dagosd2000]

BTw: Merry Christmas.It's 80 degrees here in San Diego right now. I wanted to post a Christmas song about San Diego but there isn't one but Der Bingle has it covered.

[dagosd2000]

Aficianados Barbaros

I've been to a few fights where the audience was primarily comprised of Mexicans,who in disagreement of the outcome,displayed their displeasure.

I went up to the LA Forum with a friend to watch Chucho Castillo challenge Lionel Rose for the bantamweight title. As the fight went along I could sense it was going to go the distance.Rose was out boxing Castillo yet I knew Castillo was going to last. The Mexican fans,the aficianados, wanted one of their own to win that title real bad. Olivares was waiting in the wings but that night they didn't want to stand by for Rockin' Ruben. They wanted Chucho to do so.When the bell sounded to end the fight I thought(if the judges had it right)the scoring would go Rose's way. And to tell the truth, I think the aficianados thought so too.But they had consumed enough beer that night to fill San Pedro harbor, and those aficianados didn't care about truth ,justice,and scoring a fight honestly, especially if one of their own was going to get the short end of the stick.

Well, Rose got his hand rosed at the end and then it was time for the aficianados to file their complaint. Me and my friend weren't about to do a duck and cover drill. We just wanted to haul ass out of there.In no time The Fabulous Sports Theater (as Chick Hearn liked to call, it)was soon staging a tragedy.Anything that wasn't bolted down was thrown around like birdshot. Outside,cars were on fire and no one was roasting marshmallows.It would have been better if Rose could have landed a Sunday punch and ended it quickly. But the aficianados wanted to think that it was some kind of racial factor that factored in the decision.Lee Grossman and John Thomas saw it for Castillo.Dick Young didn't view it that way.Larry Roszadilla would have come in handy that night.

I've been to some other fights where the aficiandos believed their boy got either dissed on the scorecards or they hated the other guy's guts so much that it was just cause to start a revolution. Davey Moore,the feaherweight champ,was one guy they hated when he fought Kid Irapuato.. Ray Robinson ,when he fought Memo Ayon in the downtown bullring,heard the word "n----r" enough to almost make him join The Nation Of Islam.Hedgemon Lewis,when he sliced up Raul Rodriguez at the Jai Alai Palace in front of his Hollywood pals Ryan O'Neal and Bill Cosby who drove down to see him,they all kept one step ahead of the lynching party.

But then there's that old adage,"Boys will be boys," or is it "If the aficianados don't agree with the outcome of a fight you better put on a sombrero."


Sugar Ray Robinson. The aficianados had a sour taste in their mouths when he fought in Tijuana.

[dagosd2000]

Here's a good one.Doesn't necessarily have to be a Mexican against a non Mexican.Can't help but to laugh at this one .

[goose 5]

Fantastic clip, Roger-thanks a lot for posting it. Ref was an idiot.

[dagosd2000]

Fantastic clip, Roger-thanks a lot for posting it. Ref was an idiot.

Thanks.My experience with riots like that at the fights in Mexico is that the ;police and any arbitrator like a ringside official just step aside and let the crazies go at it.

[Chuck1052]

Here's a good one.Doesn't necessarily have to be a Mexican against a non Mexican.Can't help but to laugh at this one .

Roger, that is one hilarious clip.

- Chuck Johnston

[dagosd2000]

Here's a good one.Doesn't necessarily have to be a Mexican against a non Mexican.Can't help but to laugh at this one .

Roger, that is one hilarious clip.

- Chuck Johnston

Thanks.Tomorrow I'll share some of my experiences of dodging incoming at the fights in Mexico..

[dagosd2000]

A Kid No Moore

My father got introduced to Kid Irapuato at the dog races at the Caliente Racetrack in Tijuana. My father always had a hand in the fight game.He had a couple of Mexican boys back in Chicago. They were somewhere in the lighter weight classes.He let them go when they lost two in a row. My father said if you're not very good and lose two in a row, he'd wash his hands of it.

