History of California Boxing in Photos

[kikibalt]

Art Aragon vs Johnny Gonsalves



I was at the Olympic for this 1951 fight and I can still clearly hear the roar of the crowd as Aragon was pounding Gonsalves against the rope.



Johnny Gonsalves vs Art Aragon

[kikibalt]

Don Jordan (in black) vs Isac Logart

[kikibalt]

Alejandro Lavorante vs Zora Folley

[kikibalt]

[kikibalt]

[dongee]

The Golden Boy at his best: When Art Aragon defeated the highly touted John L. Davis at Hollywood back in the early 50s he returned to his dressing room to find a bouquet of roses sent to him by another legendary fight figure,Baron Long, who had been in boxing since the late 19th century and had once teamed with Jim Jeffries to promote in Vernon, Ca. Long was also the first owner of the
LA Biltmore Hotel.
Another such gesture, in the form of a flattering "fan letter" came to Artie after another brilliant showing at Hollywood sent to him by noted screenwriter Borden Chase (of "Red River" fame).

Here's a conundrum in the life of the Golden Boy: After losing to Carmen Basilio in a monster of a promotion at Wrigley Field(1958) that groosed over $200,000 he made his next showing at smallish Fresno's arena, drawing with a veritable newcomer, young Frankie Bielma. Go figure.

hap

[kikibalt]

Boxing commis, Clayton Frye, Al Silvani, Nat Fleischer, Pone Kingpetch and Pascuel Perez.
In back wearing glasses is George Parnassus.

Los Angeles, Ca....1960

[dongee]

The man is in the background in this photo but George Parnassus will always be remembered by those who knew him as a friend or colleague as one of the great boxing figures develooped in California.
The flyweight class had been all but dead and buried in the Golden State since the 1940s when Parnassus took a whale of a gamble to revive the division locally.
Inexplicably the 112 lb class that was an important part of western fisticufffing in the 20s and 30s died down by 1940, when only one flyweight headliner was active in the state, Alfredo Chavez, brother of featherweight Carlos Chavez
Alfredo had to seek bouts out of the continental USA to remain active.
Now this is in direct contrast to flyweight action that was commonplace in California during the earlier decades.

One of the better tourneys held in the state in 1927 featured a top flight crop of flyweights who battled through a three month elimination process at Hollywood Legion Stadium under the promotion of Matchmaker Tom Gallery. The sudden retirement of the reigning world champioon Fidel La Barba triggered the start of several tournaments to find a successor. Three tourneys were started simultaneously in California in early summer of 1927, but only Hollywood's was concluded with an interim champion, Johnny McCoy. Check out this list of worthies who came west to take part in the eliminations:Willie Davies, Tommy Hughes, Davey Adelman, Harry Goldstein, McCoy and for good measure an entry all the way from Singapore, Boy Walley.

Parnassus had not been a matchmaker long in 1960 when he dreamed up the Kingpetch vs Perez match. He would eventually feature flyweights in a blockbuster show at the LA Coliseum. Yhat was George Parnassus.

hap navarro

[gregbeyer]

great photo. when i saw it all i could think of was what history this shot includes. great collection of boxing characters.

greg

[kikibalt]

I remember been weighted in by Clayton Frye for the 1960 GG tourney in the old Penny Arcade building in downtown L.A....

[dongee]

Thanks for the "heads up" Greg Beyer. I just mulled over the title of this thread and will abide by its meaning from here on out. Photos, videos, art, etc. etc.

My apologies, fellow posters.

hap navarro

[Wing master]

Hap,
I hope you are not serious. I don't think anyone here does not appreciate your knowledge and I would really like to continue to read your comments.
Please keep them coming

Thanks
Randy

[dongee]

Randy"

I meant that I would continue my windy contributions on the original History of California Boxing thread and post only graphics on this thread, which is wh0at I think Kikibalt had in mind when he started it. Thanks so much for your kind words, pal.
regards

hn

[kikibalt]

Randy"

I meant that I would continue my windy contributions on the original History of California Boxing thread and post only graphics on this thread, which is wh0at I think Kikibalt had in mind when he started it. Thanks so much for your kind words, pal.
regards

hn

Hap, I agree with Randy that your comments are more then welcome here on this thread. A photo by its self is , well just a photo. Please don't stop commenting on what ever photos I post.

[kikibalt]

Don Fraser Birthday Party

http://www.myboxingfans.com/2011/01/...s-ko-birthday/

[gregbeyer]

dear hap,

i was not suggesting that you should do anything other than what you have been doing here. your contributions are always appreciated and i am sorry for any misunderstanding and the fact i took so long to respond. i just read this.

tu amigo,

gregorio

[dongee]

Once a champ. always a champ......

Thamk you. mi fino amigo Gregorio. I only took your post as a reminder that the importance of that thread was in the graphics, not necessarily in the text. No foul no harm, no big deal, but thanks again for clearing the air for me. Te estima deveras este peon.

gabriel

[kikibalt]

Paul Armstead vs Mauro Vasquez

[Dan1213]

Frank, what years did Red Green compete? Is this Les (Red) Green?

[kikibalt]

Frank, what years did Red Green compete? Is this Les (Red) Green?

Yes that's Les Green A.K.A. Red Green.
He fought from 1938 to 1945...

[kikibalt]

Here's another photo of Red (Les) Green

[Dan1213]

Yes that's Les Green A.K.A. Red Green.
He fought from 1938 to 1945...

Thanks! I thought that was him, but wanted to make sure.

Les Red Green
Global ID 49317
sex male
birth date 1919-10-12
division light welterweight
height 5′ 7″ / 170cm
alias The Signal Kid
country United States
residence Los Angeles, California, United States
birth place Sioux City, Iowa, United States
won 22 (KO 1) + lost 9 (KO 1) + drawn 7 = 38

[kikibalt]

Enrique Bolanos with wife Ruby

[gregbeyer]

i never saw bolanos fight but used to see him attending the fights at the olympic all the time. he was a very nice man who was always happy to throw a nod to the fans or give a handshake.

i also remember thinking that his ex opponent john thomas never gave mando ramos very good marks on his score cards while he later reffed and judged because mando reminded john of enrique and the nitemares he caused him.

greg

[kikibalt]

i never saw bolanos fight but used to see him attending the fights at the olympic all the time. he was a very nice man who was always happy to throw a nod to the fans or give a handshake.

i also remember thinking that his ex opponent john thomas never gave mando ramos very good marks on his score cards while he later reffed and judged because mando reminded john of enrique and the nitemares he caused him.

greg

Yup!!....LOL!!

[gregbeyer]

oh so you agree huh frank ?

it was just a theory of mine. i was watching the fights with my dad many years ago and thomas was the ref. my dad mentioned then that thomas was a pretty good fighter in his day. i said really ? i did not know of his career. when i asked what happened to him ..... he said, enrique bolanos happened to him.

did you see their fights ?

greg

[kikibalt]

oh so you agree huh frank ?

it was just a theory of mine. i was watching the fights with my dad many years ago and thomas was the ref. my dad mentioned then that thomas was a pretty good fighter in his day. i said really ? i did not know of his career. when i asked what happened to him ..... he said, enrique bolanos happened to him.

did you see their fights ?

greg

I wrote that tongue in cheek. No, I didn't see either of their two fights, they fought in either 1947 0r '48, I think!

[kikibalt]

Mando Ramos & Allen Syers
1969

[kikibalt]

Jerry Moore

[Wing master]

Does any of you have any idea where this picture might have been taken at? It was taken around the time Hank fought at the Olympic Auditorium in late 1935. The photo is in the Winkler collection, if that helps.



Thanks guys.
Randy