Combat Sports Historian and Martial Artist
After averaging 9 fights a year over the past 7 years, World Middleweight Boxing Champion Stanley “The Michigan Assassin” Ketchel was exhausted. Ketchel took a vacation on the Missouri ranch of his friend Colonel R. P. Dickerson in an attempt to regain his strength and enthusiasm for fighting. Ketchel never returned from vacation as he was shot and killed at
William Powell’s fifth turn as S.S. Van Dine’s detective Philo Vance may have been his best. The Kennel Murder Case (1933) finds Philo Vance trying to solve the murder of Archer Coe. Coe had many enemies but the greatest mystery for Vance is how Coe was murdered in a locked room. Vance attended a dog show with Coe and his
Ollie J. Zimmerman was the third son born to my great-grandfather Parker L. Zimmerman and his second wife Mollie Bollinger. Ollie and his twin sister Dollie were born on either April 27, 1906 or April 27, 1907. Since Ollie’s headstone says “1906”, I’m going with April 27, 1906 as his birthdate. In 1909, Ollie would lose his mother, when Mellie
Charlie Chan in Panama (1940) stars Sidney Toler as Inspector Charlie Chan. In this film, Inspector Chan is on the trail of the spy Riner. Riner intends to carry out an act of sabotage, when the American fleet passes through the canal. Inspector Chan experiences an unusual situation, when he is arrested for the death of an American agent in
A few weeks ago, I started another twelve week program focused on putting on muscle mass. The primary focus of the program is lifting heavier weights and using free weights primarily. The well-respected personal trainer, who designed the program, insists that you follow it “as written”, a common ask from program designers. I trained legs on the first day. When
On Thursday, January 23, 1902, St. Louis awakened to the news millionaire A. Deane Cooper was found murdered in the Vista Bathhouse at Franklin Avenue and North Grand Boulevard. Cooper, one of St. Louis’ wealthiest men, owned residential real estate and other assets valued at 2 million dollars. Cooper aspired to be the biggest property owner in St. Louis. He
Eugene “Gene” August Johannpeter was born on May 20, 1908, to Julius and Bertha Johannpeter. He was the second son of Uncle Jules and Aunt Bertha. His older brother was Julius “Punks” William Johannpeter, Jr., who flew the mail out of Lambert Field along with Charles Lindbergh. “Punks” was seven years older than Gene. My grandfather, Gilbert P. Ellis, lived
On March 19, 1942, RKO Radio Pictures released the second film starring the Old Time Radio comedy team Lum and Abner. The Bashful Bachelor (1942) starred Chester Lauck as Lum Edwards and Norris Goff as Abner Peabody, the owners of the Jot’Em Down Store in Arkansas. In this film (affiliate link), longtime bachelor Lum Edwards wants to become a hero
I recently watched the Eddie Bravo Invitational 13: The Lightweights, where über talented Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Gary Tonan defended his title. I enjoy the EBIs more than most of the other non-UFC events on UFC Fight Pass, the Ultimate Fighting Championship subscription streaming service. Tonan is famous for his leg locks but I noticed most of the competitors were
On June 27, 1941, Producer’s Releasing Corporation (PRC) released Double Cross (1941). The film is a starring vehicle for Kane Richmond, who displays his usual rugged toughness backed up by intelligence. In this film, Richmond plays Police Officer Jim Murray, the son of a Police Captain. At the beginning of the film, Jim Murray’s friend Steve Bronson, another police officer,