Classic American West Coast Boxing

[kikibalt]

Rick...Did you watch the movie?

Yeah! I made Monica watch it with me.
She enjoyed it, and I love it!.
They also mentioned "El Monte".

By the way, this is the first time I've seen the movie since I've worked in the film business.
I noticed that the Director of Photography was Russell Harlin.
Harlin is a Hollywood legend as a cinematographer.
Low budget, yes. But it had a quality that I love.
You could see some of the background boxers at Teamsters were real fighters.
Great to see Keeny Teran, and Art Aragon. He was really hot then.

Thanks again!


-Rick

Rick....On the Teamsters scene you can see Louie J. holding the heavy bag as some guy is hitting it.

[kikibalt]

Sonny Ray & The Seaside Gym . . .

I remember seeing Sonny Ray at amateur boxing shows all thru the later 60's.
Sonny worked with Ernie DeFrance and company at Long Beach's Seaside Gym.
Jake Shagrue took over the place around that time.

In 1969, Sonny joined DeFrance, Jake Horn, and Memo Soto as a coach for our Southern Pacific AAU team.
We'd compete in the Nationals in San Diego in early April.
We'd all be lodged at the Le Baron Hotel on San Diego's Hotel Circle.

Sonny Ray was born in Tennesee in 1936. He grew up in Chicago but would begin his pro boxing career in California, at age 18.
From the mid-50's-to-60's, Ray fought some of the best lightheavy's of the era.
In 1959, he took on World Light Heavyweight champ, Harold Johnson, in a ten-rounder at Chicago Stadium. Losing by 10th rd. TKO.
A year later, he returned to Chicago Stadium to fight another light-heavy champ, Willie Pastrano. He lost a close decision.

Sonny wasn't afraid to fight the best in their hometowns.
He'd travel to Peru to face, Mauro Mina.
In London, he'd fight Chic Calderwood at Wembley Stadium.
In Hawaii, he'd face Bobo Olson.

Between ages 18 and 30, Sonny Ray fought nearly fifty pro fights.
When he joined our AAU team as a coach, he was 33, had retired three years earlier after losing to Matt Blow in San Bernardino.
He was quiet, spoke when it was necessary and wasn't afraid to bark at the Long Beach boxers.
Everybody liked the man, and respected him.

The only time I saw Sonny Ray smile was after the tournament finals.
The old men were all in one of the coach's rooms. They had a card table set up, cards and poker chips out.
With money on the table and a bath tub filled with ice and booze, they were good for the night.
We were looking for women, and so was everybody else. Some upped their odds below the border.

We'd leave for home the next day. More than 350 boxers were suddenly running wild thru the hotel, San Siego, and T.J.
The fights were over. The dogs were all let out for the night. No woman was safe.
However, the older guys let the younger guys go out and get themselves in trouble. They'd all been there, done that, no mas.

Our lightweight punched out a bartender in TJ.
A couple days later his dad bailed him out of the Tijuana Jail.
There were other adventures.

The old guys played it smart. Drank all night, poker all night. Eventually they went to sleep.
The next day, all coaches were ready to leave early.
Some of us were suffering pain that had nothing to do with punches.

Sonny Ray just shook his head.


-Rick Farris

Rick , looking at Sonny Rays record, I see that he fought Rico Brooks in 1955.
Rico fought Ken Norton in 1975.
I believe Tom/ Raylaw was in Ricos corner.
Which reminds me, where is Tom. I hope hes ok . He hasnt felt well lately.

Rog....I was worry about Tom, so I send him this kite, here is his reply.


Tom,

Are you ok?. Please let us know.

Thank you

Frank Baltazar
Vice President, California Boxing Hall of Fame


From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, June 4, 2009 8:07:40 AM
Subject: Re: OK?


I'm fine. Thanks for asking.

I think I've told you that, in addition to my law practice, I am part-owner of company that produces software for lawyers. We have a big product we are rolling out in August/September and I'm working on part of it. For the past week or two, I've been literally working until midnight seven days a week on this thing. Hopefully, I'll be done with my part in a week or two. Sadly, it doesn't leave much time for boxing or the Forum.

Still in one Peace,
TJR

Thomas J. Ray, Jr., Esq.
RAY LAW OFFICES, P.C.
3520 Jeffco Boulevard, Suite 110
Arnold, MO 63010
636-464-8353
FAX: 636-464-2797

[Rick Farris]

Sonny Ray & The Seaside Gym . . .

