Classic American West Coast Boxing

[dagosd2000]

Bud Furillo, with Bill Cosby and Hedgemon Lewis

What was Hedgemon like as a fighter? He got done by Stracey I know but was right at the end of his career and I would like to know more about his peak years.

Bennie,

Lewis was a good boxer, he was been called the next Sugar Ray Robinson,
like I said good boxer, but not strong enough to keep guys like Napoles, Lopez and Muniz off him.

Couldn't have said it better. Now down to the pool.

[dagosd2000]

Tony Baltazar fighting some kid...1964

Just came back from the pool. No luck. The two girls didn't think my jokes were very funny. All they wanted to do is smoke cigarettes and talk on their cell phones to their boy friends. They didn't even offer me any of their beer. I should of asked Bo Belinsky to come to the pool with me.

Hey Frank,
I was thinkin'. You know how people are always goin' up to you showing pictures of their kids and grand kids. Here's my little daughter in her ballerina outfit. Or,here's my boy in his soccer uniform. Or,here's my grand kid winning the spelling bee at school.
Well you can show 'em,"Here's my son Tony smashing this kid in the mouth to the canvass with a right cross."
Where I came from on the Southwest Side of Chicago,they would have got a kick out of that.

[kikibalt]

diego,

Here is Bo Belinsky (R) with Mamie Van Doren and Dean Chance

[kikibalt]

Tony Baltazar fighting some kid...1964

Just came back from the pool. No luck. The two girls didn't think my jokes were very funny. All they wanted to do is smoke cigarettes and talk on their cell phones to their boy friends. They didn't even offer me any of their beer. I should of asked Bo Belinsky to come to the pool with me.

Hey Frank,
I was thinkin'. You know how people are always goin' up to you showing pictures of their kids and grand kids. Here's my little daughter in her ballerina outfit. Or,here's my boy in his soccer uniform. Or,here's my grand kid winning the spelling bee at school.
Well you can show 'em,"Here's my son Tony smashing this kid in the mouth to the canvass with a right cross."
Where I came from on the Southwest Side of Chicago,they would have got a kick out of that.

diego,

No luck with the girls, huh?

Tony was a proud little kid when he started boxing.

One evening around 1970 when Tony was 9 years old, as we were watching tv, there was a knock on the door, I answered the door and a lady and a man are standing there, with them is a boy about 11-12 years old, the lady tells me "Your son beat up our boy" so I'm thinking, Frankie, I call Frankie to the door, I ask Frankie "Did you beat up this kid", Frankie said no, and the kid said "no that not him, its the other one" so I call Tony and the kid say "that him" the man took one look at Tony and turn around to the kid, who is bigger and older then Tony, and tells him, "You should be ashamed of yourself".

[dagosd2000]

Tony Baltazar fighting some kid...1964

Just came back from the pool. No luck. The two girls didn't think my jokes were very funny. All they wanted to do is smoke cigarettes and talk on their cell phones to their boy friends. They didn't even offer me any of their beer. I should of asked Bo Belinsky to come to the pool with me.

Hey Frank,
I was thinkin'. You know how people are always goin' up to you showing pictures of their kids and grand kids. Here's my little daughter in her ballerina outfit. Or,here's my boy in his soccer uniform. Or,here's my grand kid winning the spelling bee at school.
Well you can show 'em,"Here's my son Tony smashing this kid in the mouth to the canvass with a right cross."
Where I came from on the Southwest Side of Chicago,they would have got a kick out of that.

diego,

No luck with the girls, huh?

Tony was a proud little kid when he started boxing.

One evening around 1970 when Tony was 9 years old, as we were watching tv, there was a knock on the door, I answered the door and a lady and a man are standing there, with them is a boy about 11-12 years old, the lady tells me "Your son beat up our boy" so I'm thinking, Frankie, I call Frankie to the door, I ask Frankie "Did you beat up this kid", Frankie said no, and the kid said "no that not him, its the other one" so I call Tony and the kid say "that him" the man took one look at Tony and turn around to the kid, who is bigger and older then Tony, and tells him, "You should be ashamed of yourself".

Good story Buddy
I'll say this,the kid's old man didn't fight his son's battles.
One time when I was in Little leagu(I was 10)a bigger kid who was 12 years old was picking on me throwing his glove at me. My father saw this and threw me off the field and told me to go home. My father didn't talk to me. Two days later we had practice again. The big kid started throwin' his glove at me again. I snapped and went after this guy and had him on the ground smashing him in the face. My father finally broke it up. When we got home he didn't say anything about the fight. But I could tell he was satisfied.
"Son,"my father said,"Let's go down to Stanley Andrews(the sporting goods store)and pick out some new bats."

