Classic American West Coast Boxing

[dagosd2000]

Like Any Other Day

Since they've legalized marijuana in California, besides the plant ,they sell CBD oil and creams made with marijuana for pain.The oils and creams are very expensive. 40 to 100 dollars for the oil and around the same for the creams. An eighth of an ounce of marijuana sells for 60 dollars. I think the black market is out to clean up. You can grow marijuana so why pay through the nose to buy it at a dispensary? The oil and cream is different. They make that. There's a process that.I saw on the internet on how they make the oil. There are several ways. It's a little tricky. My wife has been making the oil for years. She doesn't sell it. We have so much it's ridiculous. When she goes around looking for bottles and cans to recycle she often comes home with bags of marijuana. Don't ask me why people throw it away. Well,what she does is put the marijuana in a bottle of cane alcohol that she buys in Tijuana and lets it soak. You can't but the cane alcohol here.It's 190 proof. She lets the mixture soak for a month, then it's ready to be used. Sometimes I rub it on my sore areas.Other times I put some drops under my tongue. it helps my arthritis and helps soothe my wife's tired legs after a day of recycling. But I also purchase the creams and salves in stores across the border that they call "botanicas."They are homeopathic stores that sell herbs,teas,spices,and old Indian remedies for different ailments. Some of the biggest movers off the shelves are the creams and salves that contain marijuana. Some have marijuana combined with peyote,arnica, and belladonna.I use a product that contains peyote ,marijuana,and arnica I've used the creams that they sell up here,but i'd go broke if I had to keep up buying that stuff. In Tijuana I can buy a jar for around 2 dollars.

Last Saturday I took a spin down to Tijuana to go to the "botanica" and load up on some herbal teas and the creams. After filling a bag with two boxes of teas and three jars of the cream for around 11 dollars I thought I'd walk around a bit and visit a few of the old haunts. I walked to plaza Santa Cecelia that was two blocks up the street from the "botanica",I wanted to stick my head into Cheto's Boxing Gym..The gym was originally owned by Julio Cesar Chavez. He then sold it to Cheto a few years later. It was a bright cool afternoon. For a Saturday there wasn't much action on Revolution Street. Chetos is a just around the corner of 1st and Revolution. That's where Plaza Santa Cecelia is located. it's supposed to be a tourist draw,but lately with all the things going on with the migrants at the fence and the crime, tourism has dipped considerably. The Plaza is comprised mostly of small restaurants that have tables outside. Waiters stand out front trying to hustle customers inside to eat and drink .There are also a lt of what I'd guess you'd call kiosks that sell cheap souvenirs like hats,junk jewelry,coffee mugs,plaster of Paris statues,chintzy purses and wallets,and loosely made sandals. Every copyright law in the world has been violated in Tijuana, Counterfeit Disney products,phony Cd's and DVD's,NFL,NBA,And Major League Baseball logos are on everthing from ball caps to women's sunglasses.And of course all the Mexican soccer teams have bogus articles on display.

I saw that Chetos was open for business.I stood at the doorway and saw that there was no one working out. Mrs. Cheto was behind front desk. drinking a cup of coffee.
"Buenos dias senora. Where' your husband?"
"He arrives in the afternoon," she replied.
Mrs. Cheto looked very matronly wearing a lifeless print dress.She had on a grown sweater.Her hair showed the gray at the roots and was not combed out very well.. She wore no makeup.She had on thick framed glasses.
"How's business?"I asked her still standing at the door.
"Mas o menos.Right now it is slow."
"I don't see many people around for a Saturday."
"Americans don't come down here much anymore. But the "chinos" are every where,but they won't come in here."
"The Chinese are funny,"I said. "They like to go across the street to the Coahuila and stand and pose for pictures with the policemen and the prostitutes. They all look like they're having a good time. Even the wives," said Mrs. Cheto .
"How is Alex doing?"I asked referring to a good looking kid that was on a hot streak until he lost a fight at the auditorium for some Baja California title
"He's home taking care of the babies while his wife is working ,"she said with a chuckle.
"How was your Christmas?"
"Lots of pozole and tamales."
"There's not all this gift giving here like in the U.S."I remarked
"Some on the 6th of January.The Day Of The Three Kings.,but that is mostly for the little kids. Most people in Tijuana don't have the money to buy presents.Maybe Trump can help us,"she said while rolling her eyes.
"But there are some people in Tijuana that have more money than the richest in San Diego."I countered.
"That will never change,"she said smiling.
"How about your New Years?"
"Like any other day. It's a lot more quiet now."
"You say Cheto will be back later?"
"Yes. Will you be back?"
"No. I'm heading back across."
"Well ,I'll tell Cheto that you were here."


Cheto inside his gym



Plaza Santa Cecelia



Marijuana with arnica bought in the botanica.

[dagosd2000]

Mob Steward

When my father was eavesdropping on the conversation Frank Nitti was having with Al Capone's lawyers inside Al's mother's house,my father was threatened with bodily harm if he repeated what had been discussed in that parlor. My father was 13 years old at the time..Nitti had already served a stretch of 18 months on income tax evasion. Now the feds had indicted Capone on the same charge.The feds were leaning on Nitti to roll over on Al,but Nitti knew that would have sealed his fate.Instead Nitti instructed Capone's lawyers to sell him out.No extortion.No bribes. No violence. No witnesses disappearing.Frank Nitti didn't want to go back to jail. He didn't do jail time very well. He was a paranoid and claustrophobic.Instead of testifying behind closed doors to a grand jury,Nitti just told the lawyers not make a strong defense.Nitti's arguments were twofold.First of all Capone was in the early stages of syphilis.Soon he'd lose the mental ability to run things anymore.Nitti's second gambit was for purely personal gains.Since Nitti was second in command,with Al in jail,not only would Nitti become capo numero uno,Capone would hand the keys over to him before he boarded the train to Atlanta. There wouldn't be a war.No bloodshed. No revenge. The transition would be short, sweet,and sensible.