I remember seeing Sonny Ray at amateur boxing shows all thru the later 60's.
Sonny worked with Ernie DeFrance and company at Long Beach's Seaside Gym.
Jake Shagrue took over the place around that time.

In 1969, Sonny joined DeFrance, Jake Horn, and Memo Soto as a coach for our Southern Pacific AAU team.
We'd compete in the Nationals in San Diego in early April.
We'd all be lodged at the Le Baron Hotel on San Diego's Hotel Circle.

Sonny Ray was born in Tennesee in 1936. He grew up in Chicago but would begin his pro boxing career in California, at age 18.
From the mid-50's-to-60's, Ray fought some of the best lightheavy's of the era.
In 1959, he took on World Light Heavyweight champ, Harold Johnson, in a ten-rounder at Chicago Stadium. Losing by 10th rd. TKO.
A year later, he returned to Chicago Stadium to fight another light-heavy champ, Willie Pastrano. He lost a close decision.

Sonny wasn't afraid to fight the best in their hometowns.
He'd travel to Peru to face, Mauro Mina.
In London, he'd fight Chic Calderwood at Wembley Stadium.
In Hawaii, he'd face Bobo Olson.

Between ages 18 and 30, Sonny Ray fought nearly fifty pro fights.
When he joined our AAU team as a coach, he was 33, had retired three years earlier after losing to Matt Blow in San Bernardino.
He was quiet, spoke when it was necessary and wasn't afraid to bark at the Long Beach boxers.
Everybody liked the man, and respected him.

The only time I saw Sonny Ray smile was after the tournament finals.
The old men were all in one of the coach's rooms. They had a card table set up, cards and poker chips out.
With money on the table and a bath tub filled with ice and booze, they were good for the night.
We were looking for women, and so was everybody else. Some upped their odds below the border.

We'd leave for home the next day. More than 350 boxers were suddenly running wild thru the hotel, San Siego, and T.J.
The fights were over. The dogs were all let out for the night. No woman was safe.
However, the older guys let the younger guys go out and get themselves in trouble. They'd all been there, done that, no mas.

Our lightweight punched out a bartender in TJ.
A couple days later his dad bailed him out of the Tijuana Jail.
There were other adventures.

The old guys played it smart. Drank all night, poker all night. Eventually they went to sleep.
The next day, all coaches were ready to leave early.
Some of us were suffering pain that had nothing to do with punches.

Sonny Ray just shook his head.


-Rick Farris

Rick , looking at Sonny Rays record, I see that he fought Rico Brooks in 1955.
Rico fought Ken Norton in 1975.
I believe Tom/ Raylaw was in Ricos corner.
Which reminds me, where is Tom. I hope hes ok . He hasnt felt well lately.

Interesting connection, Brian.
Glad to hear that Tom's OK.

-Rick

[Rick Farris]

Rick...Did you watch the movie?

Yeah! I made Monica watch it with me.
She enjoyed it, and I love it!.
They also mentioned "El Monte".

By the way, this is the first time I've seen the movie since I've worked in the film business.
I noticed that the Director of Photography was Russell Harlin.
Harlin is a Hollywood legend as a cinematographer.
Low budget, yes. But it had a quality that I love.
You could see some of the background boxers at Teamsters were real fighters.
Great to see Keeny Teran, and Art Aragon. He was really hot then.

Thanks again!


-Rick

Rick....On the Teamsters scene you can see Louie J. holding the heavy bag as some guy is hitting it.

Frank . . . I have a Louie J. story I'll post later.


-Rick

[Rick Farris]

"Louie J."

The first time I saw Louie J. was on television, from the Olympic Auditorium.
He was working the corner of a bantamweight, appearing in one of two amateur bouts proceeding the professional card.
His fighter's name was Victor "Butch" Contreras, and the cornerman had "Teamsters Gym" embroidered on the back of his white button-down shirt.

He was stocky, about fifty-years-old when I first met him, had a powerful build, not tall, but soild.
He was balding, wore glasses. He had a big smile, and a deep voice.
He co-founded the Los Angeles Jr. Golden Gloves program, along with Johnny Flores, after WW2.
He had been a boxer, and for decades a leader in Southern California amateur boxing.
Several of his better amateurs went to the top as pros, such as Armando Muniz and Frankie Duarte, and dozen's more whom he worked with.

