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Written by Rob Snell
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Friday, 02 October 2009 |
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 Name: Kirkland Laing
Career Record: click
Alias: The Gifted One
Nationality: United Kingdom
Hometown: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
Born: 1954-06-20
Stance: Orthodox
1972 ABA Featherweight champion  Hi everyone,
I've spent the last seven years putting together a biography of Kirkland Laing, and it is now finally printed and ready to launch. Details of the book and how to buy it are below.
I'm also having two launch events in the UK, one in Birmingham and one in London, at which everyone is very welcome, so please feel free to forward this email to anyone you like.
Finally, if you are interested in the memorabilia side, I have listed on my website (www.oliverjarratt.com) various items that I have collected as part of the research process which I am now selling.
The Book
The Gifted One: Kirkland Laing through the eyes of others", hardback, 453 pages, 53 photos (colour and b/w), price £18. Not available via on-line booksellers or in bookshops. My website, www.oliverjarratt.com explains more about the book and how to buy it.
Kirkland Laing is the finest British boxer never to have fought for a world title. From his shock ABA triumph aged just seventeen, Kirk moved on to a rollercoaster pro career marked by dazzling successes, unexpected defeats and implausible comebacks. A fighting exile by the mid-eighties, he returned in triumph as the dreadlocked elder statesman of British boxing, calling himself “The Gifted One” as he feasted on cow’s foot and the cream of the nation’s welterweights. Only at the age of forty did he walk away from the professional ring. Even then, the drama wasn’t over.
Through seven years of research, I've interviewed the people who took part in this remarkable journey to provide the first full account of Kirkland Laing’s career and a unique insight into British boxing’s most brilliant eccentric. Interviewees include Jimmy Batten, Ib Bøtcher, Glen Catley, James Cook MBE, Dean Cooper, Malcolm Cordier, John Coyle, Colin Flinn, Reggie Ford, Mick Gauntlett, Dave Green, Joe Hannaford, Colin Hart, Clive Hogben, Harry Holland, Bob Lonkhurst, Charlie Magri, Marvin McDowell, Clinton McKenzie, Howard Mills, Achille Mitchell, Sylvester Mittee, Des Morrison, Salvo Nuciforo, Frank O’Sullivan, Joe Ryan, Chris Sanigar, Derek Simpson, Joey Singleton, Lee Town, Colin Ward and many more.
The Launches
Birmingham: Thursday 15 October 2009 (7pm onwards), The Portland Pavilion, 241 Portland Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B17 8LS.
London: Sunday 18 October 2009 (12 noon to 4pm), The Old Red Cow (upstairs bar), 71 Long Lane, Smithfield, London EC1A 9EJ.
Anyway, hope you can make it! If you can't, but if you are still interested in buying a book, see the "How to buy" section on www.oliverjarratt.com or drop me a line back on this email address.
All the best,
Oliver
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Written by Rob Snell
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Thursday, 20 August 2009 |
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Laughs from the Ringside By William S. Duncan DOWN through the years of a long and illustrious boxing career a sense of humor is a great defense against the jabs and hooks of Old ~Man~ Fate .Battling Levinsky has found that to be true, and he should know, because twenty years have rolled around since he first answered the clang of the gong. "Boxing isn't all cuts and bruises and knockdowns and jeers," says the Battler."There are a lot of funny things happening every day in the gymnasium, dressing room and in the ring itself to give the game a humorous side." Levinsky began his boxing career under the name of Barney Williams but five years later changed to Battling Levinsky and became light - heavyweight champion of the world from 1916 to 1920 and light - heavyweight champion, of America from 1920 to 1922, being dethroned by no less a personage than Gene Tunney himself. The Battler is still a very good man, however, and only last year was rated among the leading light-heavyweights of America by Tex Rickard, whose selections are to boxing what Walter Camp's once were to football. To date he has fought a total of 412 opponents and has lost only eight decisions, two to Jack Dillon and one each to Carl Morris, Charley Weinert, Gene Tunney, Bill Brennan, Gunboat Smith and Matt Adgie. Two men—and it might be added very good men—Jack Dempsey and Georges Carpentier, have knocked him out. Incidentally, in return bouts, he has won decisions from some of the best of those who outpointed him, winning the light heavyweight title from Jack Dillon, whom he fought ten times, and subsequently defeating Dillon. Smith and Adgie. He boxed Porky Flynn nine times. Harry Greb seven times and Jim Flynn three times, the majority being no-decision bouts. HERE are some humorous ring reminiscences and opinions from one who has fought the best in his class, from Jack Dillon. Tommy Gibbons, Bob Moha, Jimmy Coffey, Al Kubiak, Leo Houck and the other headliners mentioned above on down through the years to Young Stribling, a headliner of today. He says: "Just a few weeks ago I was out in Pittsburgh.and I boxed a draw