BoxRec

Bennie, Randy, thanks so much for your heartfelt sympathies. We too are praying that she comes through okay. Linda is a fighter. Ten years ago she had major surgery for ovarian cancer, at the time her doctors gave her a 20% chance of surviving no more then six months, but with treatment (chemo) she was okay for about two years, then the cancer rear its ugly head again, then for about a year she went through multiple surgeries and more chemo, she pull through and was in remission for about eight years, now this....

kikibalt wrote:Bennie, Randy, thanks so much for your heartfelt sympathies. We too are praying that she comes through okay. Linda is a fighter. Ten years ago she had major surgery for ovarian cancer, at the time her doctors gave her a 20% chance of surviving, but with treatment (chemo) she was okay for about two years, then the cancer rear its ugly head again, then for about a year she went through multiple surgeries and more chemo, she pull through and was in remission for about eight years, now this....

Frank, she's a Baltazar, so we know she's a fighter. My money is on Linda. Remember, God is in her corner.

Randy

Randyman wrote:

kikibalt wrote:Bennie, Randy, thanks so much for your heartfelt sympathies. We too are praying that she comes through okay. Linda is a fighter. Ten years ago she had major surgery for ovarian cancer, at the time her doctors gave her a 20% chance of surviving, but with treatment (chemo) she was okay for about two years, then the cancer rear its ugly head again, then for about a year she went through multiple surgeries and more chemo, she pull through and was in remission for about eight years, now this....

Frank, she's a Baltazar, so we know she's a fighter. My money is on Linda. Remember, God is in her corner.

Randy

Thanks Randy...

I like this, found it on Facebook

'Floyd "pocket change" Mayweather'

Don't know if its true, but I like it

Frank, my head is down and I will do some hard praying.

God bless

Kevin

bennie wrote:

kikibalt wrote:Guys, my daughter, Linda, will be having surgery on Thursday (8/19/10) because of a cancerous tumor on one of her kidneys....

My heart goes out to your daughter, Frankie, and to you and all your family at a difficult time.

Same here Frank.
Linda comes from a family of fighters.

She and all of you are in my prayers as well.

Kevin, Brian, thank you for your prayers and thoughts....

Frank, Linda's got a number of prayers on its way from Chicago.

Scartissue

kikibalt wrote:Guys, my daughter, Linda, will be having surgery on Thursday (8/19/10) because of a cancerous tumor on one of her kidneys....

Frank . . . Linda will is in my prayers, too. I pray for your family.

Frankie, My thoughts and Best wishes for Linda also. My prayers to God to give you all strength. Charlie N.

Glasgow’s Willie Limond dreams the dream when he ventures all the way to Mexico City to face modern boxing great Erik Morales in a 12-rounder next month (September 11).
Limond, who has never fought outside of Britain, goes over as the patsy for a comebacking Morales but is a solid little pro with good recent form and we can expect him to take the Mexican superstar into the middle or later rounds. In 35 fights, Limond has lost only to world champions Amir Khan, whom he had on the deck, and Alex Arthur - both in the eighth round. He comes off five straight victories.
Morales, soon to turn 34, dropped out of the sport in 2007 after a succession of losses, including two at the hands of Filipino great Manny Pacquiao, but sheer boredom brought him back earlier this year and he shed the rust by outscoring a Nicarguan over 12 rounds. This is his second comeback engagement. The tall Tijuana millionaire looks in good shape, after shedding a ton of weight, but still comes in at light-welterweight and that hurts Limond, who is just a lightweight. Morales also fights on Mexican Independence Day in a 45,00-seater bullring, to which there is only one word – ouch!
Limond, 31, has to cope with the heat, the smog, the altitude, the fiercely partisan crowd, most of whom will have downed plenty of tequila, and then there is Morales, a spiteful sort and a spiteful puncher whose 49-6 (34) record makes you wince alongside Limond’s, and I say that with the utmost respect to the brave Scot. While Willie was beating Choi Tseveenpurev, Kevin O’Hara, John Mackay, Harry Ramogoadi, Martin Watson and Kpakpo Allotey, "El Terrible" was beating Pacquiao, In-Jin Chi, Junior Jones, Wayne McCullough, Kevin Kelley, Daniel Zaragoza, Jose Luis Bueno, Carlos Hernandez, Jesus Chavez and bitter rival Marco Antonio Barrera, a man with whom he is now seeking a fourth meeting. Morales destroyed some of those.
Limond is not only outweighed, he lacks the sort of punch that got John H. Stracey out of trouble in the same Mexico City bullring in 1975 where the Londoner climbed off the floor to stop faded Jose "Mantequilla" Napoles in six stunning rounds for the world welterweight title. If history is to repeat itself, Limond needs Morales to show aboslutely nothing, which is a possibility after four straight defeats led to Erik’s recent hiatus, but a slim possibility.
The punishing Morales takes his time and slowly grinds the resistance out of an increasingly busted-up Limond for a late stoppage.