Nitti got his wish with Capone away.In time Capone would get an early release from his second lock up,Alcatraz.The sickness made him a non threat to return and try to re again power running The Outfit,the new name for the Chicago underworld.Capone wouldn't be able to try to do what Jimmy Hoffa did and get on top of things again. No.Al was having fun getting into s--t fights with other prisoners and getting the s--t kicked out of him by the moulinyans. After his early release Capone went back to his villa and his family in Miami Beach and fished off the pier in front of his house before dropping dead from a stroke in 1947.But Frank Nitti wasn't in Al's league.(That was before Al's 18 year old girlfriend gave him the clap. "We told you boss that she was sick.").Frank Nitti behaved erratically at best and he had no parasites eating his gray matter.He wasn't well liked by the under bosses. Nitti like his crew below him had been mentored by my grandfather,Diamond Joe Esposito.Al Capone was brought out from Brooklyn by Frankie Yale on Dimey's orders. Sam Giancana was a wild and crazy kid that headed up that street gang,the 42. He fell in.Tony Accardo, The "Big Tuna" ,was a soldier.They would all one day run things from the top in Chicago's Outfit.

There's another important player in this.A kid my grandfather recruited from his hometown in the Boot,Acerra.italy.Diamond Joe broke him in as a waiter in his famous speakeasy on the west side,The Bella Napoli.From that first assignment Ricca got the nickname."The Waiter."He was now Paul "The Waiter" Ricca.But he didn't care the sobriquet.No one called him "The Waiter" to his face. Only the scribes wo hid behind their typewriters got away with it.

Even before Frank Nitti shot himself because he had screwed up on his plan to extort and control the movie unions on the coast and letting a couple of snitches in on the action,the Outfit was losing patience with the Enforcer.That was Nitti's moniker. He enforced the rules and the codes.Well,he screwed up big time by letting a couple of rats to set up things in Hollywood. The King Rat was a thug by the name of Willie Bioff. He was indicted by the feds on extortion and tax evasion. bioff and his lackey on the inside George Browne sang like Caruso canaries on the witness stand so they wouldn't seve any hard time.Afer the fallout nitti now had to answer for his transgressions.
"How do you want it Frank?You can go back to jail and we'll kill you there. Or you can do it yourself."
Nitti decided to save a lot of people grief so he pulled his revolver out of the drawer.He didn't want to make it look like The Outfit had put out a contact on him so he walked with his gun to the suburb of Riverside to the train depot.As a train approached and the stopped,Nitti paraded up and down the tracks waving the gun. then when he got everyone's attention,"BANG!"

By the time Nitti had killed himself it had already been assumed that Paul Ricca was now The Boss.Ricca was always a calm individual,always dressed impeccably,sure to think things through before making a decision. Ricca also obeyed the unwritten rule not bring unwarranted attention upon himself. But if it came to a sit down and somebody had to be erased he wouldn't hesitate to have the guy buried in Mt. Carmel Cemetery.

My father and Paul Ricca were very close.A lot of that was because he was from Acerra where my grandfather got his start.When my father hd to exit the Windy City and we moved out to San Diego,Paul Ricca when out on the coast for something would always come over to the house. When he left my father would get a visit from the Special Agent In Charge ,Jack Armstrong, of the FBI.

I remember Ricca and his "boys" sitting down at the dinner table eating spaghetti and meatballs.it was those old recipes from The Bella Napoli that were handed down to my grandmother then passed to my mother and now my sisters won't divulge them.
"Marion,"Ricca would say to my mother,"This takes me back to Halsted Street. It's like I'm at the Bells Napoli again," he said as he'd twirl the noodles on his fork.
I was just a kid back then but I knew what his job was at the Bella Napoli.
"Mr. Ricca.My dad says that you were in the Bella Napoli when Al Capone asked Jack Dempsey to throw the fight with Tunney."
"Yes I was,"said Ricca as he stabbed a meatball."I was your grandfather's consigliere at the time."


Paul "The Waiter" Ricca



Acerra just outside of Naples.




Local hangout for all the old goombas.I got a feeling they weren't going to invite me over for an espresso

[dagosd2000]

Tell Who Your Friends Are And I'll Tell You Who You Are


Boxing has always been the sport that attracts a murkier element,charscters that were scripted out of some Damon Runyan play. Let's face, it fighters aren't recruited from some Big 10 school.There's no "boxing" draft that takes place in a landmark edifice in Manhattan in front of TV cameras, and a mucky muck commissioner slitting open an envelope announcing to a national audience the elite chosen. When the "pick" comes up to the dais ,he poses with the commissioner holding up the jersey of the team that is now prepared to invest a king's ransom on the former amateur athlete.Dreamful fighters find a gym and are told to find some gear by a guy with a three days growth wearing a T shirt who's paying attention working with his charge during a sparring session who is wading in the mud of a six fight losing streak. When the raw kid returns wearing some frayed gloves and trunks reeking of yesterday's sweat from the many kids like him that came into the gym without any gear like him,he then gets a fast look from the old guy with the three days growth wearing the T shirt and is told to get in the ring with the six streak loser. if the new kid gives a good account of himself then he's can come come back tomorrow.If he winds up with a bloody nose and mewls about it,he can return if he wants to but his purpose will just to do his imitation of a punching bag. They'll be no old guy with a three days growth wearing a T shirt who'll want to take him on.

When I used to go to Bob Johnston's Sport Palace Bar on lower Market Street to have a few beers,I'd think that this was once the headquarters for the great Archie Moore. The Hollywood Burlesque House was situated next to the bar. Moore's brain trust,that included Doc Kearns and Bob Johnston's brother Charley, would be smoking cigars and wheeling and dealing on the phone with other brain trusts smoking cigars in their back rooms arranging fights that assured that the brain trusts would get their guaranteed cut,or should I say slab. Gamblers,bookies,numbers guys,loan sharks,ex cons,goons,and assorted scufflers would always be around in the bar,the burlesque house,or the gym. They weren't breaking any laws,but if Damon Runyan is going to put you in his play you have to fit a certain mold. No scholarly or cultured types. Only the fighters who you can see the outlines of their hard stomachs underneath their knit shirts look like they don't belong unless you look at their pans and notice the crooked noses and scar tissue around the eyes Except maybe for the promotors who show the manicures and wear the sharkskin suits with the boutonnieres on the lapels have learned it makes more sense and makes more money to organize everything below their scope.


Boxing is a topsy turvy world. The finished fighter stays around and tries his hand at training fighters now. Maybe he thinks he's found the real goods in the gym one day and now wants to manage so he can have a back room and a telephone on his desk. He dreams about sellout gates at Caesars Palace and cable TV percentages. It's a revolving door that once you start pushing you go round and round until you reach that final ten count.