When we moved out to California in the mid 50's my father looked up what was going on with the fights in San Diego and across the border. That's when he hooked up with Doc Kearns and the brothers Bob and Charley Johnston. Bob had his burlesque house,The Hollywood Theater, on lower Market Street and his bar next door,The Sports Palace. That trio was behind Srchie Moore at the time.My father would take me to the fights in town at The Coliseum.He also liked to cross the border and see the action.

One day my father asked me if I wanted to go with him to watch a Mexican fighter who was building a rep in Baja California. His name was Kid Irapuato.That wasn't his real name. I can't remember what his real name was but like a lot of the Mexican fighters he called himself from where he was born. In this case"Irapuato."KId Irapuato was to get in the ring with the featherweight champ,Davey Moore,however it was one of those non title affairs.

I looked it up later.He'd hung losses on some pretty good boys:Billy Peacock,Ricardo Moreno,IKe Chestnut,and Don Johnson-all in TJ.He also gave to Raton Macias a run for his money losing the decision. The week before the fight my father wanted to watch Irapuato taper off his training.I can't remember where we went but it wasn't the CREA.

On the way down to watch Irapuato work out my father told me he was interested in buying his contract.The only thing that was holding him back was that he didn't think Irapuato took his training seriously enough.
"He drinks too much and he chases women around and stays out late."

The gym was packed with Irapuato fans.He'd become the ,local hero..We watched Irapuato work the bags,spar,and then skip rope. He didn't do much sparring but what I saw was a guy that was very slick and quick. His movements came second nature. I was impressed but my father held back.
"They say he's not dong much roadwork..Moore is a very strong fighter.He'll wear him down."

Davey Moore was also a fighter who had had his way with Mexican fighters.Fili Nava,Ricardo Moreno,Kid Anahuac,and Lauro Salas couldn't handle him,and besides, Moore took a certain pleasure notching their names on his fistic gun.The crowd that night was all behind The Kid.

The downtown bullring was always the place they put the big fights in Tijuana.That night was no exception. Archie Moore was there ,and when he was introduced he got a standing ovation.They loved Moore in TJ. By the time Davey Moore and Irapuato got in the ring the crowd was in a frenzy. Firecrackers were going off,the ritual of tossing around ringside a pair of lady's underpants size Xtra large was smacking people in the face.There was the traditional dead rattlesnake also getting flung back and forth.It was kind of an honor to hit in the face with one of those morbid missiles.

When the bell sounded for the action to start you could feel the crowd on pins and needles.Irapuato came out moving his head and looking for an opening.He was back on his heels.Moore was the aggressor. He wanted to trade with Irapuato but The Kid was thinking counter.I think Moore sensed that maybe Irapuato was a little gun shy. By the middle rounds you could tell that Irapuato wanted less and less of Davey Moore. Moore was dismantling him piece by piece,It lasted the ten but there was no doubt.Moore got his hand raised.And then all hell broke loose. Chairs.bottles,small people were being thrown into the ring. The cops did their usual and ran away. Moore and his corner held their arms over their heads.Moore didn't even have time to put on his robe or take off his gloves.He could have cared less.Somehow he got out to the street and flagged a taxi to the border.Me and my father were sitting ringside and I thought the mob might want to take us apart but their focus was on Moore and his crew.

On our way home I asked my father if he was still interested in handling Kid Irapuato.
"Not if Davey Moore is champion."


Davey Moore

[dagosd2000]

After The Last Bell

After Davey Moore trounced Kid Irapuato in the bullring that night in Tijuana The Kid started hitting the skids.in his next fight Rodolfo Gonzalez KO'd him.He could only rustle up 4 more wins in his next 15 outings,Davey Moore giving him another going over this time in Ciudad Juarez's bullring stretching him out in 6 frames.After losing 6 in a row against a list of club fighters he had had enough of boxing.

Years later I asked round Tijuana about whatever happened to Kid Irapuato. The answers were consistent:he got a job being a motorcycle cop for the city .Mexican civil service jobs are very political.It's who you know and how much money you can afford.With Irapuato he wanted to be assigned in an area of the city where he could shake down as many traffic commuters and wind up with a nice profit after his shift was over. I guess he forked over some of his prizemoney to the chief of police so he could ride his scooter up and down Diaz Ordaz Boulevard that runs across the south end of Tijuana.It's in a nice area of town and the traffic is heavy.

