Thanks Randy, I just do what I like to do, an after all these years, I do have some stuff, some people call it junk.....Randyman wrote:Frank, you are a living museum, a historical library, collector of top notch photos, programs and fight posters, as well as a photographer, all rolled into one. Just keep'em coming. These are classic.kikibalt wrote:
kikibalt wrote:Thanks Randy, I just do what I like to do, an after all these years, I do have some stuff, some people call it junk.....Randyman wrote:Frank, you are a living museum, a historical library, collector of top notch photos, programs and fight posters, as well as a photographer, all rolled into one. Just keep'em coming. These are classic.kikibalt wrote:
I said this before,but all those great posters framed along the walls of a restaurant/bar on the strip. The year is 1955. Steaks and Chops. Shrimp Cocktails.Best Margaritas in town. Maybe some music on the weekend. Nothing too loud. A house piano.Valet parking. A regular hang out for fighters and fans. Sinatra and Dino are seen at their table.Dino gets up and sings a number. Bob Waterfirld and his wife Jane Russell come in for a night cap.Here's Mickey Cohen and Frank Costello. They're always good for a few tips at Santa Anita. Mike Mazurky is at the bar covering half counter.Lou Costello is making a table of friends laugh. No bums allowed.kikibalt wrote:Thanks Randy, I just do what I like to do, an after all these years, I do have some stuff, some people call it junk.....Randyman wrote:Frank, you are a living museum, a historical library, collector of top notch photos, programs and fight posters, as well as a photographer, all rolled into one. Just keep'em coming. These are classic.kikibalt wrote:
Rick, that is amazing. What a class act.Rick Farris wrote:Randy & Pug . . . We have a lot in common regarding our grandfathers and Jack Dempsey. Like you two, I was raised on stories of the great Dempsey, as well as Mickey Walker. Roberto Duran is also my favorite fighter all-time. When I was ten, I wrote a letter to JAck Dempsey. Not having his address, I just wrote on the envelope: to JAck Dempsey, Heavyweight Cahmp, New York, N.Y. Two weeks later I receieved an autographed 8x10, "to Rick . . . Lots of luck, pal, signed JAck Dempsey". I still have that photo.
Yeah, it is nice. Gable did a good thing, there.dagosd2000 wrote:You know Bennie ,Marilyn had this notion that Gable was her father. Gable kind of acted like that toward her. That was nice.bennie wrote:Nice, Rog. I remember reading that Gable died of a heart attack just a few days after shooting a film with Marilyn Monroe.kikibalt wrote:Clark Gable
"Gable"
By Diego
I'm sure her sexy presence did him no good at all.
The thing is, when he clapped Watt, nobody was really looking at Alexis. He had left the scales and was surroundered by his team and the focus had turned completely to Watt. The way Alexis then clapped the Scot was almost an anonymous act, and a totally unselfish one.Randyman wrote:I remember how after Arguello stopped Ray Mancini, he went to Ray, held him and and rubbed his gloves on Ray's head, as if comforting a little brother. He then encouraged Ray by reminding him that he too failed in his first attempt at a title, a 15 round UD loss to Ernesto Marcel. He showed that kindness to most of his foes.bennie wrote:One of the greatest fighters ever, in my opinion, and also one of the classiest. When he came over to London to challenge Jim Watt for the WBC lightweight title, they screened the weigh-in on the BBC. Arguello weighed in first, as the challenger, then Watt was introduced to the scales by the MC and the fans there all started cheering and clapping. You know what? Arguello clapped Watt, too.kikibalt wrote:Alexis Arguello
"El Flaco Explosivo"
By Diego
What a gent.
Man, you can taste the atmosphere!kikibalt wrote:
The Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, Ca.
Davey is holding his balls. I'm no reader of body language, but I don't think that is a particularly good sign.kikibalt wrote:
Gerald Dreyer & Chuck Davey
You can see that one on the occasionally worthwhile youtube, Pug. The finishing right hand is pulverizing, against the run of play. Costello fought a really good fight up to the finish and had not long lost his world light-welterweight title to Lonnie Smith. It means Arguello wreaked havoc at feather, super-feather, light and light-welterweight.Expug wrote:Randy, I remember that also.Arguello was a very classy competitor.
