Sunday, 19 May 2013

PERCY (Chamberlain) COVE

PERCY CHAMBERLAIN falls in battle
* In the sport of boxing, he was called PERCY COVE:






































A Calgary newspaper's obit piec:

* reprint copy per BoxRec


Saturday, 4 May 2013

Eddie Machen - A Fallen Boxer

EDDIE MACHEN's Road to Tragedy: by brian zelley
Eddie Machen - Boxer


* Looking back over the history of Eddie Machen, a top ranked
heavyweight boxer, it always seemed the sports reporters
painted the wrong picture of Eddie, such was the case of
Jim Scott's story about Eddie in True Magazines,
1963 Boxing Annual with the title:
"The Case Of The Reluctant Heavyweight".
Eddie Machen's bout with Sonny Liston proved
that Machen was no reluctant or cautious warrior.
For part of the fight, Eddie took it to Liston, and in other
parts he moved well and made Liston miss many power
punches. 

Boxing and Life highlights:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Machen
Eddie was born and died in California (1932 - 1972) and many
of his early pro bout were fought in California.

Some early victories included victories over Nino Valdez and Joey Maxim.
Machen's pro journey lasted from 1955 to 1967.  During that time there
were many victories in his record book including a victory over 
Jerry Quarry, and a draw with Zora Folley.

The cause and controversy about Eddie's death has 
never been resolved was he pushed, or did he jump or was it an accident.
We will likely never know, but there are many that believe he was
murdered in San Francisco.  

Thursday, 2 May 2013

Bobby Horn - Fallen Boxer

Bobby Horn, boxing/s tragic stories: by Brian Zelley
Bobby Horn - Boxer


* Bobby Horn from Oregon was undefeated when he faced
Don Fullmer in a ten round main event in 1963.  But, the
headlines of the August 21st. 1963 edition of the local
"Eugene Register-Guard" said it all in the headline:
"Death Cut Short Boxing Career of Bobby Horn"
The passing of Bobby Horn was also published in
the November 1963  "The RING" magazine.


Horn was managed by John Dewell, and some of his
training was done by boxer Phil Moyer. But, on August 2th
of 1963 his car would collide with a gas company repair truck.

Laverne Roach - Tragic boxing stories

Lavern Roach, tragic boxing stories: by brian zelley

Laverne Roach - Boxer
Roach is a National Golden Gloves champion who made his professional
boxing debut in 1945.

Background of Roach:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laverne_Roach
* part of the background of Roach can be found in the above link.
But, there is another story that needs to told and that is the story of
his friend Georgie Small, who was the one that fought Roach in
1950 at the St. Nicholas arean, and would live with the shame, regret
and guilt of the loss of Laverne Roach.

The following is the opening piece by Brian Zelley, on the East Side
boxing web site:













The "Brownsville Banger is Georgie Small, the title
is from True Magazine and the '63 Boxing Annual.
But, more of my narrative:


A Bout that may have been a contributing factor in the tragedy
between Lavern Roach and Georgie Small was the bout which
saw Roach stopped by the great middleweight Marcel Cerdan:

TRUE MAGAZINE and BOXING ANNUAL:
Jimmy Breslin interviews Georgie Small on the loss of Roach ten years
after that fight at St. Nicholas Arena:

Small's closing line was one of regret, pain and guilt: 
"I wanted to be a fighter.  All my whole life I wanted to 
be a fighter,,,And see what happened.  I'm broke and sick.
I got my wife broke.  I ruined everything.
I guess the only thing I ever did in my whole life
was kill a friend<" - Georgie Small to Jimmy Breslin
on his boxing friend, Lavern Roach.

Wednesday, 1 May 2013

Randie Carver -Tragic Boxing Moments

THE SHORT BOXING JOURNEY OF RANDIE CARVER
**** The Kansas City Star ****
*below  is the link that shows Carver's pro boxing record, but
it does not tell the full story of the life and times and tragic death.
Randie Carver - Boxer

*Randie, the Kansas city Missouri was a 1995 USA National Golden Gloves
champion, but his boxing journey was cut short in 1999.  It seems that
the final bout of Carver would also be the last bout for referee Ross Strada.

A Brief Story about Carver;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randie_Carver
The story does not say mutch, but it does touch on the
tragic moment in 1999 wheb it all faded to black, but
beyond tomorrow, he will always be a "Kansas City Star".

The fallen boxers and tragic stories

The Never Ending Story: by brian zelley
https://www.facebook.com/FallenBoxers

* The above link is dedicated to former boxers that are gone.
It covers some of the names that have been mentioned on this
blog with some help from others.
some of the names mentioned to-date are:
Benny "Kid" Paret, Davey Moore and  Lavern Roach.

*It also provides the East Side forum piece: "Tragic Stories"
and the Boxing Scene's "Tragic Boxing Stories" with plenty
of names such as 
Dave Sands, Billy Papke, Bobby Horn, Monte Barret, Billy Collins jr.,
the Quarry brothers Jerry and Mike and Oscar Bonavena, Young Stribling,
and Randy Turpin.  