with Sandy Seifert. When I was in my dressing room before the fight started the policeman on the door said: 'Barney, there's a fellow outside who says he knows you well. I'm gonna show him in.' "He did and there before me stood Paddy Burns, the first man I ever fought in the ring, or course, I didn't recognize him at first, but when he told me who it was we had a good laugh over our first fight. "We met at Tumbling Run Park in Pottsville in August of 1909. I was afraid of Paddy and he was afraid of me so we agreed before the fight not to knock out each other. Well, my career as a frame-up boxer lasted exactly thirty seconds, because Paddy broke my nose right at the start. I broke his nose in the fifth round and won the fight. I got fifteen bucks for that fight and never had a desire to fake anything after that. "A funny thing happened during my first fight in Philadelphia, which was held at Lew Baileys old Broadway Club. My opponent was Tom Jones, who drove a wagon for the Jones Company and named himself after his firm. .Before the bout Jones called Nick Hayes, the referee, over to his corner, whispered something in his ear and then Nick announced: 'Gentlemen (there were no ladies there), Tom Jones wants me to announce that this is his first professional fight.' "The bell rang, we came out of our corners, I crossed my right and Tom went down and out. After being revived, Jones again summoned Nick to his corner, again whispered in his ear and Nick, holding up his hand for silence, and shouted: 'Gentlemen, Tom Jones wants me to announce that this is his last professional fight.' "In all my ring career I never met a man who gave me so many laughs as that good old Irishman Dan Morgan, who piloted me to the light-heavyweight title. "Dan had many Irish friends In New York, none of whom thought, of course, that a Hebrew could possibly be a good fighter. One day we were strolling down Broadway and Dan met a particularly good old friend who was very deaf. Dan stopped him and shouted: 'Mike, I want you to meet my latest and, Battling Levinsky, the new light – heavyweight champion of the world. He's a great fighter.' Please speak a little louder, Danny, me boy,' said Mike. I didn't catch that name. Dan did. He shouted again. with the same result. So the third time he put his mouth right to Mike's ear and bellowed: 'Battling Levinsky, Mire; he's a great fighter ."The old man shook his head and said: It's no use, Dan. It sounds like Levinsky to me.' AFTER wining the title from Jack Dillon I was in great demand in various parts of the country, so Dan and I were soon on our way to New Orleans, where I boxed a twenty-round draw with Gunboat Smith. Several nights before the bout Dan ran into an old friend of his, Raymond Hitchcock, stage celebrity, who has many friends in the boxing game. Hitchey was playing in New Orleans and presented Dan with two complimentary tickets. The production failed to please Dan. We were sitting in the front row and the people were greatly amused as Dan fell asleep and snored loudly. At the end of the first act he awoke and started out. Hey, where are you going!' I asked. Outside but I’ll be back, he answered. What are you going out there for?' I asked. Why, Tm going out and buy a ticket so I can hiss this show, said Dan. I had several tough fights with the late Billy Miske, whom ring followers of a dozen years ago will recall as a leading heavyweight contender. I won my title from Jack Dillon in Boston, October 24, 19I6, and had been signed to box Miske in Boston six days later, so had to go through with it. "Miske won the fight, In my opinion, but it didn't affect the title any, because those were the days of no-decision bouts Billy cut me under the eye and I didn’t look so fresh when the bout was over. However he insisted on meeting me after the bout, saying Battler, I want you to meet my wife. Mrs Miske was naturally very proud of her husband cutting up a brand new champion that way. A few months later Miske and I met again, this time I did the cutting and Billy’s face was a mess at the end of the bout. I kept my eyes open when in the dressing room and finally saw him ducking for the exit. Just a minute Billy, I shorted as I grabbed him. Come back here. Now I want you to meet my wife. Another man who has been connected with the fight game for a long time and also seen the funny side of the “racket” as we call it , is Jack Stanley my present trainer. One time when I was to fight the wind up in Pottsville Jack took as his protégé an unknown. Jack hadn’t been guaranteed much money for his fighter and was anxious to catch a train back to Philadelphia so as to save the hotel bill. They were fighting the second bout of the evening and there had been some delay, so it began to look as if he would miss his train. At the end of the first round Jack’s boy was out in front but said between the rounds – I think I can beat him, but he’s a tough guy and I can’t knock him out. Just lead with your chin kid and you will knock him out, said Jack who had thew money tucked away and was thinking only of that train. The boy led with his chin all right and was promptly knocked out. Jack’s boy lost the fight but he made the train and from a financial standpoint that was a victory. That was only one of many funny things pulled of by Jack. He is one of the most optimistic fellows I ever met and