BIG JOE'S CELEBRITY PAGE

THANKS JOE, FOR THAT GREAT STORY AND AUTOGRAPHED PICTURE OF YOU AND ALI.... the sparring took place in 1972 and Ali was world champ at the time. It was a benefit for our P.A.L. and it took place in the Ice House Arena on Berlin Road in Cherry Hill. Frank might remember that old place......Joe

Another story from Joe:

deDear frank: 'ol blue eyes was appearing at the latin with dean martin

{ ol red eyes }

and he had a chief inspecter from the philadelphia police dept. as
his bodyguard. the inspecter carried a gun, and was quite inthralled with himself. he used to walk around with his chest out and bark orders like a d.i. . i became friends with sinatra's buddy jilly rizzo, and informed him that this inspecter from philadelphia could not legally carry a gun in new jersey. i was immediately placed right outside of sinatra's door as top security. well nobody told the inspecter, and one night we received a call that a rather large contingent of fans was at the front entrance of the hyatt and sinatra deceided that he would use the rear elevator. i walked him to the elevator and was about to step in when the " inspecter " pushed me back, and
the door closed in my face. you can imagine how crazy i was for about 4 hours waiting for the " inspecter " to return. when we got a call from the latin that sinatra was on the way back, i went to the elevator and waited there with jilly rizzo at my side. i never mentioned what happened to jilly, because i was big enough to handle my own problems. well the elevator door opened and with one shot on the jaw i put that " inspecter " to sleep for about 15 minutes.

sinatra jumped back and asked " what the hell was going on " . jilly then told him what happened and that the inspecter could not carry a gun in jersey. sinatra came out of his room and told me i was in charge anytime he came into town. the next morning the " inspecter " was told to walk sinatra's little doggy, and he did.

since then i have had alot of encounters with sinatra and rizzo and all of his pack, it's hard to imagine they are all gone now!

I do have a memento
from the

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD,

THE TOP OF THE DECK,

AND 'OL BLUE EYES,
a solid gold Dunhill lighter that he gave me.

Joe.

PS: Sinatra used to reach up {only about 5''7 } and pinch my cheek and
say "you are the biggest siggi I ever met," (a siggi is slang for a person of
Sicilian decent or heritage). Evidently, over there they are short like him too.

Sinatra and Joe 1977

Next time I'll tell you about ANN MARGARET { WOW }

joe frazier was introduced to me by joey giardello. the fighter that frank's dad really liked. when joe came into town he found out that me and ali were friends and , because him and ali didn't get along, he thought he would use my services as a bodyguard. well ali talked tough, and so did joe, but i found out that was part of the game. ali recommended me to joe and i spent alot of nights keeping people away from him. i also spent alot of days sobering up after the nights with him. smokin joe could drink anybody under the table. he is a very nice and warm gent. he just loves his chivas regal too much. he used to introduce me to his friends as " joey ,the mafia guy ". i still see him sometimes. one of these days he'll remember who i was.
lol.