In time The Kid became a controversial conversation piece.He'd pull people over and then put the bite on them.In Mexico they call it "mordida. After a day of pocketing his bribe money you could just about always find Irapuato inside one of the two cantinas on The Boulevard."Nacho's" was the name of one of them.The other I think was called "Club De Los Peludos." It's been some time since I've been inside those joints. Those cantinas were there first before they built up a community around them.They put those bars there originally because they were away from civilization so to speak.But then they started to expand the houses and businesses so the residents wanted them removed.No such luck.

Anyway,that's where Kid Irapuato spent his shakedown money after serving the community.But the next day The Kid would hop on his cycle and scour The Boulevard looking for more easy marks.

When I was coaching American football at that school in TJ,CETYs,I was riding in car with one of the players on the team and his father who was driving.We were riding along The Boulevard which was near their house.Suddenly the father looks in the rearview mirror and starts cussing.He slowed down the car and stopped.Alongside pulls up a motorcycle cop.The kid's father opens the door and goes running at this cop knocking him off the motorcycle. The kid's father and the cop are rolling around the ground clawing and punching each other like fury.After a few minutes of brawling the dust cleared and the fight broke off just like that. the kid's dad gets back in the driver's seat and turns to me and his son.
That son of a bitch Irapuato isn't going to get any of my money,"he snarled.
He then drove off like nothing had happened.

I guess after that tumble Kid Irapuato had to find someone else driving on The Boulevard if he was to have enough money to entertain himself in the cantinas. It was all part of the job.


Diaz Ordaz Boulevard ,Tijuana

[dagosd2000]

The Price I Paid For Not Paying

The Tijuana Municipal Auditorium is located on that Diaz Ordaz Boulevard I mentioned in my last post.They have a lot of stuff going on there all the time. The facility is a big venue for boxing and wrestling matches I remember the first time I drove my car there.It was to see a fight card.I can't remember who was fighting that night but it was something I'll never forget,and I learned a hard lesson.

The Auditorium doesn't have a parking lot so it's every man for himself to find a space on one of the numerous side streets.But like the story I told about Kid Irapuato and the racket he had going shaking down motorists on The Boulevard riding his motorcycle and wearing his badge,the parking situation around The Auditorium provided a little gold mine for the neighborhood wrongdoers.

The first time I drove there I didn't think there would be a problem. I arrived early and found a space a couple of blocks up a side street.I wanted to be careful so I made sure I locked my car and put "The Club" on the steering wheel.As soon as I did that a gang of little street urchins came up to me and said they'd watch my car for some money.The area was pretty dark and didn't look on the up and up but my knee jerk reaction was to say "No gracias" ,so I walked away.

When I came back after the fights were over and reached my car I knew something had happened. There was broken glass all around on the outside of the driver's door.Whoever had busted the window also took my car's radio.I had an AM/FM and in those days that was state of the art.

I saw up the street a cop sitting in his car.I walked over to the guy.
"Someone broke into my car and stole my radio.Did you see anyone?"
The cop stayed in his car.
"I"ve been here all night.I see nobody,"he answered nonchalantly."
"There were some little kids here when I got out of my car asking for some money."
"I didn't see nobody,"repeated the cop.

Well, that was that.It wasn't hard to figure out what had happened.When I didn't give those kids any money they broke into my car and stole the radio.The cop was up the street looking out for them. I don't how they split it up with the cop.They were all in on it. But I know from now on that paying those kids a buck or two was well worth it. I've been back dozens of times to The Auditorium to take in what's gong on. And I make sure I have plenty of change on me.


Tijuana's Municipal Auditorium

[dagosd2000]

Tijuana street urchins.I want my radio back!