it’s a tonic having him around the gym. There is no man in the ring today better qualified to give an unbiased opinion of great fighters of yesterday and today than Battling Levinsky. He has not only met them all but defeated most of them and as one of the most clever big men of the century and a close student of the art, never fails to note the strong and weak characteristics of his opponents. He is one of the few men still in the game who has met both Tunney and Dempsey. Here is what he says of them. Tunney is not considered a great champion by most followers of the game, but he should be. I think he got himself wrong after winning the title by putting on the high hat to the newspapermen and giving out his view on philosophy and all such stuff as that. Tunneyreally is a great fighter. He can hit harder than most people think. He is very fast and very smart and learns with every bout. After he won his second bout from Harry Greb, who had previously beaten him. Harry said to me “That fellow is going to be champion. I never saw a man improve as fast has. Why, he can hit too, he nearly tore my head off. Tunney is not the killer type, but he is a good short puncher. "Don't forget this: Tunney has been judged the last few years on his showings against Dempsey, who is far superior to the other so-called contenders. With Dempsey out of the picture It will be easy sailing for Tunney. He'll be champion for a long time to come. "As for Dempsey, I can vouch for his hitting ability, because only he and Georges Carpentier have knocked me out In 412 ring battles to date. Dempsey in his prime, was a cruel puncher and very fast. His punch always was a mental threat, too. You kept saying to yourself: 'Well, if I miss this time I guess he'll land and knock me out. That's why Tunney was careful when he boxed Dempsey. act careless with the Dempsey of old and It meant curtain. "Most of the fans will tell you they believe Dempsey In his prime would kill the Tunney of today. I don't. It's a question in my mind if Dempsey could ever get through Tunney enough times to knock him out. I know he knocked him down In Chicago, but I doubt If he could have done better In 1920. "Tunney probably will never be a very popular champion, because he is not the type the fans like. The great majority of them do not appreciate the science of boxing. They do not want to see the boxer but the killer, and Tunney is not a killer. But, killer or no killer, he is a great fighter, in my estimation. "For being a generally good all-round fighter Jack Dillon right up with all of them. I fought him ten times, so I should have a fair idea of his ability.For boxing ability only I rate Tommy Gibbons as the best man I ever met. Gibbons' was a past master at 'rolling' with punches. He was very fast mechanically and mentally, being just about the quickest thinker I ever boxed. When he saw an opening he didn't lose an instant in shooting for it. As to punching ability, I pick Dempsey without question. When In his prime that man surely could hit. "Strange as it may seem, non of these so-called Immortals of the ring gave me what I consider the hardest fight of my career. Frankie Mantel! did that in Brown's gymnasium, New York City, in 1911, and I received $62 for the fight. "In the first round Mantel! clipped me on the chin, and from then on I didn't know what was happening. People knowing nothing about boxing might think I was telling a fairy tale when I say I fought the rest of that bout by instinct and actually won the decision, but It's the truth. Just recently Tommy Loughran said he didn't know what It was all about for several rounds after Leo Lomski clipped him In the first round. I for one, knew Tommy was telling the truth, because I had been in the same predicament myself. Write Comment (0 Comments) |
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Written by Rob Snell
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Monday, 20 April 2009 |
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Details of Boxing in Canada Write Comment (2 Comments) |
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Written by Rob Snell
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Saturday, 18 April 2009 |
The Boxing Biographies Newsletter
Volume 4- No8 18th April , 2009
www.boxingbiographies.com
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Written by Rob Snell
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Wednesday, 18 February 2009 |
The Boxing Biographies Newsletter
Volume 4- No 4 18th Feb, 2009
www.boxingbiographies.com
If you wish to receive future newsletters ( which includes the images ) please email the message “NEWS LETTER”
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
The newsletter is also available as a word doc on request
As always the full versions of these articles are on the website
Digger Stanley
The Times 22 October 1912
BOXING.
THE BANTAM-WEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.
The feature of the programme at the National Sporting Club last night was the 20-round contest for £400, the Bantam-Weight Championship of Great Britain, and the Lonsdale Championship Challenge Belt between Digger Stanley, of London, the holder of the Lonsdale Belt, and Alec Lafferty, Bantam-Weight Champion of Scotland.
The result was a victory on points for Stanley, who thus became the owner of his belt.