I also remember when he belted out Billy Costello with a right hand.
It was at the end of Alexis' career and Costello was doing real well for a couple rounds .
He got a little sloppy and Arguello hit him with that right hand of his.Out Costello went.
After the fight in the interview Arguello was real humble and told Costello, "Billy, you can do better then that".
Not really admonishing him for being a little careless, more along the lines of advising or coaching him.
Counter-puncher wrote:Alexis is one of the classiest individuals i have seen step through the ropes
the Scottish crowd behind Jim Watt weren't exactly known for their openmindedness, they could be very ahem 'partisan' but to this day Arguello even as Watt's conqueror is affectionately remembered by pretty much all scottish boxing fans I know of 8)
a question for you cali fans- i saw mention on this thread of John Montes who i believe was a quite touted amateur in L.A back in the late 70s/early 80s (along with his brother whose name escapes me). I saw him lose a 10 rounder to Boza Edwards and it seemed like he was not quite good enough to cut the mustard at world level, though still a good fighter.
what was the deal with he and his brothers- I think one of his brothers worked his corner in that fight- are they still fixtures on the L.A boxing scene?
Hey Palkikibalt wrote:Counter-puncher wrote:Alexis is one of the classiest individuals i have seen step through the ropes
the Scottish crowd behind Jim Watt weren't exactly known for their openmindedness, they could be very ahem 'partisan' but to this day Arguello even as Watt's conqueror is affectionately remembered by pretty much all scottish boxing fans I know of 8)
a question for you cali fans- i saw mention on this thread of John Montes who i believe was a quite touted amateur in L.A back in the late 70s/early 80s (along with his brother whose name escapes me). I saw him lose a 10 rounder to Boza Edwards and it seemed like he was not quite good enough to cut the mustard at world level, though still a good fighter.
what was the deal with he and his brothers- I think one of his brothers worked his corner in that fight- are they still fixtures on the L.A boxing scene?
when I come back from my walk I'll tell you about the Montes's.
Expug wrote:Rog, I agree. I love that picture of The Olympic.
Something about it takes you back to the seventies in a very big way.
I dont know what it is. Maybe the car the clothes on the people, the shade of the picture, I dont know.
Takes me back in time.
In the late 1970's, John Montes along with my son Tony were two of the most highly touted amateurs in years in L.A., it got so it develop into a cross-town rivalry, on a Monday I received a phone call from the amateur matchmaker at the Olympic about Tony fighting John Montes on the Thursday nite pro card, I said yes, I'm told it has to be at 132 lbs. I agree, btw My son Frankie Is fighting the pro main event that nite.Counter-puncher wrote:a question for you cali fans- i saw mention on this thread of John Montes who i believe was a quite touted amateur in L.A back in the late 70s/early 80s (along with his brother whose name escapes me). I saw him lose a 10 rounder to Boza Edwards and it seemed like he was not quite good enough to cut the mustard at world level, though still a good fighter.
what was the deal with he and his brothers- I think one of his brothers worked his corner in that fight- are they still fixtures on the L.A boxing scene?
John certainly lost that one all right. I remember you saying he was out for several minutes, Frankie.kikibalt wrote:In the late 1970's, John Montes along with my son Tony were two of the most highly touted amateurs in years in L.A., it got so it develop into a cross-town rivalry, on a Monday I received a phone call from the amateur matchmaker at the Olympic about Tony fighting John Montes on the Thursday nite pro card, I said yes, I'm told it has to be at 132 lbs. I agree, btw My son Frankie Is fighting the pro main event that nite.Counter-puncher wrote:a question for you cali fans- i saw mention on this thread of John Montes who i believe was a quite touted amateur in L.A back in the late 70s/early 80s (along with his brother whose name escapes me). I saw him lose a 10 rounder to Boza Edwards and it seemed like he was not quite good enough to cut the mustard at world level, though still a good fighter.
what was the deal with he and his brothers- I think one of his brothers worked his corner in that fight- are they still fixtures on the L.A boxing scene?
The fight between John and Tony didn't last long, about 30 seconds, Tony winning by ko in the first round.
Both John and his brother Herman went on to have decent pro careers, btw, it was not a brother working their corner, it was their father, John Montes Sr.