[dagosd2000]

A Safe Place

There's a funeral parlor in Tijuana's red light district,La Coahuila. I talk about The Coahuila all the time.While I'm on the subject of kids in Tijuana here's a good one. One time a friend of the family down there died. In Mexico they put you in a funeral parlor the next day and then you're off to the cemetery the following. Well,everyone in the neighborhood went to the cemetery to say good by to this guy at the funeral parlor. The viewing was late at night. When I arrived inside there were all these little kids running wild in the place running up and down the aisles and climbing over the pews.I grabbed one of the kids and asked him what's going on.
"Oh,our mothers work in those bars down the street and they told us to stay in here all night until they get off work."
The owner of the funeral parlor confirmed their story.I imagine that when their mothers came to pick them up they tipped the owner a few pesos.

Tijuana is my reality check.


While mom is working she knows her kids are in a safe place.

[dagosd2000]

The Piss Ants

I was standing in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel in Inglewood.The World Boxing Hall Of Fame was going to put on their annual bash inducting a new crop of fighters to be enshrined The ceremony was about to get under way when I started to eavesdrop on a conversation between two of the WBHOF board members. They were standing face to face to each other. One guy was real tall and scrawny,the other guy short and scrawny. They were dressed in suits yet their natty attire didn't add anything to their stature. Both fellows held their hands behind their backs.The short guy did most of the talking.
"Well I didn't vote for Pernell Whitaker," exclaimed the short guy.
"Why was that?"asked the tall guy.
"He wanted us to pay his airfare and hotel or he said he wouldn't be coming."
"Did we pay for him to come?"
"No way. But he got inducted anyway and that makes me mad.,"griped the short guy.
"I see he got his name in the program."
"Well I told the emcee not to mention his name."
The two then walked side by side into the dining room.The induction ceremony was to begin after the chicken dinner.

After eating, the inductees were introduced one at at time to the come up to the podium and accept their award and make a speech.The emcee was Tom Kelly ,a local sports broadcaster who was most noted for being the "Voice Of USC Football." When he got to Whitaker's name he made a short speech on his behalf.I looked at the two guys who were talking about Whitaker in the lobby.The short guy threw his napkin on what was left of his chicken dinner.
" I gave him instructions not to mention Whitaker's name,"he groused.
After Kelly got done giving Whitaker recognition there was a nice round of applause. I looked over at that pair again.They were the only ones in the room who weren't clapping.


Pernell Whitaker

[dagosd2000]

Who Ranks Higher Historically?

That was too bad about Pele passing away the other day. Since I married my Mexican wife 50 years ago I've gradually become a big fan of soccer(Yeah,I know football).In fact I like soccer a lot more than American football that I was weaned on,.

When I was a kid there was no soccer played in physical education class. There were no high school or college teamsThere were no youth league soccer teams like there was with Little League for baseball and Pop Warner League for America football. I guess everybody all over the world was playing soccer but the U.S. was in the dark.No much one cared. The only soccer game they had on TV was the World Cup final and it was on the Mexican channel in Tijuana.

There was a Portuguese community ,comprised of fisherman, near where I lived and they were into soccer.Portugal didn't do much but Brazil was the best team in the world and they had Pele. Since Brazil once belonged to Portugal the Portuguese in that neighborhood thought Brazil was still a colony. Pele was one of them as long as he played soccer though Brazil was the last country in the western hemisphere to abolish slavery.

Anyway I began liking soccer and Pele had a lot do with that.When America started that league here and signed Pele to play with the New York Cosmas that was when soccer began to take hold.And of course with the influx of immigrants coming over they weren't about to let go of the sport.

When Pele died the sports news here put football on the back burner for a minute and talked everything about Pele.They never did before but now they couldn't keep yakking. I heard one American reporter say that Pele was the greatest athlete of the 20th century. Hmm. I always thought it was Muhammad Ali. Now there's food for thought.

Who was the greatest historically? (Now you know where I'm headed)Let's compare and contrast;analyze and divide using geometric logic; not being partial ;feed all the information and data into a Univac;and then open it to debate without anyone calling each other an idiot or a fag ;and then after compiling everything that could be put together in a tome that would make the Torah look like a Dr. Seuss book we'd still have an eternal argument.