Bennie Briscoe in 2007

Dan, Rick, Charlie, thank you guys....

Polish heavyweight sensation Tomasz Adamek continues his busy campaign when he tackles Pennsylvania giant Michael Grant in a 12-rounder this Saturday.
Adamek only moved up to heavy to tackle fellow Pole Andrew Golota last year, whom he stopped in five rounds, but liked it and the money, and has since seen off fringe contenders Jason Estrada and Chris Arreola. The 33-year-old must be closing in on a showdown with one of the Klitschko brothers.
Adamek has a 'driven' quality about him and we know from his wars at light-heavyweight and cruiserweight that he whacks with the right hand. Enter Grant, statistically impressive at 46-3 (34) but smashed by Lennox Lewis and Jameel McCline back in the day (and back-to-back), since when he has toured the casinos and the Indian reservations for his prey, although he did step up against Dominick Guinn and was stopped in seven. This constitutes another step up for 'chinny' Michael, who towers over most of his opponents and will certainly dwarf Adamek but is going nowhere at 38.
Nevertheless, I have a feeling Grant enjoys one or two moments on Saturday before Adamek lowers the boom.

Rick, I read your posts on page 573 late last nite. I was busy for a few days and wasnt on the computer.

I would like to address the boxing pictures in which you see boxers old and new posing with their boxing stance outside the ring. As far as I could remember plus some, my father and his friends often did this whenever they met up.I agree you see less of it now then back in the day.
If you go through the room that I put pictures up of my dads career, you see lots of them. I think this stems from way back in that boxing era from the 40's and 50's if not sooner. A couple things come to mind:
A) Boxing was only second to Baseball in this country in sports popularity.
B) Boxers fought much more often than todays fight game, sometime 2-3 times in a month if they kept winning.
C) The prime way of communicating the game to the public was newspapers. Lots of newspapers. Boxers and their careers, public lives, training routines, who, what, when were covered extensively.

When a a match was made-especially between two top contenders or a championship-for weeks the newspaper press coverage was intense.
Photos were placed everyday during training camps. Weigh-in photos were always in-line. Mgrs and promoters loved this coverage- to sell tickets.
Just about all fighters then had a photo shoots together where dozens of photos were taken in various poses for publication. Today we have the "news conference and weigh-ins" on TV to take its place.
One usual pose was the fighters squarring off against each other.
It was a prominant shot that made many of the papers.
I think those poses today by oldtimers are just reminiscent of oldtimers doing their thing and remembering the past ways
and probably a boxing trademark that today is starting to fade away because you dont see it in the papers that much anymore.
If you think about it, anyone can stand there and shake hands or whatever, but fighters can pull this stuff off and make it look natural from who they were or are.
One thing my father told me was to never, ever put my arms around another boxer in a group shot. Shaking hands were permissable, but making a boxer look like a long time, old friend was not. If he wants to put his arm around me thats acceptable because he's the celebrity in the pose.I rarely took a boxing stance with another fighter-it doesnt look good.

Rick, Just to continue on your question about Roland LaStarza vs my father.
In 1950 they were scheduled to fight but Roland LaStarza came down with a minor injury that had him withdraw, replaced by Tommy Harrison. Let me see the scrapbook and identify the injury if it is in there.