But whether you're a club fighter with more losses than wins,a contender with more wins than losses,or the champ;the trainer with the three days growth and wearing the T shirt,the manager who's got his back room and telephone on the desk,or the guy putting it all together from the top,there's a strange similarty. You need guys to hold the spit buckets through to the impresarios. There's a purpose for all those cogs in the wheel. Remove a cog and the wheel doesn't turn anymore.

Maybe boxing doesn't always exhibit that shiny surface. It was something put together so people could wager their money.. Battle Royales where the last man standing has just made money for all the gamblers who bet that he could outlast the other five or six poor souls inside the ropes or sometimes a cage.. But you people reading this. You fans out there that go to the arenas and buy your tickets in the nosebleed seats. The guy that might come up a little short with the rent money this month because he just ordered the hundred dollar fight package from his cable TV dealer. The bloggers on the internet.Me.We're all one big family.Maybe a little dysfunctional,but tell me about a family that doesn't have its problems.




Bob Johnstons Sports Palace.Back room brain trust for Archie Moore. Not exactly an office at the Ritz-Carlton,but why spoil the image?

[Chuck1052]

Charley Burley was scheduled to fight Ken Overlin, a former New York Athletic Commission world middleweight champion with an impressive number wins over top fighters, on a boxing card that also featured a bout between two former world champions, Fritzie Zivic and Lew Jenkins, at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh on May 25, 1942. Overlin had fought in Pittsburgh a number of times in the past, including two ten-round bouts with another black fighter, Mose Brown, at Duquesne Gardens during 1941, but of which he won by an unanimous decision. Like Burley, Overlin was known as a "cutie" in the ring, but wasn't much of a puncher, unlike Burley. Many felt that a bout between Burley and Overlin had a good chance to be less than stellar, but it would have been between two top fighters with Burley being from Pittsburgh and Overlin having fought in Pittsburgh a number of times. As a result, it was felt that such a bout would attract a lot of interest.

Overlin had quite active as a fighter up until his bouts with the very young Ezzard Charles in Cincinnati and Paulie Mahoney in Pittsburgh during March 1942, getting a majority draw and an unanimous decision in the respective bout. But Overlin was serving in the U.S. Navy while being stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas by the time that he was scheduled to fight Burley. As it turned out, Overlin was unable to get permission to go to Pittsburgh and fight Burley.

Jake Mintz, a colorful Pittsburgh boxing man who was the matchmaker of the boxing show at Forbes Field, lined up Ezzard Charles to be the substitute for Overlin. At only twenty years old at the time, Charles had been active as a professional boxer for two years after an impressive amateur career. But Charles already had a TKO win over Anton Christofloridis, a win over Teddy Yarosz and a draw in a rematch with Overlin. He lost decisions in bouts with Kid Tunero and Overlin. At the time of getting Charles to step in as a substitute, Mintz said that the young fighter may be better than Overlin, certainly a far better puncher. As a result, Mintz said that a bout between Charles and Burley was more likely to be exciting than one between two "cuties" like Burley and Overlin.

- Chuck Johnston

[scartissue]

Charley Burley was scheduled to fight Ken Overlin, a former New York Athletic Commission world middleweight champion with an impressive number wins over top fighters, on a boxing card that also featured a bout between two former world champions, Fritzie Zivic and Lew Jenkins, at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh on May 25, 1942. Overlin had fought in Pittsburgh a number of times in the past, including two ten-round bouts with another black fighter, Mose Brown, at Duquesne Gardens during 1941, but of which he won by an unanimous decision. Like Burley, Overlin was known as a "cutie" in the ring, but wasn't much of a puncher, unlike Burley. Many felt that a bout between Burley and Overlin had a good chance to be less than stellar, but it would have been between two top fighters with Burley being from Pittsburgh and Overlin having fought in Pittsburgh a number of times. As a result, it was felt that such a bout would attract a lot of interest.

Overlin had quite active as a fighter up until his bouts with the very young Ezzard Charles in Cincinnati and Paulie Mahoney in Pittsburgh during March 1942, getting a majority draw and an unanimous decision in the respective bout. But Overlin was serving in the U.S. Navy while being stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas by the time that he was scheduled to fight Burley. As it turned out, Overlin was unable to get permission to go to Pittsburgh and fight Burley.

Jake Mintz, a colorful Pittsburgh boxing man who was the matchmaker of the boxing show at Forbes Field, lined up Ezzard Charles to be the substitute for Overlin. At only twenty years old at the time, Charles had been active as a professional boxer for two years after an impressive amateur career. But Charles already had a TKO win over Anton Christofloridis, a win over Teddy Yarosz and a draw in a rematch with Overlin. He lost decisions in bouts with Kid Tunero and Overlin. At the time of getting Charles to step in as a substitute, Mintz said that the young fighter may be better than Overlin, certainly a far better puncher. As a result, Mintz said that a bout between Charles and Burley was more likely to be exciting than one between two "cuties" like Burley and Overlin.

- Chuck Johnston

Chuck, didn't Mintz take over as Charles' manager or was he already involved with him at this time? I know in this country - as opposed to the UK - it is illegal for a promoter/matchmaker to also manage fighters. Conflict of interest and all. Not that it ever stopped Don King. "Yes, I'll promote you, and now I'd like to introduce you to your new manager, Carl King."

[scartissue]

Have any of you guys watched this in its entirety? I'm talking the Jose Medel v Jesus Pimental bout from '65 I think. I know Rick was at this bout but did anyone else see this? I watched it yesterday and although it is a little grainy, it wasn't too bad. Here is my score and what I thought.

California scoring. One point for a round, none for even rounds and an extra point for a knockdown.

Round 1: Even
Round 2: Medel
Round 3: Medel
Round 4: Pimental (scores a knockdown)
Round 5: Pimental
Round 6: Pimental (on the film this was an abbreviated round so I had to take a leap of faith on what I had seen)
Round 7: Medel
Round 8: Even
Round 9: Medel (scores 2 knockdowns)
Round 10: Pimental

Total: 6-5 Medel

Actual scores were 7-4 (twice) and 8-6 all for Medel. Not only was this fight hard-banging it was a pleasure watching the traps Medel was setting along the ropes. He had a sharp, speedy jab and was a killer counter-puncher. Pimental's jab was hard and not so speedy, but his power was evident. Damn good fight and I would have loved to have been at ringside. The sound of these bombs they were throwing had to be sublime.

[dagosd2000]

Have any of you guys watched this in its entirety? I'm talking the Jose Medel v Jesus Pimental bout from '65 I think. I know Rick was at this bout but did anyone else see this? I watched it yesterday and although it is a little grainy, it wasn't too bad. Here is my score and what I thought.