So who do I think ranks higher historically?I could care less.Life's too short to waste my time on it.

Wait a minute.I see a hand in the back.
"Well then ,who do you think ranks higher historically? Vlad or Mike Tyson?"
"How would you like a kick in the balls?"

[dagosd2000]

The Layover

In short, The World Boxing Hall Of Fame went out of business because of a lack of funding. It was losing money every year so it closed its doors after the 2009 ceremony.

In 2008 Lennox Lewis got inducted.The presentation at the Marriott Hotel got delayed an hour because Lewis' plane from London was running an hour late and the show couldn't start without him.When word finally came that his plane had landed at LAX people started filing into the dining room. The airport was just up the street from the Marriott so it wasn't long before Lewis arrived with his party.

Lewis was the main attraction that evening.Greg Haugen,Marvin Johnson,and Pernell Whitaker were also to be given their plaques but like I told you the other day Whitaker didn't come because he would have had to pay his own way.

Lewis walked in with a small group that included his wife. He was staring eerily like he was a stranger in a trance:no emotion,no smile,not even a wave.His bodyguards kept people at distance while they slowly made their way to the dais. Lewis was the first person to get up and make his speech.As he was talking I noticed at his table that his wife had her eyes closed.I tried to follow along with what he was saying but it was so lackluster that I almost closed my eyes as well. What he had to say couldn't have lasted more than ten minutes.When he finished he walked back to his table with his plaque and gathered his wife and entourage, and then they headed towards the door. It was said they had to catch their return flight to England.

I couldn't imagine an inductee getting up and leaving before it was over at the World Series Hall Of Fame or the National Football Hall Of Fame ceremonies.Like I said the World Boxing Hall Of Fame is long gone. I don't think anyone is crying the blues.


My cover art for the World Boxing Hall Of Fame ceremony in 2009.

[Chuck1052]

JJ Johnston (no relation), a boxing history buff and collector, has passed away at the age of 89. He was familiar figure at boxing functions in Los Angeles for a number of decades, including meetings at the Cauliflower Alley Club and the ceremonies of the California Boxing Hall of Fame.

- Chuck Johnston

[dagosd2000]

Time To Call It Quits

Andy Heilman was in a group of middleweight contenders who plied their trade a lot in California in the 70's. I have to say that they were worth watching.They could put on a few pounds and fight the light heavies but to reach the top they would have had to fight Bob Foster.No easy chore.Staying at 160 the cock of the walk was Carlos Monzon ,and they most likely would have had to take on Carlos in his own backyard in Argentina. So they wound up mostly fighting each other.

Andy Heilman's durability was his main strength.They called him The Fargo Kid because Fargo, ND was his hometown.He didn't pack a big punch. His defense was average.Hand speed was equal with his footwork which was deliberate.He never was a champ in neither division and never got the opportunity to fight for a title..Jimmy Lester,Nate Collins, Charley Shipes,Andy Kendall,and Mike Quarry were also in Heilman's league. In a way they looked like they were cut out of the same mold.

I wouldn't put Ronnie Wilson with these guys because Ronnie mainly fought as a light heavyweight.Ronnie and also he lost a lot of fights. Yet he never lacked guts.I remember in the gym when Ronnie said that his manager,Sid Flaherty, had gotten him a fight with Andy Heilman at the Valley Music Center in Orange County. Ronnie would have a few pounds on Heilman but Ronnie's issue with cuts always posed a concern.I don't know who was the favorite going in but I had a feeling Ronnie would lose. He never could win a pivotal fight.

I didn't have much desire to go up there and watch the fight but when I read the result in the paper I was surprised. It said Heilman didn't answer the bell for the 7th round.Ronnie Wilson had just won a pivotol fight.When Ronnie returned to the gym he wasn't talking much about the fight but Ronnie didn't talk much anyway so I paid no attention.

I used to work with Wilson's father in law when I was employed by the County Of San Diego.His father in law was a maintenance man at Juvenile Hall Many years later I asked him about Ronnie's fight with Heilman.He told me that he worked in Ronnie's corner that night.
"Heilman just didn't answer the bell,"he said.
"Was he hurt?"
"No.He just quit on his stool."
"Did he give a resason?"
"He said that he didn't want to fight anymore.He called it a career.He never fought after that."

