BoxRec

Rick Farris wrote:Unwilling Warriors, "The Bird Man" . . .


Today there is a clothes store in the San Fernanado Valley, "Mr. Blue Jeans."
Mr. Blue Jeans is Tony Pacheco, and he can take a pair of denims and tailor them to perfection to just about anybody.
I crossed paths with Mr. Blue Jeans more than a dozen years ago with a buddy trying to get a pair of pants shortened.

When I saw Mr. Blue Jeans, I looked at him closely and I noticed him looking at me, like you do somebody that looks familiar.
Finally I asked, "Hey, did you ever train at the Johnny Flores Gym in Pacoima."
A smile came to his face and he said, "Yes, and didn't your grandfather used to bring you to the gym?"
Suddenly we are all smiles and memories.

I was happy that Tony had found success in business, and he was really a success. He had more work than he could handle and had hired help just to handle his business. It was a good thing, because a career in boxing was not in the cards, despite true ring talent.

When I started training at Flores' gym it was early 1965. Tony Pacheco was one of the regulars, a fit lightweight with slick boxing skills, speed, timing, natural moves and a heart the size of a pea. For all his talent, when it came to violent ring warfare, Tony Pacheco was a self-admitted coward. He'd fight like a champ in the gym but the pressure of actually sitting in a dressing room and contimplating punching it out for a trophy would make him sick to his stomach. When it came to reasons as to why he wouldn't utilize his skills in the Golden Gloves, Tony had more stories than Readers' Digest. Flores used to laugh when he'd talk to Pacheco about entering the Golden Gloves. "You can win!" Johnny would tell him. Tony would begin to sweat, "I can't win because I won't show up. Those kids want to kill me for a goddam trophy, no way Jose!"

Tony had come to Flores Gym about a year before me, after being discharged from the U.S. Air Force. During his enlistment, he had aquired tatoos of two giant eagles on his chest, hence the name Johnny tagged him, "Bird Man". In the gym, Tony would box with everybody but the heavyweights. He was slick with a jab, a combo, in & out, bang-bang-bang. He was hard to hit, because when his defensive skills failed him, "he'd run like a bitch", as Flores would say with a laugh.

Tony disappeared from the gym when I was about fifteen, and we never saw again. Discovering him in his true element, as a clothes designer, was a nice thing. He was happy and he was doing well. I asked him, "Hey Tony, I still workout would you like together and box a few rounds, just for fun?" He looked at me like I was crazy . . . "No way Jose!"


-Rick Farris

kikibalt wrote:

Rick Farris wrote:Unwilling Warriors, "The Bird Man" . . .


Today there is a clothes store in the San Fernanado Valley, "Mr. Blue Jeans."
Mr. Blue Jeans is Tony Pacheco, and he can take a pair of denims and tailor them to perfection to just about anybody.
I crossed paths with Mr. Blue Jeans more than a dozen years ago with a buddy trying to get a pair of pants shortened.

When I saw Mr. Blue Jeans, I looked at him closely and I noticed him looking at me, like you do somebody that looks familiar.
Finally I asked, "Hey, did you ever train at the Johnny Flores Gym in Pacoima."
A smile came to his face and he said, "Yes, and didn't your grandfather used to bring you to the gym?"
Suddenly we are all smiles and memories.

I was happy that Tony had found success in business, and he was really a success. He had more work than he could handle and had hired help just to handle his business. It was a good thing, because a career in boxing was not in the cards, despite true ring talent.

When I started training at Flores' gym it was early 1965. Tony Pacheco was one of the regulars, a fit lightweight with slick boxing skills, speed, timing, natural moves and a heart the size of a pea. For all his talent, when it came to violent ring warfare, Tony Pacheco was a self-admitted coward. He'd fight like a champ in the gym but the pressure of actually sitting in a dressing room and contimplating punching it out for a trophy would make him sick to his stomach. When it came to reasons as to why he wouldn't utilize his skills in the Golden Gloves, Tony had more stories than Readers' Digest. Flores used to laugh when he'd talk to Pacheco about entering the Golden Gloves. "You can win!" Johnny would tell him. Tony would begin to sweat, "I can't win because I won't show up. Those kids want to kill me for a goddam trophy, no way Jose!"

Tony had come to Flores Gym about a year before me, after being discharged from the U.S. Air Force. During his enlistment, he had aquired tatoos of two giant eagles on his chest, hence the name Johnny tagged him, "Bird Man". In the gym, Tony would box with everybody but the heavyweights. He was slick with a jab, a combo, in & out, bang-bang-bang. He was hard to hit, because when his defensive skills failed him, "he'd run like a bitch", as Flores would say with a laugh.