California scoring. One point for a round, none for even rounds and an extra point for a knockdown.

Round 1: Even
Round 2: Medel
Round 3: Medel
Round 4: Pimental (scores a knockdown)
Round 5: Pimental
Round 6: Pimental (on the film this was an abbreviated round so I had to take a leap of faith on what I had seen)
Round 7: Medel
Round 8: Even
Round 9: Medel (scores 2 knockdowns)
Round 10: Pimental

Total: 6-5 Medel

Actual scores were 7-4 (twice) and 8-6 all for Medel. Not only was this fight hard-banging it was a pleasure watching the traps Medel was setting along the ropes. He had a sharp, speedy jab and was a killer counter-puncher. Pimental's jab was hard and not so speedy, but his power was evident. Damn good fight and I would have loved to have been at ringside. The sound of these bombs they were throwing had to be sublime.

Dan,I wasn't there but I remember the fight. Watched the replay.You had it about right.



Joe Medel



Jesus Pimentel



Dan and Pops

[Chuck1052]

I don't think that Jake Mintz was the manager of Ezzard Charles at the time that the latter fought Charley Burley twice. In regards to the conflict-of-interest aspects of being a manager of fighters while also being a promoter or a matchmaker, it is true that it has been illegal in most locales or states.

In regards to having Carl King being a figurehead manager of fighters while Don King was a promoter, a conflict of interest was far from being new in boxing. Back in the time of Burley and Charles, Jack Hurley had an ill-defined role publicly in the promotional group which staged boxing shows at Marigold Gardens, the Coliseum and Chicago Stadium in Chicago from the late 1930s to the 1940s. The evidence is strong that Hurley was the matchmaker and made many of the promotional decisions for the Marigold Group during that time. At the same time, Hurley acted as a manager, a trainer and a cornerman of fighters. It also appears that Hurley was more open about handling or seconding fighters outside the state of Illinois than within that state.

I have also found an interesting manager and promoter situation in connection with Charley Burley and Tommy O'Loughlin. Somebody named Bobby (or Bobbie) Eaton reportedly bought Burley's contract from Burley's manager of record, Irwin Silverman during November 1941. Eaton was listed as Burley's manager until late 1942. Burley fought on boxing shows that were promoted by O'Loughlin in Minneapolis and Eau Claire, Wisconsin during late 1941 and early 1942. Meanwhile, O'Loughlin appeared to be acting as the handler or manager of Burley during at least one of the latter's bouts with Charles. For several years beginning in late 1942 or early 1943, O'Loughlin was usually listed as Burley's manager.

Another interesting manager and promoter situation happened what Pat O'Grady was a manager of fighters and the promoter of boing shows in Oklahoma City. But there wasn't an athletic commission that oversaw professional boxing in Oklahoma City itself or in the entire Oklahoma ca. 1980. In other words, Pat O'Grady had a virtually free hand in Oklahoma.
As a result, O'Grady was staging boxing shows featuring fighters that he managed, including his son, Sean.

Marty Weill was a figurehead manager for Al Weill, who was a matchmaker at Madison Square Garden ca. 1950. It really wasn't a big secret at the time. But things came to a head when the fighters on a scheduled boxing card were suppose to appear at a gathering (a weigh-in?). For one reason or another, Rocky Marciano didn't show up on time. An obviously perturbed Al Weill blurted out something about his fighter not being there. Afterwards, Weill was asked for his resignation as the matchmaker at Madison Square Garden.
- Chuck Johnston

[dagosd2000]

Chuck
When Charley Burley was living in San Diego Travis Hatfield and his brother Carl had Burley under contract for a brief spell. Then Burley had to return to Pittsburgh because his mother was ailing and the Hatfields sold his contract to Morris Slutsky. Later Carl bought back Burley's contract in 1949.By that time Burley was fighting a lot of sub rosa fights on a barn storming tour. Many of those fights are unrecorded.

[Chuck1052]

Chuck
When Charley Burley was living in San Diego Travis Hatfield and his brother Carl had Burley under contract for a brief spell. Then Burley had to return to Pittsburgh because his mother was ailing and the Hatfields sold his contract to Morris Slutsky. Later Carl bought back Burley's contract in 1949.By that time Burley was fighting a lot of sub rosa fights on a barn storming tour. Many of those fights are unrecorded.

Thanks for the information, Roger. I personally feel very sad that a great fighter like Charley Burley never got a shot at a world title or any lucrative bouts. Moreover, I also believe that Burley should be inducted in any California boxing hall of fame.

- Chuck Johnston

[dagosd2000]

Chuck
When Charley Burley was living in San Diego Travis Hatfield and his brother Carl had Burley under contract for a brief spell. Then Burley had to return to Pittsburgh because his mother was ailing and the Hatfields sold his contract to Morris Slutsky. Later Carl bought back Burley's contract in 1949.By that time Burley was fighting a lot of sub rosa fights on a barn storming tour. Many of those fights are unrecorded.

Thanks for the information, Roger. I personally feel very sad that a great fighter like Charley Burley never got a shot at a world title or any lucrative bouts. Moreover, I also believe that Burley should be inducted in any California boxing hall of fame.

- Chuck Johnston

Chuck
I look at it this way now. Sure Charley Burley deserved a shot at a title. He would have won one if given the chance.. Certainly today with all the different titles he would have amassed quite a few. He was inducted into the IBHOF when he was still living. He was too sick to attend the ceremony,but when we think of all the good and great fighters that never got a chance to fight for a championship we think automatically of two,Sam Langford and Charley Burley.Those two are held in higher esteem than let's say for example a fighter like John Ruiz who won the WBA heavyweight title from Jerry Ballard. If someone out there has never heard of Langford or Burley I'll assure you they've never heard of John Ruiz.

[goose 5]

Did Burley actually wear a mask on a barnstorming tour ?

[dagosd2000]

At The Bottom Of The Box

When George Radovich died the Arizona Bar was left to his son,John ,George's only child.I knew,and everyone else who frequented the Arizona on a regular basis, that the son would sell the place. I only saw George's son inside the Arizona once. Oh,he probably was in there more than once,but when I saw him walk in one afternoon he didn't even sit down. He came in to talk to his father about something. He didn't stay for more than a few minutes. I don't think George's son liked going in there and I don't think George wanted his son around the bar. Radovich knew how to run that place and he made plenty money with the Ariziona,but I think that he schooled his son that bars came with too many problems. George found his second wife sitting on one of his barstools..That broke up a happy home and I think that soured his son regarding bars in general. Sure enough, the son unloaded the Arizona as fast you could say "Another round for the house."


