FOND MEMORIES WITH BILLY GRAHAM

By Howie Katz

 

Evangelist Billy Graham

 

Billy Graham took me to an Irish wake one evening during the 1950s when I was in New York. There were at least 30 people crammed into the apartment when Billy and I arrived. It was about this time of the year, so everyone, including Billy and me, piled their overcoats on a bed in the apartment.

Everyone, including the bereaved, was having a good time. There was plenty of good food and Irish whiskey and beer to go around.

Billy decided we would leave while most of the wake guests were still there. When we went into the bedroom, I had trouble finding my trench coat which got buried within the big pile of coats. Billy, who found his coat, grew impatient and told me, "Just pick any good coat, Howie, and let's go." I did find my coat before we left.

Oh, if you're wondering, that was Billy Graham the boxer, not Billy Graham the evangelist.

 

Billy Graham lands a hard right to the jaw of Kid Gavilan during their 15 round world welterweight championship fight in Madison Square Garden on August 29, 1951

 

 

I couldn't resist putting a picture of the evangelist at the head of this post. And that trench coat is still hanging in my closet, although the moths have gotten the best of it.