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2007-08-18T07:45:57Z

Boxer:Joe Velez:064704 moved to Human:64704: Pagemove by bot

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Matt: why do these links keep getting broken?

2007-04-20T02:33:32Z

why do these links keep getting broken?

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	~~Was once a bodyguard for the famous evangelist Billy Graham.~~		#REDIRECT [[Joey Velez]]

	~~Joseph Velez, 77, a true fighter~~


	~~By J.J. Jensen~~
	~~Seattle Times staff reporter~~

	~~Joseph Velez just refused to go down.~~

	~~Polio couldn't stop him. Neither could pneumonia or tuberculosis.~~

	~~And in 181 career fights as a boxer, he was never knocked out.~~

	~~Known to local fight fans as "Li'l~~ Joey Velez," the "Slashing Seattle Grappler," "Seattle Scrapper" and the "Little Gamester," he went toe to toe with some of the top West Coast fighters the 1940s had to offer. He delighted spectators every time out and slugged his way to several regional titles.

	~~Mr. Velez died of natural causes Dec. 7 at Swedish Medical Center/First Hill. He was 77.~~

	~~"He was exciting," said Robert Velez, Mr. Velez's younger brother and his former boxing corner man. "People who loved the fight game would be in the front row rooting for Joe."~~

	Mr. Velez was born June 23, 1925, in Seattle, to Ralph and Anna Velez. At just 17 months he was afflicted with polio, and it crippled his left leg. He didn't take his first steps until age 5. And even then, it was with crutches.

	By age 9, Mr. Velez learned to walk without crutches and was ready to leave the sidelines and join his playmates. At 10, though, he was stricken with pneumonia. Tuberculosis then kept him bedridden another year.

	Growing up near the University of Washington, and attending school at now-defunct Cascade Elementary and Broadway High School, Mr. Velez wasn't allowed to participate in physical education. After school, he unleashed his energy at a local YMCA, where he learned to box and strove to overcome his ailments.

	~~When World War II began, Mr. Velez wanted to serve his country but was turned down by the Army and Navy because of his limp left leg.~~

	Angered by this, Mr. Velez told friends and family, "If you can't join them, beat them." In his first 24 amateur fights, he took on the best boxers local military bases had to offer. He was victorious each time.

	Described in news clippings as "135 pounds of condensed dynamite," and "exceptionally hard to knock off his feet," Mr. Velez fought the majority of his bouts in Seattle and Spokane. Because of his leg, he relied heavily on quick maneuvers, sharp reflexes and a whopping punch.

	"He wasn't the Cassius Clay type," said Robert Velez. "Being his leg was like that, guys would swarm all over him trying to put him away. It would look like he was going down, and then the other guy would go down � just a left hook and a right and that was it."

	~~In one fight, in Kellogg, Idaho, Mr. Velez defeated a big, burly miner, who was a local favorite. Afterward, he had to race to his car and get out of town before the locals got him.~~

	~~During his career, Mr. Velez made more than $250,000. His titles included the Northwest Golden Gloves Crown and AAU Washington State Championship.~~

	~~His talents weren't limited to the ring. Mr. Velez was also an excellent artist. He drew advertisements for newspapers, loved drawing faces, won two national awards.~~

	After his boxing career, the good-humored Mr. Velez embarked on several business endeavors, inventing a fishing lure, opening the Joey Velez School of Boxing, the Joey Velez Portrait Room and a popular tavern at 318 Nickerson St. He could also be seen on local television, on "Madison Square Kindergarten," where youngsters with oversize gloves would spar.