There were plenty of people interested.in buying the Arizona. The clientele was getting long in the tooth.The 45's in the jukebox were mostly songs from the 40's and 50's and country western renderings from singers like Ernest Tubb and Lefty Frizzell. It was either beer or shots of whiskey that wetted the dry mouths. There were no female bartenders. George had sold the bowling alley that was in the back. It only had seven lanes, and until the last few years still required pin boys to set up the bowling pins. George said the biggest mistake he ever made was selling that bowling alley.

The guy who bought the Arizona from the son came in and gutted everything.The bar ,to the right as you walked in from the street, was ripped out. A square bar was put in its place in the middle of the floor. The box TV that was on the wall facing the bar so only the bartender could watch it was pulled down and up went 20 flat screens. that covered all four walls. The upright piano was sold to a used furniture guy .The juke box was moved out so one of those big CD players could occupy the vacancy, The bartenders made way for bratty little barmaids who on the outside looked cute enough ,but you could tell they thought they were better than just beer slingers.


Radovich also had, hanging in back of the bar on the wall, cariactures of all the regulars who came in night after night and guzzled down their nightly sleeping potion. The images were very good. They said one day this artist came in from the street and did a caricature of Steve Bradaric the day bartender.George saw the result and commissined the guy to come in and do a caricature of all the regulars who had their elbows on the bar. Those caricatures were behind the bar up on the wall for more than 50 years. The cigarette smoke had left a tawny film on the faces that added an appropriate nostalga.There were also various pictures on the walls of George when he was coaching at the local Catholic college. George on the Arizana bowling team. George striking his boxing pose when he was an amateur fighter in the Bay Area.George was also Bob Murphy's manager when Murphy started fighting here in San Diego after getting his Navy discharge,Irish Bob was one of the celebrities who had made it to the Arizona Wall Of Fame.But when the new owner took over he did away with the works of art behind the bar.For some reason he didn't take down the pictures on the walls.

The day I returned to see the transformation I wasn't surprised. The neon "Arizona Cafe" sign on the outside was replaced by a sign that read "The AZ". When I walked inside I didn't like the new facelift. Except for the old pictures on the wall everthing else looked pretentious..I sat at the bar and ordered a draft . When the barmaid put the glass down I asked her who the people in the pictures were hanging on the wall.
"Oh I don't know,"she answered indifferently. "The owner's wife is sitting at the end of the bar. Ask her.She might know."
"Well I know who they are.I used to come in here quite often when the old owner had it."
The woman sitting at the end of the bar had her head perked up .She was writing some figures on a notepad,but she turned her attention towards me when I had said that I knew who the prople were in the pictures.
"Can you tell me who they are?"she asked sincerely."My name is Connie. My husband and I bought the place from George's son."

Well I took her on a cook's tour around the bar explaining in minute detail about all the people ,who had previuosly been unknown ghosts not only to her but to the new breed that had now become the standard imbibers. I brought those old black and white photographs to life.Now there was a history,a humaness.Every picture had a heartbeat.Connie was frantically writing down what I was expounding sounding like a Greek orator. After my epic she told the brmaid to give me a beer on the house.But I had a question.
"Whatever happened to the caricatures that were on the wall behind the bar?"I asked her.
"I have them in a cardboard box in the backroom."
"Do you mind if I could see them?"
"Of course,"she answered. "I'll be right back with them."
She returned holding a big cardboard box that was tied with twine.She untied the knot and opened the box on the bar.The barmaid didn't come over to witness the unopening. She began filing her nails. I saw the first caricature. It was of George. I then flipped through the layers very slowly looking at each image like I was in a time warp. As I was going through each one I stopped and then asked her if they were for sale. I told her that caricatures had for me a personal interest.
"I don't think so ,"she replied hesitantly."I don't think we want to sell them."
"But you don't even know who these people are. You have them inside a cardboard box."
"I know,but they're not for sale."
I continued my journey through to the bottom of the box.These old guys were all gone now. I sat next to every one of them at one time or another finding my way into the twilight zone. But at the very bottom there was another framed photograph. I gazed at it. It was at the bottom of the box. I saw that it was a photograph of a fighter striking a pose..I brought it up to the light. It was a picture of a boxer,a colored fighter. It was a picture of Charley Burley. I had never seen it before. George had never put the picture up in the bar.
"Who's that man?"asked Connie.
"A fighter by the name of Charley Burley."I murmured." Hatfield must have given it to George when he also was handling Murphy,"
Connie looked at me with a blank expression.
"I never knew he had this.It was never with all the rest of the pictures on the wall," I said still a little bewildered.
"Maybe he just forgot to hang it up,"she said.
"Yes.That's probably what happened,"I said closing the box.




Lefty Frizzell
If You've Got The Money I've Got The Time(except to put Burley's picture on the wall)

[dagosd2000]

Did Burley actually wear a mask on a barnstorming tour ?

Goose
At times he did.He didn't want anyone to know ,especially in the south,that the ringer was Thee Charley Burley.

[chrisjs1985]

Have any of you guys watched this in its entirety? I'm talking the Jose Medel v Jesus Pimental bout from '65 I think. I know Rick was at this bout but did anyone else see this? I watched it yesterday and although it is a little grainy, it wasn't too bad. Here is my score and what I thought.

California scoring. One point for a round, none for even rounds and an extra point for a knockdown.

Round 1: Even
Round 2: Medel
Round 3: Medel
Round 4: Pimental (scores a knockdown)
Round 5: Pimental
Round 6: Pimental (on the film this was an abbreviated round so I had to take a leap of faith on what I had seen)
Round 7: Medel
Round 8: Even
Round 9: Medel (scores 2 knockdowns)
Round 10: Pimental

Total: 6-5 Medel

Actual scores were 7-4 (twice) and 8-6 all for Medel. Not only was this fight hard-banging it was a pleasure watching the traps Medel was setting along the ropes. He had a sharp, speedy jab and was a killer counter-puncher. Pimental's jab was hard and not so speedy, but his power was evident. Damn good fight and I would have loved to have been at ringside. The sound of these bombs they were throwing had to be sublime.