Tony disappeared from the gym when I was about fifteen, and we never saw again. Discovering him in his true element, as a clothes designer, was a nice thing. He was happy and he was doing well. I asked him, "Hey Tony, I still workout would you like together and box a few rounds, just for fun?" He looked at me like I was crazy . . . "No way Jose!"


-Rick Farris

Great post Rick...

coach greg v wrote:

kikibalt wrote:

Rick Farris wrote:Unwilling Warriors, "The Bird Man" . . .


Today there is a clothes store in the San Fernanado Valley, "Mr. Blue Jeans."
Mr. Blue Jeans is Tony Pacheco, and he can take a pair of denims and tailor them to perfection to just about anybody.
I crossed paths with Mr. Blue Jeans more than a dozen years ago with a buddy trying to get a pair of pants shortened.

When I saw Mr. Blue Jeans, I looked at him closely and I noticed him looking at me, like you do somebody that looks familiar.
Finally I asked, "Hey, did you ever train at the Johnny Flores Gym in Pacoima."
A smile came to his face and he said, "Yes, and didn't your grandfather used to bring you to the gym?"
Suddenly we are all smiles and memories.

I was happy that Tony had found success in business, and he was really a success. He had more work than he could handle and had hired help just to handle his business. It was a good thing, because a career in boxing was not in the cards, despite true ring talent.

When I started training at Flores' gym it was early 1965. Tony Pacheco was one of the regulars, a fit lightweight with slick boxing skills, speed, timing, natural moves and a heart the size of a pea. For all his talent, when it came to violent ring warfare, Tony Pacheco was a self-admitted coward. He'd fight like a champ in the gym but the pressure of actually sitting in a dressing room and contimplating punching it out for a trophy would make him sick to his stomach. When it came to reasons as to why he wouldn't utilize his skills in the Golden Gloves, Tony had more stories than Readers' Digest. Flores used to laugh when he'd talk to Pacheco about entering the Golden Gloves. "You can win!" Johnny would tell him. Tony would begin to sweat, "I can't win because I won't show up. Those kids want to kill me for a goddam trophy, no way Jose!"

Tony had come to Flores Gym about a year before me, after being discharged from the U.S. Air Force. During his enlistment, he had aquired tatoos of two giant eagles on his chest, hence the name Johnny tagged him, "Bird Man". In the gym, Tony would box with everybody but the heavyweights. He was slick with a jab, a combo, in & out, bang-bang-bang. He was hard to hit, because when his defensive skills failed him, "he'd run like a bitch", as Flores would say with a laugh.

Tony disappeared from the gym when I was about fifteen, and we never saw again. Discovering him in his true element, as a clothes designer, was a nice thing. He was happy and he was doing well. I asked him, "Hey Tony, I still workout would you like together and box a few rounds, just for fun?" He looked at me like I was crazy . . . "No way Jose!"


-Rick Farris

Great post Rick...

Heart Like a PEA. Heres the story of Sh.tt.n Steve. When golden gloves time came round this huge white heavyweight came into the gym. Mean looking guy. Blond tattoed(nuthin today but a big deal then)We had a trainer who creamed over heavyweights and this guy was made to order. To his credit the guy trained hard. Sparred hard and with good competition. He had one problem he used to come to the gym after work use the restroom. I do not know what he ate but he literally could empty that gym and that gym stunk anyway. So Monday golden gloves weigh in time. Everythings cool hes warming up doing all the right things. Believe me he was a local favorite all his school work buddies were in the civic auditorium. People were screaming for his bout to start. So I am supposed to work his corner im through taping his hands. Then he says i have to use the bathroom so i untape one hand and he goes in... taking a long time.More time then his bout is called to glove table. i bang on the door. to this day I do not know how he got out of that bathroom. Manny was watching the door the vent was in place but he high tailed it out of the civic. the crowd was really pissed. I guess his brothers got a hold of him because he was beat up looking we he came to the gym a week later to apologize and a little flyweight latino kid goes hey shittin steve how come u no fight?????the whole gym cracked up. ring fear it can get you. sometimes guys would be nervous id open their robes and they would not have any trunks on or missing one shoe.

Rick Farris wrote:

coach greg v wrote:

kikibalt wrote: Great post Rick...

