BoxRec

kikibalt wrote:

Randyman wrote:

kikibalt wrote:Randy...did you know that boxing used to held in Pico at one time? it was at the Pico Palace, the Pico Palace used to be on Whittier Bl. just west of where the 605 freeway is now.

No Frank, this is the first I've heard about it. How far back are we talking about? I remember when the 605 freeway was being built. Sometime in the early to mid 60's, so it had to be a while back.

Randy

It was in the late 1940-early 50's, that I remmber. I fought (amateur, of course that all I fought) there around 1948-49.

Dongee wrote:It's hard to think back of olden days in California boxing without conjuring up the image of the many Filipino fighters who were a huge part of the local fistic scene. But as in everything else, there were a few who stood out head and shoulders above the rest.

Among the lighter boys Pablo Dano, Young Tommy and Speedy Dado were the class of their ilk for a dozen years. Three extreme professionals who fought each other with incredible abandon, as though their very existence depended on their performance.

I only got to know and really appreciate one of them, Speedy Dado, who became a regular at our Hollywood Legion Stadium shows and a drinking buddy afterwards. The Blue Palm Bar and Grill, adjacent to the stadium was our favorite hangout before and after the bouts. And Speedy was always there, waiting, in fact, for the fight night crowd to drop in.

Rick got a kick out of hearing of how Speedy used to greet me as I walked into the place. He would yell out, disturbingly, "Hap Navarro....I can stop you in 42 rounds!" In our secret code, that was my cue to buy him a drink. I never failed him and I wish I could do that to this day.

I never really stopped seeing Speedy as he once was----a smooth as silk "Brown Doll of Manila", the scourge of the world's bantams in the ring, and a dapper, model dresser in mufti when "off duty." That flashy little pinwheel took practically every round from the reigning World's Bantam Champ Al Brown at the Olympic in January, 1932, weighing just 1/2 pound over the limit to save the Panamanian's title. Mainly because of that. Dado ws forever shunned later as a challenger in a title match.

The last time that friend Lou Magana visited me in San Diego I asked him about Speedy Dado. In a hushed voice, he told me our little dynamo had died alone, his body discovered several days after he passed away.

hap navarro

hap navarro

Randyman wrote:Do you have any photos of the Pico Palace? Now you piqued my curiosity. I wonder if the library has any info. I googled the name but nothing came up. I'm going to check the library next week.

Randy

kikibalt wrote:
"Gwen Adair"

By Diego

Randyman wrote:I was justthinking to myself. Man, Connie must be pretty cool. If I was on the computer on our anniversary Jeri would giving me all kinds of hell.

kikibalt wrote:

Randyman wrote:I was justthinking to myself. Man, Connie must be pretty cool. If I was on the computer on our anniversary Jeri would giving me all kinds of hell.

Me been on the computer? hell, she left me here alone, she is out hitting the stores, spending money she doesn't have....

kikibalt wrote:Tom, Diego, Thanks you mucho!

I told Connie that if she plays nice I would keep her around for another 54 years, she tells me "what makes you think that I want you for another 54 years?" I said "baby you don't have a choice, I'm the "decider" here, she say "who the the hell do you think you are , George Bush?" I say "Ok babe you win, you're the boss".

Rick Farris wrote:

kikibalt wrote:Tom, Diego, Thanks you mucho!

I told Connie that if she plays nice I would keep her around for another 54 years, she tells me "what makes you think that I want you for another 54 years?" I said "baby you don't have a choice, I'm the "decider" here, she say "who the the hell do you think you are , George Bush?" I say "Ok babe you win, you're the boss".

You're a kept man!


-Rick

Rick Farris wrote:

kikibalt wrote:
"Gwen Adair"

By Diego

STUNNING! Roger, that is beautiful. I just saw Gwen this morning and I'll call her. You really caught her.

-Rick

kikibalt wrote:

Rick Farris wrote:

kikibalt wrote:Tom, Diego, Thanks you mucho!

I told Connie that if she plays nice I would keep her around for another 54 years, she tells me "what makes you think that I want you for another 54 years?" I said "baby you don't have a choice, I'm the "decider" here, she say "who the the hell do you think you are , George Bush?" I say "Ok babe you win, you're the boss".

You're a kept man!


-Rick

Yes, an proud of it.....

kikibalt wrote:

Randyman wrote:Do you have any photos of the Pico Palace? Now you piqued my curiosity. I wonder if the library has any info. I googled the name but nothing came up. I'm going to check the library next week.