I love this fight. I recently uploaded it to youtube (via my friends account). It's really an excellent fight. The respect both had for each others power is apparent in the beginning and then Pimentel landed the first major blow but Medel came back. As you say Medel really was setting traps, countering well and ultimately turned things completely in his favor. Medel was so dangerous like that. It's how he had such success against Harada in fight I and even II you could see Harada had learned but Medel was dangerous the whole way. He even had Jofre hurt by catching him coming in during that classic 9th round.

Too bad they didn't re-match. This could have made a classic series but as it stands this one little gem was great enough.

[chrisjs1985]

Chuck
When Charley Burley was living in San Diego Travis Hatfield and his brother Carl had Burley under contract for a brief spell. Then Burley had to return to Pittsburgh because his mother was ailing and the Hatfields sold his contract to Morris Slutsky. Later Carl bought back Burley's contract in 1949.By that time Burley was fighting a lot of sub rosa fights on a barn storming tour. Many of those fights are unrecorded.

Thanks for the information, Roger. I personally feel very sad that a great fighter like Charley Burley never got a shot at a world title or any lucrative bouts. Moreover, I also believe that Burley should be inducted in any California boxing hall of fame.

- Chuck Johnston

Chuck
I look at it this way now. Sure Charley Burley deserved a shot at a title. He would have won one if given the chance.. Certainly today with all the different titles he would have amassed quite a few. He was inducted into the IBHOF when he was still living. He was too sick to attend the ceremony,but when we think of all the good and great fighters that never got a chance to fight for a championship we think automatically of two,Sam Langford and Charley Burley.Those two are held in higher esteem than let's say for example a fighter like John Ruiz who won the WBA heavyweight title from Jerry Ballard. If someone out there has never heard of Langford or Burley I'll assure you they've never heard of John Ruiz.

Roger, if I recall correctly, I think Langford actually did get title fights but they were one's he could only win the title if he won via KO much like Harry Greb fighting Battling Levinsky multiple times, winning every round and then settling for a "newspaper decision". Burley never even got that privilege which is a damn shame. Put the same fighter in this century and he'd have legions of fans marveling how he's "TBE" and champion in god knows how many divisions. I get frustrated trying to explaining such differences who refuse to believe this sport existed before they started watching. I had someone tell me yesterday Keith Thurman is better than Sugar Ray Leonard and that Andre Berto was better than Langford or Burley. You don't want to know what the kid thinks about Napoles (I'll bet he's never even seen him).

To my knowledge I think Jim Driscoll was also one who never even got the shot. He had the complexion but being European champion didn't quite have the connection to get to fight for the "World Title". Holman Williams being another who never landed a title shot I don't believe. To be honest I basically count the "Colored championship" as a championship. Hey, if we can recognize the WBA regular champion/WBA super champion and all the other malarky why not? I know for sure which was harder to win.

[dagosd2000]

A Tall Wish

After the proposed title fight between the champion Jack Dempsey and Harry Wills fell through in 1925, the 32 year old Wills lost two big fights in a row, a drubbing at the hands of contender Jack Sharkey and a 4 round KO by another ranked fighter,Paulino Uzcudun. Both fights were held in Ebbets Field.Since 1917 Wills had lost only one time in 50 fights,a disqualification to the black heavyweight and Dempsey sparring partner,Bill Tate. The fans, the press, and Ring Magazine called out for a title fight between Dempsey,who had only defended his crown only five times since winning against Willard in 1919.,After becoming champ,Dempsey stated he wouldn't fight any black fighters in defense of his crown. Tex Rickard who still was impresario number 1 since his Jack Johnson/Jim Jeffries promotion back in 1910 on America's Independence Day also stated he was through with pitting a black man against a White champion in the ring. The fallout of riots and lynchings after Lil' Arthur humbled the old Boilermaker in Reno was something Rickard never wanted to partake in again with another promotion.


Harry Wills fought in that era of prominent black fighters Murderers Row of bigger men. The Langfords,Jeanettes,McVeas,Clarks, Tates,and Willses went round and round fighting for various "colored' titles. It was a wily Jack Johnson ,who also participated in those round robins,that finally cornered heavyweight champion Tommy Burns down in the corner of the world to become the first black champion of the big guys. If any of the aforementioned would have turned the trick,i don't think there would have been too much controversy. Johnson was a Renaissance Man who happened to have an African ancestry to go along with an ego and bravado that could fill The Roman Coliseum. Playing along his White wives and mistresses carried a threat to the White male thinking his domestic little lady at home might fantasize about what it would be like to be subdued by Jack Johnson in the bedroom.Harry Wills never paralleled Johnson's lifestyle,only the color of skin.

Jim Farley ,who later in life went on to be a be the Democratic Party Chairman and key organizer of FDR's political run for the presidency,was New York State Athletic Commission head in 1925. The Irish Catholic was also a proponent of civil rights.Farley and the commission also demanded that Dempsey,if he was to continue to fight in New York,would have to make his next defense of his title against Harry Wills.Supposedly,promotor Floyd Fitzsimmons had a package ready to go for both fighters. Included in the deal was 50 grand up front to Harry before the match. Jack would collect 125 big ones. Dempsey said that he never saw a dime of it before fight time. The contract was never inked. Well Dempsey became persona non grata in the Empire State after the fight collapsed.

In 1926 Dempsey would lose his title to Gene Tunney,and after fouling Jack Sharkey and getting away with it,he lost to Tunney again.Jack's pro fight career was over.But in 1926 Harry Wills was still regarded as the best of the heavyweights. But then followed the Sharkey and Uzcudun fights. Wiils the man with no losses in 50 fights,the logical opponent to fight Dempsey,suddonly looked like he was drugged in the ring against Sharkey and Uzcudun. He knew he was going to get "frozen out" of any title shot.Farley,the scribes,and the fans didn't have enough juice to get him in there in a championship fight. After losing decisively to Sharkey and Uzcudun he was off everyone's minds and dropped out of contention. So what happened? Did he lose on purpose because he was following orders? Or did those two really give him an ass whipping?

Yesterday when I mentioned Sam Langford and Charley Burley as being the two foremost fighters who never got their just dues to try to win a title,I left off the name of Harry Wills. Maybe my mind is slipping. Maybe Harry Wills could have beaten Dempsey.All the "maybe's" in the world will never give us an answer.


Harry Wills

[dagosd2000]

Thanks for the information, Roger. I personally feel very sad that a great fighter like Charley Burley never got a shot at a world title or any lucrative bouts. Moreover, I also believe that Burley should be inducted in any California boxing hall of fame.

