June Additions

[Exhibitman]

Thanks. I'm adding a page to my web site on vintage boxing photos. I've gotten way into them lately; with all the archives being liquidated, seems like a propitious time to do so. My focus (hah!) is Los Angeles-related items. There has been a really strong boxing culture here ever since Jim Jeffries decided to settle in Burbank and Jack Doyle opened his arena and training facilities in Vernon. Here is Jeffries' Barn in Burbank, CA, where boxing and wrestling events were held every week:



A very colorful boxing scene developed here, esp. when the movie studios opened and lured fighters out to the sunshine and beautiful women. One of my favorite photos of the genre, this one shows boxers on the set of a silent movie meeting star Monte Blue (the one in the boxing gear), including Jim Jeffries (who was in the movie as Blue's trainer), Ad Wolgast, Tommy Ryan, announcer Dan Toby, Joe Rivers and Kid Lewis. Lewis and Rivers also acted in the silents and are on some movie-related exhibit cards, uncredited:



Another one I really like [and illustrative of my 'focus' it has no LA connection]: 1937 Veteran Boxers Association of Illinois presentation photo inscribed to HOF sportswriter Grantland Rice. L to R: Jimmie Barry, Harry Forbes, Johnny Coulon, Battling Nelson, Buddy Ryan, George Gardner.