Daydreams of Ghosts that Roam the Olympic Auditorium

Daydreams of Ghosts that Roam the Olympic Auditorium

By kiki

Sometimes I daydream of the boxers, trainers, managers, referees, judges, announcers, and promoters that have left us (most of the fighters I watched fight live or on TV). 

I wanted to list some of the fighters who fought and those who played different roles on fight nite at the Los Angeles' Grand Dame of boxing, The Olympic Auditorium. 

The list is made up from memory; I apologize if I have left some out. Some fighters on this list were top rank fighters who fought for world titles and became champions, 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 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 unofficially reserved for the boxing community as they josh with each other. I also see ghosts and their ghost ladies shadowboxing down the aisles as they reach 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, Ray Luna, 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, Fitzie Fitzpatrick, Chalky Wright, Cal and Aileen Eaton, George Parnassus, Vic "Kid" Ponce, Floyd Patterson, Manuel Ortiz, Babe McCoy, Clarence Henry, Irish Bob Murphy, Jimmy Lennon, Howie Steindler, Don Jordan, Ramon and Jesse Fuentes, Jose Luis and Armando Cotero, Billy Peacock, Duke Holloway, Canto and Joe Robleto, Kid Gavilan, Irvin Berman, Raul Rojas, Frankie Crawford, Jackie McCoy, Jake Shugrue, Norm Lockwood, Harry Kabakoff, Ralph Gambina, Eddie Futch, Frankie and Juan Luis Campos, Dan Tobey, Willie Bean, Chuck Bodak, John Cabrera, Don and Lorraine Chargin, Rudy Cruz, Lou Filippo, Ruth Fraser, Jimmy Harryman, Dynamite Jackson, Georgie Latka, Jimmy McDaniels, Archie Moore, L.C. Morgan, Sammy Sanders, Benny Conyers, Freddie Merino, 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, Bert Lewis, 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, Johnny 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 Chestnut….I remember many more people, but I am unsure whether they are ghosts or are still with us.