Frank Baltazar - Bio for Johnny Flores Award

By Rick Farris

Frank Baltazar's involvement in boxing began shortly after WW2 at the age of 12.
Growing up in Los Angeles and fighting out of the Teamster's Gym, Frank fought under Hoyt Porter and Louie Jaurequi.

In the mid-60's, Frank turned from boxing to coaching and took over the Los Angeles Junior Golden Gloves program, helping develop future top contenders and world champions, including two of his four sons, Frankie Jr. and Tony Baltazar.
The Junior Golden Gloves was created by Johnny Flores and Louie Jaurequi. Frank Baltazar would take over the program after Flores and Jaurequi focused on developing professional boxers.

Under Frank's guidance, the Junior Golden Gloves program not only contributed to boxing, but to the community, providing youth with an alternative to gang involvment.

In 1973, Frank was head coach for Los Angeles Golden Gloves team which represented the City of Angels in the annual National Golden Gloves "Tournament of Champions" helden in Boston, Mass.

The all-star L.A. team included future contenders and a world champ in Art Frias, Frankie Duarte, Randy Shields and national Golden Gloves champ, Roy Hollis.

Frank would later manage the careers of his two oldest sons, both who reached top ranking in the junior lightweight and welterweight divisions.

Frank has been married to his wife, Connie, for more than fifty years. They have one daughter, Linda, and four sons, Frank Jr., Tony, Bobby and James.

Today, Frank Baltazar is the Vice President of the California Boxing Hall of Fame and contributes his knowledge and history thru a variety of on-line boxing publications, most notably the "Classic American West Coast Boxing" thread of the Boxrec Forum.

The World Boxing Hall of Fame is honored to have Frank Baltazar the first recipient of the annual "Johnny Flores Youth Development Award" for his contribution to youth, boxing and the community.