Over the years I fought a number of boxers from the Teamster's Gym.
Louie knew who I was, and when I was 17, I was starting to grow and get strong. I was getting better, too.
In 1969, during the summer, I'm 17 and fight one of the Teamster's 23-year-old bantams, I weigh about 114lbs.
His name is Gabe Gutierrez and he's a pretty good fighter. We fight at the Olympic on a thursday night pro card, July 1969.
We have a close one, he get's the nod.

Three months later we fight again, this time at the China Lake Naval base.
I'm weighing about 117, and have two KO wins since our fight in July.
Louie knows I'm going to be a problem for his fighter. So do I.

We all meet somewhere downtown, I forget where. We load into a nice charter bus that will take boxers, coaches, etc. up into the high desert.
China Lake is above Edwards Air Force base, and Marty Denkin had a connection that allowed him to promote up there.
Over three months, Marty held two cards at the China Lake. This was the first.

We load into the bus and I park myself in a window seat. Plenty of room to stretch out a bit, get some rest during the ride.
My opponent was seated about three rows behind me, and his coach, Jouie J., beside him.
The bus starts to pull away and all of a sudden I feel this body slide into the seat next to mine.
It's Louie.

As I close my eyes to take a nap, Louie wakes me to tell me a joke. And another one, then gives me the history of L.A. Jr. Golden Gloves.
I know what he's doing. He talks the entire trip.
When I arrive, I am ready to fight. I didn't really need the nap, and the coach really screwed his fighter by trying to be smart.
My frame of mind had never been better for a fight.

I got no rest on my trip, but that didn't work out in Gabe Gutierrez's best interest. I kicked his ass pretty bad.
After the fight, I thanked Louie. I told him if it wasn't for his motivation on the bus, I wouldn't have beaten his fighter so easily.
By the way, Gabe Gutierrez and I would fight six times. Three in the amateurs and three in the pros.
After the first bout, Louie could not help him.

Last time I saw Louie across the ring from me was in 1972. I was training at Teamster's for a week, boxing with Armando Muniz for speed.
Louie and Mel Epstein would visit. He'd laugh out loud and say, "I known Ricky since he was a kid . . ."
I said to Louie, "Hey, remember that ride on the bus we took up to China Lake? You talked all the way up and then I kicked your fighter's ass."

Louie says, "Oh yeah".
We both laughed


-Rick Farris

[kikibalt]

Just got done watching that classic L.A film noir, "The Ring" and I can't over how much the late Lalo Rios who plays "Tommy" in the movie looks like L.A.'s early 1950's fighter Juan Luis Campos.
I'll fine a picture of Campos and post it.

[Rick Farris]

Just got done watching that classic L.A film noir, "The Ring" and I can't over how much the late Lalo Rios who plays "Tommy" in the movie looks like L.A.'s early 1950's fighter Juan Luis Campos.
I'll fine a picture of Campos and post it.

Frank . . .

I saw Keeny Teran in the shot where he's shadow boxing and has a quick line.
However, later, there is a boxer sparring in the ring that kind of looked like him from behind, looked slick as Teran did in the ring.
Do you recall if Teran was in any other scenes, background?

The ring announcers were all great, and of course, Jimmy Lennon.
Hard to imagine the L.A. skyline of today back in 1952. That was how it looked when I was a small child.


-Rick Farris

[kikibalt]

"Louie J."

The first time I saw Louie J. was on television, from the Olympic Auditorium.
He was working the corner of a bantamweight, appearing in one of two amateur bouts proceeding the professional card.
His fighter's name was Victor "Butch" Contreras, and the cornerman had "Teamsters Gym" embroidered on the back of his white button-down shirt.

He was stocky, about fifty-years-old when I first met him, had a powerful build, not tall, but soild.
He was balding, wore glasses. He had a big smile, and a deep voice.
He co-founded the Los Angeles Jr. Golden Gloves program, along with Johnny Flores, after WW2.
He had been a boxer, and for decades a leader in Southern California amateur boxing.
Several of his better amateurs went to the top as pros, such as Armando Muniz and Frankie Duarte, and dozen's more whom he worked with.

