Step back in time to 1950s Miami, a vibrant city where championship dreams unfolded under the bright lights of the boxing ring. For young Patty Kingsbaker, every Friday night was a ringside seat to history, thanks to her dad, a dedicated boxing coach and referee. Patty’s unique upbringing immersed her in the thrilling world of heavyweight boxing, leading her to witness some of the sport’s most legendary moments. Imagine being a child, growing up with the sights and sounds of the biggest fights, and then finding yourself at the heart of an unforgettable championship bout involving Patterson and Johansson, where her own father would play a pivotal role.
It was at one of these electrifying events, during the epic Johansson-Patterson rematch, that Patty experienced a truly star-struck moment, spotting none other than Frank Sinatra just feet away. This thrilling celebrity encounter sparked a determined quest for an autograph – a mission filled with missed opportunities and comical close calls. Join us on Our American Stories as Patty shares her heartwarming journey, from the excitement of a young girl’s childhood memory in the boxing world to a surprising twist of fate that ultimately connected her with “Old Blue Eyes” himself. It’s a testament to perseverance, a touch of luck, and the power of a simple letter in a time before instant messages.
📖 Read the Episode Transcript
This is Lee Habib, and this is Our American Stories. And we tell stories about everything here on this show, from the arts to sports, and from business to history, and everything in between, including your story. Send them to OurAmericanStories.com. They’re some of our favorites. So, our next story comes from a Colorado listener. Let’s
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take a listen.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
My name is Patty Kingsbaker, and I grew up in Miami. My dad was the boxing coach for the University of Miami, but they discontinued boxing in 1954, I believe. But at the time, I mean, he had two jobs. He worked for the Coral Gables Fire Department, and he
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was the boxing coach for the University of Miami. So, when they discontinued boxing, he started refereeing. And so, as when I was growing up, I’m not sure how old I was when he started taking me to the fights, but I feel like I was at least seven. So every Friday night, I was over on Miami Beach with
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my dad and going to the fights. So, I grew up like knowing all the boxers, and in growing up in that world, I mean, I just love boxing. So we found out that the Johansson-Patterson heavyweight championship fight was going to be in Miami. And of course, you know, I was like, “My dad’s going to referee,” you know.
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But they really don’t find out who’s going to referee a fight until like five minutes before the fight. They come over and get tagged, you know, to do it. So, long story short: my dad. There was one other referee that I knew probably had enough experience, or that it was between my dad and this other guy. Well,
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and his name was Si Godfrey, and my dad was Billy Reagan. But Si refereed a ten-rounder right before the main event. And so I knew. I knew that my dad was… So, I hit it, you know. I just was headed down towards to see my dad, you know, to go, “Yeah, you’re gonna get this fight!”
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And I was behind the bleachers, but they were holding the crowd back, and all of a sudden, I looked up and, like, ten feet in front of me is Frank Sinatra. And he’s standing there with that, you know, he had his finger on his coat over his shoulder, he had the hat on, and I was stopped in
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my tracks. I was like, “Oh my God, that’s for instance!” So I never made it down ringside to talk to my dad before the fight, but he did, in fact, referee the fight, and it was when Patterson regained the title from Johansson. And so, when I found my dad after the fight, of course, the first thing I said to him wasn’t, “You got to referee the fight?” It was like, “Daddy,
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I saw Frank Sinatra,” you know. So, anyway, the story had kind of circulated through the fighters and Chris Dundee, who was the promoter at the time, and, you know, everybody gave me a hard time for not getting his autograph. And I was like, “I was just scared. I didn’t know what to do.” So it was a few months later,
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I think, and I was at the fights with my dad, and Chris Dundee came up to me and he goes, “All right, Frank’s coming in tonight, and he’s going to come in through that door over there, all right, at nine o’clock. So you keep your eyes peeled, and you go get your autograph this time!” So, sure enough, at nine o’clock, that door opened. In comes Frank, and I’m ready,
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and so I go hauling over there. They’re taking him to a seat. But the thing was, Chris forgot to tell security to let me through, so they’re not letting me through, and again, I can’t get his autograph. So, and I was just so disappointed because I felt like I had a clearer path that night. Anyway, I went
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home, and I ended up writing him a letter. And he was performing over at the Fontainebleau at the time, and I wrote him a letter, and I explained everything. I explained that my dad had refereed the championship fight; that I had been standing ten feet, you know, with a clearer path to him, but was scared; and that Chris had told me he was coming in the other night, and that, you know, I had my paper and pen ready,
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but then security wouldn’t let me through. And I said, “So now it looks like I’m never going to get your autograph. You know, if you could just send it to me, I would really appreciate it.” So, I mailed the letter off to Frank Sinatra at the Fontainebleau Hotel. So, it was a few days later—maybe, I don’t know—but my dad called me chuckling,
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and he said, “I got the strangest phone call today.” And he was working at the first station at the time, and he said, “This guy calls me and he goes, ‘Are you the Billy Reagan, the referee, the handsome Patterson fight?’” And he said, “Yeah.” He said, “Oh God, thank God! Frank’s been driving us nuts. Your daughter wrote him a letter.
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Somebody threw away the envelope. He doesn’t have an address, and he wants to send her a picture.’” So my dad gave him the address. And I have my autographed picture from Frank Sinatra from that.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
And you’ve been listening to Patty Kingsbaker, and she has another story about Elvis Presley. And look: Have you got stories like it? Send them to OurAmericanStories.com. Brushes with greatness, or a celebrity or star you really love or care about? Tell us those stories. Again, send them to OurAmericanStories.com. And I could just picture it, I mean. And Frank was always working
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on that image. No matter where he walked, that coat was over his back, just like on so many of his records. In that hat—that signature hat—was always there. And there was a day when he played little places like the Fontainebleau. By the way, that hotel is still there, and it still has top-line entertainment. And if you want to get a taste of the old Miami, it’s still there. And South Beach is still a great
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place to go and have some fun, listen to some great music, and enjoy the sun. Patty Kingsbaker’s story—her story of her encounter, well, her almost encounter with Frank Sinatra. You’re on Our American Stories. Here at Our American Stories,
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we bring you inspiring stories of history, sports, business, faith, and love. Stories from a great and beautiful country that need to be told. But we can’t do it without you. Our stories are free to listen to, but they’re not free to make. If you love Our American Stories in America like we do, please go to OurAmericanStories.com and click the donate button. Give a little, give
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