The Two Men
Much interest was felt in the meeting of these clever boxers. Stanley, though not yet 30 years old, is a veteran of the ring ; next to the incomparable Driscoll he ranks as the most finished of English boxers, and even the American critics admit that he is a master of ring-craft. He is not a very hard hitter,'but the " digs," which he employs to break down an opponent's resistance and have given him his by-name, are much more severe than a casual observer would think. Moreover, he is wonderfully clever in getting out of difficulties, has a fine defence, and possesses the armour of trained abdominal muscles which renders a pugilist impervious to body blows. His last Lonsdale belt contest with Ledoux, the fast and hard-hitting French champion proved that he had lost none of his cleverness and little, if any, of his pace. He has not Driscoll's brilliance of execution and absolute accuracy of judging distance and timing his man, but for all that he will always be remembered as an artist in his unostentatious way.
Lafferty had not previously appeared at the heady quarters of professional boxing and his form was unknown to most London followers of the game. But, though nearly ten years younger than his formidable antagonist, he has a long string of victories, both in Great Britain and in America, to his credit, and his possession of a punch was guaranteed by the frequency with which the letters K.O. appear in his record. With a reputation for speed and some cleverness he was certain, it was thought, to give the long-experienced and cautious belt; holder a good fight, and not a few of the spectators believed that he might win with a little luck.
THE FIGHT.
At the start they were laying 6 to 4 on Stanley, who was extremely cautions during the first four rounds. The first half of the contest was virtually a long clinching match, in which the veteran allowed his opponent to do all the hard work of disentanglement. The manoeuvring for the inside position, in which Stanley was almost always successful, was the only interesting. feature of the proceedings. There was not much in it on points ; what there was seemed to be Stanley's, thanks to his straight left. From the 11th round on Lafferty tried to rush the holder of the belt, but was always evaded, generally receiving a " dig " or two before the wrestling began. Twice Stanley delivered the forbidden kidney-blow, on each occasion looking apologetically at the referee.
As the contest went on the Scotsman's deficiencies as a boxer became obvious ; he made very little use of his right, signalled at times, and was very mechanical in his methods of attack. In the 15th round Stanley began to attack vigorously, and long before the end it was clear that nothing but a knock-out could prevent him from winning. He was much too wary to give his opponent a chance, and in the end had won by a great number of points.
Lafferty, who was very badly seconded, has much to learn. But he should become a first-rate man if ho finds a good teacher who will persuade him to stand correctly.
The Times 21 April 1914
DIGGER STANLEY v. CURLEY WALKER.
STANLEY DISQUALIFIED.
Curley Walker (Bermondsey) beat Digger Stanley (Fulham) for £500 and the Bantam-Weight championship :and Lonsdale Belt, Stanley being disqualified for holding in the 13th round.
Stanley fully deserved to lose the fight, for his Methods were open to question. all. through ; he was continually cautioned for holding, and a punch which was, distinctly low dropped Walker for a count of four in the second round. In the sixth round Stanley made more use of his elbow than is approved of by the authorities, and in the last few rounds he was fortunate, or, rather, clever in choosing his moments for holding when the referee could not see him.
Walker’s victory was very popular, for his boxing was much cleaner, and he used his left with good effect, particularly in the fifth and sixth rounds. Stanley changed his tactics in the ninth round, swinging right and left to the body continually .Walker weakened visibly, but had picked up again and was when his opponent was disqualified.
The chief interest in all Digger Stanley's contests now is to see how long; he continues to hold his own against opponents who are always . younger and generally not much more than half his age. Although there was only a difference of half a pound when the men Weighed in yesterday afternoon, they presented a great contrast when they finally got to work after the tedious preliminary business of bandaging which has become so fashionable nowadays. Stanley for all his 38 years .looked what he is — the seasoned fighter versed in every trick of the ring. While Walker seemed a mere boy beside him —a boy nevertheless with a punch .quite worthy of respect, as Stanley soon found Walker's advantage in age was most apparent in the quickness with which he recovered from the onslaught of his opponent. Had the contest gone the full length it is .probable that Walker's great recuperative powers would have gained him the victory.
'THE TIMES, SATURDAY 29 July 1911
BOXING.
ENGLISH CHAMPIONS.
Even in the last days of the old Prize Ring the Englishman was still unquestionably superior to all his rivals in the art of self-defence with nature's weapons only, success in which depended in that age of cold common sense almost as much on a man's wrestling ability as on his skill in fisticuffs. It is just possible that England's supremacy in the finest of personal pastimes might have lasted even to the present moment if wrestling had not been ruled out—to reappear in the form of clinching— under the new and mitigated code which was universally accepted -when a revival of interest in prize-fighting took place. Under the good old rules we might still possess the world's heavy-weight championship ; cross-buttocking permitted and the gloves laid by, we would cheerfully back Gunner Moir (who has been Hackenschmidt's wrestling partner) to beat even the artful and artistic Johnson, to say nothing of the " white man's hopes" that are appearing so plenteously on the other side of the Atlantic.