No, they are not a fixture in The L.A. boxing scene any more.
Great post Rick.Really outstanding.Rick Farris wrote:Expug wrote:Rog, I agree. I love that picture of The Olympic.
Something about it takes you back to the seventies in a very big way.
I dont know what it is. Maybe the car the clothes on the people, the shade of the picture, I dont know.
Takes me back in time.
What it was like, FIGHTING AT THE OLYMPIC . . .
I'll never forget the first time I went to the Olympic to watch a fight. It was the mid 60's and I was a kid with my dad. The place was like a magic kingdom to me. The smell of beer and cigar smoke, the roar of the crowd, the powder blue ring canvas, the TV lights shining down from the edge of the balcony. The ring lights glaring straight down from above, the beam of light shrouding the ring in smoke that wafted up from ringside.
I dreamed of fighting there one day. Just a kid's dream, but I made it come true. How? I don't know, but I did!
I remember the excitment of the crowd as I watched as a kid. The fighters would come bouncing down the aisle to the ring, the crowd would greet them with a thunderous ovation, especially for the big fights. You'd never forget the excitement of Mando Ramos, his ring entrance would send a shock wave of energy thru the crowd. So would Jerry Quarry, Ernie "Indian Red" Lopez, and so on. I rememebr Mando when he would enter the ring, it was so different than what you see today. No rap music, no entourage, no dancing, no magic carpet entrance, just Mando bounding down the ring behind Jackie McCoy, holding a bucket. When Mando would step thru the ropes the crowd would explode. When he was introduced by the late Jimmy Lennon Sr. there were no histerics, no stare downs, no false bravado. Mando would just calmly nod to his fans. He'd do his fighting in the ring. He was the coming of a new "Golden Boy".
I dreamed of fighting in that ring, and I would one day do just that, and I would do it quite a few times. The first time in the 1967 Jr. Golden Gloves Championship finals, in a bout that Frank Baltazar was matchmaker. Frank's boys were there too, Frankie Jr. Tony and Bobby. Later I would appear there as an amateur, in the Golden Gloves, and the Diamond Belt tournaments, and before the thursday night pro cards on a few occasions, and then as a pro. The first nine pro fights of my career were held at the Olympic. I was never a great fighter like the guys I named above, but I fought at the Olympic, and Jimmy Lennon introduced me to the crowd quite a few times. That is something that NOBODY can take away from me. I had a dream, and made it happen!
I sat in those underground dressing rooms, watched the guy fighting before me leave our dressing room and hear him introduced to the crowd from deep below the arena. Then, as I nervously tried to rest, hear the crowd roar. I knew something was happening, as I nervously anticipated my bout, which was next up. Johnny Flores would warm me up, lace on the gloves, apply a thin layer of Vaseline and then pull my robe over my shoulders. The bout would end, a decision was announced and a few moments later the guy who shared the dressing room with me would return, sometimes smiling in victory or not, sometimes battered and bloody, sometimes not. Then the athletic commssion rep would step in and say "It's time Ricky, your on . . ." Johnny Flores would slap my back and say, "Let's go champ", and we were off. Out the door of the room, down to the exit tunnel, thru the opening, turn left and up a short flight of stairs to the top, turn left, past the concessions stands, turn right and down the aisle to the ring. I then move slowly behind Flores as the fans reach out to touch me, we pass from under the balcony and as I come into view of the crowd I hear a roar and I begin to jog the rest of the way to the ring, up the steps, thru the ropes and suddenly all the butter flies disapear.
Jimmy Lennon flips a large disk to determine which corner will be mine, then we move to that corner. I walk to the rosen box and see my opponent climb thru the ropes. The perspective from the ring is much different from that outside the ring. Frank will tell you, no matter how many times you've sat ringside, nothing looks quite the same at the Olympic as it does from inside that powder blue ring. Things are suddenly much smaller inside the ropes. There is an unexplaneable intimacy, excitement, energy. Suddenly, the microphone drops down from the rafters into Jimmy Lennon's hands.