Heart Like a PEA. Heres the story of Sh.tt.n Steve. When golden gloves time came round this huge white heavyweight came into the gym. Mean looking guy. Blond tattoed(nuthin today but a big deal then)We had a trainer who creamed over heavyweights and this guy was made to order. To his credit the guy trained hard. Sparred hard and with good competition. He had one problem he used to come to the gym after work use the restroom. I do not know what he ate but he literally could empty that gym and that gym stunk anyway. So Monday golden gloves weigh in time. Everythings cool hes warming up doing all the right things. Believe me he was a local favorite all his school work buddies were in the civic auditorium. People were screaming for his bout to start. So I am supposed to work his corner im through taping his hands. Then he says i have to use the bathroom so i untape one hand and he goes in... taking a long time.More time then his bout is called to glove table. i bang on the door. to this day I do not know how he got out of that bathroom. Manny was watching the door the vent was in place but he high tailed it out of the civic. the crowd was really pissed. I guess his brothers got a hold of him because he was beat up looking we he came to the gym a week later to apologize and a little flyweight latino kid goes hey shittin steve how come u no fight?????the whole gym cracked up. ring fear it can get you. sometimes guys would be nervous id open their robes and they would not have any trunks on or missing one shoe.

Facing Fear . . .

Greg . . . That was a great story! Yeah, it really gets to some guys.
I look back how different fighters acted in the dressing room. Most are quiet, to themselves, no big deal. Then you have your talkers, and they don't shut up. They try to wise crack, anything to hide the fact they are probably ready to crap their trunks. I dunno what their problem is. And then you have a few that are just obviously scared. They can't hide it and don't try. They stand up, sit dow, pace back & forth, cross themselves, hit their knees in a corner. Ruben Navarro died a thousand deaths in the dressing room, but when the bell rang he was so wound up he'd jump on his opponent and start punching. Actor Reb Brown fought amateur for Johnny Flores under his real name, Bob Brown. Bob scored two early KO's and won a tough decision in his first three fights. He was lucky his KO's were early because he was so damn nervous in the dressing room he likely burned off a lot of energy. In his last fight, he was a novice fighting a guy who should have been in the open class, but Fred Everette was scared of my other stablemate, Kit Boursse', so he signed in as a novice. Brown was an awesome physical speciman but we knew his chin was suspect, and he could psyche himself out. He was a guy who liked to give a guy a real hard look during the instructions, and it bothered his first three opponents, but not Everette. Brown was KOed in less than a minute, his greatest fears realized. The problem was Fred Everette didn't KO Bob Brown, Bob KOed himself. I think the only thing one must be concerned with in the dressing room is being ready to fight when it's time. You should be loose and warmed up, steaming when you enter the ring. Ready for anything.

coach greg v wrote:

Rick Farris wrote:

coach greg v wrote: Heart Like a PEA. Heres the story of Sh.tt.n Steve. When golden gloves time came round this huge white heavyweight came into the gym. Mean looking guy. Blond tattoed(nuthin today but a big deal then)We had a trainer who creamed over heavyweights and this guy was made to order. To his credit the guy trained hard. Sparred hard and with good competition. He had one problem he used to come to the gym after work use the restroom. I do not know what he ate but he literally could empty that gym and that gym stunk anyway. So Monday golden gloves weigh in time. Everythings cool hes warming up doing all the right things. Believe me he was a local favorite all his school work buddies were in the civic auditorium. People were screaming for his bout to start. So I am supposed to work his corner im through taping his hands. Then he says i have to use the bathroom so i untape one hand and he goes in... taking a long time.More time then his bout is called to glove table. i bang on the door. to this day I do not know how he got out of that bathroom. Manny was watching the door the vent was in place but he high tailed it out of the civic. the crowd was really pissed. I guess his brothers got a hold of him because he was beat up looking we he came to the gym a week later to apologize and a little flyweight latino kid goes hey shittin steve how come u no fight?????the whole gym cracked up. ring fear it can get you. sometimes guys would be nervous id open their robes and they would not have any trunks on or missing one shoe.

Facing Fear . . .

Greg . . . That was a great story! Yeah, it really gets to some guys.
I look back how different fighters acted in the dressing room. Most are quiet, to themselves, no big deal. Then you have your talkers, and they don't shut up. They try to wise crack, anything to hide the fact they are probably ready to crap their trunks. I dunno what their problem is. And then you have a few that are just obviously scared. They can't hide it and don't try. They stand up, sit dow, pace back & forth, cross themselves, hit their knees in a corner. Ruben Navarro died a thousand deaths in the dressing room, but when the bell rang he was so wound up he'd jump on his opponent and start punching. Actor Reb Brown fought amateur for Johnny Flores under his real name, Bob Brown. Bob scored two early KO's and won a tough decision in his first three fights. He was lucky his KO's were early because he was so damn nervous in the dressing room he likely burned off a lot of energy. In his last fight, he was a novice fighting a guy who should have been in the open class, but Fred Everette was scared of my other stablemate, Kit Boursse', so he signed in as a novice. Brown was an awesome physical speciman but we knew his chin was suspect, and he could psyche himself out. He was a guy who liked to give a guy a real hard look during the instructions, and it bothered his first three opponents, but not Everette. Brown was KOed in less than a minute, his greatest fears realized. The problem was Fred Everette didn't KO Bob Brown, Bob KOed himself. I think the only thing one must be concerned with in the dressing room is being ready to fight when it's time. You should be loose and warmed up, steaming when you enter the ring. Ready for anything.