You might want to note that Roland LaStarza, Cesar Brion,Tommy Jackson along with my father trained in Stillmans gym pretty much on the same days.
LaStarza and Brion usually trained in the morning where my father preferred the afternoon session after getting a morning run in Alley Pond park in Queens,NY. They often saw each other in passing. In 1950 my father was coming off of a good year in '49. But 50 and 51 were tough. I gotta double check the dates, but my father got a bad needle in the service and got hepatitus after that. I think in early '50 he had his appendix removed.He missed some action there early on, so I think to jump start his career-his mgr wanted a fight with LaStarza to put him back in a contenders light.
Harrison had other ideas. 1954 however, was the break-out year for my dads career.
In 1952, Al Weill wanted to buy my fathers contract outright. My father knew of Al's connections and didnt want to play that kind of game. Supposedly Ghee Leico , my fathers mgr., gave Al a piece of my father on the sly. My father said he got all the money due him,so if that was true, it came out of Ghee's end. My father told me he never was under Al Weill. My father played some sort of a policeman for Rocky after that and since my father was winning, got bigger and better fights.

LaStarza in 52 was the stepping off point for my dad but Rolands injury put a temp. hold on it.
When they did meet up in 1954 in Cleveland-It was reported to be a lackluster fight. It was there to be taken by either fighter. The last round or two my father came on strong to end up with the decision. My father told me that Roland seemed to not want to fight. He said Roland just didnt want to scrap. My father always said that the best in him was always brought out by the toughness of his opponent. Hence the Nardico-Norkus I brawl in 54. Powell fight in 54 too. On national TV back in the day, the whole LaStarza Norkus fight is on video with no sound. A real sleeper with some bits of energy here and there.

Linda with her mom, Connie
Circa 1960

Bennie, I heard that Mickey Duff had passed, do you know anything on that?

Tom, your hero



Clarence Darrow addresses the jury during his 1912 trial in Los Angeles on charges of attempting to bribe jurors while defending the McNamara brothers in the 1910 bombing of The Times. [Update: This photo was published in The Times on Aug. 15, 1912. An earlier version of the post said the photo was taken in 1913, the date that was written on the back of the picture].

Looks like a big bag of cash in his pocket for this jury too !

CNorkusJr wrote:Rick, I read your posts on page 573 late last nite. I was busy for a few days and wasnt on the computer.

I would like to address the boxing pictures in which you see boxers old and new posing with their boxing stance outside the ring. As far as I could remember plus some, my father and his friends often did this whenever they met up.I agree you see less of it now then back in the day.
If you go through the room that I put pictures up of my dads career, you see lots of them. I think this stems from way back in that boxing era from the 40's and 50's if not sooner. A couple things come to mind:
A) Boxing was only second to Baseball in this country in sports popularity.
B) Boxers fought much more often than todays fight game, sometime 2-3 times in a month if they kept winning.
C) The prime way of communicating the game to the public was newspapers. Lots of newspapers. Boxers and their careers, public lives, training routines, who, what, when were covered extensively.

When a a match was made-especially between two top contenders or a championship-for weeks the newspaper press coverage was intense.
Photos were placed everyday during training camps. Weigh-in photos were always in-line. Mgrs and promoters loved this coverage- to sell tickets.
Just about all fighters then had a photo shoots together where dozens of photos were taken in various poses for publication. Today we have the "news conference and weigh-ins" on TV to take its place.
One usual pose was the fighters squarring off against each other.
It was a prominant shot that made many of the papers.
I think those poses today by oldtimers are just reminiscent of oldtimers doing their thing and remembering the past ways
and probably a boxing trademark that today is starting to fade away because you dont see it in the papers that much anymore.
If you think about it, anyone can stand there and shake hands or whatever, but fighters can pull this stuff off and make it look natural from who they were or are.
One thing my father told me was to never, ever put my arms around another boxer in a group shot. Shaking hands were permissable, but making a boxer look like a long time, old friend was not. If he wants to put his arm around me thats acceptable because he's the celebrity in the pose.I rarely took a boxing stance with another fighter-it doesnt look good.

Thanks, Charlie. Like most here, I have a lot of photos with boxers, almost all friends, and the two of us are holding up our fists. Many of me doing this are posted on this thread, with guys like Danny Lopez, Bobby Chacon, and others. Many of these guys I actually have boxed with in the gym, and on many occasions. My question must have sounded odd coming from somebody like myself, who grew up in boxing and around boxers, and I've seen such photos (especially the ones of boxers posing in stances.)