Over the years I fought a number of boxers from the Teamster's Gym.
Louie knew who I was, and when I was 17, I was starting to grow and get strong. I was getting better, too.
In 1969, during the summer, I'm 17 and fight one of the Teamster's 23-year-old bantams, I weigh about 114lbs.
His name is Gabe Gutierrez and he's a pretty good fighter. We fight at the Olympic on a thursday night pro card, July 1969.
We have a close one, he get's the nod.

Three months later we fight again, this time at the China Lake Naval base.
I'm weighing about 117, and have two KO wins since our fight in July.
Louie knows I'm going to be a problem for his fighter. So do I.

We all meet somewhere downtown, I forget where. We load into a nice charter bus that will take boxers, coaches, etc. up into the high desert.
China Lake is above Edwards Air Force base, and Marty Denkin had a connection that allowed him to promote up there.
Over three months, Marty held two cards at the China Lake. This was the first.

We load into the bus and I park myself in a window seat. Plenty of room to stretch out a bit, get some rest during the ride.
My opponent was seated about three rows behind me, and his coach, Jouie J., beside him.
The bus starts to pull away and all of a sudden I feel this body slide into the seat next to mine.
It's Louie.

As I close my eyes to take a nap, Louie wakes me to tell me a joke. And another one, then gives me the history of L.A. Jr. Golden Gloves.
I know what he's doing. He talks the entire trip.
When I arrive, I am ready to fight. I didn't really need the nap, and the coach really screwed his fighter by trying to be smart.
My frame of mind had never been better for a fight.

I got no rest on my trip, but that didn't work out in Gabe Gutierrez's best interest. I kicked his ass pretty bad.
After the fight, I thanked Louie. I told him if it wasn't for his motivation on the bus, I wouldn't have beaten his fighter so easily.
By the way, Gabe Gutierrez and I would fight six times. Three in the amateurs and three in the pros.
After the first bout, Louie could not help him.

Last time I saw Louie across the ring from me was in 1972. I was training at Teamster's for a week, boxing with Armando Muniz for speed.
Louie and Mel Epstein would visit. He'd laugh out loud and say, "I known Ricky since he was a kid . . ."
I said to Louie, "Hey, remember that ride on the bus we took up to China Lake? You talked all the way up and then I kicked your fighter's ass."

Louie says, "Oh yeah".
We both laughed


-Rick Farris

Rick....Louie was a great guy, I met Louie around 1949, I remember Louie always telling jokes.
Another great Teamsters guy was old Joe Kelly, the door man, Kelly would sit by the door playing solitaire and drinking beer. Any non-boxing person who tried to get pass him with out paying 50 cent, he would kick their ass.

[kikibalt]

Just got done watching that classic L.A film noir, "The Ring" and I can't over how much the late Lalo Rios who plays "Tommy" in the movie looks like L.A.'s early 1950's fighter Juan Luis Campos.
I'll fine a picture of Campos and post it.

Frank . . .

I saw Keeny Teran in the shot where he's shadow boxing and has a quick line.
However, later, there is a boxer sparring in the ring that kind of looked like him from behind, looked slick as Teran did in the ring.
Do you recall if Teran was in any other scenes, background?

The ring announcers were all great, and of course, Jimmy Lennon.
Hard to imagine the L.A. skyline of today back in 1952. That was how it looked when I was a small child.


-Rick Farris

Yes, Rick, thats Keeny sparring in the ring.

[kikibalt]

Juan Luis Campos

[kikibalt]

The Campos brothers

[kikibalt]

[kikibalt]

[Rick Farris]

Just got done watching that classic L.A film noir, "The Ring" and I can't over how much the late Lalo Rios who plays "Tommy" in the movie looks like L.A.'s early 1950's fighter Juan Luis Campos.
I'll fine a picture of Campos and post it.

Rita Moreno . . .

Frank, I had a hard time noticing Lalo Rios when he was playing opposite a teenage Rita Moreno.
I had the chance to work with the Puerto Rican star twice during my career.

In 1979, she was a guest star on "The Rockford Files", a series that I worked on.
A year later, I worked with her on a feature film, "The Four Seasons", with Alan Alda and Carol Burnett.
We were on location near the Virgin Islands for that one, and in New England.

Rita Moreno was the first of just a few actors who have won an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy and a Tony.
She's also won a Cleo, which is the TV commercial version of an Oscar.
No actor has surpassed her in the award department.