[dagosd2000]

diego,

Here is Bo Belinsky (R) with Mamie Van Doren and Dean Chance

By the look on their faces ,I'll give 3 to 1 that Belinsky was the one that had her in the sack.

[kikibalt]

diego,

Here is Bo Belinsky (R) with Mamie Van Doren and Dean Chance

By the look on their faces ,I'll give 3 to 1 that Belinsky was the one that had her in the sack.

Of course!!

[dagosd2000]

ANOTHER IRISH BOB MURPHY STORY
as told to me by Tony Panza


It was after Murphy got his jaw broken by Clarence Henry. Murphy was winnin' the fight,but Henry gets one in and Murphy lands in the loss column. After that fight Murphy was not a happy fighter. You could never say Murphy was much of a goodwill ambassador. The joke at the Arizona was that Murphy once punched Dale Carnegie in the mouth. He was drinkin' more and starting to get on people's nerves. He's spending more time in the Arizona than down at the gym, and that ain't doin' Murphy's career no good and its startin' to effect Radovich's business.

One night Murphy's in the joint and he's bothering everyone. When someone ,let's say,would leave the bar to go to the bathroom,Murphy would pull the bar stool out from under the guy after coming back. The guy would go to sit down and fall on the floor. Well George had had enough.
"Murphy,you're gonna' have to leave. You're gettin' everyone upset and you're hurting my business."

Well Murphy don't say nothing to George because Murphy respects George. George handled him and brought him along in the amateurs. Murphy looked to Radovich as a big brother. Murphy walks out with his head down looking like a puppy who got scolded. As Murphy is walking out the door,the beer guy comes in to make his deliveries. He's got cases of beer loaded on his hand truck and goes to the store room to put the cases away. The beer guy then goes out to his truck and comes runnin' back inside.
"Someone stole my beer truck!"

Just then everyone starts hearin' police siirens out in the street about a block or two away. Seems that Murphy,when he was leavin',decided to do the beer guy a favor and gets in his truck to finish making his delveries.The beer guy left the keys inside the truck.See,Murphy's not so bad a fella'. He wanted to help. The problem was Murphy tried to turn the corner goin' around 50 and rolls the beer truck. Well the beer truck is on its side and there's beer spewin' all the way down to the beach. But it was all apropos. You see, it was a Pabst Blue Ribbon beer truck. Honest.

Anyway, that's the way Tony Panza told it to me.

[Rick Farris]

diego; remember this guy with Furillo; Bo Belinsky?

Belinsky was a baseball player and he was also a big playboy.

I remember him playing with the Angels. He was running around with Mamie Van Dorn for awhile.

[dagosd2000]

Frank
I don't know how you feel about it,but when I'm on the thread,I think you and me and the rest of the guys are the only ones that understand what's goin' on.

[dagosd2000]

diego; remember this guy with Furillo; Bo Belinsky?

Belinsky was a baseball player and he was also a big playboy.

I remember him playing with the Angels. He was running around with Mamie Van Dorn for awhile.

Rick
She's certainly better looking than Bud Furillo.

[Rick Farris]

Frank . . . Thanks for posting the great story on Mickey Cohen. I remember seeing him ringside at the Olympic for those big thursday night cards. I know that he and Aileen Eaton were very close.

I'm just catching up on this weeks posts. I try to stay up, however, I'm working vey long hours.

The stories you are posting are great!

-Rick

Thanks Rick; don't stay away...

I'll call him tonight. Judging from the work you did on the "Baltazar Boys", I know your portrait of "El Gato's" mirror reflection will be awesome. What a beautiful way to honor a true champion and all-time knockout record holder. Somebody please take a pic and share it with us.

-Rick

Hey Rick
Bring Gato back with you. I've got his painting done.

[kikibalt]

Frank
I don't know how you feel about it,but when I'm on the thread,I think you and me and the rest of the guys are the only ones that understand what's goin' on.

diego; we have a good group of guys here, that not only know boxing, but life in general, I'll bet most of us went the the school of hard knocks, so we understand where somebody is coming from when they say something.

[kikibalt]

This is Bo Belinsky after living life in the fast lane for years.

[kikibalt]

Your homies, diego.

Mickey Cohen second from left.

[Rick Farris]

"Irish" Frankie Crawford, a memory . . .