As things are, however, boxing is clearly a cosmopolitan profession and England to-day can hardly even claim to be prima inter pares in the production of first-rate professors of the science and art thereof. First of all the Irish-American threw his queer hat (with a dirty clay-pipe stuck in. the hat-band) . into the ring and so effectually demonstrated - his right to challenge the plain Englishman's supremacy that a Celtic name seemed for a decade and more the most necessary item in the ; modern boxer's equipment. Then the negro arrived, and so manfully has he played his part that to-day there are four copper coloured heavy-weights --Johnson, Jeannette, MacVea, and Sam Langford—each of whom is more than a match for the best white boxer living.
More recently, the American citizen of , European ancestry has proved himself a formidable glove-fighter. Among German-American boxers the most prominent are Attell, Wolgast, Harry Lewis, and Papke, each of whom claims the world's championship in his division. As yet the Oriental, who has shown himself such a strong and skilful wrestler, has not dropped his turban into the arena. But he may do so at any moment. And already almost every European country is producing competent pugilists ; France, for example, possesses in Moreau and Carpentier two absolutely first-rate boxers, and one hears of good men coming on in the Scandinavian countries and in Ger many, while several Italians have done well in the American ring. England taught America the game and America is teaching the rest of the world. It is a notable fact that Paris, where there is a real enthusiasm for boxing, will have nothing to do with English teachers of the art. There, and elsewhere on the Continent, they are thought to be the advocates of antiquated methods.
CONCERNING AMATEURS.
As far as amateur boxers are concerned, the supremacy of England is still unchallenged. Our amateurs are better than those of America or any other country, and there are a great many more of them. The easy victories recently gained by a team of English amateurs, when they met the champions of the United States and of France at New York and Paris, proved this, if proof were necessary. The team in question was not fully representative - it was entirely made up of men who distinguished themselves in the A. B. A. Championships, and it must be remembered that many of our very best amateurs hold aloof from the annual competitions at the Alexandra Palace because of late years the " shamateur " or professional in the making has been far too prominent there. There can be no doubt that these and other amateur competitions provide an excellent training for the boxer who intends to make the game his profession. In the customary three-round contests he learns to box at the greatest pace of which he is naturally capable, and the edge of his ability not taken off by a series of lengthier affairs when he is a growing lad. If all our professional champions had the amateur's pace and fire, as well as the experienced prize fighter's knowledge of defensive tactics and of the tricks of the trade, they would make a better show against the American experts.
To return to the original discussion, the arrival of the cosmopolitan prize-fighter has affected the situation in several ways. It is a true that the methods of the cosmopolitan boxer are often unsportsmanlike to a degree. With far too many of the American experts it is an axiom of ringcraft that nothing is illegal unless the law (in a " biled shirt," as they say) has cognizance thereof - they look on butting, the use of the elbows, hitting with the heel of the glove or with a bony wrist, throttling an opponent in clinches, etc., as perfectly justifiable provided the offence escapes the eye of the referee. Boxing is not, and never has been, a gentleman's diversion in America ; the professional boxer there, whose only patron is the crowd, has never associated with the leaders of Society (as the heroes of the old Prize Ring, , those glorified clodhoppers, did in England), be and has not been taught the elements of sportsmanship.
The wonder is that he is so often a sportsmanlike antagonist, a clean fighter, and a scorner of mean advantages like McFarland or Stanley Ketchel in his day, or Jeffries in his prime, or almost all the first-rate negro pugi lists. It is not the first-rate but the second-rate boxer who employs foul tactics ; and the writer, who has seen many championship con tests on both sides of the Atlantic in the last 20 years, cannot recall a single instance in which the issue was determined by the taking of unfair advantages.
As often as not the American fighter of complex ancestry is a species of freak, physically speaking, not so obviously, perhaps, as the living skeleton or the fat lady, but he belongs to the category of dime museum types. Papke and Wolgast have the round cast-iron German head which will stand any amount of hammering ; furthermore, they have the low, nervous organization of the extreme phlegmatic type, and can stand pain as well as a Red Indian, or even better. Both have a natural punch of amazing severity, and win their fights by addressing it to the place where it does the it most damage—in the case of an English a opponent to the stomach, which, perhaps be cause England has always been a land of good living, seems to be the weak point in the national physique. " Battling" Nelson, another boxer who was impervious to ordinary punishment, was a fish-like personage ; his heart beat more slowly than that of the average man, and even at the end of the hottest round his skin was icy-cold.
