I met him there once, too -- it was sometime in 1979. The only time I ever a) went to PJ Clarke's and b) met a prizefighter. He didn't play any pranks on me, though. Just shook my hand as we were introduced.
1
Several years ago my husband was in a fairly serious bicycle accident directly in front of PJ Clarks. His shoulder was broken, he had a minor, but bloody, head wound. The bike was in 2 pieces and the taxi sped away. My injured husband entered an almost empty PJ Clarke's and was immediately told to leave. He explained what had happened and asked to use the phone. The bartender again ORDERED him to leave while complaining he was bleeding on the floor.
Whose got a better one than that about a local dive bar?
PS....the lone customer put my badly injured husband in a cab. Thank you sir.
14
The kiss makes this story.
5
In 1974 I was at PJ's with three fellow Buick salesmen from Connecticut just coming from an Auto show I think at the Americana hotel. We were at the bar when one of my friends recognized Rocky. After a few more drinks (Rocky) had joined us, I headed for the men's room. After a couple of minutes alone in comes Rocky. "So you're a tough guy huh!. Come on punk. Let's see how tough you are". After a few minutes of me quivering in my pants and denials he grabbed my hand and shook it laughing loudly. My cohorts had put him up to it. I still love telling that story.
10
Rocky was known for his sense of humor, examples of which included the following: ''I quit school in the sixth grade because of pneumonia not because I had it, but because I couldn't spell it." and "We stole everything that began with an 'a' - a piece of fruit, a bicycle, a watch, anything that was not nailed down." Somebody up there liked him.
11
As well as anything left unattended on the bar. An amusing thief is still a thief.
1
What deft and delightful writing! Graziano was obviously a real gentleman,
with a sense of humor to boot. Celebrities today should be so gracious.
11
Great piece, set the stage in a long-gone world, and had a payoff. Good stuff.
3
A very gripping telling of what hit me as a scary, harrowing story. Great you can tell it now with OK spirit.
Every now and then, it does feel a story comes up about a celeb being able to get away with actions others would not. (I did think since reading this, though, that in 2017, this could have resulted in a viral video and a six-figure settlement!)
31
Yeah, only funny if you are the one showing-off and bullying the other guy. Oh well, it must be difficult to have only been good at one thing and to have been forgotten.
8
Billy nails it, period.
3