Andy Heilman was inducted into the West Coast Boxing Hall Of Fame.When he made his speech he focused on the fact that he still had his health,especially his mental health.He said he worries about it after seeing so many other fighters that have been affected by the dementia.He said that the malady creeps up on you and you don't know you have it.

Every year I go to these boxing conventions and see more and more fighters that are slipping.I wonder if they know?

Ronnie Wilson

[dagosd2000]

Reality Check.

Emile Griffith probably brought more fighters down to earth than anyone just off the top of my head. Some hot prospect or local hero that's riding a crest of a wave and then here comes Griffith to knock him off his surfboard.

When Griffith came out to the West Coast he out slicked some familiar faces Armando Muniz and Indian Red Lopez gave him no problem.Gypsy Joe Harris hadn't lost a fight and then he's matched with Griffith, and Emile puts him in the loss column in Harris' backyard in Philly.(It was after that fight that Harris was examined by the ring commission doctors and it was discovered that he was blind in one eye)Tom Bogs was having his way in Europe,undefeated in over 50 fights, and that's when Emile crossed the pond and put that win streak to an end.There was a Chilean fighter who was growing in popularity here in San Diego named Renato Garcia.He hadn't lost a fight.Then he's paired with Griffith in Monaco, and Emile schools him. Garcia was never the same after suffering his first defeat.These wins were all accomplished by the time Griffith had reached the century mark in fights.

Emile Griffith had over a hundred fights.He never ducked anyone and he was never psyched out by an opponent. Carlos Monzon was way to big for him by the time they met and the wear and tear on Griffith was showing by then. But Griffith kept on fighting because he had mouths to feed.

He was only stopped twice. Hurricane Carter caught with a shot in Pittsburg and Monzon got him when he was already shot.He was an amazing fighter who fought in an amazing era of fighters who today would put boxing back on its feet.But that won't happen.As all the other sports are evolving,boxing is slowly decaying.There are a handful out there that are worth mentioning but it's not enough to keep the sport afloat.

Ever talk to a younger person about what it used to be like and he breaks eye contact?


Emile Griffith

[dagosd2000]

Easy Come Easy Going

It seemed that they were always raising money for Sam Langford.Even when he was still active at the end they were raising money for the "Boston Tar Baby."Sometimes Langford would get involved and spar a round or two with another black fighter from the past like Joe Jeanette ,or sometimes he'd just get up a speak to the audience about what it was like to get in the ring with Jack,Johnson,Stanley Ketchel,and Harry Wills.

My grandfather,DiamondJoe Esposito,opened the doors of his Bella Napoli on Halsted Street in Chicago to put on a bash for Langford favor and pass the hat. Langford at the time was living in Chicago and hanging out at Kid Howard's Gym where he would more than happy to tell of his fistic exploits and give his take on the current crop of fighters.He was always approachable and had a wit about him that ran neck and neck with Will Rogers.

The bottom line with all the fundraising was to pay for Langford's much needed eye surgery.He was blind in his left eye resulting from a blow from Fed Fulton in 1917. Langford fought another 9 years that included a hundred or so fights.He spent his money as fast as he made it.As he got older, and his "good" eye was dimming, he continued fighting. though his long time manager Joe Woodman eventually walked away. He didn't want to be there when they carried Sam out of the ring and put him in a hearse.

Eventually,Langford got his operation before he spent his money on booze and broads and then blew the rest.A cataract was removed from the "good" eye. But the optic nerve was damaged to a point where it couldn't be recharged. Langford died broke but happy living in his old burg of Boston ,MASS. He had his guitar and his radio and his bottle of gin, and if you wanted to look him up he'd be more than happy to tell you about the time he almost won the lightweight championship from Joe Gans but he had tipped the scale weighting a 136 pounds,a pound over his contracted weight for the match.

