New York sportswriters called him “Stamford’s Socking Schoolboy,” a talented, handsome and likable young fighter who endeared himself to the media and fans when he won his first 32 professional fights, including five in Stamford, while commuting to New York to study drama at New York University. During a career that began in 1950 when he was a senior at Stamford High School and ended in 1961 when he retired to spend all of his time with his dying 21/2 year-old-son, Jimmy, Chico Vejar fought the best welterweights and middleweights in the world, rising to fourth in the world rankings in the latter division.
Humble, self-effacing and generous to a fault, as longtime friend, Mel Rich, described him, Vejar spent years giving back to his hometown and helping victims of cerebral palsy, which had taken the life of his only son. When he died three weeks ago in Athens, Ga., at age 85, Vejar left a lasting legacy as one of Stamford’s greatest athletes, in a class with Andy Robustelli and Bobby Valentine, and as the epitome of an intelligent, selfless and skillful sportsman. Since 2012, street signs at either end of Avery Street in the Cove section of Stamford, where Vejar grew up, read “Chico Vejar Way” in honor of Avery’s former resident.
For years, Vejar was a much sought after speaker, particularly popular and effective with young people in Stamford and in Westchester County. After his retirement, he was executive director of United Cerebral Association of Westchester County. He raised tens of thousands of dollars for the charity by staging exhibition bouts against fighters such as Sugar Ray Robinson, Willie Pep, Rocky Graziano, Sandy Saddler, Emile Griffith, Carmen Basilio and Billy Graham. Because of Vejar’s efforts, a camp operated by the association was named Camp Jimmy Vejar in memory of his son. Vejar later owned and operated an office-cleaning business in Stamford.
“I could relate to kids who had been in trouble, because I got into my share of scrapes when I was a kid,” he once told me during a round of golf at E. Gaynor Brennan course in Stamford. “Also I was a wise guy who dropped out of high school at 16 and then held about a dozen dead-end jobs.”
Vejar eventually returned to Stamford High and graduated when he was 20 and already an established fighter (many years later, he was inducted into the school’s Wall of Fame). By then, he had come a long way from a boisterous boyhood in the Cove. “I remember how Chico and some friends had ‘borrowed’ a row boat one night and rowed across Long Island Sound, and his father had to drive out to pick them up” Rich recalled.
Vejar once recalled how he and some friends were throwing imaginary pitches from the mound after a game when he was told to leave by police officer Angris McKeithan, a former U.S. Marine who fought in Iwo Jima during World War II and was one of Stamford’s first black officers.
“When the officer prodded me with his nightstick, I lost it and took a punch at him,” Vejar said.
In court the next morning, Vejar was fined $25 and given a career-deciding piece of advice. “As my father and I were leaving, Officer McKeithan turned to me and said, ‘Why don’t you try using those fists to make some money.’ At first, I thought he was being a wise guy, but then I realized that what he said made sense.”
Less than a month later, Vejar made his debut in a semi-pro fight at the New Haven Arena, where his nose was broken in the first round but he recovered to win the bout. Less than a year later, he had his first professional fight, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and again had his nose broken in the first round, but again bounced back to record the first of 32 consecutive wins before losing a split decision in a main event at Madison Square Garden, where he fought almost two dozen times on Friday nights when fights were televised nationally. The personable, articulate and skillful young fighter became a crowd-pleasing favorite because of his aggressive style that relied more on skill than power.
Retaining his adventurous spirit into adulthood, Vejar often flew his seaplane from Stamford to a training camp in the Catskills and to Manhattan for sparring sessions or bouts. He learned to fly while in the U.S. Army and, though badly injured, survived a crash in the plane he was piloting.
