Silvani was also in the original Rocky.bennie wrote:Al Silvani appeared in a few films, I believe, as an extra. He had one of those rugged, lived-in faces. I seem to remember him in Stir Crazy.Rick Farris wrote:kikibalt wrote:
Boxing commis, Clayton Frye, Al Silvani, Nat Fleischer, Pone Kingpetch and Pascuel Perez.
In back wearing glasses is George Parnassus.
Los Angeles, Ca....1960
Great picture, Frank.
Sounds good to me Frank, only let's hang out at a boxing gymkikibalt wrote:Have a great day Randy. Some day you and Rick shall achieve the status of a kept man, then we can get together at the the park and feed the pigeons....Randyman wrote:I had my first cup of coffee and breakfast this morning and left the house about 5:00. I've had 2 cups here at work. It's what gets me through the day. I long for the day when I become a kept man.kikibalt wrote: Don't know about this hours you're keeping Rick, getting up so early and going to work is not healthy for you.....D
Okay!, but who is going to feed the pigeons??....Randyman wrote:Sounds good to me Frank, only let's hang out at a boxing gymkikibalt wrote:Have a great day Randy. Some day you and Rick shall achieve the status of a kept man, then we can get together at the the park and feed the pigeons....Randyman wrote: I had my first cup of coffee and breakfast this morning and left the house about 5:00. I've had 2 cups here at work. It's what gets me through the day. I long for the day when I become a kept man.
Stir Crazy would have been the greatest comedy film ever if somebody had cut out all the unnecessary build up to the rodeo.kikibalt wrote:Yeah, Bennie, I was watching Stir Crazy couple of days ago and I noticed him in the movie. Don Fraser told me about a week ago that his widow, Norma, still receives a check now and then for his movie work.bennie wrote:Al Silvani appeared in a few films, I believe, as an extra. He had one of those rugged, lived-in faces. I seem to remember him in Stir Crazy.Rick Farris wrote:
Great picture, Frank.
When Ali came on the scene.....THEHAMMER321 wrote:Frank I know you don't care much for the heavyweights, but I did read where you liked Joe Louis, at what point did you become disenchanted with heavyweights ?
This kept man is living, but not in leisure....THEHAMMER321 wrote:Good morning, gotta get the coffee going ! , how are the kept men doing these days ? , hopefully all is good living in leisure.
I too, Paul, don't watch fights much anymore, I'll watch the big fights, don't bother with the ESPN fights at all, like you; my light for boxing has turned into a candle that is fast burning out...THEHAMMER321 wrote:I loved boxing in the early 1980s never missed a fight on T.V, by the 1990s the light had dimmed a little, and after 2000 light a candle, I hardly ever watch a fight anymore although I did watch Amir Kahn a few weeks ago.
My dad also didn't care for Ali,I remember the first fight I ever went to was at the silver slipper it must have been 1972 or 1973 didn't remember who was fighting but the one thing I remember most was meeting Robert Goulet, he was so friendly to my dad and I, unlike so many stars who wouldn't give you the time of day, was sorry to hear his passing a couple of years agokikibalt wrote:When Ali came on the scene.....THEHAMMER321 wrote:Frank I know you don't care much for the heavyweights, but I did read where you liked Joe Louis, at what point did you become disenchanted with heavyweights ?
CNorkusJr wrote:Rick, Thank You very much for mentioning my dad's name to Bill Dempsey Young. Dick Young was one of the great referees of our time. Of notoriety, he and Arthur Mercante Sr. were two of the biggest names in the sport. I have a tape of the Norton-Ali fight from CA and Dick Young was the ref. A close one which was called a split decision-but Dick scored it dead on I thought in favor of Ali. I did not know he was a LA Firefighter. It certainly must have been a treat to have him in the firehouse watching other fights with on TV. with the guys when he wasnt refereeing (which I dont think he missed a card in CA in all that time).LOLRick Farris wrote:Charlie . . . I hope the Jets end the Colts season next week. It's great to read of your experiences with FDNY.
Yesterday I was talking with Bill Dempsey Young. Bill is the V.P. of the Golden State Boxer's Assoc, and the son of Hall of Fame ref, the late Dick Young.
Dick Young was one of my favorite referees, and an L.A. County fire fighter. As I spoke with Bill about his father, I asked if he remembered Charlie Norkus.
Of course, Bill knew of your dad, and I told him about you and your history (what I know) with FDNY, and your current boxing involvment.
I am sure Bill can relate some great experiences as his son during those years. He would be a great person to sit down to talk to about his dad. Very proud I'm sure.
I dont remember ever meeting Mr Dick Young here in New York. I am sure my dad would have known him as well as he referreed at the same time (1970-80's) here in NY.Mr Young's legacy and fame precedes him.
Maybe tomorrow we should meet at Lincoln Park?kikibalt wrote:Have a great day Randy. Some day you and Rick shall achieve the status of a kept man, then we can get together at the the park and feed the pigeons....Randyman wrote:I had my first cup of coffee and breakfast this morning and left the house about 5:00. I've had 2 cups here at work. It's what gets me through the day. I long for the day when I become a kept man.kikibalt wrote: Don't know about this hours you're keeping Rick, getting up so early and going to work is not healthy for you.....
kikibalt wrote:When Ali came on the scene.....THEHAMMER321 wrote:Frank I know you don't care much for the heavyweights, but I did read where you liked Joe Louis, at what point did you become disenchanted with heavyweights ?