Randy

No, I don't have any photos, maybe Hap, can jump in here, he must know more then I do about the Pico Palace, it was also know as the Pico Arena.

Dongee wrote:

kikibalt wrote:

Randyman wrote:Do you have any photos of the Pico Palace? Now you piqued my curiosity. I wonder if the library has any info. I googled the name but nothing came up. I'm going to check the library next week.

Randy

No, I don't have any photos, maybe Hap, can jump in here, he must know more then I do about the Pico Palace, it was also know as the Pico Arena.

Yes, fellas. Pico opened up to pro boxing in 1933, closed down after a few shows and re-opened during WW II. I forget the name of the first matchmaker but in the 1940s it was George Leonard, Manuel Ortiz's old trainer, who did the matchmaking.

In the 1933 and 34 seasons both Eddie and Fritzie Zivic boxed on the same shows there. The salient point of the 1944 season was the use of Russ Newland's round ring, which was tried out there for a couple of shows.

hap navarro

kikibalt wrote:Randy, you just have to work on it, it can be done.....

Randyman wrote:Yes, fellas. Pico opened up to pro boxing in 1933, closed down after a few shows and re-opened during WW II. I forget the name of the first matchmaker but in the 1940s it was George Leonard, Manuel Ortiz's old trainer, who did the matchmaking.

In the 1933 and 34 seasons both Eddie and Fritzie Zivic boxed on the same shows there. The salient point of the 1944 season was the use of Russ Newland's round ring, which was tried out there for a couple of shows.

hap navarro

Thanks Hap, growing up in Pico Rivera, I'm surprised I never heard of this before. Interesting, of course at that time it was just Pico. Pico and Rivera did not merge until sometime in the 1950's, if I'm not mistaken. Good stuff here!!

Randy

Randyman wrote:

kikibalt wrote:Randy, you just have to work on it, it can be done.....

Jeri out wits me at every turn. I'll have to come up with some new tactics.

Randy

kikibalt wrote:Boxing comes to the District of Columbia on December 20, 2008, when BabieGirl Productions Head and Boxing Promoter Cassandra White, puts on a PRO/AM card at the Howard University Burr Gymnasium. The card will feature two WBF Title fights. In the main event, current WBF Middleweight Champion Kresehnik Qato, 17-6, 2 KO’s, defends his title against David Estrada, 12-10, 9 KO’s. The other title fight on the card pits WBF All-America's Super Middleweight Champion, Wayne Cooper, 8-1, 5 KO’s, defending his belt against William Prieto, 5-3, 2 KO’s.

How the hell can anybody be fighting for any kind of TITLE with those kind of records?
boxing sure as hell is not what it used to be.

kikibalt wrote:Boxing comes to the District of Columbia on December 20, 2008, when BabieGirl Productions Head and Boxing Promoter Cassandra White, puts on a PRO/AM card at the Howard University Burr Gymnasium. The card will feature two WBF Title fights. In the main event, current WBF Middleweight Champion Kresehnik Qato, 17-6, 2 KO’s, defends his title against David Estrada, 12-10, 9 KO’s. The other title fight on the card pits WBF All-America's Super Middleweight Champion, Wayne Cooper, 8-1, 5 KO’s, defending his belt against William Prieto, 5-3, 2 KO’s.

How the hell can anybody be fighting for any kind of TITLE with those kind of records?
boxing sure as hell is not what it used to be.

Rick Farris wrote:

Randyman wrote:

kikibalt wrote:Randy, you just have to work on it, it can be done.....

Jeri out wits me at every turn. I'll have to come up with some new tactics.

Randy

Forget it, pal. She knows you too well.

Randyman wrote:I just finished watching watching Frankie and Miguel Meza. I saw quite a few of Frankie's fights and I probably saw this one way back when. Meza was a tough kid. He fought the main event at the San Diego Coliseum the might I fought Nacho Cota. He fought a 12 round draw with Manuel Lujan.

Frankie has grit. Meza was giving it back to Frankie pretty good. I notice that unless he was trying to find range for a punch, Frankie rarely took a backward step. Frankie was quick to follow the right jab with the left. Young boxers could learn from guys like Frankie. One thing I remember about Frankie and I remember thinking it years ago. He fought at a level beyond his years. It's hard to believe he's only 19 years old in this fight. This was a good win for him.

Listen to Jimmy Lennon brought back some memories of the good old days.

Now I'm going to watch Manuel Ortiz.

Randy