All the negro fighters are, of course, abnormal in. physique as compared with the average European ; their skulls are unusually thick, their chins are not pointed, and their nervous systems are not easily shocked. The more highly-organized Englishman is at a disadvantage when he meets these fighting machines of un-English flesh and blood in. the ring.
The more reason why he should not allow traditional ideas to prevent him from adapting his style to the solution of new and tough problems such as were unknown before the advent of the cosmopolitan glove-fighter and are still much misunderstood.
THE SHORTENED WEAPON.
As long as it is a question of out-fighting the traditional English style is good enough. The straight left is still the best device for keeping an opponent outside ; when an opening presents itself the direct hit reaches its mark more quickly, though with less force, than the vertical or horizontal haymaker " or swing, in which the fist is really bowled at the other man's head. But the cosmopolitan boxer with his cast-iron head, whose chin has been left behind 'in his family bush, cannot be kept out by hitting or breaking ground ; and, unless his English opponent is conversant with the modern science.of in-fighting, he will sooner or later be broken up and beaten by a series of body blows. In actual warfare the nation with the shorter weapon has almost always prevailed ; the short, thrusting sword of the Roman legionary, for example, was more than a match for the Macedonian pike or the Celtic claymore.
Even so in these latter days the boxer whose strategy it is to get inside and pound away at close quarters has the advantage, and deserves to have it. It is the half-arm hit, the severity of which can be much increased by wrist-play, that counts for most in the modern game ; and, what is more, that which lands on some useful part of the body is more damaging in the long rim than the abbreviated punch to the head.The English professional, whose chief idea is to work for the head at a respectful distance will be 'Knocked out—as Sullivan was by Papke and Moran by Wolgast — whenever he meets the cosmopolitan expert who dispenses with mere prettinesses.
Sooner or later he will have to take the count ; sooner rather than later if he has not the capacity of enduring a pounding in the stomach — a form of endurance that may be acquired by practice and by experience and by special exercises for strengthening the middle-storey muscles. The fact that the new style is uncouth and un- familiar to English eyes, long accustomed to the open and graceful methods of the academics, must not mislead us into believing that it is un- scientific or necessarily unfair.
Otherwise we fall into the foolishness of, say, the academic critics of Bertrand's system of fencing. Our champions are apt to forget that fighting is far and away the best preparation for fighting. They keep their form under a glass case, whereas the American champions are always taking part in six or ten round no-decision affairs, which add to their experience (which is the root of all ringcraft ) and keep the keen edge on their impressionistic artistry. In most parts of the United States it is illegal to name the winners of such contests — the moralists, who have shut the referee's mouth, hoped by so doing to lessen the severity of such affairs, but the very reverse has happened — and the only way in which a boxer can score a palpable win in defiance of the police regulations is by knocking out his opponent. Accordingly the no-decision meetings are full of hard, fast fighting, and those who engage in them learn this great lesson —never to lose the opportunity of a decisive advantage.
THE PRESENT POSITION
At the present moment we have half-a dozen champions of England, each of them the holder of the Lonsdale Belt in his division, who form as good a team as we have ever possessed in the last 20 years. They are Digger Stanley (bantam class). Jem Driscoll (feather weights), Matt Wells (light weights), Young Joseph (welter -weights), Jim Sullivan (middle weights), and Bombardier Wells (heavy weights). Of these six Driscoll is in a class by himself ; he prefers out-fighting, but is equally good at inside work, and it is impossible to put a finger on any weakness in his style, unless the possession of a temperament not absolutely imperturbable be accounted as such. Like Gans, called the " Old Master " in his day, he is a typo of the natural genius which practice has made perfect. Young Joseph is the weakest of the six ; he is a pretty boxer and a gentlemanly fighter, but is not very robust, and lacks the indispensable punch. Digger Stanley, who is an adept at inside work, is well worth his place in the team, though hardly as good as Bowker was in his prime. Matt Wells is not only a very fast and scientific boxer, hut also a sturdy fighter with a punch, and he has little or nothing to learn about in-fighting. He is to meet Wolgast in September, but will have some difficulty in making the weight ; one hopes for the best, while fearing the worst. It is in the middle-weight and heavy-weight divisions that cosmopolitan America's superiority is unquestionable. With more experience Sullivan could make a brave show against the best American middle-weights (there are better men coming on than Papke), but he is too high-strung and too susceptible to body-blows to win a world's championship.