I think what I found funny was something I saw as a board member of the WBHOF. Only a few had ever been boxers. They are glorified fans who were misrepresenting boxing history. They brought little to the organization aside from a desire to rub shoulders with the champs, and then would abuse the legends by making them sign autographs for hours with no compensation. They would charge a fee for fans to attend a autograph and memorabelia show, and not share the money with the boxers. I put an end to that in 2008, after being disappointed to see it happen the previous year, my first with the organization. I stood up and said it was OK to charge an entrance admission, but only if all proceeds be divided amongst the boxers, not a percentage, all of it. They fought me on the issue but I would not back down. From 2008 on, all the money collected went to the boxers. I also insisted that all boxers be given breaks with refreshments, and were free to market their own photos, etc. without the WBHOF taking a cut.

The guys that fought against the boxers, are the same ones you would see up on stage, smiling from ear-to-ear, holding up one fist, with the other arm wrapped around the boxer. These heartless bastids would never venture into a boxing ring, but thought nothing of taking advantage of the legends they were cheating. The WBHOF makes it's money from ticket sales, memorabelia, fund raisers, etc. Boxers were being taken advantage of long before the Marquis of Queensbury laid down the ground rules, however, there is no way that the WBHOF was going to get away with that, I could not let that happen.

My action was the start of a complete revamp of the WBHOF. We were able to get the crooked leadership out, and it created a lot of turmoil. I guess the thing that struck me wrong about such photos was the image of one particular board memebr doing this. This same member insulted Bobby Chacon and his lady friend, when Bobby told them he was too sick to continue signing autographs at one event.

It seems I'm crossing one issue with another. I do understand such photos and were aware of them, it's just that it rubbed me the wrong way when I saw it done with boxers and those who were cheating them. My thoughts and feelings are strictly my own, and the product of my own distaste of somebody I would see doing this.

Thanks for your father's input. And also the info you provided about your dad and Roland LaStarza.


-

CNorkusJr wrote:Rick, Just to continue on your question about Roland LaStarza vs my father.
In 1950 they were scheduled to fight but Roland LaStarza came down with a minor injury that had him withdraw, replaced by Tommy Harrison. Let me see the scrapbook and identify the injury if it is in there.

You might want to note that Roland LaStarza, Cesar Brion,Tommy Jackson along with my father trained in Stillmans gym pretty much on the same days.
LaStarza and Brion usually trained in the morning where my father preferred the afternoon session after getting a morning run in Alley Pond park in Queens,NY. They often saw each other in passing. In 1950 my father was coming off of a good year in '49. But 50 and 51 were tough. I gotta double check the dates, but my father got a bad needle in the service and got hepatitus after that. I think in early '50 he had his appendix removed.He missed some action there early on, so I think to jump start his career-his mgr wanted a fight with LaStarza to put him back in a contenders light.
Harrison had other ideas. 1954 however, was the break-out year for my dads career.
In 1952, Al Weill wanted to buy my fathers contract outright. My father knew of Al's connections and didnt want to play that kind of game. Supposedly Ghee Leico , my fathers mgr., gave Al a piece of my father on the sly. My father said he got all the money due him,so if that was true, it came out of Ghee's end. My father told me he never was under Al Weill. My father played some sort of a policeman for Rocky after that and since my father was winning, got bigger and better fights.

LaStarza in 52 was the stepping off point for my dad but Rolands injury put a temp. hold on it.
When they did meet up in 1954 in Cleveland-It was reported to be a lackluster fight. It was there to be taken by either fighter. The last round or two my father came on strong to end up with the decision. My father told me that Roland seemed to not want to fight. He said Roland just didnt want to scrap. My father always said that the best in him was always brought out by the toughness of his opponent. Hence the Nardico-Norkus I brawl in 54. Powell fight in 54 too. On national TV back in the day, the whole LaStarza Norkus fight is on video with no sound. A real sleeper with some bits of energy here and there.

Your dad's fight with Nordico was a great one. I have the fight with sound and the highlight reel with sound (Thank you).
I also liked the one with Charlie Powell, Jackson & Brion. I see what you mean about him doing better with boxers who are willing to fight.

My favorite artist here.
My all time favorite tune of his.
A great one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=575_mvf1eKM

Rick I know Waylon did some hollywood stuff.Ever work with or meet him?

