Leon Spinks: Did he ever work at the Booby Trap on 8 Mile as a bouncer?...

**Al Publican** · February-02-11, 07:14 PM

I was recently told on a Marine Corp vet site that Leon Spinks was in the Marines. That was news to me. I seem to recall going in the Booby Trap in the '80s and seeing Leon. Did he ever work there? Some Marines are standing by with a need to know.

**Ray1936** · February-02-11, 08:22 PM

Don't know about his working there, but he lived on W. Outer Drive just off Grand River in Rosedale Park for some years, late 70s, early 80s.

**401don** · February-02-11, 09:08 PM

I seem to remember one of those "whatever happened to" stories in the Freep or News that he was bartending in a dive bar on Fort St. about 10 years after his last fight.

**leland_palmer** · February-02-11, 11:54 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

I seem to remember one of those "whatever happened to" stories in the Freep or News that he was bartending in a dive bar on Fort St. about 10 years after his last fight.

http://articles.latimes.com/1989-01-...on-leon-spinks

**Hamtragedy** · February-03-11, 01:21 AM

He used to run the Bar at Grand River near Montrose. I think it was called the Underground Lounge. My friend's ska band played in there one night in the late 80s, and I swear he came in with a baby blue suit and the full length dog-skin coat.

**rjk** · February-03-11, 07:35 AM

Either Leon made up this story or these were some of the nicest thugs ever. Instead of knocking him out and leaving him where they dropped him they took him to a hotel so they could but him in a comfortable bed.

Wasn't the hotel on Woodward in Highland Park?

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...52C0A967948260

Edit: According to wikipedia, in 2005 Leon was in Columbus, Nebraska where he worked at a YMCA and was a volunteer for an after school program for children.

**Bigb23** · February-03-11, 09:58 AM

????

they took him to a hotel so they could but him in a comfortable bed.

OUCH - down for the count !

**EastsideAl** · February-04-11, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by rjk

Either Leon made up this story or these were some of the nicest thugs ever. Instead of knocking him out and leaving him where they dropped him they took him to a hotel so they could but him in a comfortable bed.

Wasn't the hotel on Woodward in Highland Park?

The motel was the Cranbrook House on 8 Mile near the Lodge. Leon claimed he'd been drinking at Spear's Bar on Woodward just north of 6 Mile and - next thing he knew - he was waking up in the motel without his stuff, including his gold teeth. However, eyewitnesses claim he was instead drinking and playing some pool at the Last Chance Bar on Woodward and 8 Mile, where he was known to hang out quite a bit, and left with one of the ladies who, ummm, 'worked' there.

I believe Leon was still in the Marines when he won the gold medal in 1976. I was fortunate enough to see him fight here in Detroit in the box-offs for that Olympic team, and later in Montreal in the Olympics [[along with his brother Michael and Sugar Ray Leonard).

**kenp** · February-04-11, 11:31 AM

I remember a weird night at Jovans years ago. IBM was sponsering a business party their and had Sparky Anderson as guest of honor while Denny McClain entertainied and Leon served up the drinks.
Strange shin ding

**bdglsmn** · February-04-11, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by Hamtragedy

He used to run the Bar at Grand River near Montrose. I think it was called the Underground Lounge. My friend's ska band played in there one night in the late 80s, and I swear he came in with a baby blue suit and the full length dog-skin coat.

That bar was called Dooleys when he took it over. I use to hang out there from time to time and I remember Leon as being a pretty nice guy.