I have to say that she was very much a "method actress", and in one scene, where her charactor was a hooker, she proved she was also risque.
In the scene, Rita's charactor is in a phone booth making a call.
The phonebooth is in the parking lot of a gas station.
A car drives by and sprays the phonebooth with bullets.
The hooker is gunned down and lies outside the phone booth, dying in the arms of James Garner.

I was a young lighting director, always close to the lens when the camera was rolling.
I'd see eveything the camera sees, and sometimes more.

In this case, as Rita Moreno rolled onto the ground, her short dress pulled up over her waist.
A couple of us were caught by surprise when we noticed the actress was wearing nothing under the dress.
I mean, she knew she had this scene to do. She just didn't care. Bette Davis was the same way.
She was a pro, and nothing appeared before the lens. But there were a few smiles on the set.
That was exactly thirty years ago.

She was certainly a beautiful young woman as a teenager. And she was a cool old gal when I met her.


-Rick Farris

[dagosd2000]

EVERY TRAINER

Lots of talk latlely on the thread about trainers. Fight trainers. Not many of them left. Put it this way,not many good ones anyway. When the guys mention McCoy and Steindler. Burke Emery,Charley Goldman,Eddie Futch. Go ahead ,add your names to the list fellas. We stop and think of who's left to school a kid properly when it comes to being a prize fighter.

But why were there so many good trainers back then? When Howie Albert asked Gil Clancy to train Emile Griffith,Clancy's job was a physical ed. teacher. So what did Gil know about boxing? Plenty. Plenty because part of being a P.E. teacher was teaching boxing. Most people back in the day lived in big cities back East.For the kids, there was no Little League and Pop Warner Football. Baseball was stick ball played in the street. Basketball was nothin'. So for juvenile recreational fun,it was down to the park rec center,neighborhood boy's club,the Y,or the local gym to lace on a pair of gloves and step into the boxing ring. All our dads did it. It was even a part of the phys. ed. programs in school.

After the war,things started to change. Suburbia,Little League,Pop Warner,basketball gymnasiums. Boxing was no longer a fit. The Sporting News(the sports fan's bible)dropped the reporting of boxing from its pages. It used to be baseball,horse racing,and boxing. Can't see that now. NFL,NBA has taken over.

But our dads knew boxing. If it came to push and shove,they could even teach it because they all did it in one degree or another. But our dads are gone. And most of the good trainers too. Hell anyone over 70 doesn't have the wind anymore to try to get across the techniques of throwing a jab properly to some kid who has a Wii.

[dagosd2000]

Just got done watching that classic L.A film noir, "The Ring" and I can't over how much the late Lalo Rios who plays "Tommy" in the movie looks like L.A.'s early 1950's fighter Juan Luis Campos.
I'll fine a picture of Campos and post it.

Rita Moreno . . .

Frank, I had a hard time noticing Lalo Rios when he was playing opposite a teenage Rita Moreno.
I had the chance to work with the Puerto Rican star twice during my career.

In 1979, she was a guest star on "The Rockford Files", a series that I worked on.
A year later, I worked with her on a feature film, "The Four Seasons", with Alan Alda and Carol Burnett.
We were on location near the Virgin Islands for that one, and in New England.

Rita Moreno was the first of just a few actors who have won an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy and a Tony.
She's also won a Cleo, which is the TV commercial version of an Oscar.
No actor has surpassed her in the award department.

I have to say that she was very much a "method actress", and in one scene, where her charactor was a hooker, she proved she was also risque.
In the scene, Rita's charactor is in a phone booth making a call.
The phonebooth is in the parking lot of a gas station.
A car drives by and sprays the phonebooth with bullets.
The hooker is gunned down and lies outside the phone booth, dying in the arms of James Garner.

I was a young lighting director, always close to the lens when the camera was rolling.
I'd see eveything the camera sees, and sometimes more.

In this case, as Rita Moreno rolled onto the ground, her short dress pulled up over her waist.
A couple of us were caught by surprise when we noticed the actress was wearing nothing under the dress.
I mean, she knew she had this scene to do. She just didn't care. Bette Davis was the same way.
She was a pro, and nothing appeared before the lens. But there were a few smiles on the set.
That was exactly thirty years ago.

