PETER’S PATTER — JUNE 2015
Bridge Generation News
The enthusiasm shown by U.S. Filipinos in the May 2 Manny Pacquiao/Floyd Mayweather fight is a reminder of how important boxing has been in the history of Filipinos in America. Corky Pasquil‘s excellent 1994 documentary The Great Pinoy Boxing Era chronicled the feats of numerous boxers from the Philippines. Beginning in 1923 with newly crowned world flyweight champ Pancho Villa (nee Francisco Guilledo), a significant number of pinoy fighters became world champions or top contenders in the U.S. Their prominence ended only after immigration from the Philippines was limited to 50 a year by the 1934 Tydings/McDuffie Act. Their bouts gave Manong Generation Filipinos a brief respite from their grueling days as farm laborers, restaurant workers, Alaskeros, and domestics. Moreover, the success of the Philippine boxers gave immigrant Filipinos hope for the future. Soon Bridge Generation boys were taught to box at an early age with gloves usually purchased by manongs. (As young teens, Hank Dacuyan of Winton and I, representing our respective campos, boxed before a wildly cheering crowd of partisan Filipino farm workers — I won on a technical knockout). During the 1940s, some BG youth later found fame as professional boxers when Bernard and Maxie Docusen of New Orleans and Dado Marino and Johnny Efhan of Honolulu became main eventers. But other pro pugilists, such as Jimmy Florita and Sleepy Caballero of Stockton, fought in relative obscurity in under-cards. Most Bridge Generation boxers fought as amateurs. Among them were Ernie Cabreana of Santa Maria, Bob Santos and Joe Goudia of Seattle, Tim Maghoney of Isleton, and Stockton’s Ray Paular (see below pic of Ray in 1948 as the Golden Gloves silver medalist), Max Sarmiento, Manuel Revillar, George Enebrad, and brothers Pas and Jose Fidel. Regardless of whether they were professionals or amateurs, pinoy fighters were always a popular draw among fellow Filipinos. 
Oops! Last month I forgot to say Happy Birthday to long time close friend Jeannette Castilliano Tiffany of Seattle. Sorry about that, Jeannette……….. Connie Pasquil of Walnut Grove is making a steady recovery from a recent stroke. She recently presented the Cornelio Pasquil Memorial Scholarship to a deserving high school graduate as part of an Outstanding Filipino Youth Awards ceremony………. A recent post on Facebook showed an old picture of Walter Yuponco during his San Francisco days wearing a thick black moustache. I could of sworn — he was a dead ringer for the late movie comedian, Jerry Colona.
Pinakbet — Across the Country
More Pacquiao/Mayweather news — After the fight, Pacquiao claimed victory — citing his opponent’s running away style. But over the years, a number of prominent boxers made their living with the same style. Willie Pastrano, a light heavyweight during the 1960s who always seemed to be featured on the weekly TV fights, was criticized for his style of holding and then running. Pastrano is from New Orleans, the same home town as Maxie and Bernard Docusen, and is widely believed to also be of Filipino ancestry. Although Pacquiao lost the fight to his American opponent, in the earlier duel of national anthem singers, the Philippines won. Gail Barawis, 19, of the Bronx NY, sang the Philippines national anthem Lupang Hinarang accompanied by all male choir. Famous film and singing star Jaimie Foxx sang America’s Star Spangled Banner. Gail won — without a doubt!……… Kudos to Rob Bonta, the only Filipino American serving in the California State Assembly. His bill AB-7 to establish a Larry Itliong Day on October 25 (his birthday) was overwhelmingly passed by the Legislature. Previously, Bonta’s bill AB-123, requiring the teaching in California public schools of Filipino contributions to the farm labor movement, was also passed by the Legislature………… Good to know that comic Rex Navarette is still making audiences laugh. He’s come a long way since he entertained fellow staff members of the Asian American Recovery Services in San Francisco. Another personal tie-in – his mother is the baby sitter for my great granddaughter, Jada……… The first ever Filipino Restaurant Week in the U.S. occurred in New York City on May 11. More than a dozen Filipino restaurants participated. About the same time, the respected Washington Post newspaper featured four DC area Filipino restaurants. These trendy eateries no longer are “point-point” steam table places; their menus go way beyond dinuguan and balut ……….. Trinidad Torres, 78, from Utah and a first time visitor to the Westgate Las Vegas Casino, hit a jackpot worth $11 million on March 14………… Remember child actress Hailee Steinfeld who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress Oscar for playing Mattie Ross in the film True Grit in 2010 when she was only 13? Since then she’s been in Romeo and Juliet and in 3 Days to Kill and is currently starring in Pitch Perfect 2. Hailee has never visited the Philippines but plans to soon go to her ancestral home in Bohol……….. Happy to see that civil rights activist Frank Irigon of Newcastle CA is still at it. He was seen in Seattle protesting the police shooting of unarmed African American teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson MO. In recognition of his many years of activism, Frankie recently received the Champion of Justice Award from Representative Adam Smith of Washington’s Ninth Congressional District………. Efren Reyes of the Philippines is considered to be the greatest living pool/billiards player in the world. Winner of over seventy international titles, he was recently in California for an exhibition billiard tournament……Trivia questions: (1) Where and when was the first permanent Filipino settlement in what is now the continental U.S.? (2) Who was the first Filipino to play for a major league baseball team? And on a lighter note, (3) Who was the first pinay since the 1980s who posed in the all-together for Playboy magazine? Answers in next month’s blog.