In early 1971, veteran featherweight contender, Frankie Crawford challenged world champ Sho Saijyo for his title in Japan. During the match, Crawford dropped Saijyo, and in the eyes of many had upset the Japanese champion, who would win by a narrow decision.

At the time, I was boxing prelims in L.A. and had worked in the gym with Crawford on several occasions. Frankie lived in North Hollywood at the time, along with his wife, Diane, and his two toddler sons, Frankie Jr. and Jeff.

Crawford was one of these guys who had a hard time holding onto a driver's license, and would occasionally need a ride to the gym. I lived close by, in Burbank, and gave Frank rides to the gym a few times, and it was on these short excursions, that I would get to know a very unique person . That's how I will describe Frankie Crawford - UNIQUE.

On one such occasion, Crawford and his trainer, Jimmy Gambina, were working out at the ELKS Bldg. which is a massive building that sits to this day, as it has for the past 85 years, directly across the street from MacArthur Park. Today, it is no longer the Elks Bldg., it's the "Park Plaza Hotel", and is currently closed for renovations.

I was working out at the Elks Club also, and Frankie and I would spar together, which to led my giving him rides to the gym. One day, I arrived at Crawford's apartment, and, as usual, toot the horn to let him know I'm waiting. After five minutes I realize that Frankie isn't coming, so I park and go to his front door. When I knock, Diane opens the door and is obviously upset. She's shaking her head and when I ask "What's wrong?", she shrugs her shoulders and pointed across the room to her husband, sitting on the couch smoking a cigarette.

"Hey, are you ready to go?" I ask. Crawford starts to ramble about how his wife could be so stupid as to forget to pay the gas bill, which she says he has never given her money for, despite a recent title challenge, etc. etc. Crawford was mad that she couldn't cook his breakfast, or whatever?

As we step outside, Crawford tells me he needs to pay his gas bill before we hit the gym and I say "OK, where do I take you to pay it?"

"It's just down on the corner of Mgnolia and Burbank Blvd.", he answers. When I reach the intersection, I ask him, "Where's the gas company?" Crawford turns to me, cocks his head to the side, and in his deep voice answers, "It's right there, on the corner", he laughs, "what are you f_cking blind?"

"What corner?", I ask, I don't see any Gas Company, just gas stations, one on each corner".

Once again, Crawford looks at me like I'm blind or stupid, and says, "So what's the problem, you got your choice, Standard, Texaco, 76, or Shell. Now I'm really confused.

"Frankie, I don't need gas". Crawford says, "So what? I came to pay the f_cking bill, remember?" I suddenly realized that Crawford believed he could pay the bill at a gas station, and I started to laugh. Now it was my turn to have some fun.

When we pull into the station Crawford jumps out of the car and runs over to a young gas station attendant, a kid of 17 or 18, red hair, skinny, pimple faced with a big adams apple. Frankie moves straight to the kid and hands him the bill along with a wad of cash. I couldn't hear what was said, but the kid appeared to be listening as Crawford talked. A moment later the boy shook his head "NO" as Crawford forced him to take the money and the bill.

When the kid refused the money, the fighter became irate. Frankie threw his arms in the air, turned, and headed back to my car. Before opening the car door, he looks back at the gangly kid, gives him the finger and kicks the gas pump beside him.

I was laying on the seat, unable to control my laughter. Crawford was really mad and I asked him, what happened?

The fighter just shook his head, and replied, "That's the problem with this world . . . nobody wants to do their job!"

We went to the gym, boxed, and on the way home, I showed where he could pay his gas bill. The next day he seemed happy enough. I guess he got his breakfast.

Much more on Frankie Crawford to come.


-Rick Farris

[dagosd2000]

This is Bo Belinsky after living life in the fast lane for years.

I'm glad I didn't bring him to the pool with me.

[Expug]

Your homies, diego.

Mickey Cohen second from left.

Man that guy on the far right with the bandaged ear!
I hope it wasnt a set of teeth that did that .
I hope the ear is still attached.

[dagosd2000]

Your homies, diego.

Mickey Cohen second from left.

Is it me or were these guys born without necks?

[dagosd2000]

Your homies, diego.

Mickey Cohen second from left.

Man that guy on the far right with the bandaged ear!
I hope it wasnt a set of teeth that did that .
I hope the ear is still attached.

Pug
You know that guy is nuts. He's smiling.

[dagosd2000]

"Irish" Frankie Crawford, a memory . . .