- Chuck Johnston

Chuck
I look at it this way now. Sure Charley Burley deserved a shot at a title. He would have won one if given the chance.. Certainly today with all the different titles he would have amassed quite a few. He was inducted into the IBHOF when he was still living. He was too sick to attend the ceremony,but when we think of all the good and great fighters that never got a chance to fight for a championship we think automatically of two,Sam Langford and Charley Burley.Those two are held in higher esteem than let's say for example a fighter like John Ruiz who won the WBA heavyweight title from Jerry Ballard. If someone out there has never heard of Langford or Burley I'll assure you they've never heard of John Ruiz.

Roger, if I recall correctly, I think Langford actually did get title fights but they were one's he could only win the title if he won via KO much like Harry Greb fighting Battling Levinsky multiple times, winning every round and then settling for a "newspaper decision". Burley never even got that privilege which is a damn shame. Put the same fighter in this century and he'd have legions of fans marveling how he's "TBE" and champion in god knows how many divisions. I get frustrated trying to explaining such differences who refuse to believe this sport existed before they started watching. I had someone tell me yesterday Keith Thurman is better than Sugar Ray Leonard and that Andre Berto was better than Langford or Burley. You don't want to know what the kid thinks about Napoles (I'll bet he's never even seen him).

To my knowledge I think Jim Driscoll was also one who never even got the shot. He had the complexion but being European champion didn't quite have the connection to get to fight for the "World Title". Holman Williams being another who never landed a title shot I don't believe. To be honest I basically count the "Colored championship" as a championship. Hey, if we can recognize the WBA regular champion/WBA super champion and all the other malarky why not? I know for sure which was harder to win.

Chris
After my post i saw what you added.I read Langford's biography by Clay Moyle. He never mentioned anything about winning a title per a must KO by Sam,but he did write that often the only way Langford could get a win was by knockout,or it would be scored a ND.If anyone wants to be versed on a topic whether it's boxing,politics,or wars he has to go back in time when the seeds were planted. Even if an opinion is subjective,if someone can frame his arguments with facts he has stronger legs to stand on.It gets me too when someone who can only recall what has occurred in the last five years,is an expert on a subject that had its beginnings before the times of Christ.

[dagosd2000]

Tijuana's Wall



Drove into Tijuana today. I pass this all the time so today I thought I'd show you a picture of the wall Tijuana built on THEIR side of the border that runs parallel along the entrance lanes going into Tijuana..Going south on the I 5 freeway from San Diego ,as you pass San Ysidro ,you make a sharp unimpeded right turn onto the lanes you see in the above picture..You are now immediately in Mexico.The picture above shows what it looks like as you approach the Mexican inspection gates where that big flag is on the left. However, you are legally already in Mexico as you drive in these lanes approaching that flag. The
"wall" at the right of the picture was made by the United States.On the other side of that "wall" is the United States. It is constructed of metal with a chain link extension on the top that is wrapped with razor wire.I'd say the wall is 20 feet high.


The wall on the left is in Mexico .It is made of concrete blocks with a chain link extension wrapped with barbed wire on the top.On the other side of that wall is a typical Tijuana neighborhood with streets ,houses, and stores.I'd say the wall is 17 feet high.


Both walls begin where that sharp right turn is that ends the U.S. boundary and then puts you immediately in Mexico. Both walls run I'd say maybe a half mile until you get to that flag.


If the Tijuana wall was to be torn down by Mexico there would be no impediment(Tijuana police or other barriers) stopping the people on the Mexican side to just walk across where the wall was,run east on the lanes entering Tijuana, ,and enter the United States.

So with all this controversy about the U.S. wall and perhaps more walls,why doesn't the media ask why Mexico has built a wall on THEIR side to stop Mexicans from entering the U.S.?

[chrisjs1985]

Moyle’s Langford book was superb. There’s quite a few fighters of thattime period I’d like to see get a feature of that length and quality.

It would appear that when Langford fought Walcott the Welterweight title was on the line only in the event of a Langford KO. He dominated the fight but had to settle for a newspaper decision and thus Walcott kept the title.

Chuck
I look at it this way now. Sure Charley Burley deserved a shot at a title. He would have won one if given the chance.. Certainly today with all the different titles he would have amassed quite a few. He was inducted into the IBHOF when he was still living. He was too sick to attend the ceremony,but when we think of all the good and great fighters that never got a chance to fight for a championship we think automatically of two,Sam Langford and Charley Burley.Those two are held in higher esteem than let's say for example a fighter like John Ruiz who won the WBA heavyweight title from Jerry Ballard. If someone out there has never heard of Langford or Burley I'll assure you they've never heard of John Ruiz.

Roger, if I recall correctly, I think Langford actually did get title fights but they were one's he could only win the title if he won via KO much like Harry Greb fighting Battling Levinsky multiple times, winning every round and then settling for a "newspaper decision". Burley never even got that privilege which is a damn shame. Put the same fighter in this century and he'd have legions of fans marveling how he's "TBE" and champion in god knows how many divisions. I get frustrated trying to explaining such differences who refuse to believe this sport existed before they started watching. I had someone tell me yesterday Keith Thurman is better than Sugar Ray Leonard and that Andre Berto was better than Langford or Burley. You don't want to know what the kid thinks about Napoles (I'll bet he's never even seen him).

To my knowledge I think Jim Driscoll was also one who never even got the shot. He had the complexion but being European champion didn't quite have the connection to get to fight for the "World Title". Holman Williams being another who never landed a title shot I don't believe. To be honest I basically count the "Colored championship" as a championship. Hey, if we can recognize the WBA regular champion/WBA super champion and all the other malarky why not? I know for sure which was harder to win.

Chris
After my post i saw what you added.I read Langford's biography by Clay Moyle. He never mentioned anything about winning a title per a must KO by Sam,but he did write that often the only way Langford could get a win was by knockout,or it would be scored a ND.If anyone wants to be versed on a topic whether it's boxing,politics,or wars he has to go back in time when the seeds were planted. Even if an opinion is subjective,if someone can frame his arguments with facts he has stronger legs to stand on.It gets me too when someone who can only recall what has occurred in the last five years,is an expert on a subject that had its beginnings before the times of Christ.

