BoxRec

At his 75th birthday in 1950, Jeffries was awarded a ceremonial plaque to be embedded in the sidewalk outside his home in Burbank:





Another picture of the birthday celebration:



I was in Burbank last January and visited the site. Jeffries built a large ranch home and a barn on the corner of where Victory Boulevard and Buena Vista Street now intersect. According to a lady who lived there and now runs the Burbank Historical Society (I can't remember her name), the house and barn were separated by Buena Vista. The house was on the southeast corner (a shopping plaze is there now), and the barn on the south west corner (where Ralph's parking lot is now).

In the 30s and early 40s, Jeffries ran amateur fights out of the barn on Saturday nights. Frank told me his Dad boxing at the barn (right, Frank?). The barn was most famous for its amateur fights, but Jeffries allowed its use for various other functions around Burbank, including an annual rodeo. A congregation also worshipped there. It was considered a popular gathering place for many Burbank events.

Jeffries gradually sold parts of his ranch until only his home and barn were left when he died, March 3, 1953.

The historcial plaque is gone, and the folks at the Burbank Historical Society have no idea where it is now.

The Jeffries home fell into disrepair, and city fathers razed it in the late 1950s.

The only hint that Jeffries lived there is a "Jeffries Street" a few blocks south of Victory Boulevard, off Buena Vista. There is also a Jeffries exhibit at the Burbank Historical Society. (I've never seen it - the society is only open for a couple of hours on Saturdays and Sundays.)

The famous barn was moved and is now an attraction at Knotts Berry Farm. For years, it housed a boxing museum.

Here's the barn when Jeff ran amateur bouts there:



And a picture of Jeff selling tickets:



Here's what it looks like now at Knotts Berry Farm:

Thanks Tom.

Your dad did box at the Barn, right Frank? I thought I recalled you saying that.

raylawpc wrote:Your dad did box at the Barn, right Frank? I thought I recalled you saying that.

Yes he did, Bert Colima used to train him and would take him and others to fight at the "Barn"

James J. Corbett

You mean the old "Whittier Bearcat?" He was a pretty good fighter from the 20s.

I suspect fighting at the "Barn" was a pretty neat experience. For one thing, Jeffries was there. But alot of the old time champs knew that if they were ever in LA, they had a standing invitation to come out on Saturday nights for the fights. I have a picture (unfortunately, not digital, so I can't post it), of Jack Dempsey at the Barn. So a kid would never know what famous ex-champion he might run into out there.

Since Burbank is just over the hills from Hollywood, I understand a lot of the celebtrities would come out. As I recall, W. C. Fields sponsored the fights for a while with Jeffries. I have somewhere in my files a copy of the certificate each winner got for his fight, signed by Jeffries and W. C. Fields.

raylawpc wrote:You mean the old "Whittier Bearcat?" He was a pretty good fighter from the 20s.

I suspect fighting at the "Barn" was a pretty neat experience. For one thing, Jeffries was there. But alot of the old time champs knew that if they were ever in LA, they had a standing invitation to come out on Saturday nights for the fights. I have a picture (unfortunately, not digital, so I can't post it), of Jack Dempsey at the Barn. So a kid would never know what famous ex-champion he might run into out there.

Since Burbank is just over the hills from Hollywood, I understand a lot of the celebtrities would come out. As I recall, W. C. Fields sponsored the fights for a while with Jeffries. I have somewhere in my files a copy of the certificate each winner got for his fight, signed by Jeffries and W. C. Fields.

Its unfortunate for me that my dad didn't like to talk boxing, but he would burn you ears off about baseball.
I would think that he had some stories to tell, if I could only have gotten him to talk boxing.

kikibalt wrote:

raylawpc wrote:You mean the old "Whittier Bearcat?" He was a pretty good fighter from the 20s.

I suspect fighting at the "Barn" was a pretty neat experience. For one thing, Jeffries was there. But alot of the old time champs knew that if they were ever in LA, they had a standing invitation to come out on Saturday nights for the fights. I have a picture (unfortunately, not digital, so I can't post it), of Jack Dempsey at the Barn. So a kid would never know what famous ex-champion he might run into out there.

Since Burbank is just over the hills from Hollywood, I understand a lot of the celebtrities would come out. As I recall, W. C. Fields sponsored the fights for a while with Jeffries. I have somewhere in my files a copy of the certificate each winner got for his fight, signed by Jeffries and W. C. Fields.

Its unfortunate for me that my dad didn't like to talk boxing, but he would burn you ears off about baseball.
I would think that he had some stories to tell, if I could only have gotten him to talk boxing.

I wish he had as well. It's hard work finding out much about Jeffries days with the Barn. Most of the old-timers who boxed out there are dead. (The lady at the Historical Society told me I was 20 years too late with my research. "I knew a lot of guys who boxed out here, but they are all dead now.") There's a few stories in the Burbank newspaper, but not much, just whenever something big happened.

Jeffries comes off bad sometimes as a racist because of the Johnson fight, and because of his own tacturn personality.

But he was really a good fellow. By the time the depression hit, Jeffries had quit ranching and was trying to subdivide and sell his property. But he still had the old bunk house on the property, and he opened it up for teenage boys made homeless by the depression. Jeffries and his wife, Frieda, clothed the boys, fed them, and Jeffries helped them find jobs and get back on their feet. He did it at his own expense, and without any fanfare or publicity.

He could be a really kind hearted fellow.

Jeffries was a pretty clever fellow too. A little bit of trivia: we call it Jeffries' ranch and Jeffries' barn, but never personally owned the ranch or the famous barn.