Expug wrote:My favorite artist here.
My all time favorite tune of his.
A great one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=575_mvf1eKM

Rick I know Waylon did some hollywood stuff.Ever work with or meet him?

No Brian, but a few legends that I have worked with, such as Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, actor James Garner, and a many more loved Waylon Jennings. I worked on location for most of the film, "Honeysuckle Rose". Waylon's love, Emmylou Harris did a cameo. I remember in 1979, I was a lighting tech on the "Rockford Files" series with Garner. We were on location in Wrightwood. I enter the make-up trailer to visit with my friend, Charlene Roberson, who was Garner's make-up lady. Charlene is the daughter of the legendary Hollywood stuntman, Chuck Roberson. Chuck was John Wayne's exclusive stunt double, the original "Fall Guy". It wasn't unusual for Jim and Charlene to be playine a Waylon Jennings tape. They were all friends.
However, I never met the man.

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I must write about Chuck Roberson. It's not about boxing, but it's about a man whom the Duke made famous, and wealthy as well. I didn't know Roberson, my grandfather and uncles did. I knew his only daughter, Charlene, and she is the first female make-up artisit allowed to make-up the face of an actor. She was Raquel Welch's make-up artist (and later James Garner's), and the actress made Charlene famous in motion picture make-up artistry. A true female film pioneer.

I need to step away from boxing and share what I know about two very interesting, unique Hollywood figures, the one's who made the legends look good. I'll write it soon.

Read your response Rick. I think I interpreted your original question
with the type of my dads photos with his friends . Those pictures of my father were of a completely different scenario. These were taken of friends or fellow boxers of respect at various events and friendly gatherings of non-events in which no money was exchanging hands, just respect from boxer to boxer. Your scenario is different.

I know what your are referring to now. I too, attend several boxing dinners, HOF dinners, organizational meetings which are open to the general public or non-boxer types.
I too see the clash of bodies clamoring for free (or pay for a ticket get free) autographs from the fighters. Many times than not, the fighters get no cut from the admission fees. Example- Emile Griffith still attends many events here in New York. He is accompanied by one of his sons or nephew to help him get around. He recently put out a book on his life so that the income can sustain his life from living on the streets. Yes- it is that way with him. Sad and true.
He has trouble scribbling his name and by the time he signs a 6th or 7th autograph its hard to read. Yet still dozens of fans crowd him and stoop low to get his picture, many times hes unaware. No one from various commitees there to protect him from this too.
Many honorees at such events are overwhelmed by the large amount of audience members constantly on top of these guys. Even during their meal time. Many of the fighters ask for the fans to comeback after dessert but they wait there like vultures for a morsal to be thrown. I attended a recent event featuring Gerry Cooney and Larry Holmes, whom I know Holmes wanted 10 G's to attend but when he was told most of the total revenue was for a charity benefitting benevolent fighters- he greatly reduced his price- but still got something. Cooney I think waved his fees if there was one set.He dedicates alot of his time to help down and out boxers.
They were both crowded from arrival to departure with Holmes eventually saying no to many. It was rediculous. Pictures bulbs were constantly in their face.
A few guys I didnt know was assigned to sit at our table that night. They complained how they bought a ticket and had to settle for JUST a Mark Medal autograph on their program. Imagine that. I heard even more horror stories than that at the Canastota event each year- I have yet to attend a induction- but have visited.I think the younger fighters dont mind as they feel it increases their fan base and they can handle the crowd-but the older generations need a break.
The raising of the fists in these types of scenarios are completely wrong.
Shake hands or just stand next to the boxer will do and most boxers I see do accommidate pictures more readily than autographs, especially multiple autographs. Most of my dads fan-mail, yes he still received quite a bit, some from England and Ireland as well up until his passing, usually asked for a signed photo that my dad personalized and sent out-at my dads expense. He did not mind at all, he knew the fans helped him establish a downpayment
for our house over his career and was happy to sign. Once he got a box from a dealer asking him to sign 100 postcards with no inscription. Obvious for resale. My father signed two cards for the guy and mailed the rest back.
Personalization of a picture was key for my father. He rarely signed a photo with just his name. Only large group photos or group gloves he signed just his name.