She was certainly a beautiful young woman as a teenager. And she was a cool old gal when I met her.


-Rick Farris

Rick
Can't remember the game show,but Rita Moreno was on there with another good looking dame,a blond.I think it was Anne Francis. Anyway it was one of those shows like Password where the celebrity was paired up with a partner from the audience. The emcee asks one of the male partners who would he choose to have date with?(real dumb question in my opinion) The guy says Anne Francis.Rita Moreno smirks and says,"I thought he'd say that."

I know blonds have always held an edge on the others in the "which one would you pick department",but I'm drawn to the "morenas". Like Rita Morena,I mean Moreno.

[Rick Farris]

Speaking of trainers, and some natural boxers . . .

Emile Griffith was a natural boxer.
Gil Clancey saw it.
He could box, and punch, and think.

Griffith had a great jab. It kind of traveled upwards, slipping in from a lower angle.
A perfect set-up for the right to follow.
He had great combinations and sharp instincts.

You had to be good to beat Emile Griffith. Even at the end.


-Rick Farris

[dagosd2000]

Sonny Ray & The Seaside Gym . . .

I remember seeing Sonny Ray at amateur boxing shows all thru the later 60's.
Sonny worked with Ernie DeFrance and company at Long Beach's Seaside Gym.
Jake Shagrue took over the place around that time.

In 1969, Sonny joined DeFrance, Jake Horn, and Memo Soto as a coach for our Southern Pacific AAU team.
We'd compete in the Nationals in San Diego in early April.
We'd all be lodged at the Le Baron Hotel on San Diego's Hotel Circle.

Sonny Ray was born in Tennesee in 1936. He grew up in Chicago but would begin his pro boxing career in California, at age 18.
From the mid-50's-to-60's, Ray fought some of the best lightheavy's of the era.
In 1959, he took on World Light Heavyweight champ, Harold Johnson, in a ten-rounder at Chicago Stadium. Losing by 10th rd. TKO.
A year later, he returned to Chicago Stadium to fight another light-heavy champ, Willie Pastrano. He lost a close decision.

Sonny wasn't afraid to fight the best in their hometowns.
He'd travel to Peru to face, Mauro Mina.
In London, he'd fight Chic Calderwood at Wembley Stadium.
In Hawaii, he'd face Bobo Olson.

Between ages 18 and 30, Sonny Ray fought nearly fifty pro fights.
When he joined our AAU team as a coach, he was 33, had retired three years earlier after losing to Matt Blow in San Bernardino.
He was quiet, spoke when it was necessary and wasn't afraid to bark at the Long Beach boxers.
Everybody liked the man, and respected him.

The only time I saw Sonny Ray smile was after the tournament finals.
The old men were all in one of the coach's rooms. They had a card table set up, cards and poker chips out.
With money on the table and a bath tub filled with ice and booze, they were good for the night.
We were looking for women, and so was everybody else. Some upped their odds below the border.

We'd leave for home the next day. More than 350 boxers were suddenly running wild thru the hotel, San Siego, and T.J.
The fights were over. The dogs were all let out for the night. No woman was safe.
However, the older guys let the younger guys go out and get themselves in trouble. They'd all been there, done that, no mas.

Our lightweight punched out a bartender in TJ.
A couple days later his dad bailed him out of the Tijuana Jail.
There were other adventures.

The old guys played it smart. Drank all night, poker all night. Eventually they went to sleep.
The next day, all coaches were ready to leave early.
Some of us were suffering pain that had nothing to do with punches.

Sonny Ray just shook his head.


-Rick Farris

Rick , looking at Sonny Rays record, I see that he fought Rico Brooks in 1955.
Rico fought Ken Norton in 1975.
I believe Tom/ Raylaw was in Ricos corner.
Which reminds me, where is Tom. I hope hes ok . He hasnt felt well lately.

Rog....I was worry about Tom, so I send him this kite, here is his reply.


Tom,

Are you ok?. Please let us know.

Thank you

Frank Baltazar
Vice President, California Boxing Hall of Fame


From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, June 4, 2009 8:07:40 AM
Subject: Re: OK?


I'm fine. Thanks for asking.

