GATO GONZALEZ' DISCUSSION THREAD

[Rodolfo Gato Gonzalez]

Frank---

Thank you for posting the photo of me that I believe was taken in 1968 at the Seaside Gym in Long Beach. I was getting ready to fight Ray Adigun at the Olympic Auditorium. As for the Souvenir Program, I have the original. They were selling it at the Sports Arena that night. I wonder how many they sold for 50 cents each. It was a good boxing card.

Juan---

That's a great idea to bring fighters to Chicago. I'll be looking into that. I'll have to talk to Dan about that also. It would be nice to get together with you. As a matter of fact, I have several cousins in Chicago and Barbara has some family members and friends in Wisconsin near Chicago. That is where she was raised and went to school. We are due to go back for a visit soon.

Peter---

The weather sounds really bad. Be careful with all that ice. It is dangerous.

As for Canastota this June, it is doubtful that I will be able to make it, although it would be very nice to be there and to meet you and all the others who may be going. Thank you so much for the invitation. I appreciate all the efforts you, Dan, Rick, Danny and all the others have made to try to get me into Cantastota this year. I feel so fortunate to have you guys working on my behalf--"Team El Gato". Maybe we can convince the board to put me on the ballot for next year.

That would be great if you could make it the the WBHOF in California in October.

El Gato

[BDeskins]

Well champ I certainly think you should be in the Hall at Canastota. You have been a real inspiration to me dealing with my liver ailment and you will probably never realize how much you’re kind words and encouragement has helped me.

Things of that nature should also be considered when voting a fighter into the Hall, not just the record in the ring, which you’re ring record is superb, but the fact that you do not hesitate a bit to take time out to send an e-mail to someone who you might feel needs just a few words of encouragement, which I know that you are just that kind of person, as I recall after reading about me speaking of my liver problems in a thread you just sent me an e-mail out of the blue a couple of years ago telling me about how you overcame similar health issues and just gave me some kind words of encouragement which really helped to brighten up what was probably the darkest period in my life and I think aside from your outstanding ring qualifications the kind of caring person that you are is a quality that so many could learn greatly from in this day and age and it’s something else that should be considered when electing someone to any HOF.

I’d like to write to the IBHOF and help to get you inducted…who do I contact?

Anyway, if I haven't already said so, I just wanted to say thank you champ for the encouragement…I start treatment on my liver in early March which will take six months of which complete recovery has a high rate of success of around 80% to 90% with the treatment that I will be on, so the prognosis is very good…sure a lot better than it was two years ago.

Sincerely,
Barry Deskins

[theironbar]

El Gato -- the door is always open in Toronto or Ottawa for you my friend! Next year perhaps? I will start making plans for October -- my wife and I have a new baby, and with me hanging around the house so much, she is all for me taking a vacation!

Barry, I hope you don't mind me adding my 2 cents (1.7 cents with the exchange). First, I wish you all the best with your treatment and recovery. I've read so many of your posts and you're obviously a wonderful person. My thoughts are with you and your family. Second, you wrote so well about El Gato -- he just exudes class and kindness, putting real meaning to the words "an all time great in and out of the ring." And finally, please join our Gato in the Hall Yahoo Group -- we've got a fantastic bunch of guys (we've slowed down a bit in the past few months but we're ready to get going again) and you'd make an incredible addition!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gatoin...guid=131252185

[BDeskins]

Thank you very much...I'm really looking forward to going through with the treatment so I can get my life back on track and finish college...a little older than the typical student, but I've had to put finishing up my last two years on hold for the past couple of years due to illness and divorce, but I am anxious to get back on track.

As to the group I just filled out the membership request as I would be very, very glad to join and help in any way that I can to get El Gato inducted to the IBHOF.

[theironbar]

Barry -- I am making a career change myself after a serious illness -- best of luck to you! And welcome to the group! We've had some setbacks, but we are "back"!

[BDeskins]

I hope you are doing well now and you'll be in my families prayers.

I remember I once stated that El Gato was close to Zarate with his win streak, but I quickly had to do a turn-around and change it to that Zarate was close to Gonzalez in his win streak.


81-7-1 (71 KO) with a KO% of 79.8% in 89 career bouts...it doesn't get any better in the ring and going 52-0-0 (50 KO) before suffering his first setback including his first 35 bouts which were all knockout wins...well...you just do not see those kinds of numbers except for when Zarate came along later...especially during the time that El Gato was fighting...there was Eder Jofre and Pascual Perez, but they're records were not as eye-popping as that of Gonzalez, but it's his outside the ring doings that separate him from others!!