As for Bombardier Wells, he is as fast and as clever at out-fighting as any heavy-weight living, and he has the power of wrist-play which adds sting to the straightforward English punch. But though his body satisfies Euclid's definition of a line, he may be said to wear his stomach on his sleeve in a manner of speaking, and it is very doubtful whether the modern science of physical culture, though it can work wonders, will perform for him the miracle of curing this ostentatious weakness- But, while he lasts, he will be able to give the best of the iron-jawed negroes and cosmopolitan fighting-machines a lively quarter of an hour, and when he comes to his full strength he will always have a chance of upsetting the odds. His amazing pace and piston-like left, -with its effortless punch, must now and again put the most formidable antagonist off his game (the outpaced fighter often goes to pieces for a time), and cause him to leave the opening for a decisive stroke—and we already know that Wells is too quick-witted to miss an opportunity. But it is a thousand pities that he has been matched against Johnson during his novitiate.
Champion of England though he be, Wells is merely a magnificent novice, a youth of 22 whose muscular system is unfinished, necessarily deficient in constitutional strength and stamina, and a tiro at the inside-work of which the negro, a fighter born and made, is among the greatest of living masters—as uncannily clever, indeed, as Gans or any other of the little men of his race. It will be 20 to 1 on Johnson ; it would be infinity to nothing but for the fact that the negro may not think it necessary to train seriously. If he goes into the ring with the fat which he has collected since the Reno affair, and Wells can keep out of danger for ten rounds (which would be a great achievement, all things considered), then the utterly unexpected might happen.
Stan Rowan
Stan began boxing with the Grafton Services Club & Caryl Gardens ABC. As an amateur he won Lancashire & Cheshire Junior Titles at two weights before winning the senior Flyweight Title at the age of seventeen. After turning professional in 1942 his first opponent was Eddie Douglas, whom he beat at the Liverpool Stadium in four rounds, 28 August 1942. Overall Stan had nine fights that year, winning seven and drawing two. He won another five bouts in 1943 before joining the Royal Air Force.
Before taking up his post in the RAF there was time for one more contest against Frank Kid Bonser of Nottingham at the Tower Circus, Blackpool, on 20 January 1946. Whether his mind was distracted by his call-up to the RAF we will never know, but Stan was knocked-out for the only time in his career in the eighth round.
Stan then left for wartime service in Rhodesia thus putting his career on hold for a couple of years. However, he got back to business in 1946 losing only one of six bouts beating Jacky Hughes, Mickey Jones, Tommy Madine, Norman Lewis and Mickey Colbert. Stan was now being talked about as a possible challenger for the British Title. The then champion Johnny King, who had held the title since 1932, was coming to the end of his career when he defended and lost his titles to Jackie Paterson at Belle Vue, Manchester on 10 February 1947 on a seventh round stoppage.
It seemed that the Scotsman’s first defence would be against either, Rowan, Doran, O’Sullivan or Peter Kane, the former World Flyweight Champion, who was retuning to the ring after a three-year absence. Kane came back in 1947 and following a few good wins he got a shot at the European Bantamweight Title held by Theo Medina. Kane subsequently beat Medina, on 19 September 1947, on points over fifteen rounds at Manchester.
Meanwhile Stan was doing his chances of a title fight no harm. He knocked-out Joe Curran in the tenth round at the Liverpool Stadium, on 14 August 1947 in a North Central Bantamweight Eliminator. Just four weeks later, 8 September 1947, he flattened Paterson, in a non-title fight, in two rounds at the Harringay Arena. The following year he then met and beat Bunty Doran in an official eliminator at the Liverpool Stadium, on 18 March 1948, coming off the canvas to win on points. Another victory, just two months later, 31 May 1948, against former amateur boxing champion Danny O’Sullivan, now meant that Rowan would meet Peter Kane in a final eliminator for the right to take on Paterson for the British title.
Before taking on Kane Stan gave himself a boost by beating Theo Medina, at the Olympia on 6 July 1948, but then had a setback losing to another Frenchman Georges Mousse on a badly cut eye in the eight round at the Liverpool Stadium on 9 September 1948.
Kane and Rowan eventually met in a final eliminator at Belle Vue on 19 November 1948, and despite putting up a great performance in what turned out to be his last fight, Kane was clearly out-pointed over twelve rounds. The way was now clear for Rowan to take on Paterson for the British and Commonwealth (British Empire) Titles.
Rowan’s fight with Paterson attracted so much interest on Merseyside that Johnny Best secured a home draw for it with a bid of £2000. The bout took place on 24 March, before a crowd of 17,000 at Anfield, which incidentally was the last time boxing took place at Liverpool’s FC Anfield ground. Rowan boxed superbly throughout the contest, so good was Rowan’s display that Paterson only had one good round the sixth. In the seventh Rowan continued where had left off in the fifth eventually dropping Paterson for a count of nine in the eleventh, before going on to gain a convincing points win. Rowan became Liverpool’s first Bantamweight Champion.