Then ricky theres the kind I just love. the kind that can just say greg wake me up when the time comes and go to sleep.really go to sleep. Lucky for me my best friend became one of my corner in 1964. he kept friends AND GOOFS from making me upset. we followed all the old time rules a steak before a fight the whole 9 yards. Ready for anything is righ. u don't know what waits for u out in the arena to say nothing of the crowd the guy ur gonna fight the home town judges. one thing i learned to im a walking ringside trunk i have everything. extra mouthpieces, cup, headgear, enswell you name it.

Rick Farris wrote:

coach greg v wrote:

Rick Farris wrote: Facing Fear . . .

Greg . . . That was a great story! Yeah, it really gets to some guys.
I look back how different fighters acted in the dressing room. Most are quiet, to themselves, no big deal. Then you have your talkers, and they don't shut up. They try to wise crack, anything to hide the fact they are probably ready to crap their trunks. I dunno what their problem is. And then you have a few that are just obviously scared. They can't hide it and don't try. They stand up, sit dow, pace back & forth, cross themselves, hit their knees in a corner. Ruben Navarro died a thousand deaths in the dressing room, but when the bell rang he was so wound up he'd jump on his opponent and start punching. Actor Reb Brown fought amateur for Johnny Flores under his real name, Bob Brown. Bob scored two early KO's and won a tough decision in his first three fights. He was lucky his KO's were early because he was so damn nervous in the dressing room he likely burned off a lot of energy. In his last fight, he was a novice fighting a guy who should have been in the open class, but Fred Everette was scared of my other stablemate, Kit Boursse', so he signed in as a novice. Brown was an awesome physical speciman but we knew his chin was suspect, and he could psyche himself out. He was a guy who liked to give a guy a real hard look during the instructions, and it bothered his first three opponents, but not Everette. Brown was KOed in less than a minute, his greatest fears realized. The problem was Fred Everette didn't KO Bob Brown, Bob KOed himself. I think the only thing one must be concerned with in the dressing room is being ready to fight when it's time. You should be loose and warmed up, steaming when you enter the ring. Ready for anything.

Then ricky theres the kind I just love. the kind that can just say greg wake me up when the time comes and go to sleep.really go to sleep. Lucky for me my best friend became one of my corner in 1964. he kept friends AND GOOFS from making me upset. we followed all the old time rules a steak before a fight the whole 9 yards. Ready for anything is righ. u don't know what waits for u out in the arena to say nothing of the crowd the guy ur gonna fight the home town judges. one thing i learned to im a walking ringside trunk i have everything. extra mouthpieces, cup, headgear, enswell you name it.

Greg . . . You were brought up right, learned from the best. That's why things don't make sense anymore.
Maybe we are the problem? Maybe we are just pissed the boxing we knew has gone away? If that's it, well, I'm guilty.
Today is bullsh*t!

coach greg v wrote:

Rick Farris wrote:

coach greg v wrote: Then ricky theres the kind I just love. the kind that can just say greg wake me up when the time comes and go to sleep.really go to sleep. Lucky for me my best friend became one of my corner in 1964. he kept friends AND GOOFS from making me upset. we followed all the old time rules a steak before a fight the whole 9 yards. Ready for anything is righ. u don't know what waits for u out in the arena to say nothing of the crowd the guy ur gonna fight the home town judges. one thing i learned to im a walking ringside trunk i have everything. extra mouthpieces, cup, headgear, enswell you name it.

Greg . . . You were brought up right, learned from the best. That's why things don't make sense anymore.
Maybe we are the problem? Maybe we are just pissed the boxing we knew has gone away? If that's it, well, I'm guilty.
Today is bullsh*t!

coach greg v wrote:

coach greg v wrote:

Rick Farris wrote:
Greg . . . You were brought up right, learned from the best. That's why things don't make sense anymore.
Maybe we are the problem? Maybe we are just pissed the boxing we knew has gone away? If that's it, well, I'm guilty.
Today is bullsh*t!

