$100 A Week

In 1935, a Jewish boy earning $35 a week carrying 300 pound blocks of ice, was offered three times more to fight; win, lose or draw. For one hundred dollars a week, Jock Whitney, British aristocrat and sportsman, owned Abe Simon. Abe won his first 14 fights, 12 by knockout. On his climb to fight Louis in 1941 he would knock out 27 opponents, including Jersey Joe Walcott.

reprinted from September 2009

You Don't Look Too Bad

Bernie Goetz told his subway attacker in 1984 that he doesn't look too bad, here's another, then shot him again. Bernie O'Hare tells the story of Teddy Roosevelt finishing a speech after he was shot. With the guns and ammunition in use now a days, neither of those things would happen. District Attorney Morganelli talks about the culture of the night people. The two weapons used in the Bethlehem shooting were a 40 and 45 caliber pistol. The 45 was invented during Teddy Roosevelt's time. It was designed to bring down a cavalry horse, not just the soldier. The Zombie Ammunition shown is not some fabrication to illustrate my point, it is an actual advertisement for hyper bullets by a major manufacturer. We have an arsenal of large caliber concealed weapons, filled with high velocity tissue and bone eating ammo, cruising our city streets. Who are the real zombies?

World War Ringside

Joe Louis had won his previous 23 fights, and was expected to do the same against Germany's Max Schmeling in June of 1936. Instead, the large crowd at Yankee Stadium saw the older Schmeling, a former World Champion, outscore Louis, and then knock him out in the 12th. Schmeling would go back to Hitler's Germany a national hero. Louis would go on to beat the Cinderella Man, James Braddock, for the World Championship. The stage was set for the most anticipated rematch in history. The famous 1938 fight, again at Yankee Stadium, was a sellout. Louis and Schmeling embodied everything about the pending war between the two countries. They were given pep talks by no less than Roosevelt and Hitler themselves. Louis carried the mantle for all Americans, but especially Black Americans, in the late 1930's. He would leave nobody down, by knocking out Schmeling in the first round.top photo of German toy produced between the first and second fights
bottom photo, one of three first round knockdowns in 1938 reprinted from March 2012

You Talkin To Me?

About 25 years ago I got into target shooting. As my interest and skill progressed, I purchased several guns. All the guns were designed to punch precise holes in paper targets. They had sophisticated adjustable metal sights, and were long and heavy to control recoil. Recently, I decided to sell them, and visited the local gun stores, for the first time in decades. As is often the case in my life, I once again aged into a dinosaur. The guns stores are now full of very light weight, highly concealable, high caliber pistols, supposedly sold for defense. The light weight creates high recoil, and lack of accuracy. In my era, Carry Permits were sought by merchants who had to make after hour store deposits, into mailbox type chutes, located on the outside of banks. Easy carry laws now permit anybody a gun, for any or no reason. It's little surprise that gun battles, with multiple shooters, are erupting. Welcome to the new wild west. By the way, is anybody interested in a Kodak Instamatic, which uses 126 film cartridges?

Boxing 1930's, Primo Carnera

When Abe Simon fought Joe Louis in 1942, Abe was the biggest heavyweight* fighting. That wasn't the case when Abe began his career in 1935. Primo Carnera was an Italian strongman on the European circus circuit. He fought his first fight in Paris in 1928. It is pretty well known that he was brought to N.Y.C. by mobsters who arranged and managed his fights. The 6'6" giant upset Jack Sharkey in 1933, and held the title for a year until Max Baer had a go at him.

In 1935 Carnera fought the up and coming Joe Louis, who pulverized him into a bloody mess. Primo would return to Europe. Shown in the ring with him in 1933 is Jean Harlow, promoting her movie classic Bombshell.

* 6'7" Buddy Baer, brother of Max, had retired after a beating from Louis earlier in 1942.

reprinted from February 2010

Tragedy At Union Terrace Amphitheater

Last year this blog reported that creek water was becoming dangerously close to the northern pier tower of the Union Terrace stage. An inspection yesterday revealed that the situation has deteriorated, and the pillar is now surrounded by water. It is imperative that the city fill in three sides immediately, and start to plan for a small coffer dam, to enable some fill to be placed on the fourth creek side of the pillar. Union Terrace was the last WPA project in Allentown, and perhaps the one of greatest long term benefit to the citizens. Over the years many generations have enjoyed an occasional performance there, recently being used for outdoor film. The visual symmetry of the two pillars is an esthetic we cannot afford to lose, especially in this the year celebrating our history.