Remembering "Wildhawke" . . .

By Rick Farris


It was summer, 1999, when I discovered the internet. I entered the name "Roberto Duran" into a search engine, and found myself on the Roberto Duran thread of the AOL Boxing Board. This is when I began writing about boxing in L.A. as I knew it.

This lead my writing for the Cyber Boxing Zone.
The CBZ liked my L.A. stories, and I convinced the CBZ editor, Stephen Gordon to check out the AOL Forum. "The Bucket" as he was known to his readers, suggested the CBZ start it's own Forum, and asked if I would manage it.
I said "No, but I will contribute." That was the beginning of what would become a great boxing forum. It got big quick, and I was a part of it.
So were many others a part of it.

The best thing about a successful boxing forum is the friendship and respect shared by it's core members. The ones that make our days when things might be challening, otherwise.
I've turned many a stressful day around by writing on boxing threads.

The great thing about the internet is that it brings the world together. We on this thread, which is second to no boxing thread in existence, have forged life long friendships with people from around the world.

As the CBZ Forum grew, with legendary threads such as the Rodolfo "El Gato" Gonzalez thread, and the "The History of California Boxing" by Hap Navarro thread, friendships developed world wide.

On the West Coast, I posted regularly, as did Dan Hanley from Chicago, Greg Beyer from Washington State, Robert from New York, and a poster from the United Kingdom, near Kent, I believe, known as "Wildhawke".

Wildhawke. His real name was Danny Cahalin, and his wife's name was "Rita", and Danny knew boxing. Danny was a scrapper in his day, and perhaps one of the most wonderful human beings in the world, whom I never met face-to-face, but whom I felt I knew. I felt Danny's warmth, and I witnessed his compassion and kindness towards the boxers we write about here.

When this thread took life in February, 2008, when I first posted here, I thought how great it would be if Danny could join us. Eventually, he did. He didn't post often, the West Coast aspect didn't quite agree with him. However, Danny was behind us all the way. Nobody knows better than former world champ, Rodolfo "El Gato" Gonzalez, about the loyalty and friendship of Wildhawke. Danny Cahalin was one of the chief supporters of El Gato's campaign for IBHOF induction.

Wildhawke passed recently. I'm truly saddened by his death. I knew he was sick, and he was gone so quickly.

Rest in Peace, Danny. We love you.
Your spirit shall always remain a part of boxing, and I shall always remember you with a smile.