[Juan C Ayllon]

Hey Gato,

Terrific! Please, give me several weeks advanced notice and I can try and arrange a get together with some other boxers and boxing fans.

It would be wonderful, if we got a chance, to have you and Barbara at my brother's restaurant or my place.

If we time it right, maybe we can go to a boxing event and have you introduced to the audience.

My email address is:

JuanCAyllon@yahoo.com

Cheers,



Juan

[Juan C Ayllon]

Hi Gato,

By the way, I talked with Dominic Pesoli today and he told me to have you call his matchmaker, Jerry Alfano. I emailed his phone number to you.

Have a good day,


Juan

[Rodolfo Gato Gonzalez]

Barry and Peter---

It sounds like both of you have gone through some similar experiences with your health. I'm glad to hear things are looking positive for both of you. With faith in God anything is possible and I'm so happy to know I have made a difference in your life, Barry.

As for helping to get me inducted by writing to the IBHOF, Dan Hanley is going to contact you and send you a booklet he put together about me and will be sending you the information of who to write to.

Juan---

Thank you for talking to Dominic Pesoli and arranging for me to talk to Jerry Alfano. His name sounds familiar. I'd like to talk with him. I will be talking to Mantequilla on Thursday to set up a meeting with him to take a look at all of his fighters. Also thanks for the invitation to Barbara and me to visit with you. We will be looking forward to that. I'm sure Dan Hanley would like to meet with you too.

Peter---

By the way, we tried to get into the yahoo thread but couldn't get in last night. Dan Hanley said he had the same problem. Help!

El Gato

[Juan C Ayllon]

You're welcome, El Gato! I look forward to meeting you and Barbara some day.

Cheers,


Juan

[kikibalt]

Tom

You got the wrong Gato there, that is not our Gato, our Gato was champ and that one was not.

Frank

[Phillyfan]

I wish he would have said something when he signed it at WBHOF.
By the way, I was very honored to have met him and very happy he was inducted, deservedly so.

[Phillyfan]

Thank you Dan. Sorry we only got to talk a few minutes at the airport. Man was it crowded. look forward to spending more time next HOF.

[Phillyfan]

Dan, and everyone,do me a favor. let me know if I'm becomming a pain in the rear with all my postings. I enjoy looking at all the posters,programs, and pictures posted. so I thought I share some of the stuff I have .

[theironbar]

Hey Philly -- keep it up! I love it!

El Gato -- maybe we should talk and I'll run you and Dan through the group sign in -- good excuse for me to give you guys a call! Seriously though -- sometimes yahoo groups buggers up -- let me see what I can do -- but let's talk anyway!

-Peter

[Rodolfo Gato Gonzalez]

Hello Philly---

I'm sorry about the mix-up with that photo that I signed. I don't remember it at all. I signed so many photos and other items that people put in front of me at the WBHOF that I just didn't pay attention to what I was signing. I would like to send you my real photo with my autograph. Can you e-mail Dan Hanley with your address and he will forward it to me? Anyway, welcome to my thread. You woke up the group.

Thanks, Frank for your immediate response. You were really on the ball.

Also thank you Dan for your post although I see it is missing tonight along with the removal of the other Gato. By the way, I didn't have too many cervezas when I signed it. Barbara said I was distracted by an attractive blond who wanted to take a picture with me. (Or it might have been the other way around, that I wanted to take a picture with her).

Peter---

I would like to have a call from you so we can figure out how to get back into the yahoo thread.

El Gato

[Dan Hanley]

Rodolfo, you've got to be more careful what you sign. In case you don't know it you also signed a managerial contract with me. I'm letting you know now that you have 3 weeks to make 140 because I have you slated to fight Ricky Hatton over in Manchester and you'd BETTER BE READY!

Dan

[kikibalt]

Rodolfo, you've got to be more careful what you sign. In case you don't know it you also signed a managerial contract with me. I'm letting you know now that you have 3 weeks to make 140 because I have you slated to fight Ricky Hatton over in Manchester and you'd BETTER BE READY!

Dan

He is READY! NOW!

[Dan Hanley]

I think you're right, Frank. I haven't seen any lightweight or Jr. Welterweight in recent years that El Gato couldn't have handled (in his prime of course).

Dan

[Rodolfo Gato Gonzalez]

Dan and Frank----

Wait a minute. You guys forgot to include the price!!!! How much is the purse??? Back in my old days, I never asked how much I was going to make. I am much wiser now. I will not accept 150 pesos ($18.50) for a 10 round fight. It has to be at least $1,000,000. How about it Dan? Also can you extend the time to 6 months. The weight is a little problem.

