Boston, Boxing, and Tony DeMarco

Stoney,what a gem you wrote as usual. Never been to Boston,your piece took me there. I too,whenever I'm in a new town or even part of my own city,are cognizant of some Boxing history that once took place there.for a small example,many years ago while walking in NY City near East 23St, I noticed a sign on a building that said" this was the site of the old Hoss Market Building". I stopped and recalled that this was where in 1909 Stanley Ketchel KO'D Phil. Jack O'Brien in the 10th round, but the bell saved the unconscious O,Brien from a KO.
Tony DeMarco was a great gladiator,as brave and tough as a welterweight could be.What war's DeMarco and Basilio waged !!! The fighter of today who though much inferior to Tony, is Marcos Maidana, minus the great left-hook, DeMarco possessed.
So, S, thank you for your great piece of boxing history, and you are in my eyes, today's W.C. Heinz...:good

 

I thoroughly enjoyed that. Your writing has a lot of personality. Reading your stuff I hear your voice, and get the feeling I know you. Phrases like, "sharp ones with sharp eyes looked for easy marks. Broken ones lay down in dark corners..." Or "The fifth time she threw it back, she bristled. I was tickled," are musical and poetic and won't be soon forgotten. As always there's a lot of art in your stuff, but I detect a little more discipline in this one; I think that's a tough nut for the creative, instinctive writer. But it can be learned, right? where I don't think what you've got naturally, can be.

 

Great piece of writing...met the champ a few years back...nice man...GREAT fights with Basilio and Saxon back in 1955...

 

everytime my friends order pizza from Sugar Ray's i go on a drunken tnagent about how much of a boss he was

 

Damn. I would have checked this out if I knew.

 

:goodThanks YET AGAIN,Stoney:good

 

Beautiful piece Stoney. As Burt said your writing really brings us to Boston (I've never been their either). DeMarco is a guy with a lot of balls and a ton of heart. I love him in his battles with Basilio. I don't think you could have had anymore heart than he did. In the few documentaries I've seen him in he looked young and good for his age. Glad he's still succinct and kicking at 80. Always admired how he was able to be friends with Basilio in spite of losing those fierce battles. Just curious, is your surname "Toledo" Italian or is that just a pen name?

 

I'm a Bostonian now living in L.A.. Your piece made me a bit homesick. Wished I'd been to the north end for this event. Nice work, sir.

 

There were a lot of quotables in that piece; I like the way you mixed in history of the game, of the City of Boston with your short story.

I know for me, I have to really care about something to be able to do it any justice. If I'm fakin' it at all, it shows. You obviously do care and that shows. Thanks for sharing it.

 

That's an interesting story. Where did you grandfather emigrate from? If he changed his Italian last name to another Italian sounding last name, that would be pretty funny (Because most, if they did change it changed it to be more American sounding so they could blend in easier).