	~~Toward the end, boxing took its toll on Mr. Velez. "He'd look you straight in the eye and you could tell he knew you, but he couldn't talk back," his brother Robert said.~~

	Mr. Velez was preceded in death by brothers Charles, William, Johnny and Billy. He is survived by brothers Robert Velez of Marysville, and Jimmy Velez of Snohomish; daughters Jody Newell of California and Charmaine Hawke of Bainbridge Island; three grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

	~~No services will be held.~~

	~~J.J. Jensen: 206-464-2386 or jjensen@seattletimes.com.~~

Unknown user at 00:00, 1 January 2005

2005-01-01T00:00:00Z

New page

Was once a bodyguard for the famous evangelist Billy Graham.

Joseph Velez, 77, a true fighter

By J.J. Jensen
Seattle Times staff reporter

Joseph Velez just refused to go down.

Polio couldn't stop him. Neither could pneumonia or tuberculosis.

And in 181 career fights as a boxer, he was never knocked out.

Known to local fight fans as "Li'l Joey Velez," the "Slashing Seattle Grappler," "Seattle Scrapper" and the "Little Gamester," he went toe to toe with some of the top West Coast fighters the 1940s had to offer. He delighted spectators every time out and slugged his way to several regional titles.

Mr. Velez died of natural causes Dec. 7 at Swedish Medical Center/First Hill. He was 77.

"He was exciting," said Robert Velez, Mr. Velez's younger brother and his former boxing corner man. "People who loved the fight game would be in the front row rooting for Joe."

Mr. Velez was born June 23, 1925, in Seattle, to Ralph and Anna Velez. At just 17 months he was afflicted with polio, and it crippled his left leg. He didn't take his first steps until age 5. And even then, it was with crutches.

By age 9, Mr. Velez learned to walk without crutches and was ready to leave the sidelines and join his playmates. At 10, though, he was stricken with pneumonia. Tuberculosis then kept him bedridden another year.

Growing up near the University of Washington, and attending school at now-defunct Cascade Elementary and Broadway High School, Mr. Velez wasn't allowed to participate in physical education. After school, he unleashed his energy at a local YMCA, where he learned to box and strove to overcome his ailments.

When World War II began, Mr. Velez wanted to serve his country but was turned down by the Army and Navy because of his limp left leg.

Angered by this, Mr. Velez told friends and family, "If you can't join them, beat them." In his first 24 amateur fights, he took on the best boxers local military bases had to offer. He was victorious each time.

Described in news clippings as "135 pounds of condensed dynamite," and "exceptionally hard to knock off his feet," Mr. Velez fought the majority of his bouts in Seattle and Spokane. Because of his leg, he relied heavily on quick maneuvers, sharp reflexes and a whopping punch.

"He wasn't the Cassius Clay type," said Robert Velez. "Being his leg was like that, guys would swarm all over him trying to put him away. It would look like he was going down, and then the other guy would go down � just a left hook and a right and that was it."

In one fight, in Kellogg, Idaho, Mr. Velez defeated a big, burly miner, who was a local favorite. Afterward, he had to race to his car and get out of town before the locals got him.

During his career, Mr. Velez made more than $250,000. His titles included the Northwest Golden Gloves Crown and AAU Washington State Championship.

His talents weren't limited to the ring. Mr. Velez was also an excellent artist. He drew advertisements for newspapers, loved drawing faces, won two national awards.

After his boxing career, the good-humored Mr. Velez embarked on several business endeavors, inventing a fishing lure, opening the Joey Velez School of Boxing, the Joey Velez Portrait Room and a popular tavern at 318 Nickerson St. He could also be seen on local television, on "Madison Square Kindergarten," where youngsters with oversize gloves would spar.

Toward the end, boxing took its toll on Mr. Velez. "He'd look you straight in the eye and you could tell he knew you, but he couldn't talk back," his brother Robert said.

Mr. Velez was preceded in death by brothers Charles, William, Johnny and Billy. He is survived by brothers Robert Velez of Marysville, and Jimmy Velez of Snohomish; daughters Jody Newell of California and Charmaine Hawke of Bainbridge Island; three grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

No services will be held.

J.J. Jensen: 206-464-2386 or jjensen@seattletimes.com.