"Ladies and gentleman this is the semi-main event of the evening, six rounds of boxing between two outstanding banatmweights. Calling the bout from ringside will be TV announcer Jim Healy, keeping account of the knockdowns will be our timekeeper Jack Smith at the bell, and physician in attendence will be Dr. Bernhart Schwartz. Judging from ringside will be George Latka and Dick Young, and the referee in charge of this bout will be John Thomas. Allright fans here we go . . ."
Sorry guys, I just got caught up in the greatest memory I posess. . . I FOUGHT AT THE OLYMPIC!
-Rick Farris
Great story Rick, nothing like going down memory-lane at the Olympic, days that I'll remember to my dying day.Rick Farris wrote:Expug wrote:Rog, I agree. I love that picture of The Olympic.
Something about it takes you back to the seventies in a very big way.
I dont know what it is. Maybe the car the clothes on the people, the shade of the picture, I dont know.
Takes me back in time.
What it was like, FIGHTING AT THE OLYMPIC . . .
I'll never forget the first time I went to the Olympic to watch a fight. It was the mid 60's and I was a kid with my dad. The place was like a magic kingdom to me. The smell of beer and cigar smoke, the roar of the crowd, the powder blue ring canvas, the TV lights shining down from the edge of the balcony. The ring lights glaring straight down from above, the beam of light shrouding the ring in smoke that wafted up from ringside.
I dreamed of fighting there one day. Just a kid's dream, but I made it come true. How? I don't know, but I did!
I remember the excitment of the crowd as I watched as a kid. The fighters would come bouncing down the aisle to the ring, the crowd would greet them with a thunderous ovation, especially for the big fights. You'd never forget the excitement of Mando Ramos, his ring entrance would send a shock wave of energy thru the crowd. So would Jerry Quarry, Ernie "Indian Red" Lopez, and so on. I rememebr Mando when he would enter the ring, it was so different than what you see today. No rap music, no entourage, no dancing, no magic carpet entrance, just Mando bounding down the ring behind Jackie McCoy, holding a bucket. When Mando would step thru the ropes the crowd would explode. When he was introduced by the late Jimmy Lennon Sr. there were no histerics, no stare downs, no false bravado. Mando would just calmly nod to his fans. He'd do his fighting in the ring. He was the coming of a new "Golden Boy".
I dreamed of fighting in that ring, and I would one day do just that, and I would do it quite a few times. The first time in the 1967 Jr. Golden Gloves Championship finals, in a bout that Frank Baltazar was matchmaker. Frank's boys were there too, Frankie Jr. Tony and Bobby. Later I would appear there as an amateur, in the Golden Gloves, and the Diamond Belt tournaments, and before the thursday night pro cards on a few occasions, and then as a pro. The first nine pro fights of my career were held at the Olympic. I was never a great fighter like the guys I named above, but I fought at the Olympic, and Jimmy Lennon introduced me to the crowd quite a few times. That is something that NOBODY can take away from me. I had a dream, and made it happen!
I sat in those underground dressing rooms, watched the guy fighting before me leave our dressing room and hear him introduced to the crowd from deep below the arena. Then, as I nervously tried to rest, hear the crowd roar. I knew something was happening, as I nervously anticipated my bout, which was next up. Johnny Flores would warm me up, lace on the gloves, apply a thin layer of Vaseline and then pull my robe over my shoulders. The bout would end, a decision was announced and a few moments later the guy who shared the dressing room with me would return, sometimes smiling in victory or not, sometimes battered and bloody, sometimes not. Then the athletic commssion rep would step in and say "It's time Ricky, your on . . ." Johnny Flores would slap my back and say, "Let's go champ", and we were off. Out the door of the room, down to the exit tunnel, thru the opening, turn left and up a short flight of stairs to the top, turn left, past the concessions stands, turn right and down the aisle to the ring. I then move slowly behind Flores as the fans reach out to touch me, we pass from under the balcony and as I come into view of the crowd I hear a roar and I begin to jog the rest of the way to the ring, up the steps, thru the ropes and suddenly all the butter flies disapear.
Jimmy Lennon flips a large disk to determine which corner will be mine, then we move to that corner. I walk to the rosen box and see my opponent climb thru the ropes. The perspective from the ring is much different from that outside the ring. Frank will tell you, no matter how many times you've sat ringside, nothing looks quite the same at the Olympic as it does from inside that powder blue ring. Things are suddenly much smaller inside the ropes. There is an unexplaneable intimacy, excitement, energy. Suddenly, the microphone drops down from the rafters into Jimmy Lennon's hands.