I think I've told you that, in addition to my law practice, I am part-owner of company that produces software for lawyers. We have a big product we are rolling out in August/September and I'm working on part of it. For the past week or two, I've been literally working until midnight seven days a week on this thing. Hopefully, I'll be done with my part in a week or two. Sadly, it doesn't leave much time for boxing or the Forum.

Still in one Peace,
TJR

Thomas J. Ray, Jr., Esq.
RAY LAW OFFICES, P.C.
3520 Jeffco Boulevard, Suite 110
Arnold, MO 63010
636-464-8353
FAX: 636-464-2797

Tom
Glad to hear everything is fine with you. I told Frank I bet Tom ran off with some squaw from the reservation in Oklahoma and she's getting him on the mend.

[Rick Farris]

Just got done watching that classic L.A film noir, "The Ring" and I can't over how much the late Lalo Rios who plays "Tommy" in the movie looks like L.A.'s early 1950's fighter Juan Luis Campos.
I'll fine a picture of Campos and post it.

Rita Moreno . . .

Frank, I had a hard time noticing Lalo Rios when he was playing opposite a teenage Rita Moreno.
I had the chance to work with the Puerto Rican star twice during my career.

In 1979, she was a guest star on "The Rockford Files", a series that I worked on.
A year later, I worked with her on a feature film, "The Four Seasons", with Alan Alda and Carol Burnett.
We were on location near the Virgin Islands for that one, and in New England.

Rita Moreno was the first of just a few actors who have won an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy and a Tony.
She's also won a Cleo, which is the TV commercial version of an Oscar.
No actor has surpassed her in the award department.

I have to say that she was very much a "method actress", and in one scene, where her charactor was a hooker, she proved she was also risque.
In the scene, Rita's charactor is in a phone booth making a call.
The phonebooth is in the parking lot of a gas station.
A car drives by and sprays the phonebooth with bullets.
The hooker is gunned down and lies outside the phone booth, dying in the arms of James Garner.

I was a young lighting director, always close to the lens when the camera was rolling.
I'd see eveything the camera sees, and sometimes more.

In this case, as Rita Moreno rolled onto the ground, her short dress pulled up over her waist.
A couple of us were caught by surprise when we noticed the actress was wearing nothing under the dress.
I mean, she knew she had this scene to do. She just didn't care. Bette Davis was the same way.
She was a pro, and nothing appeared before the lens. But there were a few smiles on the set.
That was exactly thirty years ago.

She was certainly a beautiful young woman as a teenager. And she was a cool old gal when I met her.


-Rick Farris

Rick
Can't remember the game show,but Rita Moreno was on there with another good looking dame,a blond.I think it was Anne Francis. Anyway it was one of those shows like Password where the celebrity was paired up with a partner from the audience. The emcee asks one of the male partners who would he choose to have date with?(real dumb question in my opinion) The guy says Anne Francis.Rita Moreno smirks and says,"I thought he'd say that."

I know blonds have always held an edge on the others in the "which one would you pick department",but I'm drawn to the "morenas". Like Rita Morena,I mean Moreno.

Good choice, Rog.

[dagosd2000]

Speaking of trainers, and some natural boxers . . .

Emile Griffith was a natural boxer.
Gil Clancey saw it.
He could box, and punch, and think.

Griffith had a great jab. It kind of traveled upwards, slipping in from a lower angle.
A perfect set-up for the right to follow.
He had great combinations and sharp instincts.

You had to be good to beat Emile Griffith. Even at the end.


-Rick Farris

Rick
You're right about "even at the end." Emile was an amazing fighter. I read his biography that I bought at the WBHOF. Not to take anything away from my goomba,Jake The Bull,but Emile was a welter and middle weight champ .During the 60's he probably had the most impressive record in boxing.

But Emile wasn't a Raging Bull. His demeanor and personality wasn't prototype to what we think a fighter should be. A combination Manassa Mauler and Sugar Ray surrounded by glamorous gals.

Hey Rick old pal. When I saw Emile Griffith staring at the elevator in the basement at the WBHOF in the Marriott telling his friend that he was lost and scared,I wanted to tear something apart.

Emile Griffith lost and scared in a basement? It just ain't right.

[kikibalt]

Billy Schwer


Billy Schwer has come out the other side following 18 months of hell

BILLY SCHWER went through hell when he retired five years ago. He wrecked his 18-month marriage, squandered much of his hard-earned money with poor investments, ignored advice from everyone, said the phone stopped ringing and that people he had known a long time suddenly disappeared.