El Gato

[Dan Hanley]

For you I'll extend it, Rodolfo. However, the way fighters today go in and out of titles, there's no guarantee Ricky Hatton will still be champ in 6 months.

Dan

[theironbar]

Hi El Gato and Dan -- I will try and call over the next few days so we can fix up your access to the yahoo group. I just need a few minutes when the baby isn't screaming!

Philly and Ron -- you should join our yahoo "El Gato" group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gatoin...guid=131252185

El Gato -- I always wondered -- your cousin Jose Becerra left boxing at the top of his game -- why did he leave?

Thanks!

-Peter

[Rodolfo Gato Gonzalez]

Peter---

To begin, Jose Becerra had his first professional fight in 1954 when he was 18 years old. In 1959 he won his Bantamweight Championship against Alphonse Halimi in Los Angeles at the Sports Arena, after 67 fights. Of those fights he only lost two and had two draws. After his championship he took a non-title fight in Guadalajara against Walter Ingram, who was one of Mickey Davis' fighters, a black fighter from L.A. This is the fight where he killed Ingram. I did not see this fight. I was only 9 years old but I was told that Jose beat him up so badly in the fourth round and the referee did not stop the fight on time. He died two hours later. After this fight Jose lost his spirit to fight, but had six more fights that he won.The last fight against Eloy Sanchez in Juarez, Mexico in 1960, he lost and then announced his retirement from the ring. He didn't want to continue any longer and wanted to spend more time with his family. Jose started training me between fights in 1959 and later after his retirement Alacran Torres joined the stable for a while. But soon after he turned us over to Angel Casillas who was one of the best managers in the state of Jalisco. Jose just didn't want to have anything to do with boxing anymore.

El Gato

[gregbeyer]

touching story about your cousin and a great fighter.

say hi to barbara.
greg

[MarioG280]

To Mr Rodolfo "El Gato" Gonzalez,
My name is Mario Ortega Jr. My dad's uncle was Johnny Ortega, who fought your cousin Jose Becerra in 1957 at the Cow Palace. I have been searching for information and/or memorbilia about my uncle Johnny. I was wondering if you remember him at all, or know anyone who I could contact to help me out. My email address is mortegajr@hotmail.com. Any info would be appreciated.

[MarioG280]

To Mr Rodolfo "El Gato" Gonzalez,
My name is Mario Ortega Jr. My dad's uncle was Johnny Ortega, who fought your cousin Jose Becerra in 1957 at the Cow Palace. I have been searching for information and/or memorbilia about my uncle Johnny. I was wondering if you remember him at all, or know anyone who I could contact to help me out. My email address is mortegajr@hotmail.com. Any info would be appreciated.

[Rodolfo Gato Gonzalez]

Greg---

Yes, it is a touching story about Jose, but it is even moreso now. In Cancun, when we last saw him about a year ago he was walking very slow and talked very slow also. It is sad to see a boxing legend who is fading out. He is 70 years old now.

Mario---

Welcome to my thread. I only have a little bit of information for you right now regarding you dad's uncle, Johnny Ortega. My record book says that he fought Jose Becerra on June 15, 1957 at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. Jose won by KO in the 4th round. I was in Guadalajara, about 11 years old at that time, and was not aware of this fight. Perhaps some of the boxing fans who read this thread have information for you. I have a number of contacts, some in San Francicso, including a former boxing commissioner who may have information about Johnny. I will e-mail you when I locate the numbers for these people.

El Gato

[theironbar]

Thank you so much El Gato for the info about Jose -- I'm also sad to hear he isn't doing so well. Next time you talk to him, please let Jose know his fans up North are thinking of him!

-Peter

[theironbar]

El Gato and Dan -- would you gents drop me a line at peterleelaw@yahoo.com ? I think I've figured out the problem with accessing the group.

-Peter

[Rodolfo Gato Gonzalez]

Peter---

I'm glad you have figured out how to connect us to the Yahoo thread. I will e-mail you tomorrow.

To those of you who may have known Russell Rodriguez, I have sad news to pass on to you tonight. I was informed that he passed away on Friday. Mando Muniz phoned me to give me the details.

Rusty was a special friend who I knew from 1967. He was active in the Cauliflower Alley Club and was instrumental in starting the World Boxing Hall of Fame. He was so helpful in working with young boxers and organized many amateur boxing shows. I had the privilege of helping him with many of the shows. A memorial service is going to be held in Cochella, CA at the Lee Espinosa Boxing Club on March 2.

El Gato