Sugar Ray Robinson's Corner

[Trajan]

Reading the book about Sugar Ray Robinson, SUGAR RAY, there was some information there and elsewhere about the (many) men who were in Robinson's entourage at one time or another over the years. Among them:

George Gainford (manager)
Harry Wiley (trainer)
Ernie Braca (co-manager)
Joe Glaser (agent)
Vic Marsillo (promoter/matchmaker?)

Also noted were Curt Horrmann, (brewer) manager in SRR's early fights, June Clark and Pee Wee Beale, who were more or less secretaries, (ex-basketball player?) "Killer" Johnson, sort of an assistant manager, and Drew Brown, assistant trainer in later years (plus worked with Muhammad Ali).

Gainford was with SRR through almost all his amateur bouts and all his pro fights, the longest of any of these men, though they did have arguments (always seemingly reconciled but SRR still called June Clark and not Gainford the closest man to him throughout his career). GG also managed Tony Anthony and other lesser-known fighters. Wiley was another with SRR a long time, while having more than one quarrel with Sugar Ray (and Gainford!). IIRC he additionally owned a gym (?) and trained Muhammad Ali for two fights, against Jimmy Ellis (Angelo Dundee was in Ellis' corner that time) and Buster Mathis (not sure where Dundee was then). Braca was manager of Tommy Bell (Box Rec lists someone else yet of course Bell could've had more than one manager and/or different managers at different times) and (co-?) manager of Tony Anthony with George Gainford (that arrangement with Anthony might've come from them both working with SRR, or vice versa). Apparently it was Braca who signed SRR's fight with Ted Olla early in his comeback (and later with Glaser wound up suing SRR, Glaser at least eventually reconciled with Ray). Glaser was basically a theatrical agent/manager (worked with Louis Armstrong and others) moonlighting in boxing during and after SRR's stage career. Marsillo managed Charley Fusari, "Sugar" George Costner and, briefly, (future trainer) George Benton (who says Marsillo was connected with gangsters but an okay guy). Not sure exactly what his function was in the Robinson camp but SRR mentions him standing up to Gainford, Wiley, Glaser AND Braca when they suggested SRR re-retire! Marsillo, related to this, may have been the one responsible for SRR getting the title shot vs. Bobo Olson.

Anyway, what I'm looking for is any further information on Gainford, Wiley, Braca or Marsillo. Especially concrete info: birthdates, obituaries etc. though anecdotes are ok. Not so much Glaser, there's enough out there about him due to his association with Armstrong plus boxing wasn't his primary area. However, it seems the other four were fairly major players in fighting. Marsillo is in a New Jersey sports of hall of fame but there isn't much else about him. The NY Times does list a death notice for a "Vic Marsillo" in 1961 (and a "Mrs. Vic Marsillo" several years earlier) yet some boxing figure mentioned Marsillo attending Rocky Marciano's funeral in 1969, so the 1961 obit obviously couldn't be for him (a relative?) if the Marciano story was true...

Thanks!
Anthony

[Trajan]

I forgot to mention a couple of things above, mostly dealing with Harry Wiley. First, besides being in Muhammad Ali's corner twice, Wiley was in the opposite corner with Sonny Banks when Banks fought (and knocked down) Ali. Ali's coming back to win was apparently the source of Wiley's great respect for Ali. This was noted IIRC in an article by A. J. Liebling which was also about Wiley's gym. Second, Wiley's son Harry Wiley Jr. wrote that Harry Sr. was born in NYC in 1907 and also had a bit about Pee Wee Beale (whom Harry Jr. called an "equipment man," though he may also have handled whatever functions June Clark didn't, Beale passed on about midway through SRR's career).

Still, despite working with SRR, Ali and Banks, there doesn't seem to be much info around about Wiley. Even less on Gainford, Braca and Marsillo, so whatever anyone has...

Anthony