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Emile
A. Griffith, Jr.
Legendary 6-Time Winning Worldwide
Welterweight and Middleweight Boxing
Champion
~and~
Subject of Televised Documentary "Ring of Fire"
STONEWALL Rebellion
Veterans' Association
S.R.V.A. Vice-President Emeritus
*
Charter Member 1969 STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans' Association
Two Champs: Mike Tyson! + Emile Griffith!
Photo taken at annual Boxing
Convention in Upstate New York
[Copyrighted Photograph by David "Boxing Kid" Selwyn]
Emile
Griffith Marches in NYC Gay Pride Parade
with the STONEWALL
Rebellion Veterans' Association
www.NYTimes.com/2007/06/09/sports/09Griffith.html
=Stonewall Old
Newz=
The Emile Griffith Gay book was bare-ly "Out"!
To quote JoAnne Worley on "Laugh-In": "Borrrrrrrrrr-ing!"
Booked:
"Nine... Ten... Out! The Two
Worlds of Emile Griffith"
*
Absolutely nothing Gay -- surely no Gay male lover relationship -- is developed. Emile Griffith and Willson Henderson's interesting and notorious involvement spanned a decade. They started in 1969 and, as one spanning sample, Willson was front-row center at Emile's final fight in Madison Square Garden (but not final fight) in 1977 against a boxer named Christy. Bi the way, Emile won! His other three fights (not at MSG) later that year were all humbling losses. Willson, among many loyal others, were very concerned about Emile's well-being now and for the future. The EAG & WLH relationship was on/off based mostly on when it was mutually convenient and neither one was otherwise involved with another male lover. Emile primarily had troubling "Spanish Matthew" looming and lurking, until Matty shot some guy point-blank dead in their New Jersey lovenest apartment! Emile was home at the time. Scandal! Meanwhile, Willson had actor John Watts, dancer Eddie Wright, entertainer Sterling St. Jacques, dee-jay Gregory Demps, model Michael Toney, dealer David Ali, basketball Darren Prince Taylor, singer Donald Ray Williams, et al. Yes, in their on/off Gay game, Emile had met all of them and, some, many times! Hey, where are those pix? Don't lookie in the bookie! Under the umbrella of "out!", on one occasion at WLH's The Victoria apartment, they even adopted a sometimes heterosexual pasttime and swapped partners!! All four on one occasion earlier posed for a stand-up picture 4gether! Bi the way, the Emile hot Puerto Rican guy James Lochard ended up in prison upstate New York!
*
All originally-color pictures were downgraded to cheaper-to-print and excruciatingly diminished black and white pictures. More diminishment for the viewer. We never saw the quad-colorful S.V.A. banner in dull black and white prior to this. Ugh! The classic "Stonewall Car" that Emile knows for over 39 years -- and has proudly driven with Willson in the past and rides in for the annual New York City Gay Pride Parade -- is scarcely shown in only one photo (with Emile coming out! of the car) but the famous vehicle is inexplicably unidentified! It is one of the most famous cars in America!
Willson, Storme and Emile arriving at the SRVA's post-Parade
"S/W-Duncheon"
[Photography by the SRVA's O.P. Hal M. Weiner]
This is one of the S.R.V.A. photos in the disappointing Gay book on
Emile. Why this
unflattering to all photo was used defies judgment. Emile is
caught
off-guard, acting
tentative and looking confused At least Willson is looking
out for him! In fact,
Emile just completed a
3-hour part in a nine-hour NYC Gay Pride parade. The book
by idiotic, wannabee, liddle Ron 'Ross' erroneously (one of about ninety errors)
describes this odd photo as "Gettin' ready for the Gay Pride
Parade". Huh? What
inaccuracy! The lazy writer should have asked
one of the subjects or photographer
(who he telephoned for free photo permission) or Emile's
nearby lover Luis (who the
champ is eyeing in this pic) chatting up with some younger
Gay guy. The
reality is the
exact opposite: this photo depicts
a scene after the parade is over for the lead
S.R.V.A.
STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans' Association contingency. This scene is in front
of the Hudson
Corner Cafe restaurant on Hudson Street. That's the famous 1969 blue
"Stonewall Car" in color
not the borebook's cheezy black and white version that Emile
is precariously exiting. The famous convertible
is 'unidentified' in the book!? Duh!