Vejar’s popularity, and drama school training, resulted in roles in two boxing-oriented movies starring Tony Curtis and Audie Murphy. It also led to an unusual appearance on the “We the People”television show live before one of his fights at Madison Square Garden. “They had me recite a soliloquy from ‘Hamlet’ where he’s on the bridge before a battle. This was right before a fight, mind you,” Vejar said. “I did it and still managed to win the fight,”
Though he fought some of the best welterweights (maximum 147 pounds) and middleweights (160 pounds) — among them Kid Gavilan, Gene Fullmer, Tiger Jones and Tony DeMarco — Vejar never held a title, but did win 93 fights, lost 20 and fought four draws.
Vejar’s courage and compassion was clearly displayed when he retired during his prime to spend all of his time with his son, who was to die at age 3. He ended his career as it had started, with a victory over Willie Greaves, the Canadian middleweight champion, on March 27, 1961 in New York.
“It was the right decision,” he told me, “and I have no regrets”
It was also a relief to his wife, Caryl, the former Caryl Cognetta, who rarely watched his fights, even on television.
“I would get too nervous,” she said.
She also wasn’t too happy at how Vejar left after their wedding at Sacred Heart Church for a fight in Los Angeles a few days later. “Imagine, I spent my wedding night with my trainer,” he said.
One of Vejar’s most heartwarming days came out of the ring. On the night he was being honored by the Stamford Old Timers, Vejar was overcome by emotion when, to his surprise, he was reunited with Chuck Davey, who had beaten Vejar twice in nationally televised fights in 1952. Tears flowed in both former fighters’ eyes as they hugged during a reception at the Italian Center.
In recent, years, the Vejars lived in San Antonio and then Athens to be near their daughters, Rachel and Lisa. A private memorial service will be held in Stamford later this month.
“Chico was a gem who would, and did, give you the shirt or sweater off his back,” Rich said.
Having spent many hours on the golf course with Vejar, I can attest to that. He was a gentle, humble and outstanding family man, and one Stamford can be proud of.
Jack Cavanaugh, a Stamford native, is a veteran print and broadcast reporter and sportswriter and the author of six books.
Joel Freedman
New York sportswriters called him “Stamford’s Socking Schoolboy,” a talented, handsome and likable young fighter who endeared himself to the media and fans when he won his first 32 professional fights, including five in Stamford, while commuting to New York to study drama at New York University. During a career that began in 1950 when he was a senior at Stamford High School and ended in 1961 when he retired to spend all of his time with his dying 21/2 year-old-son, Jimmy, Chico Vejar fought the best welterweights and middleweights in the world, rising to fourth in the world rankings in the latter division.
Humble, self-effacing and generous to a fault, as longtime friend, Mel Rich, described him, Vejar spent years giving back to his hometown and helping victims of cerebral palsy, which had taken the life of his only son. When he died three weeks ago in Athens, Ga., at age 85, Vejar left a lasting legacy as one of Stamford’s greatest athletes, in a class with Andy Robustelli and Bobby Valentine, and as the epitome of an intelligent, selfless and skillful sportsman. Since 2012, street signs at either end of Avery Street in the Cove section of Stamford, where Vejar grew up, read “Chico Vejar Way” in honor of Avery’s former resident.
For years, Vejar was a much sought after speaker, particularly popular and effective with young people in Stamford and in Westchester County. After his retirement, he was executive director of United Cerebral Association of Westchester County. He raised tens of thousands of dollars for the charity by staging exhibition bouts against fighters such as Sugar Ray Robinson, Willie Pep, Rocky Graziano, Sandy Saddler, Emile Griffith, Carmen Basilio and Billy Graham. Because of Vejar’s efforts, a camp operated by the association was named Camp Jimmy Vejar in memory of his son. Vejar later owned and operated an office-cleaning business in Stamford.
“I could relate to kids who had been in trouble, because I got into my share of scrapes when I was a kid,” he once told me during a round of golf at E. Gaynor Brennan course in Stamford. “Also I was a wise guy who dropped out of high school at 16 and then held about a dozen dead-end jobs.”
