Al Silvani

[Bobby A.]

I'm curious if any of our West Coast posters knew Al Silvani? How would Silvani be rated as a trainer-on a par with Futch and Arcel or somewhat lower, perhaps?

[yancey]

I'm curious if any of our West Coast posters knew Al Silvani? How would Silvani be rated as a trainer-on a par with Futch and Arcel or somewhat lower, perhaps?

Not a West Coaster, but I don't think Silvani would be considered on the level of Arcel, but I certainly could be wrong.

I'll always remember Silvani from the photographs of him lifting Floyd Patterson up and down between rounds during the Ali-Patterson fight in Las Vegas back in '65. Patterson was having terrific back problems in that fight and apparently Silvani thought by lifting Patterson up and down the problem could be alleviated.

Silvani was big pals with Frank Sinatra, from what I've read.