Langford is hands down the greatest fighter to never wear a world title belt. After jack Johnson beat Tommy Burns there was Langford knocking on Jack's door. Johnson had beat him once,but that was when Langford was 20 years old and weighed 160. But Johnson wanted no rematch.
"He's a tough little smoke,"remarked Johnson.The money was out there but Johnson always balked.Even the white folks were in Langford's corner for a second go around.

I asked my father how the fundraising came out at Diamond Joe's joint.He said Al Capone showed up as well as Ruth Etting the famous torch singer.Jane Addams' Hull House for orphans was located across the street and she came over with some of the kids so they could see The Great Langford.My father said over a thousand dollars was gathered.However, within a month Langford was broke again.He had spent his money on a good time instead of going to the hospital.

When Jess Willard finally caught up with a fat and tired Jack Johnson in Havana and put the white world back in it's proper orbit,it ended any chance for Sam Langford to ever fight for the heavyweight championship.

There's a quote by a heavyweight champion who wouldn't fight a black fighter.

"If you ever hear of a man drawing the color line you can bet your life there is one negro he's mighty afraid of"
John L. Sullivan

I bet Sam Langford's name crossed many of those White Hopes' minds.




Sam Langford

[dagosd2000]

So Easy To Remember,So Hard To Forget

Remember that song "Easy To Remember,Hard To Forget." ? Well,it's like what goes on today.If you remember something you don't forget it.But if you never experienced something how can you remember it? Let's take boxing as an example. You try to explain what kind of fighter Joe Louis was and if the guy never heard of Joe Louis then it's all falling on deaf ears.

Boxing is on shaky legs right now. There are very few fighters worth mentioning yet if that's all there is then you think that what's out there is the cutting edge. Today's heavyweights are the best example of being overblown. It started happening in the 90's. With all these alphabet titles you had a slew of 15 minutes of fame champions.Pinklon Thomas,Michael Dokes,John Tate,Bonecrusher Smith,Tony Tubbs,Tony Tucker,Greg Page,Tim Witherspoon,Mike Weaver to name some. They had their quick day in the sun ,and then darkness fell. There was nothing lasting."Inconsistency" was their motto.

It turns me off when reading this watered down history forum and all these "experts" think that because a fighter his 6 foot 6 and weighs 250 pounds he could have whipped a guy like Charles,Louis,or Marciano just because of the size difference.If the fight is inside a phone booth I'll buy it.

But 200 pound fighters of the past fought big guys.Abe Simon ,Buddy Baer,Carl Morris,and Fred Fulton were giants yet they never wore a title belt. But today's pundits would say they were just stiffs.They were slow and fat and had no skills,thus a quick write off.But those assessments are based upon scant knowledge, if any

There's all this talk about Vladimir Klitschtko.Here's a big chiseled hunk who fought very conservatively and they make him out to be an all time great.He fought Joshua,another Mr.Universe body,who has the heart in the ring of a titmouse. Deontay Wilder is one of the most flawed fighters I've ever seen,. His skills are as crude as a rank amateur.Andy Ruiiz is hog fat.Then there's Tyson Fury. While he tells the world that beating his meat is part of his training I'll give him credit for having balls in the ring. But talentwise? He's a slob.Yet he's the best heavyweight out there right now.

I taught history in school.Who in the hell cares about history anymore?When it comes to boxing history I'm more interested in the past phase of the sport than what's happening now,or going back 20 years and thinking that is all that's worthwhile. (With the obvious exception of Muhammad Ali and his fistic career) That's because most of pundits didn't begin watching the sport until then..Hell,I've got socks that are older than that.


Joe Jeanette.I bet he'd be a champion today

[dagosd2000]

Eyesight For The Blind

When Fred Fulton Landed a blow on top of Sam Langford's head in their first fight damaging Langford's optic nerve resulting in permanent blindness to the orb,Sam's future opponents thus aimed their punches at Sam's "good eye".

Langford ,after throwing in the towel after fighting for 23 years and engaging in his 600 fights(according to Sam) estimated that he had earned over 500 thousand dollars in the ring.He was broke at the rest of his life,and was kept afloat by groups of altruists that raised money on his behalf. Former fighters like Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney tossed some of their own coin into Sam's pot.But the tomato cans who tasted Sam's leather had to look out for themselves.

