The BAWLI Papers
(Boxing As We Liked It)
Edited by J Michael Kenyon

Issue Number 87
Monday, May 24, 1999
New York City, New York, US of A
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IN THIS ISSUE: GREAT OLD LOS ANGELES-AREA BOXING ARENAS; WHERE THEY WERE
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(ED. NOTE -- As part of the City of Los Angeles Bicentennial Project in the
mid-1970s, the Citizens Savings Athletic Foundation sponsored a research
paper -- unearthed by historian Steve Yohe -- which detailed the stadiums
and arenas that hosted championship boxing contests in Los Angeles. The
results of the paper are hereby condensed for The BAWLI Papers.)

HAZARD'S PAVILION

Located on ground upon which Philharmonic Auditorium now stands. Jim
Jeffries fought some of his early bouts, in 1896 and 1898, at Hazard's
Pavilion, on Fifth Street between Olive Street and Hill Street. Hazard's
Pavilion was primarily a civic center. Here, Caruso, Melba and Calve,
singers of renown, were featured. Mark Twain lectured, Sam Jones preached
and William Jennings Bryan campaigned there.

NAUD JUNCTION ARENA

The Naud Junction Arena was erected by noted California pioneer boxing
promoter Tom McCarey. Many important boxing contests were held at Naud
Junction, under McCarey supervision, in the mid- and late 1900s -- until the
Vernon Arena was erected. Nine world championship contests were held at Naud
Junction, near the confluence of Main Street, Alhambra Avenue and Macy
Street.

VERNON ARENA

Originally the (Jim) Jeffries Athletic Club, the arena at Vernon was the
scene of many major boxing contests. Four world championship bouts were
conducted there, at the corner of 38th Street and Santa Fe Avenue.

HOLLYWOOD LEGION STADIUM

The American Legion Hollywood Post Arena was erected following World War I,
on El Centro Avenue, between Hollywood Boulevard and Selma Avenue. It was,
initially, an outdoor arena, with simple fencing surrounding it. Later, the
arena was enclosed. Still later, a splendid enclosed arena was erected. Both
boxing and wrestling matches were held at Hollywood Legion Stadium and three
world championship boxing matches were staged there.

NEW VERNON ARENA

Built very close to the location of the first Vernon Arena, the "new" Vernon
Arena was erected and operated by Jack Doyle in the mid- and late 1920s.
Mushy Callahan won the world junior welterweight crown there, on September
21, 1926, decisioning Pinkey Mitchell in 10 rounds.

OLYMPIC AUDITORIUM

At the corner of 18th Street and Grand Avenue (and the only building so far
listed that remains in existence, even in 1999), the Olympic Auditorium was
a jewel of a building, built expressly for boxing but which also hosted
professional wrestling matches for some sixty years. Boxing has been held
continuously there since 1925. It was the site of both the boxing and
wrestling competitions of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Sixteen world
championship fights had been held there through 1975.

WRIGLEY FIELD

Designed for baseball, the park was completed in September, 1925, and was
the home of the old Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League for more
than 30 years. Later, the California Angels -- American League expansion
team -- played there before moving into a new stadium in Anaheim. Major
outdoor boxing programs were held at Wrigley Field during the first 30 or 35
years of its existence; major wrestling shows, too. Six world title boxing
matches graced the grounds, which were located off Avalon Boulevard between
41st Place and 42nd Place.

ASCOT SPEEDWAY

Weekly automobile races, in season were held at the famous Ascot Speedway
during the 1920s and 1930s. A few major boxing matches were held there, too.
On August 22, 1925, Fidel LaBarba won the American flyweight title there,
defeating Frankie Genaro in 10 rounds. The Speedway was adjacent to Lincoln
Park, located at the intersection of Alhambra Avenue and Mission Road.

GILMORE STADIUM

With the New York version of the middleweight title at stake, Ceferino
Garcia and Henry Armstrong fought to a 10-round draw at Gilmore Stadium on
March 1, 1940. The stadium was located west of Corson Avenue, surrounded by
Beverly Boulevard, Fairfax Avenue and Third Street.

GILMORE FIELD

On the other side of Corson Avenue was Gilmore Field, built as the home park
for the Pacific Coast League Hollywood Stars in the late 1930s. A world
lightweight championship contest was held at Gilmore Field on October 27,
1943, between Sammy Angott and Slugger White. In the fourth round, the field
blacked out during a power failure. The contest was delayed 65 minutes, then
resumed, with Angott getting the decision after 15 rounds.

DODGER STADIUM

The famous Chavez Ravine location, turned over to Walter O'Malley as part of
the price of luring the Brooklyn Dodgers to Los Angeles in the late '50s,
Dodger Stadium hosted a famous title fight doubleheader on March 21, 1963.
Not only did two champions lose their titles that night, one of them lost
his lfe. Luis Rodriguez lifted the welterweight crown from Emile Griffith
over the 15-round distance, and Sugar Ramos kayoed Davey Moore in the 11th
round of the featherweight title go. Moore died following the bout.

LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL COLISEUM

This world-renowned structure, built in the early 1920s and long the home of
both collegiate and professional football, as well as principal site for the
1932 and 1984 Olympic Games, was where Joe Becerra knocked out Alphonse
Halimi in the ninth round of a bantamweight title fight on February 4, 1960.
On the same card, world junior welterweight king Carlos Ortiz starched
Raymundo Torres in ten rounds. The attendance was 31,830, largest crowd ever
assembled for a boxing card in the state of California. The gross gate was
$363,890. Eight world title fights had been held at the adjacent Los Angeles
Sports Arena through 1975. The two buildings occupy a huge block bounded by
Santa Barbara Avenue, Figueroa Street, Exposition Boulevard and Menlo
Avenue.

