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by Mike Toone, editor
James DeAngelo, film correspondent
Boxing appeals to some. Numbers show it
appeals to many. Perhaps not always in polite conversation,
but people like boxing. The one on one appeal of physical
men battling it out caught the human fancy about 6,000
years ago. It was one of the original Olympic events.
Now women boxers are involved in the sport. The appeal
touches a nerve within all of us. Life is a battle,
and often we seem to fight it alone. When we win, times
are good. When we lose we live to fight another day.
It is the survival of the fittest in this world. It
is survival just to fit into this world. It is no more
shown then in the professional sport of Boxing. A sport,
that like life, it is not for the weak of mind or body.
To be the one in the ring it is also not for the weak
of heart. You go into the fight just one on one. Your
opponent has the same goal as you. Only one leaves a
winner. You know it is going to be you. Sometimes you
are wrong. The weapons of choice are fists, mind, and
heart. It is one place boxers are in control of their
immediate future.
At least for a short time. It does not
look like a team event. Is that the way it really is?
Sports Lore has an exclusive coverage
of a Boxing announcement to refute that. We had a Beverly
Hills Playboy pass to be there.
Boxing, prior to the bell sounding the
start of the fight, is not about one person. Somebody
recruited them, another guided them, and others managed
and trained them. With luck, and in time, they were
promoted, and given that chance to shine in the one
area they knew. The arena of fighting. Maybe, just maybe,
one fight would lead to another. Pots of gold or a big
pay day, at the end. For a few this worked. For the
majority careers were cut short by age, injuries, skill,
or perhaps death. It was part of the business they knew,
and lived with. It was life outside of the ring, when
the days of boxing were done, that really knocked them
out. Money earned while boxing was not there. The help
outside of the ring all too often gobbled that up. Boxers
were told not to worry about the money. Worry and train
for the next fight. For a boxer the future was the next
fight. You win once, you will win again.
Heady thoughts when you were the one left
standing on the canvas.
All they saw was the people who came out
to see them. They did not care about being hurt. Just
having their arm lifted in victory mattered. To all
else they learned to become numb.
Then they lost one to many, and their
fight in the ring was over. Gone were the ones who trained,
coached, healed, promoted, and comforted them. Gone
also was the money, and a job loved. What a boxer had
was little suitable job skills for the outside world,
no training opportunities, no future, no medical benefits,
no retirement, no future. Many, too many, embraced a
world of comfort. They entered a ring of darkness.
One such boxer fought his way out of the
comfort of darkness. He emerged from it not with his
fists, but his mind, and boxer’s heart. His name is
Alex Ramos.
Alex "Bronx Bomber" is no stranger
to Boxing, or boxers. He fought in over 300 amateur
and professional fights. Along the way he was a New
York Golden Gloves champion four times. In 1984 he reached
the top of his profession and earned the USBA middleweight
championship. By 1986 he switched coasts and became
California’s middleweight champion.
After 1986 life got a little murky for
Alex. Too many friends, fellow boxers, and he were on
the street. When they were lucky. Most never got out
of the gutter of gloom. Worse, there was no safety net
out there for boxers. It seems nobody cared, but one
finally did. The Bronx Bomber had a few more punches
to throw. For himself and others of his profession.
In 1995 he started the Retired Boxers Foundation (RBF).
To do this he needed help. He used his mind and heart
to get it. His punches came from within.
Jacqueline L. Richardson joined forces
with Alex in 1998. She is now the Executive Director
of the RBF. She is credited with making the RBF a non-profit
organization, among other things. There is little doubt
that she added to the momentum of the RBF’s recognition
and goals.
In time many others, myself included,
joined forces with Alex and Jacqueline in promoting
"the cause". From well-known names like Mickey
Rooney and Bo Derek, to names not well known; all became
important to the Retired Boxer’s Foundation. Alex fanned
the interest of all who showed support. It is from that
interest came the help, and needed money. After all,
this is not just about liking boxing, or helping boxers.
It is about the human spirit of reaching out to help.
Knowing any of us may one day need that help. It could
happen, it happened to many boxers. They, more then
most of us, knew how to fight. Sometimes it takes more.
That is what happened July 10, 2002 at the Playboy Mansion
in Beverley Hills, California.
Sports Lore was invited to join in on
the RBF press release. The following is a display of
people who care. While the event was light hearted the
message Alex gave was clear. His gloves, now worn by
his heart, are still on.
Alex’s team was coming together.
The team came from all avenues of life.
Business, acting, writing, boxing, few careers were
left out. Much happened between the start of the RBF
and the Playboy lawn. Along the way Mr. Bill Farley,
National Director of Communications for Playboy Enterprises,
joined the staff of Honorary RBF Board of Directors.
In that capacity he joined seats with Ron Shelton. The
writer and director of such films as "White Men
Can’t Jump, Field of Dreams, and Play It To The Bone".
I just named a few of his projects. Other notables on
the board include, only to name a few, Ray "Boom
Boom" Macini. Joining him are actress Lolita Davidovich,
trainer Luis Camacho, and fan Walter Dilley to name
a few. Some names are known some are not. It matters
little. There are also experts on pension funds, web
work, etc. Alex turns down no kind hearts. It fact,
he grows them.
Along the way he met with J.B. Seligman
and Byron Lancaster the inventors of Message On Hold.
A couple of savvy Florida guys who saw a way to make
money, and provide a service to businesses. Along the
way they made money, provided jobs within their organization,
and helped businesses. They also had another idea.
At least Byron did. JB explains how it
came about, and the Vice President of Celebrity Relations,
Pat Daninos, takes it a step farther.
Basically their new adventure "Autographed
to You" is quite simple. From the comfort of your
home you can view an array of celebrities and have a
choice of picture plus saying from the celebrity. The
celebrity does not have to leave their house for card
signings. The overhead is down for celebrities, and
so is the price of the card. There is more, but most
notably the price is split three ways. One third goes
to the celebrity, one third to Autographed To You, and
one third to the celebrity’s charity of choice. Byron,
JB and Pat started off with an idea. They started off
with baseball stars, drifted into football, then went
everywhere. Today the have over 1,000 known names in
many different areas. Along the way they searched for
boxers.
It was there they met the man with the
gloves on his heart. Alex, as always, had an idea. "Autographed
To You" became the first company sponsor, and the
press release was held at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly
Hills. Representing Sports Lore as film correspondent
was veteran actor, and long time friend, Jim DeAngelo.
Recent films of Jim include Curly Sue, Homeless In L.A.,
and Free Zone. Along the way he has appeared in numerous
television and Theatre productions. More on Jim can
be found at here.
At the playboy mansion Jim met his share
of peacocks, other exotic birds, lots of green grass
standing straight up, a grotto, and his fair share of
celebrities. On the drive in small signs asked that
people braked for peacocks, and certainly for bunnies.
Part 2
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