Dreams of Ghosts that Roam the Olympic Auditorium

By kiki

A list of fighters that have left us (most of these fighters I saw fight either live or on TV, some of them I didn’t get to see box because they were before my time) - and who fought at Los Angeles’s Grand Dame of boxing, ‘The Olympic Auditorium’…The list also includes trainers, managers, referees, judges, announcers and promoters. This list is made up from memory and if I have left some out I apologize. Some fighters on this list were top rank fighters who fought for world titles and became champions, and some who fought for titles but never became champs, and some, because of the politics in boxing who never got a title shot. And some on the list never got out of the prelims but, who nevertheless fought their hearts out as their dreams of fighting at the famed arena became a reality….In my dreams, I see the ghosts of these fighters sitting around the section that was unofficially reserved for the boxing community as they josh with each other. I also see some ghosts and their ghost ladies shadow boxing down the aisles as they make their way to their ringside seats.

The list:

Louie Jauregui, Johnnie Flores, Jake Horn, Lou Bernal, Fabela Chavez, Bernard and Maxie Docusen, Lauro Salas, Rudy Jordan, Rudy Garcia, Gil Cadilli, Cisco Andrade, Dave Contreras, Carlos and Al Chavez, Keeny Teran, Baby Casanova, Enrique Bolanos, Art “Golden Boy” Aragon, Raton Macias, Ricardo “Pajarito” Moreno, Battling Torres, Mando Ramos, Indian (Ernie) Red Lopez, Genero Hernandez, Fidel LaBarba, Jackie Fields, Joe Salas, Jimmy McLarnin, Gig Rooney, George Hansford, Henry Armstrong, Turkey Thompson, John Thomas, Fitzie Fitzpatrick, Chalky Wright, Cal and Aileen Eaton, George Parnassus, Manuel Ortiz, Babe McCoy, Clarence Henry, Irish Bob Murphy, Jimmy Lennon, Howie Steindler, Don Jordan, Ramon Fuentes, Jose Luis Cotero, Billy Peacock, Duke Holloway, Canto and Joe Robleto, Irvin Berman, Raul Rojas, Frankie Crawford, Jackie McCoy, Norm Lockwood, Harry Kabakoff, Ralph Gambina, Eddie Futch, Frankie and Juan Luis Campos, Dan Tobey, Willie Bean, Chuck Bodak, John Cabrera, Lorraine Chargin, Rudy Cruz, Lou Filippo, Ruth Fraser, Jimmy Harryman, Dynamite Jackson, Georgie Latka, Jimmy McDaniels, Archie Moore, L.C. Morgan, Sammy Sanders, Petey Servin, Al Silvani, Bill Slayton, Allen Syers, John Thomas, Dick Young, Charlie Powell, Davey Gallardo, Javier “Baby Face” Gutierrez, Kid Rayo, Tony and Bob Fuentes, Jim Jeffries, Bobby Pacho, Johnny Forbes, Eddie Chavez, Oscar Reyes, Pappy Zazker, Manuel Dros, Dr. Al Stolper, Jackie Leonard, George Parnassus, Sparky Rudolph, Paddy Quaid, Johnny and Nick Villaflor, Joe Kelly, Baby Moe Mario, Rudy Rosenberg, Harry Gordon. Irish Jimmy Quinn, Bob Bremwood, Cecil Schoonmaker, Earl Bebee, Jonny Ortega, Tote Martinez, Mario Trigo, Sid Flaherty, Chu Chu Jimenez, Phil “Wildcat” Kim, Young Jack Johnson, Tony Moreno, Baby Ike, Jimmy Carter, Willie Ketchum, Jimmy Roche, Johnny Gonsalves, Ernie Serfas, Henry Blouin, Hoyt Porter, Jimmy Bivins, Jerry Moore and Ike Chetsnut….There are many more people that I remember, but I am not sure that they are yet ghosts or are still with us.