.
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= = = = = = = =
Stonewall Newzletta
411 submitted exclusively for the S.V.A. by:
Leigh P. McManus, S.V.A.
Editor-in-Chief
"The only thing 'out' is if you lay 'out' any cash for this
boring book."
with Stonewall
Newzletta
reporter Vito Abzuzzoluccione
"Hey, it's not the worst book
I've ever semi-read, but it's one of 'em!"
plus... reaction from a real closet case former boxer Matthew Samuelson:
"Yo, these two older men can be as wannabee private as they want but don't then march (really ride) in the public Gay (hello!) Pride Parade especially in New York City and be the Gay subject of a Gay film and a Gay book and Gay magazines and Gay interviews and, after all that and then some, then cry "We're not Gay"!? C'mon! Someone gotta be 'tupid not to know.... These two guys met in a prison about 30 years ago with a 30-year age gap and one an x-boxer and now correction officer and the other a hormone-raging tough teenage petty criminal prisoner!
...and commentary by S.V.A. Executive Committee member Mary S. Twist:
"At the last S.V.A. meeting -- with a no-show by the lying writer who had confirmed attendance to be "supportive of the S.V.A. and answer questions about his book comments" -- I read for free in the one and only complementary copy of the paperback about a half-dozen boring pages in the "out!" chapter. I am not the type to dish but let me tell you that I had to be bitch-slapped to keep from dozing! Borrrrring! Zzzzzzzzzzzz!"
...and happy remarks from S.V.A. office manager AnDre M. Christie
"Whenever Emile Griffith and his longtime (how many decades) boyfriend Luis Rodrigo (aka Luisa) are out with Willson Henderson and me at an event like the NYC Gay Pride Parade in Manhattan or the NYC Gay Expo at the Javits Center or out to dinner at a public restaurant after a monthly S.V.A. meeting, Emile and Luis are very themselves. We always have a nice time and fun! There's no question that Emile and Luis are a Gay couple. Anyone who knows them knows that fact. Period!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Happily pictured above at the Gay
Biz Expo are
(l-2-r): George Wolfe, Emile Griffith, Willson Henderson,
Stephen Guirgis, Luis Rodrigo and Dan Klores
Note: Willson is
unnecessarily crouched down because the two 'heavyweights' behind
him would not move down from Emile although they all there thanks to
WLH!
[Photo by AnDre
M. Christie]
Errata: In the non-out
book, AnDre is wrongly not credited for his photo.
Also, in the '8-9-10' book, this color photo is cheaply reduced to black
and white.
Emile is the guest speaker at his own STONEWALL Veterans' Association
Boxing Champ Emile Griffith on the cover of a Florida T.V.
magazine
Note: They front-page printed the wrong day for the movie
premier!
[Courtesy of Helen A. Henderson]
Special Screening of "Ring of Fire" -- (most of) the Emile Griffith Story
Standing tight: Emile Griffith & Willson Henderson
very still 2gether in 1975
[Photo by N.Y.C. model Michael D. Toney]
This picture is memorable not only because it is of two legends -- sports Emile Griffith and model Willson Henderson, respectively -- and in addition to the fact that it is a certified classic but because it was taken on "Gay Pride Weekend" at a "Gay Pride Party" celebrating in 1974 the 5th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion. Clearly, it is an intimate pic. They couldn't be any closer and still standing! As a matter of fact, the photo was taken on the eve of "Stonewall Sunday", the day of the annual New York City Gay Pride Parade. The location of this photo is Willson Henderson's luxurious apartment at The Victoria -- a stone's throw from Fifth Avenue and, thus, the same stone's throw to the Gay Pride Parade route, which then went up Fifth Avenue. Emile usually kept his 1974 Lincoln Town Car (at this time) in the garage of The Victoria. That is exactly where the 1969 "Stonewall Car" was kept (at that time). Emile enjoyed entering the building privately from a garage elevator directly up to the eighth floor residence of Willson. It avoided the big and busy lobby and E.G. being besieged by yearning staff and admiring fans for photographs and autographs -- and, of course, "questions"! All of the building's staff knew Emile and regularly asked Willson: "When's the champ coming next? Let me know!" Some of the other S.V.A. Stonewall veterans, besides Willson and Emile, who were at the festive party (see picture above) include: Michael Toney, Steven Konigsberg, Storme DeLarverie, Sonia Jane Attkiss, Eddie Wright, Jr., Leigh P. McManus, David Jenkins-Foxworth, Electra O'Mara, Stanley Dunne, Terri Van Dyke, Amir Qaharr, Dave West, Antoine Williams, Lucy Santiago, Leroi Carr, Adrienne Seiden, David Ali, Carole Williams, et al. Among the other celebrities -- besides Emile -- at the party were R&B singer Hank Ballad ("The Twist"), record producer Dave Crawford (most of Candi Staton's hit songs), child actor song Parker "The Hardy Boys" Stevenson,.writer and producer Lincoln Chase ("The Name Game"), Broadway star Ken Paige (currently in "Dreamgirls"), boy model Kelly McInerney, and 6' 6" actor/model Sterling St. Jacques (the not-so-secret Gay lover of black actor Raymond St. Jacques) who slept over in the master bedroom). What a parrrrrty!