[dagosd2000]

Chris
I stand corrected .Yes,Langford had to KO Walcott to win the title. I kept thinking of a heavyweight title fight that neither Johnson nor Dempsey offered up to Sam. I doubt though he could have beaten Johnson, and by the time Dempsey got to the top Langford was pretty much shot. That old story of Dempsey saying to Langford,after Sam asked for a chance,something about "I'm looking for something easier" is a bitter sweet anecdote. I remember when I was a kid,many old boxing pundits considered Langford to be the greatest fighter who ever laced on the gloves.



The great Sam Langford

[chrisjs1985]

Chris
I stand corrected .Yes,Langford had to KO Walcott to win the title. I kept thinking of a heavyweight title fight that neither Johnson nor Dempsey offered up to Sam. I doubt though he could have beaten Johnson, and by the time Dempsey got to the top Langford was pretty much shot. That old story of Dempsey saying to Langford,after Sam asked for a chance,something about "I'm looking for something easier" is a bitter sweet anecdote. I remember when I was a kid,many old boxing pundits considered Langford to be the greatest fighter who ever laced on the gloves.



The great Sam Langford

Yeah, Dempsey admitted something to the affect of having fear of Langford but I suppose that was when he was an up and comer. By the time he was champion, Harry Wills was the guy and Dempsey ducked the hell out of him.

[dagosd2000]

Gently Into The Night

Dylan Thomas's poem "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" was written as a homage to his dying father.The most remembered line is often quoted,"Rage,rage against the dying of the light."

I don't know if the Welsh poet wanted his dying father to "rage against the dying of the light",or whether he saw that defiance emit from his father as his life ebbed away. I often think about how I'll make my exit. If my demise results from a head on collision with a semi truck we can disregard whether my last cognizant moment was peaceful or whether I was raging. But let's say I'm slipping away in some hospital ward. If I'm hooked up to machines with tubes and wires inserted into my body, and drifting in and out of awareness because of my hourly injection of morphine I can't imagine myself "raging." too much. Besides I think that's a pretty sh---y way to check out. I should have a lot to be thankful for,and if not,then the final adventure will be a welcome event.

Muhammad Ali was a very sick man at the end. His life had weakened slowly for many years prior to his death. He was beginning to show symptoms of dementia while he was still fighting. The docs should have never cleared him to fight Holmes,but then it's all about the buck. That's the American way.And that beating put Ali on a course to a premature passing.

I believe it was in the late 1990's when 60 Minute reporter Ed Bradley sat down with Ali and his last wife Lonnie. Ali could still rationalize and though his speech was muffled he still exhibited his wit and insightfulness. He played a joke on Bradley by pretending he was having a seizure,but his wife was in on the gag and told Bradley not to worry.
"Don't worry.This happens all the time.He'll come around in a minute or two," she reassured the newsman.
When Ali "snapped put of it",he was laughing. He knew he had got one over on Ed Bradley.

Bradley went along with Ali's levity and quips. The pleasantries shot from Ali's mind like he used to flip his jabs into Sonny Liston's swollen face. I was watching it all being thoroughly entertained when all of a sudden Bradley takes out that picture of Ali standing over a prone Liston in Lewistown ,Maine.
"What do you think when you see this?"asked a glib Bradley.
Ali bolted up from his chair and stormed out of the room not uttering a word.

The last thing Muhammad Ali wanted to discuss nearing the end of his life was to tell old war stories.Later,Bradley told the television audience that Ali had stored all his belts and trophies in the barn at his house in Michigan. All the mementos ,Bradley said,were covered with cobwebs and pigeon poop.

Lonnie Ali said that her husband was prepared to for the finale.His mind was at peace.He said that the past had taken him on a journey to where he is today and that he was very thankful. His wife said that Ali was ready to go to heaven.There was no anger. There was no rage against any light. The "Light" would be waiting for him after he had taken his last breath.

Ali was "The Greatest".But when he bragged those words he was talking about his worth as a prizefighter. Humiliator of the bullies Liston and Foreman.Poet predictor of when the enemy would fall. He heard the natives in Zaire scream "Ali boma ye"They wanted him to kill George Foreman. But nearing the final bell,in the championship rounds, Ali had shown that he was The Greatest .He was walking with a quiet serenity ,not being afraid of the dark.

[Chuck1052]

During his best years as fighter, Sam Langford was a very good gate attraction for that period of time. When highly motivated and well-trained, Langford could be a very exciting fighter with plenty of skills and tremendous punching power. He also was a very likeable fellow with a colorful personality, making him a subject of many funny anecdotes that appeared in the newspapers. But Langford also had a reputation of "carrying" fighters and being in bad condition for many of his fights. In addition, he fought a long time with very little or no eyesight.

- Chuck Johnston

[dagosd2000]

During his best years as fighter, Sam Langford was a very good gate attraction for that period of time. When highly motivated and well-trained, Langford could be a very exciting fighter with plenty of skills and tremendous punching power. He also was a very likeable fellow with a colorful personality, making him a subject of many funny anecdotes that appeared in the newspapers. But Langford also had a reputation of "carrying" fighters and being in bad condition for many of his fights. In addition, he fought a long time with very little or no eyesight.

- Chuck Johnston

Chuck,During his fight with Fred Fulton Langford wound up being blind in his right eye.He continued on fighting ,but with engaging in so many battles,many against men who were taller and heavier,his advanciing age,and the blind eye,he took some bad beatings like you said especially from Harry Wills,a fighter Langford at one time could beat,but couldn't conquer anymore.What I've seen of him on film,he was one of the hardest body punchers ever. I believe he came up with the saying,"Punch to the body and the head will eventually fall." It's hard to imagine that a black fighter fighting in that era not going along with the gamblers who profited from Sam either carrying fighters or taking a dive from time to time.. At the end of his career he was overweight and just a shell of his former self. When Dempsey was champ in 1919 Langford approached him for a shot. I don't think Langford had enough left in him to beat Dempsey. That's when Dempsey supposedly said to him,"Sam I'm looking for something easier." Langford was found in a Harlem cold water tenement building blind in his "good eye" with cataracts. Al Laney a New York sportswriter wanted to do a story on Langford in 1944. Laney finally found him in that tenement building in Harlem. He was broke and spent most of his time alone in his room. Laney printed Langford's story in his paper. A collection was taken up and the money put in a trust for him. Langford moved back to Boston and died in a nursing home.


Before one of his fights,he looked across the ring and saw his opponent's manager slicing oranges.Langford said to the fighter's manager that his fighter wouldn't have time to enjoy the oranges because he was going to knock him out in the 1st round,and he did just that!


Sam Langford
He may have lost his eyesight but he looked at the world through rose colored glasses