THEHAMMER321 wrote:My dad also didn't care for Ali,I remember the first fight I ever went to was at the silver slipper it must have been 1972 or 1973 didn't remember who was fighting but the one thing I remember most was meeting Robert Goulet, he was so friendly to my dad and I, unlike so many stars who wouldn't give you the time of day, was sorry to hear his passing a couple of years agokikibalt wrote:When Ali came on the scene.....THEHAMMER321 wrote:Frank I know you don't care much for the heavyweights, but I did read where you liked Joe Louis, at what point did you become disenchanted with heavyweights ?
Nothing to it Rick, us members of the The Kept Men Club will sit on a park bench and wait for the pigeon to come to us, when they do we will toss the bird seeds to them.....We will do this when the wives are at work......Rick Farris wrote:Maybe tomorrow we should meet at Lincoln Park?kikibalt wrote:Have a great day Randy. Some day you and Rick shall achieve the status of a kept man, then we can get together at the the park and feed the pigeons....Randyman wrote: I had my first cup of coffee and breakfast this morning and left the house about 5:00. I've had 2 cups here at work. It's what gets me through the day. I long for the day when I become a kept man.
I'll bring big bag of bird seed and you can show Randy and I the ropes!
Speaking of Joe Louis, I'm reading a biography on Louis called Joe Louis - Hard Times Man by Randy Roberts. I'm about a third of the way through it. Good reading.THEHAMMER321 wrote:Frank I know you don't care much for the heavyweights, but I did read where you liked Joe Louis, at what point did you become disenchanted with heavyweights ?
They're welcome to come along with us,kikibalt wrote:Okay!, but who is going to feed the pigeons??....Randyman wrote:Sounds good to me Frank, only let's hang out at a boxing gymkikibalt wrote: Have a great day Randy. Some day you and Rick shall achieve the status of a kept man, then we can get together at the the park and feed the pigeons....
DDRandyman wrote:They're welcome to come along with us,kikibalt wrote:Okay!, but who is going to feed the pigeons??....Randyman wrote: Sounds good to me Frank, only let's hang out at a boxing gym
)I feel exactly the same, Frank.kikibalt wrote:I too, Paul, don't watch fights much anymore, I'll watch the big fights, don't bother with the ESPN fights at all, like you; my light for boxing has turned into a candle that is fast burning out...THEHAMMER321 wrote:I loved boxing in the early 1980s never missed a fight on T.V, by the 1990s the light had dimmed a little, and after 2000 light a candle, I hardly ever watch a fight anymore although I did watch Amir Kahn a few weeks ago.
Good post Rick, you know what I think makes guys like Mayweather even more of a turn off than his boxing style is his attitude, you know, say what you want about Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De lahoya they knew how to behave when the mike was on them, and in turn have been the two most popular fighters of the last 30 years, as fighters I wasn't a big fan of either man, but they new how to sell themselves to the public, something Roy Jones or Floyd Mayweather know nothing about.Rick Farris wrote:I feel exactly the same, Frank.kikibalt wrote:I too, Paul, don't watch fights much anymore, I'll watch the big fights, don't bother with the ESPN fights at all, like you; my light for boxing has turned into a candle that is fast burning out...THEHAMMER321 wrote:I loved boxing in the early 1980s never missed a fight on T.V, by the 1990s the light had dimmed a little, and after 2000 light a candle, I hardly ever watch a fight anymore although I did watch Amir Kahn a few weeks ago.
Think of how much fun and excitment we used to get from boxing. The talent you saw was as good as it gets.
Just the anticipation of a great fight really got the blood flowing, and we had such fights often.
Guys like us could get a fix just by stopping by the gym, watching some world class fighters trading bombs in sparring sessions.
Boxing was all arond us, and we were aroud boxing, especially you for some many decades.
Go back to your days with Tiger, in the back yard gym. And then the CYO Gym. Can you visualize Johnny Flores back then? He never changed much, did he?
Ringside, Williams vs. Bolanos! Three times in all. Cadilli-Teran at the Legion, and Bolanos too. Your favorite fighters.
Training under Hoyt Porter at Teamsters. Teamsters Gym. You have lots of memories there. Hoyt Porter, Louie J., Keeny Teran.
Your dad sounds like he was a cool guy. A Baseball fan, but he knew you liked boxing. He took you to an all-time classic trilogy.
And speaking of fathers, you were as good as they come. I saw your boys, Frankie Jr., Tony & Bobby.
Your boys and I fought on the same night at Teamsters, Stanton A.C., Pomona, China Lake, The Olympic and several other venues.
You took two of them to the top.
Remember driving Joe Louis and Johnny Flores around Miami? How many people meet there childhood hero like that?
Like you, I too have met my heros in similar situations.
Everything changes. Change is good, but it has not been good to boxing.
What we do have is this thread. Because thru it we can keep the memories, the history alive.
One in awhile a fight of interest surfaces, but I don't watch ESPN, rarely if at all.
I'll watch Pacquiao, but I have no interest in him fighting Mosely, or Marquez or even Mayweather.
Of the three, Mayweather would be the worst. Mayweather is a bore. Pac is anything but boring, but Pretty Boy can stink the place up.
At least we have this thread.