In early 1971, veteran featherweight contender, Frankie Crawford challenged world champ Sho Saijyo for his title in Japan. During the match, Crawford dropped Saijyo, and in the eyes of many had upset the Japanese champion, who would win by a narrow decision.

At the time, I was boxing prelims in L.A. and had worked in the gym with Crawford on several occasions. Frankie lived in North Hollywood at the time, along with his wife, Diane, and his two toddler sons, Frankie Jr. and Jeff.

Crawford was one of these guys who had a hard time holding onto a driver's license, and would occasionally need a ride to the gym. I lived close by, in Burbank, and gave Frank rides to the gym a few times, and it was on these short excursions, that I would get to know a very unique person . That's how I will describe Frankie Crawford - UNIQUE.

On one such occasion, Crawford and his trainer, Jimmy Gambina, were working out at the ELKS Bldg. which is a massive building that sits to this day, as it has for the past 85 years, directly across the street from MacArthur Park. Today, it is no longer the Elks Bldg., it's the "Park Plaza Hotel", and is currently closed for renovations.

I was working out at the Elks Club also, and Frankie and I would spar together, which to led my giving him rides to the gym. One day, I arrived at Crawford's apartment, and, as usual, toot the horn to let him know I'm waiting. After five minutes I realize that Frankie isn't coming, so I park and go to his front door. When I knock, Diane opens the door and is obviously upset. She's shaking her head and when I ask "What's wrong?", she shrugs her shoulders and pointed across the room to her husband, sitting on the couch smoking a cigarette.

"Hey, are you ready to go?" I ask. Crawford starts to ramble about how his wife could be so stupid as to forget to pay the gas bill, which she says he has never given her money for, despite a recent title challenge, etc. etc. Crawford was mad that she couldn't cook his breakfast, or whatever?

As we step outside, Crawford tells me he needs to pay his gas bill before we hit the gym and I say "OK, where do I take you to pay it?"

"It's just down on the corner of Mgnolia and Burbank Blvd.", he answers. When I reach the intersection, I ask him, "Where's the gas company?" Crawford turns to me, cocks his head to the side, and in his deep voice answers, "It's right there, on the corner", he laughs, "what are you f_cking blind?"

"What corner?", I ask, I don't see any Gas Company, just gas stations, one on each corner".

Once again, Crawford looks at me like I'm blind or stupid, and says, "So what's the problem, you got your choice, Standard, Texaco, 76, or Shell. Now I'm really confused.

"Frankie, I don't need gas". Crawford says, "So what? I came to pay the f_cking bill, remember?" I suddenly realized that Crawford believed he could pay the bill at a gas station, and I started to laugh. Now it was my turn to have some fun.

When we pull into the station Crawford jumps out of the car and runs over to a young gas station attendant, a kid of 17 or 18, red hair, skinny, pimple faced with a big adams apple. Frankie moves straight to the kid and hands him the bill along with a wad of cash. I couldn't hear what was said, but the kid appeared to be listening as Crawford talked. A moment later the boy shook his head "NO" as Crawford forced him to take the money and the bill.

When the kid refused the money, the fighter became irate. Frankie threw his arms in the air, turned, and headed back to my car. Before opening the car door, he looks back at the gangly kid, gives him the finger and kicks the gas pump beside him.

I was laying on the seat, unable to control my laughter. Crawford was really mad and I asked him, what happened?

The fighter just shook his head, and replied, "That's the problem with this world . . . nobody wants to do their job!"

We went to the gym, boxed, and on the way home, I showed where he could pay his gas bill. The next day he seemed happy enough. I guess he got his breakfast.

Much more on Frankie Crawford to come.


-Rick Farris

Another gem of a story. You don't know whether to laugh or cry. Rick,you sent that message.

[Expug]

"Irish" Frankie Crawford, a memory . . .

In early 1971, veteran featherweight contender, Frankie Crawford challenged world champ Sho Saijyo for his title in Japan. During the match, Crawford dropped Saijyo, and in the eyes of many had upset the Japanese champion, who would win by a narrow decision.

At the time, I was boxing prelims in L.A. and had worked in the gym with Crawford on several occasions. Frankie lived in North Hollywood at the time, along with his wife, Diane, and his two toddler sons, Frankie Jr. and Jeff.

Crawford was one of these guys who had a hard time holding onto a driver's license, and would occasionally need a ride to the gym. I lived close by, in Burbank, and gave Frank rides to the gym a few times, and it was on these short excursions, that I would get to know a very unique person . That's how I will describe Frankie Crawford - UNIQUE.