There is also a Facebook, group site that has touched
on the many stories and names:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/91922911429/
* there is no set agends for the site, it is an ongoing flow
of names and stories.
this group site has been on-line for several years, so has covered
a lot of ground with many names of the fallen and the tragic stories:
*** some examples include Jamie Ollenberger, Gerald McClellan,
Arturo Gatti, boxing coach Cal Gilbert, and many many more.
* Eddie Machen has had his share of stories about his 
boxing journey and his tragic passing.

* Eddie Haddad is a former boxer that was in the 1948 Olympic Games
and after retiring from the Royal Canadian Navy, he was killed when hit
by a car.  Also, former boxing coach, official and past president of the
BC Amateur Boxing Association was also hit and killed when struck by
a car in Vancouver.
Mark Leduc, was a Canadian olympic medal
winner who died in 2009.  


















Wallace "Bud" Smith










CHARLES "Sonny" LISTON

Zora Folley's son recalls dad's title shot against Ali

Zora Folley's son recalls dad's title shot against Ali

Tuesday, 30 April 2013

ZORA BELL FOLLEY, a fallen warrior

THE ZORA FOLLEY STORY: by brian zelley
Zora Folley - Boxer
^ When we visit the llife and times of the boxer
Zora Bell Folley, there is much to talks about
beyond the boxing ring from his service in 
the Korean War, to his stint in politics, and
the memorial park in Chandler< Arizona
named the Zora Folley Memorial Park.

As a professional boxer, he would be a top
contender for many years, but did not
receive a title shot until the end days
of his boxing journey in 1967.

Sadly, the life of Zora Folley came to a tragic end when he
was injured in a swimming pool, and died shortly after in
the hopital. And, he is now one of the lost warriors. 

Zora's zone in the world of pro boxing:


* During his boxing journey, Folley would have some great wins over 
many of the top rated boxer including Canada's Bob Cleroux.  And,
his 1967 title shot was against Cassius Clay/ Muhammad Ali. 

Pride and Respect: Zora Folley and Muhammad Ali:
* There is no doubt what so ever, that there was mutual respect
between the veteran Zora Folley and the champ Ali when they
squared off in the ring.  And, this memory was recalled by
Zora Folley Jr. when as a 14 year old he endured the pain
of the loss, but was spoken to by Ali himself.


A son remembers
with pride as 
reported in the
"Arizona Central".

















Looking back at the ring record:
From the mid-fifties until 1970, Zora faced some of the
best boxers such as:
Nino Valdes, Wayne Bethea, Art Swiden, Eddie Machen, Joe Bygraves,
Henry Cooper, Doug Jones, Ernie Terrell, George Chuvalo, Sonny Liston,
and Muhammad Ali, and many more.

Al Bummy Davis - A fallen warrior

Al Bummy Davis - Boxer
The rise and fall of Bummy Davis: by Brian Zelley


Al Davis, nee Abraham Davidson, was a Brooklyn
born boxer that made his pro debut at Ridgewood 
Grove in Brooklyn during 1937 and in his last
year of boxing, Davis would face Rocky Graziano
in New Yorks Madison Square Gardens.

* But beyond the ring wars, Davis would meet a
tragic end, and the following headline would 
appear in the November 25, 1945 issue of the
"New York Times" as follows:
"Davis, Boxer, Slain Resisting Hold-Up"
One can also read part of his story in the link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Davis_(boxer_

Fighting many greats over the years
* during his years in the ring, Davis fought
a wide change of greats and near greats:
Tony Canzoneri, Tippy Larkin, Lou Ambers,
Bob Montgomery, Beau Jack, Henry Armstong
and Rocky Graziano.






Monday, 29 April 2013

Fade to Black

                         England's own Randy Turpin

Introduction to Tragic Boxing Stories:
by Brian Zelley
"A river of tears, teardrop by lonely 
teardrop, can never wash away the
pain of the loss of the potential, but.
we can remember them beyond tomorrow."










* It does not matter where we begin, as there
are hundreds of stories of the many fallen warriors. 

Introduction of the many names:
Al "Bummy" Davis, Alex Arguello, Arturo Gatti, 
Benny "Kid" Paret,  Billy Bello, Billy Collins,
Billy Papke, Bobby Horn, Carlos Monzon,
Charles "Sonny" Liston, Chic Calderwood,


Chuck Robinson,  
Davey Moore, Dick Tiger,   Eddie Machen, 
Ernie Schaaf,  Esteban DeJesus, Frankie Campbell,  Freddy Mills, Harry Greb,
Jack Johnson, James Schuler, Jerry Quarry, Johnny Owen, Lavern Roach,Lemuel Samuels,
Marcel Cerdan, Oscar Bonavena, Pancho Villa, 
Randy Turpin, Rocky Marciano, Sonny Banks,
Stanley Ketchel, Tiger Flowers, Tyrone Everett
 Vernon Forrest, Walt lngram, Wallace Smith, 
 Young Stribling and Zora Folley,


  * Jerry Quarry, was a popular heavyweight
boxer, but through the passages of time, he
would die long before the light should of faded
to black.  Also, his brother Mike Quarry died
long before he should have.
*  Rocky was lost in a plane crash
while travelling to some engagement.