But Luton's former British, Commonwealth and European lightweight champion - who finally achieved his dream of winning a 'world' title when he won the IBO belt at light-welter in 2001 - survived a turmoil he said sent him into depression and desperation. He couldn't find a purpose in life. For two years he lived wildly. Then he tried to get it together. He attempted to become a boat skipper, a yoga coach, personal trainer, returned to the building site as a carpenter (which is his trade) and even dabbled as a trader on the stock market.

Everything Schwer tried left him feeling empty. "All I kept getting was, 'This ain't it'," he said. Then about three years ago his life changed. It's a long story, but a friend of his in Greece had tried something called Landmark Education, a life-transforming organisation that Schwer stresses isn't a cult or religion, but simply a place where people meet - talk to help clean the mind and soul.

Schwer was interested, but returned from holiday and forgot all about it. By chance, when back in Lindos about 18 months later and having lost touch with his friend, they reunited and Schwer asked about Landmark.

Billy's interest was renewed and this time he didn't forget to follow it up. He said he got home on the Monday and was on the course the following Friday. "It was a conversation for three days about being a human being," is how Schwer described it. "I got so much out of it," he said. "I was chipping away at myself for three years. It's given me the tools to deal with life."

Now Schwer, 38, is up and running again, having found his vocation. The pain was all part of the journey. He is now a personal mentor and executive coach, giving talks around the country, but mainly in the city of London. His script is entitled 3D Methodology: the Science of Success and focuses on desire, discipline, dedication, doubt, distraction, disappointment, all of which can bring about pleasure or pain.

Now Schwer says his life is about freedom, joy, love and happiness. "When I'm that, that's who I really am," he said. "And everyone has that available to them. It's about letting go of attachments." Schwer uses his boxing experiences to inspire his audiences. "What I do now is very similar to boxing. I feel the same butterflies in my belly before going out to talk.

"You know, I'm scared of fighting and public speaking. But when I fought, I never used to think about the fear. I was programmed. I'd been boxing from the age of eight."

Schwer has a six-year-old son, Jack, who lives in Yorkshire and who for the first three years of his life Billy wouldn't acknowledge. He said Landmark helped him overcome that problem and many others, too. He put his desire to fight and relationship with women down to one incident when he was a five-year-old wrestling with his two older sisters. They pinned him down and Billy, frustrated, couldn't force them off. In that moment he told himself 'I'm weak' and, subconsciously, that all women were out to get him.

When he discovered boxing three years later, Billy realised this was a way to prove he was no longer weak. Yet when he learned about his son, Schwer's first reaction was, "She [the mother] is out to get me". "For three years I didn't want to take responsibility," he admitted. "I was in that space - as a fighter prepared to die every time he got into the ring. My judgements were clouded. But the truth was that as an adult I was behaving like a five-year-old boy. I sacrificed my relationship with my son.

"Then I woke up and called his mother and apologised for being such a fool. Now I get on with him and her. He's a lovely little kid. I just had to give up the idea that I was always right."

Now life for Schwer, who is single but has repaired his relationship with his ex-wife, has never been better. He is positively beaming.

There is still some anger at how Stevie Johnston beat him for the WBC lightweight title in 1999 and when nothing was done after the American failed a post-fight drugs test.

But when he beat Newton Villarreal for the IBO 10st title, Schwer felt relief, joy, excitement and satisfaction, even though he readily admits the IBO crown doesn't compare with the WBC. When he gives talks, he takes his belt, the gloves he wore when defeating Spaniard Oscar Garcia Cano for the European title in Zaragoza and a brain scan.

People feel inspired because they can empathise with Schwer's story, each in their own way, and feel secure that there's a solution, a way back.

"I get to grow, expand and feel like a champ again doing this," he said. "I want to empower people to be better. I love life with a passion.

"I'm far from perfect. Actually, me and perfection don't belong in the same town.

But I just have methods to clean up the mess."

[bennie]

Great story, Frankie. Do you know who wrote it?

[kikibalt]

Great story, Frankie. Do you know who wrote it?

No, I don't Bennie, found it with out an author's name.

[kikibalt]

"Sea of Love"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDVp3iT0M2Y

Phil Phillips

[dagosd2000]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pH9j8H0B4k

ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE

DINO