Festive Luncheon with the Golden State Boxer’s Association
Ho Ho Ho! Hold on to your eyeglasses when former two-time world champion Bobby Chacon comes over to give you a big holiday greeting, as trainer Larry Montalvo quickly learned while hosting the Golden State Boxer’s Association (GSBA) Holiday Party, which took place in Hollywood, California, yesterday afternoon.
This annual luncheon for those involved in the fight game is a fun celebration full of Season’s Greetings–no “Season’s beatings” take place here in this warm and good-natured atmosphere.
It’s a gathering of fighters, trainers, promoters, cornermen, officials and special invited guests. President Montalvo and his wife, Elsa, look forward to this event every year and GSBA’s Vice President Bill Dempsey Young and Advisor Don Fraser (Olympic Auditorium promoter and P.R. director) also join in at the yearly festive party.
V.P. Young (whose father is famed referee Dick “Tiger” Young) and his wife, Linda, are well-liked mainstays at all of the events, and Bill explains, “This is a nice, diverse group with different ages and generations. The boxing community is a loving community, so I’m here with family–not strangers.”
If you are involved in boxing in California, you are welcome to become a member of this organization, which began in the early ’70s, and now meets once a week.
Since everyone loves boxing here, impromptu friendly debates of past and current bouts often break out at their gatherings, which makes it a lively and fun affair for all of the guests.
At yesterday’s luncheon, the buzz was still going strong about Saturday’s Oscar De La Hoya-Manny Pacquiao fight. This group was split right down the middle with their opinions in this “Monday morning quarterback” session.
The GSBA has a wide spectrum of members, from young up-and-comers in the boxing biz to revered veterans of the ring, and everybody has an interesting background, as boxing seems to bring out the most unique people.
But the underlying aspect of the GSBA is that everyone is accepted and welcomed here, no matter what their circumstances may be. Some fighters and members have gone through several marriages, but each new wife or girlfriend is always made to feel comfortable, even if someone is on their fourth or fifth wife! Boxers are notorious for earning fortunes, only to lose it all. Many have also battled alcohol and drug abuse demons. Throughout these highs and lows, the GSBA serves as a place you can always go back to, always with an open door policy. And this boxing circle is a close one; when a fighter sadly passes away, support is offered as well.
This is a loyal group of individuals who offers camaraderie through others who understand what it’s like to be involved in boxing, having experienced the ups and downs of the sport, surviving the good times and the bad.
At yesterday’s function, recent widows of champions Mando Ramos and Willie Bean, both were in attendance and a ten count was held in honor of these two fallen warriors. Sylvia Ramos and Lynnette Bean were given hugs by all and through the misty eyes of many at the party, the women were encouraged to laugh and reminisce about their husbands.
Willie Bean was one of the original members of the GSBA and his wife Lynnette said, “It’s almost been a year since Willie’s been gone. It was on December 19th of last year.” In a truly bittersweet moment, the former heavyweight’s wife recently had an expected wave of good fortune and she excitedly told the attendees, “I was on the ‘Price is Right’ and won a F-150 truck, a boat, and a trip to Las Vegas for a week, with a limo!”
For Sylvia Ramos, who lost Mando on July 6 of this year, coming out to join her friends has helped her cope, but she is still understandably adjusting to not having Mando there. And coping with her loss sometimes comes out in the most mundane way–in the tiniest details of daily life.
The ex-fighter was well-known for his joking around and his petite blonde wife of 32 years shares this same sense of humor as her husband, telling me, “I drove out from San Pedro and it took me a lot longer because it was just me in the car…I always had Mando with me, so we’d go in the carpool lane. He would be laughing at me now, saying, ‘See? You needed me!’ Mando would think it was so funny.”
The GSBA hold various events throughout the year and one of the highlights of 2008 was their Father-Son Awards Show this past Spring, which honored father and son combos, including Mando Ramos, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Randy Shields and their dads, Shane and Jack Mosley, the Frank Baltazar family, and the Goossen clan, among others.
Now they are planning their next awards show in early Spring, which is a women’s theme, honoring the ladies behind the men in boxing (or as I like to call the wives–the “unsung heroes”)!
President Montalvo’s wife, Elsa, is always by her husband’s side and she makes sure everyone gets their lunch served, has a full drink in hand, and cheerfully passes out brownies at the day’s luncheon. She and Larry are looking forward to their upcoming event, “This will celebrate the wives of Enrique Bolanos, Frank Baltazar, Danny “Little Red” Lopez, Willie Bean, Mando Ramos, George Latka, and Norm Cote, who will be among the 10 or 11 women honored.”
Most of the core group has known each other for over three decades and they happily recount anecdotes of earlier years. This holiday get-together also serves as a mini reunion, with old friends reconnecting, sharing photos of new grandchildren while catching up with each other.
Manager and trainer Stacy White recounted the time he took a boxing giant (at over 7 feet tall) to fight his first bout, “Tom Payne was with the Atlanta Hawks and was a star in Kentucky, but he wanted to try boxing,” laughs White. The tall fighter only fought a few times, but the memories of that time still remain.
Other notables in attendance were legendary L.A. timekeeper Arnie Koslow, who worked more than 1,500 fights in his career, referee and judge Gwen Adair, top contender from the ’60s Danny Valdez, the ever-popular referee Lou Filippo, and of course, the people’s favorite champ Bobby “Schoolboy” Chacon.
The former super featherweight champ is always jovial and jolly even when it’s not the month of December, so during this holiday party, he did what he does best: making people chuckle, sharing hugs and kisses (even with the guys, as they tried to fight him off!), taking photos with fans, and signing autographs on vintage magazine covers.
While watching “Santa Claus” Bobby Chacon continue to spread holiday cheer, Montalvo marvels at his friendship with the champion, “I’ve known Bobby since he was 16 years old; I met him through Johnny Flores. And we’ve all remained friends for years and years.”
While an appreciation of the sweet science is the original bond that helps build lifelong friendships, these occasions are an opportunity for the GSBA members to stay in contact, remain close, while celebrating an early holiday together.
For the GSBA President Montalvo, these lasting relationships are one of the things he enjoys most about his organization, “I’m glad to see everyone get together and have such a nice time today. This was great, very well attended.”
And of his longtime pal “Schoolboy” Chacon, donning a glittery Santa cap, and taking part in the holiday party? “He is so happy to be here, to be around everyone.” Montalvo, shaking his head and laughing, “Bobby gave me about 20 kisses today!”
Everyone was catching the holiday spirit at this GSBA luncheon–and I think it’s a good thing there was no mistletoe at this early Christmas party!
Photos by Michele Chong: Bobby Chacon and Larry Montalvo; Timekeeper Arnie Koslow with his GSBA cap; referee Lou Filippo and Don Fraser; With the girls: Joni Fox, Sylvia Ramos, Michele Chong, Gwen Adair and Josie Mejia; Judge Gwen Adair and trainer Stacy White; Bobby Chacon takes one on the chin