Poetry Writing Workshops
Next Week: Wednesday at 6:00
Saturday, Two Weeks Away:
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Michael Sedano
Canto "TNT" Robledo ruled the Olympic Auditorium bantamweight ring in 1930s Los Angeles. Robledo was blinded while training for his big shot, a title fight that never happened. That accident was no "career-ending blow." Devastated by blindness, Canto Robledo rebuilds his life in the fight business. He becomes a mentor and coach to generations of young fighters and future champs. Robledo is the only blind person in history to be licensed to train professional fighters.
Joseph Robledo wrote a book about his Dad, Blood on the Canvas. Robledo, fils, may be the only Golden Gloves boxing champion to write a book about the sport. For certain, Joe Robledo was the only memoirist selling books at Los Angeles Plaza de Cultura y Artes' splashy celebration honoring 18TH & Grand: The Olympic Auditorium. The two-floor exhibition runs through May 2024.
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| Golden Foothills Press Publisher Thelma Reyna and Joseph C. Robledo pose for LAPCA photog |
Blood on the Canvas documents the era of the rise of Mexican-American fighters. Little guys with big hearts and hard fists. Within a few generations, Chicano fighters have the local limelight. Indian Red Lopez, Schoolboy Bobby Chacon, Carlos Palomino, Joey Orbillo, Danny Little Red Lopez, Mando Ramos headline fight nights at the Olympic promoted by Eileen Eaton. As much as the fighters, Eaton is the heart of the LA fight scene.
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| Joe and Josie (She's the Cut-man in Joe's corner) Bronze: Canto Robledo coaching a fighter by touch. (foto: LAPCA) |
Monumental fotos from those generations of boxers fill the walls of LAPCA. Enter a different gallery and more huge b&w fotos of Roller Derby confrontations. Two rollers skaters pass between the legs of surprised Jammers. A woman on her back is about to take a punch from her angry opponent.
Turn into another spacious gallery to view assemblages of mascaras and sequined capes, wrestlers, luchadores. Freddy Blassie has a wall to himself. I don't see Mr. Moto nor Crybaby Corbett up on those walls, Gorgeous George and Little Chief are missing too. I grew up on this stuff and did so many visitors tonight.
I learn a lot about the Olympic and the various blood sport practitioners whose "sweet science" fills special niche in raza cultura. 18th & Grand Curator Stephen DeBro, Latino boxing historian and author Gene Aguilera with LA Plaza curators Karen Crews Hendon, Esperanza Sanchez, and the LA Plaza curatorial team put together an exhibition that merits its extended run through May 2024.
It's unlikely future visitors will get a chance for a foto with Joe Robledo, but the bookstore has a good supply of the book.
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| foto: Thelma Reyna |
You can order Blood On the Canvas directly from Golden Foothills Press (link), or ask your local Indie Bookseller to bring in a good supply for you and your friends.