A Hap Navarro Time Capsule

Bobby Pacho

Bobby Pacho. Circa 1931

California State Lightweight Champion

By Hap Navarro

Those of us who were around California boxing back in the 1930s can never forget the ability, the boxing class, the scrapping nature of Bobby Pacho, a Yuma, Az. lightweight who broke into the pro ranks while working as a farm mechanic in El Centro, Ca.

The BoxRec archives show him being from Cleveland, Ohio. Not so. Nor did he start as a pro in 1929. His early bouts, most of them at El Centro, Ca., took place in 1928, some of which he fought as Kid Mexico. I have his early bouts somewhere among my debris; when I ferret them out I will credit them accordingly.

Bobby's record at first sight is nothing to excite one. But in reality the lad had two careers----one early on, when he showed a lot of promise ending in the mid-1930s, and the sunset years, when he became more of an opponent than a stellar attraction. His arc seemed to peak when he pressed Champion Barney Ross to the limit in L.A. in defense of his Jr. Welter Title in 1934.

Bobby was but one of a wealth of fine lightweights active at time in our state. Cecil Payne, Hector McDonald, Tod Morgan, Yg. Peter Jackson, Frankie Klick, Goldie Hess, Kenny LaSalle, Johnny Lamar, and Santiago Zorrilla kept things hummng in the division. And Pacho stood above the lot by winning the state title from Tod Morgan in 1931 before losing it to Yg. Peter Jackson the following year.

He was managed by Bert Morse, who was also Baby Arizmendi's first manager, ahead of Cal Working.

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Hap Navarro on Manuel Ortiz

1951 Spanish-American Sports Writers Banquet picturing Hap Navarro presenting an award to Manuel Ortiz

Manuel Ortiz vs Harold Dade 

"Manuel Ortiz was a bit of a riddle. He took his boxing career seriously only on a few occasions. When he did he was undoubtedly one of the best lighter men of all time. A master boxer who could lure an opponent into fierce exchanges which he usually won. The worst I ever saw him was in an Olympic match with Lauro Salas, terribly out of shape.

When Manny pealed off his robe the audience actually gasped at the layers of fat around his midsection. He weighed just under 135 pounds for that one and paid the price for his misstep.
Salas pounded him easily and repeatedly until Manny had to take a voluntary knock down to stop the onslaught. He fought back on guts alone and survived without getting floored again but lost a lopsided duke.

I remember that tears streamed down his cheeks as he realized how futile his efforts were against a well conditioned foe like Lauro. It was a sight, Rick, so much so that some of us at ringside kept pleading with Lauro to let up on Manny, whom he could never kayo. In a subsequent rematch, Lauro got his come-uppance and lost the duke."

Hap Navarro

THE HISTORY OF L.A. BOXING BY HAP NAVARRO

THE HISTORY OF L.A. BOXING COURTESY OF HAP NAVARRO

Los Angeles one of the world's great boxing cities has probably developed more sensational box-office attractions than any other city. Baby Casanova, Enrique Bolanos, Art Aragon, Raton Macias, Jose Becerra, Ricardo Moreno, Battling Torres, Mando Ramos, Ruben Olivares, Jesus Pimintel, Jose medel, Jose Napoles, Carlos Zarate, Alberto "Super Fly" Sandoval, Lupe Pintor, Ruben Navarro, Alfonso Zamora, Danny Lopez, Bobby Chacon, Pipino Cuevas, etc. literally "EXPLODED" on the L.A. fight scene with "breathtaking" action performances that made them huge drawing cards.

Los Angeles' boxing tradition goes back to the days of Jim Jeffries, Tom McCarey, the famous Los Angeles Athletic Club under the direction of George Blake who developed Fidel LaBarba, Jackie Fields, Joe Salas. The names of the fighters and movers and shakers continued with Jimmy McLarnin, Gig Rooney, George Hansford, Henry Armstrong, Turkey Thompson, John Thomas, Fitzie Fitzpatrick, Chalky Wright, The Olympic Auditorium, Cal Working, Hollywood Legion stadium, Cal and Aileen Eaton, George parnassus, Manuel Ortiz, Babe McCoy, Clarence Henry, Irish Bob Murphy, Wrigley Field, Gilmore Stadium, Jimmy Lennon, Frankie Carbo, Mickey Cohen, Howie Steindler,South Gate Arena, Don Jordon, Ramon Fuentes, the tragic teenage boxing sensation-Keeny Teran, George raft, Lupe Vellez, Main Street Gym, Billy Peacock, Duke Holloway, Canto Robleto, Boots Monroe, Dwight Hawkins, Raul Rojas, Frankie Crawford, etc.

Get the picture? All great tales. I know of no other boxing town with such a colorful or exciting story to be told, and nobody knows it better than Mr. Hap Navarro......,,,,Jackie
McCoy, Norm lockwood, Harry kabakoff, Indian (Ernie) Red Lopez, the Baltazar brothers, Ralph Gambina, Hegeman Lewis, Eddie futch, Tury (The Fury) Pineda, Carlos Palomino, Inglewood Forum, Jerry Buss, Don Chargin, Genero Hernandez, the Ruelas bros., Oscar DeLaHoya, Fernando Vargas, etc. etc.