Fred Bottaro

Name: Fred Bottaro
Alias: Honest Blacksmith
Hometown: Sacramento, California, USA
Died: 1971-07-24 (Age:83)
Promoter: Record
Judge: Record
Referee: Record

Fred Bottaro was a prominent figure in Sacramento boxing.

Bottaro's involvement in boxing began in 1906, when he reportedly did some fighting himself.

He later worked as a trainer at 428 O Street, working with the likes of Danny Nunes, Kid Leo, Kid Ralph, Joe Azevedo, Johnny Azevedo, Johnny Vierra and Marshall Vierra.

Bottaro was also involved, to a limited degree, in promoting boxing events in Sacramento, working with the Pastime Club in 1926.

He also had been a co-owner of the L-st Arena in Sacramento, along with Fred Pearl and Ancil Hoffman. They sold this venue on October 31, 1945, to Claude Beagle. (The venue put on its last boxing show November 15, 1945. Beagle planned to convert the old arena into a storage plant for rice hull ash.)

Outside of the ring, Bottaro worked as a blacksmith, which earned him the nickname of the "Honest Blacksmith."

He later worked as a referee and judge before retiring in 1965.

Source: Fred Bottaro, Boxing Ref No. 1, Dies", Sacramento Bee, July 25, 1971