"Ladies and gentleman this is the semi-main event of the evening, six rounds of boxing between two outstanding banatmweights. Calling the bout from ringside will be TV announcer Jim Healy, keeping account of the knockdowns will be our timekeeper Jack Smith at the bell, and physician in attendence will be Dr. Bernhart Schwartz. Judging from ringside will be George Latka and Dick Young, and the referee in charge of this bout will be John Thomas. Allright fans here we go . . ."
Sorry guys, I just got caught up in the greatest memory I posess. . . I FOUGHT AT THE OLYMPIC!
-Rick Farris
thanks for the info guys 8)bennie wrote:John certainly lost that one all right. I remember you saying he was out for several minutes, Frankie.kikibalt wrote:In the late 1970's, John Montes along with my son Tony were two of the most highly touted amateurs in years in L.A., it got so it develop into a cross-town rivalry, on a Monday I received a phone call from the amateur matchmaker at the Olympic about Tony fighting John Montes on the Thursday nite pro card, I said yes, I'm told it has to be at 132 lbs. I agree, btw My son Frankie Is fighting the pro main event that nite.Counter-puncher wrote:a question for you cali fans- i saw mention on this thread of John Montes who i believe was a quite touted amateur in L.A back in the late 70s/early 80s (along with his brother whose name escapes me). I saw him lose a 10 rounder to Boza Edwards and it seemed like he was not quite good enough to cut the mustard at world level, though still a good fighter.
what was the deal with he and his brothers- I think one of his brothers worked his corner in that fight- are they still fixtures on the L.A boxing scene?
The fight between John and Tony didn't last long, about 30 seconds, Tony winning by ko in the first round.
Both John and his brother Herman went on to have decent pro careers, btw, it was not a brother working their corner, it was their father, John Montes Sr.
No, they are not a fixture in The L.A. boxing scene any more.
His pro career is interesting in that he put some nice knockout streaks together, then lost a big one, including a disappointing effort against Hector Camacho (in Alaska, of all places), when he flopped badly. Montes did later take out Freddie Pendleton, however, for probably his greatest win.
His brother, Herman, took out Cuevas, of course.
Bennie, you're right, John was out for about ten minutes, I think the Montes's did not have outstanding careers, but decent ones never the less.bennie wrote:John certainly lost that one all right. I remember you saying he was out for several minutes, Frankie.kikibalt wrote:In the late 1970's, John Montes along with my son Tony were two of the most highly touted amateurs in years in L.A., it got so it develop into a cross-town rivalry, on a Monday I received a phone call from the amateur matchmaker at the Olympic about Tony fighting John Montes on the Thursday nite pro card, I said yes, I'm told it has to be at 132 lbs. I agree, btw My son Frankie Is fighting the pro main event that nite.Counter-puncher wrote:a question for you cali fans- i saw mention on this thread of John Montes who i believe was a quite touted amateur in L.A back in the late 70s/early 80s (along with his brother whose name escapes me). I saw him lose a 10 rounder to Boza Edwards and it seemed like he was not quite good enough to cut the mustard at world level, though still a good fighter.
what was the deal with he and his brothers- I think one of his brothers worked his corner in that fight- are they still fixtures on the L.A boxing scene?
The fight between John and Tony didn't last long, about 30 seconds, Tony winning by ko in the first round.
Both John and his brother Herman went on to have decent pro careers, btw, it was not a brother working their corner, it was their father, John Montes Sr.
No, they are not a fixture in The L.A. boxing scene any more.
His pro career is interesting in that he put some nice knockout streaks together, then lost a big one, including a disappointing effort against Hector Camacho (in Alaska, of all places), when he flopped badly. Montes did later take out Freddie Pendleton, however, for probably his greatest win.
His brother, Herman, took out Cuevas, of course.
