Fiona's West Coast Blog August 13, 2006:  The Cauliflower Ali is All Growed Up

By FIONA MANNING  West Coast Bureau Chief A big storm is a-brewing in California (relax Armando Garcia, you're off the hook for a change) and it has nothing to do with the relentless heat we in the San Fernando Valley have been experiencing now for weeks. No kids, this storm is between Don Fraser and Julian Eget of the California Boxing Hall of Fame who had a nasty bust-up and parted ways. Eget is now operating under the name of the Golden State Boxing Hall of Fame, but he also retains legal rights to the use of California Boxing Hall of Fame. This hasn't stopped Fraser from continuing to use the title of California Boxing Hall of Fame - even though the courts have told him that Eget owns this name. Confused? Not as much as the various recipients of lifetime achievement awards doled out this month by both groups. Do we need TWO California Boxing Hall of Fames? Nobody thinks so except the people who are being honored by both, probably. At a luncheon at the Old Spaghetti Factory on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood yesterday, a packed crowd rolled up to honor The Golden State Boxing Hall of Fame's inaugural event honorees. Now bear in mind, many of these recipients will go on next week to be honored a second time by Don Fraser's group at the Sportsman's Lodge in Studio City. All legal scuffles aside, if a liquid bomb had been dropped from the skies over Sunset Boulevard on Saturday afternoon, the boxing business would be dead and buried. There was a genuine feel-good vibe permeating the chaotic, wildly disorganized event which began at noon, but by 3 p.m. had still only managed to trot out three aging, arthritic fighters that received awards from former police Chief Bernard Parks, who kept rushing back to his table for bites of spaghetti in tomato sauce. An elderly woman who would only identify herself as Christine, decked to the gills in blue sequins, danced up a storm in front of the makeshift stage as people tried to figure out where they were supposed to be sitting.  Among those honored: Art Aragon - the original Golden Boy - who was the first recipient of an award.  My good mate Randy Shields, the Uncrowned Welterweight Champion, looks in fantastic shape. He single-handedly took down three armed robbers at The Four And Twenty restaurant in North Hollywood, disarming them and barely noticing he got shot in the shoulder in the process. Shields, who will also be honored next week, was the only one to bring Hollywood star power with him. He came with two of the nicest actors in the business, interestingly enough, who have played two of the most heinous murderers in American History. I broke bread (well actually, I stumbled through vinegar-doused iceberg lettuce then the entree of spaghetti and a chicken schnitzel) with Steve Railsback, who played Charles Manson in the original Helter Skelter, and Scott Wilson, who I think is the greatest living actor in America. Wilson played Perry Smith in the original In Cold Blood. Railsback presented Shields with his medal, saying Shields introduced him to his wife 17 years ago. "Sometimes, as in any relationship, you curse the person who brought you together," Railsback said, “but most times, I thank him from the bottom of my heart. I love this man." Honoree Chuck Bodak, the cutman famous for wearing a headband with his client's photos cut out and pasted to it, sported his own pictures. Business, obviously, is not good.  Unable to hear a thing over the incredible noise and the bad PA system, I unwillingly left my lunch companions to stroll the velvet chairs and catch the action up close.  A fracas broke out over the $25 yellow lunch tickets.  Waitresses would not bring food to tables unless people forked over those little yellow tickets. Amazing how many people thought they'd try and cop a free lunch. Scott Wilson approached honoree Bobby Chacon, not realizing Bobby is barely able to speak now.  He said, "Bobby, do you remember me?" Bobby jumped up and down and clapped his hands, which is what he did all afternoon. Parking was non-existent, so all afternoon, people raced outside to feed hungry meters, but there was a row of tickets on windshields, so most gave up and retreated to their tables do deal with the battle of the other tickets. Fem referee and part-time actress Gwen Adair brought her family to watch her induction as did Pat Goossen, whose ex-boxer sons, PJ and Chuck, said they do not miss the sport at all. “You gonna eat that bread," Chuck asked me. Promoter Ken Thompson, who was not honored, but will be honored next week by Fraser, was diplomatic about the Break Up between Fraser and Eget.  "Julian really fights for the boxers," he said. "He has a genuine concern for them." We patiently waited for drinks - any drink, which were never forthcoming - as awards were presented live and in some cases, posthumously, to the likes of Willie Bean, Marty Denkin, Ken Norton, Freddie Roach (whose brother Pepper Roach accepted for him), Mike Weaver, Danny Valdez, Archie Moore, Jackie McCoy, Enrique Bolanos, Dub Harris, Dr. James Jen Kin (one of my favorite California referees), Jerry Roth, Aileen Eaton, Danny Lopez, Ruben Castillo, Johnny Flores, Carlos Palomino, Paul Rojas, Jesus Pimentel, Mando Muniz, Ruben Olivares, Jerry Quarry and Joe M. Olmos. Eget stood by and beamed like a proud father. Eget holds monthly luncheons in a small side room for aging fighters, ensuring they get at least one good meal on his watch.  They call them the Cauliflower Ali Lunches.  Alex "The Bronx Bomber" Ramos took me the first time. I try to pop in whenever I can. The small side room was sadly vacant, save for a few stragglers trying to flag down waitresses for a glass of water. Most of those present were just glad to be there, keeping Eget's dream alive. And what is his dream? When I asked him, he kissed me on the cheek and hugged me. Each time I tried. But it was there in his brochure. In black and white: “I have but one dream that is, I will not be satisfied until everyone connected with boxing will have a place to call home with beds, kitchen, bathrooms, clothing, medicine, entertainment and 24 hour care." Julian, you're off to a kick-ass start. I'll be back...

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