THE FORUM

Through 1975, 17 world championship contests had been held at this stylish
building located near the corner of Manchester Avenue and Prairie Avenue in
Inglewood. Many, many more bouts for titles have been hosted since.
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(ED. NOTE -- Thomas Gerbasi, one of the principals involved with the Cyber
Boxing Zone site on the Internet, sent along this interview with Chuck
Bodak. Our thanks and appreciation go to Mr. Gerbasi.)

ONE OF BOXING'S GOOD GUYS

By Thomas Gerbasi

Despite its seedy reputation and the sordid actions of a few, boxing still
has some good guys left. Chuck Bodak would definitely fall into the good guy
category. Known worldwide for his practice of placing his fighters' pictures
on his forehead while he works their corners, Chuck is nonetheless one of
the sport's most respected trainers and cutmen. Well, let me rephrase that.

Chuck doesn't consider what he does training. To him, training is associated
with animals. He teaches human beings. And what a teacher he has been. In
one capacity or another, Chuck has worked with 52 World Champions. From
marquee names like Muhammad Ali, Julio Caesar Chavez, and Evander Holyfield,
to the unknowns fighting four rounders in the Forum, Chuck has been in the
corner.

And even with a hectic schedule like that, Chuck is always quick with a kind
word or an autograph for a fan. How many interviewees will sit by patiently
as an interviewer fumbles with a new tape? Chuck does: "Don't worry. I'm
home. I ain't going anywhere." And when I brought up every interviewer's
nightmare, a blank tape, Chuck responded: "If it doesn't come out, we'll do
it again." Luckily, the interview came out fine, and we now get a glimpse
into the mind of a great teacher, a walking boxing history book, and one of
the sport's good guys. And next month, we will do it again, with more of my
conversation with Chuck Bodak.

TG - How did you get started in boxing?

CB - Well, I was raised during the depression, and the way of life was:
acquiring something, fighting for it, and maintaining it. I was a tough,
rugged kid, always into something, and I loved contact in all sports, and
especially boxing. That's how I got into boxing. I loved it.

TG - So you boxed yourself?

CB - Yes, I boxed for about eight years. I had about 135-140 fights in the
amateurs, never turned pro. I started out when I was 13 years old. I was
always mature for my age. When I was 13 I could pass for a 16, 17, 18 year
old kid. I hung around with older guys, and I wanted to fight. There was no
novice, no beginners, no nothing at that time. In fact, the first five guys
I fought were Gold Glove champions. That was the way of life then, during
the depression.

I had no desire to turn pro because I wanted to teach, plus it was almost
impossible to make anything unless you were a real outstanding fighter, a
contender or a champion. There wasn't that kind of money around
professionally during the depression. And in the amateurs, you could fight
twice in one night, you could fight seven days a week. They had fights every
day of the week all over the Midwest. On Saturdays and Sundays they had
picnics, different outside events, and stuff like that where they always had
a boxing show. So, as a result, I practically supported a family with the
money that I made.

TG - So you were able to make money as an amateur?

CB - In those days, when you fought they'd give you medals and awards of
different types, and you'd turn 'em in and get money for 'em.

TG - How did you go from amateur fighting into training?

CB - That's what I always wanted to do. When I quit I went back to the guy
that taught me. He was a great teacher, a great psychologist, and I went
back to him, and I was his assistant. I always loved it because I had a lot
of respect for people that gave me all their knowledge in different sports.
In school, I was an all-around athlete, plus boxing, and I always had a
desire to teach because I'd observe them and I look back at what they've
done, and the things that they've done to help kids. That's what I've wanted
to do. I look forward to it.

TG - Once you started training, who was the first fighter you had
exclusively to yourself?

CB - In the amateurs, I had a lot of kids locally. All the top notch kids,
cause I was at the CYO where I started out in Gary, Indiana. Then I made a
big name for myself and I was selected on the Chicago Tribune Gold Glove
coaching staff, which handled inner city, international, and stuff like
that. And I got to know a lot of these guys that I had on teams. Also later
on I worked with a lot of these guys that turned pro. From the amateurs, the
pros, working as a cutman, and on the training staff, I worked with 52 World
Champions.

TG - What is more important as a teacher, the physical or the psychological
aspect?

CB - Mental and psychological, yes sir. Because anybody can get in shape.
Anyone can have the requirements as far as the body is concerned, the
different intricacies that are necessary to develop and educate an athlete.
But the mental aspect is a big thing. Like I tell a guy, if I raise my
finger, I don't raise it up instinctively or automatically, I raise it up
because mentally I sent a message through my body, raise my finger. It's
really that simple. Even if you're working with a guy who's, so to speak, an
illiterate. How much simpler could it be?

TG - Do you believe training is a lost art today?

CB - Teaching is a lost art. There are very few teachers around. Everybody's
a trainer, and to me, not to condemn anybody or anything else, but just the
word in itself, training, is associated with animals. Training is
domination, dictating, giving instructions, stuff like that. When you teach,
you educate. To me, that's the difference.

Every pupil that I ever worked with, I told them, I was very explicit, I
said it's all mental. You teach. I use a mechanic as an example. He goes to
a trade school, and they teach you everything that there is about the tools;
what goes where, how to use it. They teach you the machinery. And it's the
same thing with boxing or any sport. You give the guy the tools to work
with. He's the guy that does the work. Like these guys, especially in the
old days, "Shit man, I taught this guy everything he knows, man." and all
this damn crap, that's bullshit. You teach a guy that has a good mentality,
picks it up, and in time, a lot of them even surpass the teacher. Cause like
with me, the average guy, that will probably be insulted, if a student
surpassed him, I'd be honored, cause "man, I must've done a hell of a job.
This guy's better than I am." And that's the truth.

(to be continued in the next BAWLI Paper)
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