///////////////////////////////////////////////////
Emile Griffith at a New York City Gay Manhattan party
Emile Griffith, Michael Toney and Gerald I.
"Gerry" Paige in 1974
[Photo by Willson Henderson in Manhattan, N.Y.]
This photo was taken in Willson Henderson's luxury apartment at The Victoria Apartments between Fifth Avenue and Union Square in Manhattan, NYC. It was a place which Emile unabashedly enjoyed and felt secure and very comfortable at in all ways and at all times. In this photo, notice the record album cover pix of Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Marvin Gay and Eddie Kendricks! Also observe where Emile intentionally has his right hand -- a Gay omen of a menage-a-trois things to cum with Willson and Michael!
[More prideful Emile Griffith party pix in S.V.A. storage to eventually come "out"!]
Paradoxical trio: Emile Griff, Blushing Bride
and Willson Henderson
Note: Emile had his
designer Charles create this lavender and white
with fringe, two-piece, gayish jumpsuit for Willson for the
"wedding"!
[Photo in 1971 by Heavyweight Boxing Champ and Best Man Joe
Frasier]
Iron-y: Emile Griffith's Boyfriend's Mother Helen Henderson
(aka his Mother-in-Law)
with Emile's 'Best Man' Heavyweight Boxing Champion Joe Frazier
(who asked no
questions but def caught the
drift) with Emile's Gay Boyfriend Willson Henderson.
On second and third look, Willson's outfit below the waist is a kind of 'knock-out'!
Note:
WLH did not want his mother at this Gay
undercurrent happening but
Emile insisted big time and invited Mrs. Henderson in
person and she accepted!
This was not the first time that
the two teamed up and out-voted Willson.
[Photo taken by Emile & Willson's close Stonewall
Club fag-hag
Adrienne Seiden]
Emile switched with the Bride for a pic next to Willson
[Photo taken by Joe Frazier]
1970: Emile Griffith and his Boyfriend Willson Henderson
NYC Gay celebrity couple: Emile and Willson
dressed stylishly and colorfully
[Photo by mutual Gay friend Vaughn Fubler of Mount Vernon, NY]
Note: This picture taken in Willson Henderson's dining room at The Victoria Apartments off Fifth Avenue, NYC.
Emile Griffth and Willson Henderson's social agenda was anchored
primarily in New York City Gay life. In addition, throughout the 1970s,
once they met -- in January 1969 at The ~original~ STONEWALL Club -- Willson attended all of Emile's boxing
matches -- "always a huge production and like a big family matter"
-- at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York; the Spectrum in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
Willson did not have the enthusiasm for such physical fights
the way some financially-benefiting members of Emile's family had,
especially his very loud, over-the-top Mama Mouth". Willson was
often heard stating: "You don't like seeing someone that U love
getting hit!" Emile finally retired from boxing (long after he
should have) in the Summer of 1977.
Close-Up + Sizzlin': World Middle-Weight Boxing
Champion Emile Griffith
[Emile Griffith publicity photo from the David Selwyn Boxing Kid
Collection]
Emile Griffith's Stellar Boxing Bouts
BoxRec.com/list_bouts.php/Griffith_id=9017/boxer
and with more boxing matches -27- at Madison Square Garden than any boxer!