Jim Watt could not really lose in Glasgow. Opponents froze (Howard Davis) or began to feel sorry for themselves over the lengthy 15-round course (Sean O'Grady). Watt was a brilliant thinking man's fighter who loved reacting to what an opponent could throw at him - and loved 15-rounders. He is very much an underrated fighter, incredibly strong for such a wiry build. Remember, he gave a peak Ken Buchanan a hard tussle. He also sparked John H. Stracey inside a round in the amateurs. Hey, Jim might even have found a way to beat Arguello in Glasgow! The Nicaraguan's camp made sure the fight took place in a different country.Counter-puncher wrote:Alexis is one of the classiest individuals i have seen step through the ropes
the Scottish crowd behind Jim Watt weren't exactly known for their openmindedness, they could be very ahem 'partisan' but to this day Arguello even as Watt's conqueror is affectionately remembered by pretty much all scottish boxing fans I know of 8)
a question for you cali fans- i saw mention on this thread of John Montes who i believe was a quite touted amateur in L.A back in the late 70s/early 80s (along with his brother whose name escapes me). I saw him lose a 10 rounder to Boza Edwards and it seemed like he was not quite good enough to cut the mustard at world level, though still a good fighter.
what was the deal with he and his brothers- I think one of his brothers worked his corner in that fight- are they still fixtures on the L.A boxing scene?
As O'Grady's friend, my recollection of Glasgow and Watt's tactics is a tad bit different from yours, bennie.bennie wrote:Jim Watt could not really lose in Glasgow. Opponents froze (Howard Davis) or began to feel sorry for themselves over the lengthy 15-round course (Sean O'Grady). Watt was a brilliant thinking man's fighter who loved reacting to what an opponent could throw at him - and loved 15-rounders. He is very much an underrated fighter, incredibly strong for such a wiry build. Remember, he gave a peak Ken Buchanan a hard tussle. He also sparked John H. Stracey inside a round in the amateurs. Hey, Jim might even have found a way to beat Arguello in Glasgow! The Nicaraguan's camp made sure the fight took place in a different country.Counter-puncher wrote:Alexis is one of the classiest individuals i have seen step through the ropes
the Scottish crowd behind Jim Watt weren't exactly known for their openmindedness, they could be very ahem 'partisan' but to this day Arguello even as Watt's conqueror is affectionately remembered by pretty much all scottish boxing fans I know of 8)
a question for you cali fans- i saw mention on this thread of John Montes who i believe was a quite touted amateur in L.A back in the late 70s/early 80s (along with his brother whose name escapes me). I saw him lose a 10 rounder to Boza Edwards and it seemed like he was not quite good enough to cut the mustard at world level, though still a good fighter.
what was the deal with he and his brothers- I think one of his brothers worked his corner in that fight- are they still fixtures on the L.A boxing scene?
We remember Joe Brown doing something similar to Dave Charnley in Houston...raylawpc wrote:As O'Grady's friend, my recollection of Glasgow and Watt's tactics is a tad bit different from yours, bennie.bennie wrote:Jim Watt could not really lose in Glasgow. Opponents froze (Howard Davis) or began to feel sorry for themselves over the lengthy 15-round course (Sean O'Grady). Watt was a brilliant thinking man's fighter who loved reacting to what an opponent could throw at him - and loved 15-rounders. He is very much an underrated fighter, incredibly strong for such a wiry build. Remember, he gave a peak Ken Buchanan a hard tussle. He also sparked John H. Stracey inside a round in the amateurs. Hey, Jim might even have found a way to beat Arguello in Glasgow! The Nicaraguan's camp made sure the fight took place in a different country.Counter-puncher wrote:Alexis is one of the classiest individuals i have seen step through the ropes
the Scottish crowd behind Jim Watt weren't exactly known for their openmindedness, they could be very ahem 'partisan' but to this day Arguello even as Watt's conqueror is affectionately remembered by pretty much all scottish boxing fans I know of 8)
a question for you cali fans- i saw mention on this thread of John Montes who i believe was a quite touted amateur in L.A back in the late 70s/early 80s (along with his brother whose name escapes me). I saw him lose a 10 rounder to Boza Edwards and it seemed like he was not quite good enough to cut the mustard at world level, though still a good fighter.
what was the deal with he and his brothers- I think one of his brothers worked his corner in that fight- are they still fixtures on the L.A boxing scene?