On one such occasion, Crawford and his trainer, Jimmy Gambina, were working out at the ELKS Bldg. which is a massive building that sits to this day, as it has for the past 85 years, directly across the street from MacArthur Park. Today, it is no longer the Elks Bldg., it's the "Park Plaza Hotel", and is currently closed for renovations.

I was working out at the Elks Club also, and Frankie and I would spar together, which to led my giving him rides to the gym. One day, I arrived at Crawford's apartment, and, as usual, toot the horn to let him know I'm waiting. After five minutes I realize that Frankie isn't coming, so I park and go to his front door. When I knock, Diane opens the door and is obviously upset. She's shaking her head and when I ask "What's wrong?", she shrugs her shoulders and pointed across the room to her husband, sitting on the couch smoking a cigarette.

"Hey, are you ready to go?" I ask. Crawford starts to ramble about how his wife could be so stupid as to forget to pay the gas bill, which she says he has never given her money for, despite a recent title challenge, etc. etc. Crawford was mad that she couldn't cook his breakfast, or whatever?

As we step outside, Crawford tells me he needs to pay his gas bill before we hit the gym and I say "OK, where do I take you to pay it?"

"It's just down on the corner of Mgnolia and Burbank Blvd.", he answers. When I reach the intersection, I ask him, "Where's the gas company?" Crawford turns to me, cocks his head to the side, and in his deep voice answers, "It's right there, on the corner", he laughs, "what are you f_cking blind?"

"What corner?", I ask, I don't see any Gas Company, just gas stations, one on each corner".

Once again, Crawford looks at me like I'm blind or stupid, and says, "So what's the problem, you got your choice, Standard, Texaco, 76, or Shell. Now I'm really confused.

"Frankie, I don't need gas". Crawford says, "So what? I came to pay the f_cking bill, remember?" I suddenly realized that Crawford believed he could pay the bill at a gas station, and I started to laugh. Now it was my turn to have some fun.

When we pull into the station Crawford jumps out of the car and runs over to a young gas station attendant, a kid of 17 or 18, red hair, skinny, pimple faced with a big adams apple. Frankie moves straight to the kid and hands him the bill along with a wad of cash. I couldn't hear what was said, but the kid appeared to be listening as Crawford talked. A moment later the boy shook his head "NO" as Crawford forced him to take the money and the bill.

When the kid refused the money, the fighter became irate. Frankie threw his arms in the air, turned, and headed back to my car. Before opening the car door, he looks back at the gangly kid, gives him the finger and kicks the gas pump beside him.

I was laying on the seat, unable to control my laughter. Crawford was really mad and I asked him, what happened?

The fighter just shook his head, and replied, "That's the problem with this world . . . nobody wants to do their job!"

We went to the gym, boxed, and on the way home, I showed where he could pay his gas bill. The next day he seemed happy enough. I guess he got his breakfast.

Much more on Frankie Crawford to come.


-Rick Farris

Another gem of a story. You don't know whether to laugh or cry. Rick,you sent that message.

Man thats hilarious.
Great stuff.

[Expug]

Your homies, diego.

Mickey Cohen second from left.

Man that guy on the far right with the bandaged ear!
I hope it wasnt a set of teeth that did that .
I hope the ear is still attached.

Pug
You know that guy is nuts. He's smiling.

Yeah, that guy is probably one of those guys who could start a fight in an empty room.

[dagosd2000]

Man that guy on the far right with the bandaged ear!
I hope it wasnt a set of teeth that did that .
I hope the ear is still attached.

Pug
You know that guy is nuts. He's smiling.

Yeah, that guy is probably one of those guys who could start a fight in an empty room.

I just thought of something. Hire guys like this to be school teachers. I guarantee there'd be no more discipline problems. Howqever I don't know what kind of subjects they'd teach the kiddies.
Frank,where in the hell did you dig up this picture? I'm laughing so hard that anytime I get depressed,all I have to do is look at these guys.

Frank
My wife just walked in. She's laughing with me.

[Expug]

Pug
You know that guy is nuts. He's smiling.

Yeah, that guy is probably one of those guys who could start a fight in an empty room.

I just thought of something. Hire guys like this to be school teachers. I guarantee there'd be no more discipline problems. Howqever I don't know what kind of subjects they'd teach the kiddies.

Ya notice that the guy on the far right.
Even his bandages are wrapped like an extended middle finger.
He could for sure teach a class on defiance.