Champion boxer Emile "E.G." Griffith is shown wearing black boxing trunks and going down in the white trunks with his butt sticking out and part of his white jock strap hanging out is Benny Paret
Emile A. Griffith, Jr. ("EAG"), was a consummate boxing fighter. Among other outstanding facts in his illustrious career, Emile met 10 world boxing champions in the boxing ring! EAG boxed 339 "title-fight" rounds -- more than any other boxer in history!!
Many sports magazines, including Sports Illustrated and others, contact the STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans' Association ("S.V.A.") throughout the year. Unfortunately, they are typically demanding and empty-handed. Sports Illustrated has been to S.V.A. meetings! The S.V.A. usually does not grant media interviews or provide additional information or personal details when their motive is clearly sensationalism -- or they somehow think that they are doing the S.V.A. a favor! Thus, S.I. was denied any interviews by the S.V.A. After SI's pushy and tacky reporter kept on insisting, SVA's Willson Henderson told him: "No!" (Their subsequent unflattering story on the legendary Emile Griffith and his too-much-info current health condition received mostly negative reviews.)
Emile Griffith was literally "sitting on top of the world"! What
a spread!
[Signed Emile Griffith photo courtesy of STONEWALL
Veterans Association Archives]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
2019 -- Six years After.....
German Review of and Tribute to Emile GriffithBern.LGBT/2019/09/Emile-Griffith-boxweltmeister-und-damenhutdesigner
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2023 -- Gay Boxing Champion Emile Griffith is Incredibly the Subject of an Opera!
Brilliant idea to have an opera depicting the highly interesting life of a champion boxer, of all people -- especially a Gay boxer! What was/is not so smart is that they never contacted the STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans' Association of which Emile was a founding member and a longtime vice-president of the S.R.V.A.!
Https://www.MetOpera.org/season/2022-23-season/championUnfortunately, the Metropolitan Opera of New York ("The Met") writer(s) of their new opera "Champion!" intentionally and inexplicably excluded significant parts of Emile Griffith's Gay life! The omissions include, but are surely not limited to: Emile being a regular for four years at the now landmark STONEWALL Bar & Dance Club -- besides endless other Gay clubs such as the original Magic Touch (in LI), The Thrush, The Gold Bug, The Guilded Grape and of course his favorite Dr. Feelgood's -- his alas meeting actor/model Willson Henderson at The STONEWALL Club through their mutual friends Sonia Attkissand Adrienne Seiden, Emile's being present (like many celebrities) at Judy Garland's funeral in Manhattan on June 27th, 1969 and at the beginning of the now historic Stonewall Rebellion that night. While the NYCPD cops were at the front doors and the bright white lights were turned on signaling a police raid, one of the Mafia owners (we believe it was Zuckie) escorterd Emile out of a secret, narrow hallway exiting onto Seventh Avenue South sparring him Gay publicity. It would have been front-page news in 1969 and ending Emile's illustrious boxing career! Again, The Met got TKO'd on its lack of vital info. Unfortunately, the decidely exclusionary Met ended their production the way they began: failing to consult the legendary and knowledgeable STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans' Association -- of which Emile Griffith was a charter member, longtime sustainer, active participant and out-front vice-president of the S.R.V.A.!
*
"A Prizefighter's Double Life, at Madison Square Garden and at the original Stonewall Gay Bar & Dance Club"
Gravesite of Emile A. Griffith
at the prestigious St. Michael's Cemetery
in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City
www.FindAGrave.com/Memorial/114269611/Emile-Griffith
13 May
2023
"Champion!"
*
54th Anniversary of the STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans' Association
Https://www.StonewallVets.org/upcomingevents.htm
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If you have photographs of Emile Griffith, please send them, or copies of the pix,
to the S.R.V.A. (see address below). Originals will be returned, if you so request.
You may e-mail photos with all relevant 411 to: SVA@StonewallVets.org.
All photos receive photo credits and, if desired, the S.R.V.A. will
connect an active link to your website!
STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans' Association
511 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 128, Manhattan, NY 10011-8436
*
===== 2023:
54th Anniversary of the GLBT Stonewall Rebellion =====
[Friday night, June 27
~through~ Thursday evening, July 3, 1969, Manhattan, New York City]
*
Remembrance:
23rd July
2013
Emile's
Final Fight!
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