>ricky i did something wrong i placed it the reply in the middle of yours i am sorry

Rick Farris wrote:

coach greg v wrote:

coach greg v wrote:

>ricky i did something wrong i placed it the reply in the middle of yours i am sorry

It's all good. got your message,

coach greg v wrote:

Rick Farris wrote:

coach greg v wrote: >ricky i did something wrong i placed it the reply in the middle of yours i am sorry

It's all good. got your message,

> ;;-) do not want you to think i disrespected your writing

Rick Farris wrote:Mares-Agbeko . . . Sparks, no fire

Controversy, you bet.
Olivares vs. Castillo it was not. In those days this would have been a weak prelim.
The referee needs shock treatment. Dumb bastid!

coach greg v wrote:

coach greg v wrote:

Rick Farris wrote: >ricky i did something wrong i placed it the reply in the middle of yours i am sorry

It's all good. got your message,

> ;;-) do not want you to think i disrespected your writing

Rick Farris wrote:

coach greg v wrote:

Rick Farris wrote:Mares-Agbeko . . . Sparks, no fire

Controversy, you bet.
Olivares vs. Castillo it was not. In those days this would have been a weak prelim.
The referee needs shock treatment. Dumb bastid!

> A friend who is still alive told me that u had a army of girls at the olympic when u went into the ring. rick that is so cool...

Damn! Why didn't anybody tell me?

Rick Farris wrote:

coach greg v wrote:

coach greg v wrote: >ricky i did something wrong i placed it the reply in the middle of yours i am sorry

It's all good. got your message,

> ;;-) do not want you to think i disrespected your writing

kikibalt wrote:A rerun

How I met and became best friends with John Martinez

In the early summer of 1968 I was holding a meeting at the Teamsters Gym to plan our Jr Golden Glove tournament, a new group of guys, John was among them, came to our meeting, said they were with the AAU, their leader, Tony Cerda told us that we needed to have the AAU sanction our Jr GG tournament and that they, the AAU, would run the tournament, John was one of the guys pushing hard to get me out as tournament director, I told them that they were welcome to enter their boys in the Jr. GG tournament if they liked, (they did) but, I told them I was running the tournament, that I had been running it for the last four years, their ploy didn't worked, I run the tournament in 1968 and did so for another six years after that. After that I would see John around town, he lived close to me at the time, he had a youth boxing club and he was having a benefit dance for the club at the local handball club, Connie and I decided to go to the dance, when John seen me there he looked at me like,
"what are you doing here?"
After a beer or two we started talking, after that everytime we would run into each other we would talk, soon we were visiting each others home, going out to dinner with the wives, one time during dinner John started laughing and he tells me,
"You know I didn't like you before I met you" through the years John, Bea and Connie and I became best friends.

Frank Baltazar

kikibalt wrote:Rerun

When they come out of dressing room I say to John " well John?" he tells me " you s-o-b" I tell him "don't worry John, I won't tell anybody and I'll buy you a beer too"

Panzerfaust wrote:

kikibalt wrote:Rerun

When they come out of dressing room I say to John " well John?" he tells me " you s-o-b" I tell him "don't worry John, I won't tell anybody and I'll buy you a beer too"

Well , looks like the secret came out

coach greg v wrote:

kikibalt wrote:A rerun

How I met and became best friends with John Martinez

In the early summer of 1968 I was holding a meeting at the Teamsters Gym to plan our Jr Golden Glove tournament, a new group of guys, John was among them, came to our meeting, said they were with the AAU, their leader, Tony Cerda told us that we needed to have the AAU sanction our Jr GG tournament and that they, the AAU, would run the tournament, John was one of the guys pushing hard to get me out as tournament director, I told them that they were welcome to enter their boys in the Jr. GG tournament if they liked, (they did) but, I told them I was running the tournament, that I had been running it for the last four years, their ploy didn't worked, I run the tournament in 1968 and did so for another six years after that. After that I would see John around town, he lived close to me at the time, he had a youth boxing club and he was having a benefit dance for the club at the local handball club, Connie and I decided to go to the dance, when John seen me there he looked at me like,
"what are you doing here?"
After a beer or two we started talking, after that everytime we would run into each other we would talk, soon we were visiting each others home, going out to dinner with the wives, one time during dinner John started laughing and he tells me,
"You know I didn't like you before I met you" through the years John, Bea and Connie and I became best friends.

Frank Baltazar

> Amateur boxing politics gets deep. I had been running the high school boxing night in my county for about 5 yrs when the AAU tried to take them over. I said take a walk. Or words to that effect. Oh they threatened me said some of my amamteur boys could not fight on their shows. Made a big stink. Nothing came of it. I still ran the high school shows until they stopped that in 82. My boys fought in hte amateurs. Then the became the ABF and things got worse instead of better...