When I went down to look for Jose Napoles in Ciudad Juarez,Mexico it was evident that the once great Mantequilla was living on the edge of abject poverty in a dark part of the city in a small rundown house .When asking for directions about where he was living I got a lot of laughs.

"You mean 'Manteca'(the Mexican word for lard)? If you see him walkng up and down the street smoking his cigar you can ask him."

It's funny.Guys like me that followed the careers of a Napoles or a Langford still have a fondness for these fellows,and are a soft touch.But their neighbors who share the destitution don't really give a damn about them. It's a dog eat dog world they all live in and at any time these ex pugs could get eaten alive. In a way people think they're fools. Langford made 500 g's fighting and he wound up in a cold water flat in a poor neighborhood living off handouts.And Napoles who was getting paid as much as 90 thousand dollars a fight in a time when only Ali was getting more was now having the rent paid on his shoddy digs by Jose Sulaiman.

When Tyson went to jail you think those other prisoners were asking for his autograph? Here's a guy who had it made and now he's in jail with the sharks,and they don't pick and chose what they eat.Tyson was grade A prime.



My pal Jose.Ciudad Juarez 2014.

[dagosd2000]

The Pre Game And The Post Game And A Lot Of Hot Air

If there's anything I can't stand are these sports pregame shows and then afterwards the postgame shows. With pro football they start two hours before the game begins. ESPN has their panel of experts and then the network that will show the game has theirs.Then during the week the Monday morning quarterback shows continue daily through Saturday night on a multitude of channels.Yap,yap,yap,yap,yap.Everybody's an expert.

As boxing is becoming more and more invisible there's not much room nor interest in all the wind and smoke- conjecture and the obvious.I used to have HBO and they would hype up a fight a month in advance like Mayweather/Pacquiao picking out all the gnat s--t in a jar of pepper.

I just want to watch the game or the fight and then turn off the TV when it's over. As far as any analysis before the fight goes I'd rather wait and watch "The Cowboy Channel" and see Marshall Dillon shoot it out with some varmint out in front of The Long Branch.. And when the fight is over nobody has to explain to me what I just saw.


Marshall Dillon

[dagosd2000]

He tamed Dodge



One of my favorite scenes with Charles Bronson.

[dagosd2000]

What's In A Name

"I meant to ask you.Does Archie Moore's son ever come in anymore?"
I was talking to Jeff the day bartender at Champs.He had just opened the doors.As usual there was no one in the place in the morning.
"I don't know who he is.That was before my time,"Jeff replied as he broke open a case of beer and was putting the bottles in the cooler.
"When Burke was still around I'd see him come in once in awhile."
Jeff stopped what he was doing and poured himself a cup of coffee.
"Want a cup of coffee?I just made a fresh pot."
"I stay away from coffee.It makes my nerves jittery.I like tea now."
"I can't help you there.You still writing on that forum?"
HIs query took me aback a little. He made it sound like he didn't read it anymore.
"Still stay at it.It gets my juices flowing."
"Got a question for you.How do you think Archie Moore would have done today?"
"He would be hard to beat.He had so many fights.These guys today don't fight that much.They don't have their skills developed yet.That comes with experience."
"To tell the truth I don't follow boxing much anymore. UFC is a lot more exciting."
That comment also surprised me.
"UFC is too much of a barroom brawl for me,"I said.
"Maybe I like it because I work in a bar,"Jeff said laughing.
"Well,I got to get going.I got my car next door at Wally's.He's changing the oil."
"Before you leave.What is Archie Moore's son's name? If he ever comes in I'll pretend I know him."
I moved off the barstool and stood there thinking.
"You know something.His name has slipped my mind.I can't remember right now."
"Well,if it ever comes back to you come in and let me know."
"i'll do that,"I said.
As I got to the door it came to me.I turned around and saw Jeff talking on his I Phone.
"Billy,"I shouted."Billy."
But Jeff started walking towards the backroom still talking on the phone.


Archie Moore