Is Elmer Violent Ray still alive?

Absolutely no idea if he is still alive or not as I type but thought I'd just post this - although you've probably seen it before maybe - if I can come up with much else of interest I'll post it here too - it's one that's kinda bugged me for a while to be honest

http://federalpoint.tripod.com/id76.html

 

wonder whether some of our buddies - maybe the likes of Burt and/or JG or someone might know something or have contacts who might know?

 

I asked the question to the 'Old Timers' column writer in Boxing News when this question was posed in a thread in mid 2010 or so, **** never replied

 

If anyone wants to make a mission of it, try contacting the names here:

http://www.spokeo.com/search?q=elmer ray#USA

 

We could write to every Elmer Ray in the country asking them if they have ever boxed.

 

Well you can take out the ones not in the right age bracket. There's a few with no age details. Elmer Ray according to boxrec was a Florida native and there only appears to be 1 entry for this name in Florida. The thing is even if he is alive, he'd be about 90 and maybe losing his faculties now, would be nice for his family though

 

If he is alive, then he is a living man who beat Walcott and Charles and fought John Henry Lewis, plus shared a ring with Joe Louis and Charlie Burley.

 

SParring I presume?

 

Yeah supposedly Burley spark Elmer Ray out in one of those wish you were there to see it sparring sessions - I'm assuming Ray faced Louis in an 'exhibition' which judging by his 'exhibitions' vs Layne and Valentino were not exactly 'exhibitions so it would be interesting to know the result of that one

 

That was who I had in mind yesterday aswell - can somebody PM Hascup about it and see what he can come up with? Does anyone know how to check out all the Elmer Ray's in the Florida area aswell??

 

Louis and Ray did meet in an exhibition that was meant to be friendly.

Ray went after Louis to try to make a name for himself ,but Louis turned the tables and sparked him.

King Levinsky tried a similar stunt against Max Baer with the same result.

 

That would be my guess as well. While stranger things have happened, than someone living to see the age of 99, I think it more likely that he fell off the public radar, and may even have finished his life as a civilian under a different name.

 

Burt if you read this - anything you can shed any light on?? Or Hascup? If you're there could you check with everyone at the Hall Of Fame maybe?? Or JG?? anything you know about - even anyone who might have known someone who might have known someone else who might have known Elmer?? I struggle to see how someone who was obviously such a name on the fight circuit could just dissappear without someone in the boxing world not knowing where he'd gone??