When Jeff bought the ranch, he put title of the property in Frieda's name. That turned out to be a smart move because, when Jeffries filed for bankruptcy in the early 1920s, the farm was not subject to the bankruptcy court.

When Jeffries and Frieda decided to subdivide and sell the property, they added his brother Jonathan as a coowner with Frieda; I guess so they could take advantage of Jonathan's real estate expertise. By then, Jonathan was something of a real estate mogul. He was quite wealthy when he died. When Frieda died in the early 1940s, Jonathan owned the property and it stayed in his hands until his death in 1952. At the time of Jeff's death the following year, the property was still in probate.

Jeff putting "his boys" through their paces:



Jeff and his favorite companions - the neighborhood kids:

Well, that's probably enough Jeffries for one day. Or week. Or month.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0owMkcs5m0
"I'm In The Mood"
John Lee Hooker & Bonnie Raitt

Zora Folley

dagosd2000 wrote:

kikibalt wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPOTQ7159_Y
"I Need Someone"
Thee Midniters

Hey Frankie
Was listening to this on the way home from my grandson's Karate practice. Also Billy Stewart's,Sittin In The Park.
Two Jerry Butler songs:Make It Easy On Yourself and He Will Break Your Heart. Topped the ride home with,OOH Child(Five Stair Steps). Hey buddy saw that car.NICE. I had a 57 Chevy Bel Air Two Door and get this,it was PINK.

PINK!!??

kikibalt wrote:

dagosd2000 wrote:

kikibalt wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPOTQ7159_Y
"I Need Someone"
Thee Midniters

Hey Frankie
Was listening to this on the way home from my grandson's Karate practice. Also Billy Stewart's,Sittin In The Park.
Two Jerry Butler songs:Make It Easy On Yourself and He Will Break Your Heart. Topped the ride home with,OOH Child(Five Stair Steps). Hey buddy saw that car.NICE. I had a 57 Chevy Bel Air Two Door and get this,it was PINK.

PINK!!??

Yep
Kiss your titty Pink.

Jack Johnson and Al Greening

PINK!!??

kikibalt wrote:PINK!!??

Look,where I went to school,if anyone said anything about Kiss Your Titty Pink,i'd kick their ass.

Zora Folley (R) vs Alex Miteff

http://youtube.com/watch?v=HzVChz4SOdQ
"The Things That I Used To Do"
Guitar Slim

Art Aragon (L) vs Enrique Bolanos

"Did he ever win another fight after that night?"
"I don't know,"I answered.
Jerry wanted to stop off at Champs before going home and having to turn his paycheck over to his old lady.
"Didn't he have a nickname the Mexicans called him?"
"Pulgarcito."
"What's that mean?"
"Something to do with affection."
Champs was dead. Just me and Jerry at the end of the bar. Judy,the bar maid, was at the other end with her back to us watching a game show. I wanted to get out of there,but Jerry kept stalling me with questions about Manual Ramos.

I remeber that night the big Mexican let everything ride trying to take Smokin' Joe's title at The Garden. I was sitting in the old Jockey Club at the bar. The place was packed to the doors. It was a hot sweating night. Everybody was elbow to elbow waiting for the fight to come on the television. There were only two small black and white TV's in the joint. One in the back and another above the bar. I'd been drinking pretty strong and all the Mexicans were there too. I didn't see any other Americans. I liked to find bars in TJ that didn't have Americans in them. That way there'd be no pretenses. The Mexicans would be themselves.

That night was different though. Usually the girls didn't like it when there was a boxing match on television. No one paid them attention. No drinks. No going to the room. But that night Mexico was hoping their guy would come through. Mexico wanted a heavyweight champion. To tell the truth,there wasn't much interest in the fight outside of Mexico. Nobody gave big Ramos a chance against Frazier. But if the miracle would happen,Mexico would have their greatest hero in their history. Villa would have to move over. Even the girls were talking about the fight.

Mexico is a fatalistic society,but only after failure.
"Shit happens" is a phrase with their way of life. But before the "shit happens",their faith is incredible. Everyone at the Jockey Club that night thought that miracle would happen.

The anxiety in the bar of the fighters being introduced in The Garden was intense. Johnny Addie introducing a Mexican fighter for a World Heavyweight Title Match. It seemed like a dream.

The fight started fast. Both boys went after each other. Inside The Jockey Club,I don't think anyone knew what they were watching. Then "Pulgarcito" explodes a tremendous left hook to Smokin' Joe's jaw. His knees buckle. Everybody saw that. A miracle. The greatest thing was about to happen. Frazier was hurt,but he had courage. He bobbed and weaved with Ramos's punches. The first round ended. The minute rest gave Frazier time to gather himself. Mexico wanted the bell to ring.

Again they swung at each other. Frazier's hooks were relentless. They were landing on Ramos's chin. He was breaking. I turned away from the TV and watched the people. The hysteria was fading into sadness. Ramos sank to the canvass. It was going to be over. For a moment it looked like Mexico had a miracle. Their greatest hero. I felt bad for everybody.

They turned off the televisions. The music started up on the jukebox. The girls returned to the tables. The shit had happened. Back to the usual.
"It was probably the liquor that got everyone thinkin' Ramos had a chance,"said Jerry.
"Drinking will make you think that way," I responded.
"Well my old lady is waiting for her dough,"said Jerry.
I looked at the pathetic wreck.
"Yeah,you better get goin' and get back to the usual," I said.

Muhammad Ali holds a press conference along with (from left) Don King, James Brown and Lloyd Price after arriving in Zaire for his fight against George Foreman.