Vejar eventually returned to Stamford High and graduated when he was 20 and already an established fighter (many years later, he was inducted into the school’s Wall of Fame). By then, he had come a long way from a boisterous boyhood in the Cove. “I remember how Chico and some friends had ‘borrowed’ a row boat one night and rowed across Long Island Sound, and his father had to drive out to pick them up” Rich recalled.
Vejar once recalled how he and some friends were throwing imaginary pitches from the mound after a game when he was told to leave by police officer Angris McKeithan, a former U.S. Marine who fought in Iwo Jima during World War II and was one of Stamford’s first black officers.
“When the officer prodded me with his nightstick, I lost it and took a punch at him,” Vejar said.
In court the next morning, Vejar was fined $25 and given a career-deciding piece of advice. “As my father and I were leaving, Officer McKeithan turned to me and said, ‘Why don’t you try using those fists to make some money.’ At first, I thought he was being a wise guy, but then I realized that what he said made sense.”
Less than a month later, Vejar made his debut in a semi-pro fight at the New Haven Arena, where his nose was broken in the first round but he recovered to win the bout. Less than a year later, he had his first professional fight, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and again had his nose broken in the first round, but again bounced back to record the first of 32 consecutive wins before losing a split decision in a main event at Madison Square Garden, where he fought almost two dozen times on Friday nights when fights were televised nationally. The personable, articulate and skillful young fighter became a crowd-pleasing favorite because of his aggressive style that relied more on skill than power.
Retaining his adventurous spirit into adulthood, Vejar often flew his seaplane from Stamford to a training camp in the Catskills and to Manhattan for sparring sessions or bouts. He learned to fly while in the U.S. Army and, though badly injured, survived a crash in the plane he was piloting.
Vejar’s popularity, and drama school training, resulted in roles in two boxing-oriented movies starring Tony Curtis and Audie Murphy. It also led to an unusual appearance on the “We the People” television show live before one of his fights at Madison Square Garden. “They had me recite a soliloquy from ‘Hamlet’ where he’s on the bridge before a battle. This was right before a fight, mind you,” Vejar said. “I did it and still managed to win the fight,”
Though he fought some of the best welterweights (maximum 147 pounds) and middleweights (160 pounds) — among them Kid Gavilan, Gene Fullmer, Tiger Jones and Tony DeMarco — Vejar never held a title, but did win 93 fights, lost 20 and fought four draws.
Vejar’s courage and compassion was clearly displayed when he retired during his prime to spend all of his time with his son, who was to die at age 3. He ended his career as it had started, with a victory over Willie Greaves, the Canadian middleweight champion, on March 27, 1961 in New York.
“It was the right decision,” he told me, “and I have no regrets”
It was also a relief to his wife, Caryl, the former Caryl Cognetta, who rarely watched his fights, even on television.
“I would get too nervous,” she said.
She also wasn’t too happy at how Vejar left after their wedding at Sacred Heart Church for a fight in Los Angeles a few days later. “Imagine, I spent my wedding night with my trainer,” he said.
One of Vejar’s most heartwarming days came out of the ring. On the night he was being honored by the Stamford Old Timers, Vejar was overcome by emotion when, to his surprise, he was reunited with Chuck Davey, who had beaten Vejar twice in nationally televised fights in 1952. Tears flowed in both former fighters’ eyes as they hugged during a reception at the Italian Center.
In recent, years, the Vejars lived in San Antonio and then Athens to be near their daughters, Rachel and Lisa. A private memorial service will be held in Stamford later this month.
“Chico was a gem who would, and did, give you the shirt or sweater off his back,” Rich said.
Having spent many hours on the golf course with Vejar, I can attest to that. He was a gentle, humble and outstanding family man, and one Stamford can be proud of.
Jack Cavanaugh, a Stamford native, is a veteran print and broadcast reporter and sportswriter and the author of six books.
Joel Freedman
Isidore Francis Vejar
Athens, Georgia
Sep 5, 1931 – Sep 19, 2016
BORN
September 5, 1931
DIED
September 19, 2016
LOCATION
Athens, Georgia