Because of weight difficulties Stan was unable to cash in on his Titles. After losing his Empire Title to Vic Toweel in South Africa, on 12 November 1949, he moved up to featherweight and after two bouts he quit the ring for two years. He made his comeback in 1952 but, due to a series of bad cuts and problems in making the featherweight limit, he only had a further six contests. His last contest was against Peter Keenan on 18 March 1953 at the Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, which he lost over ten rounds. Stan had, in fact, his hand raised as the winner but the referee realised he was standing in Keenan’s corner and rectified his decision.
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Written by Rob Snell
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Monday, 09 February 2009 |
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The Boxing Biographies Newsletter Volume 4- No 3 9th Feb, 2009 www.boxingbiographies.com If you wish to receive future newsletters ( which includes the images ) please email the message “NEWS LETTER”
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
The newsletter is also available as a word doc on request As always the full versions of these articles are on the website I NEED YOUR HELP
I am looking for any footage of his fights and would be most grateful for any help people can provide. I would also appreciate any other information on him
Missouri State Amateur Champion
Name: Art Swiden
Career Record: click
Alias: The Pittsburgh Phantom
Nationality: US American
Birthplace: McKeesport, PA, USA
Hometown: New Kensington, Pennsylvania, USA
Born: 1928-02-11
Died: 2004-08-23
Age at Death: 76
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 6′ 1″
I had the pleasure of being contacted by Shawn a few weeks ago and at my request she has very kindly written the following account. I find it a fascinating story of the man, about whom very little is actually known. My sincere thanks go to Shawn for this quite extraordinary insight into the life of “The Pittsburgh Phantom”.
By, Ms. Shawn M. Cohen
To Love a Boxer
What would you do if you found out that someone you knew and loved 32 years ago in 1976, when you were only 20 years old, and he was 48, someone who had had an impressive career as a professional Heavyweight Boxer from 1946 to 1960, fighting people like Joe Louis, Zora Folley, and Buddy Turman, but you never heard of those people because boxing was as far away from you as China, what would you do if you fell in love with this man never the less, and he with you…?
And what would you do if that man, that tall (6’1”) dark, swarthy and handsome man, who still looked young, vibrant and sexy at 48, charmed the likes of you, a young, somewhat naïve girl who was just working her way to pay for college as a waitress in a Jazz Night club, in Pittsburgh, Pa. and he was actually the manager: AKA Your Boss? That his artillery of charm was not his boxing career for you, although it truly defined him, and all who knew and loved him. Customers and staff alike hung off his every word as he talked about (always because he was endlessly asked!) his “glory days” in the Ring and always referred to him as, “Champ”? Moreover, as you walked by with your surf and turf for your customers, and their Martini’s (“ shaken not stirred”, “olive not twist”) Dizzy Gillespie, or Chuck Mangione or Harold Betters was blowing their horn on stage, and over Dizzy’s chubby blowing cheeks ,(or Chuck’s or Harold’s or George Benson’s guitar or whom ever was that evening’s booked attraction) you’d catch a word from that ex heavyweight now seated at the bar, puffing intermittedly on his long, stogie cigar, recalling in his deep but funny, short, staccato voice some of those more noteworthy brave battles in the ring, but they all happened before you were born?
This starring role belonged to Art Swiden, aka, “The Pittsburgh Phantom” and I, his ingénue. Art’s charming and very realistic imitations of Clark Gable (“Now see here, Scarlett!”) and Bogey, (“Here’s looking at you, Kid!”) were enough, but he always launched them like love bombs while starring at me from across the bar; enough charm to disarm any woman, anywhere.
Our feelings grew in spite of every reason not to be involved. For one, he was going through a very messy and nasty divorce, and secondly, he was 4 years younger than both my parents, which it turned out, he happened to know…but we didn’t discover that until they both decided to come into the bar we worked in for my 21st birthday! That was funny, and it still makes me laugh today, 31 years later, when I think about me coaching Art to meet my parents. Who, as it happens, were also going through a nasty divorce too but decided to call a “truce” for the momentous occasion of my 21st. Art could be as sketchy and as nervous as a racehorse waiting at the post, and he became exactly this when I announced, “Oh, by the way Art, my parents will be in tonight, let me introduce you to them.”
“What! Your Parents!” he shouted in alarm. If you can imagine he fought Joe Louis in an exhibition but was afraid to meet my parents, this gives you some indication of the man I loved, and who always made me laugh. “Ok,” he said, calming down but still nervously pacing the upstairs restaurant floor back and forth, “What are their names?” he shot me a sideways glance, not really wanting to do this. Then I told him….I saw the always-tanned color of his skin run out of his face, and his mouth gap wide open as the words, “Oh my God, I know your parents!”
My mother was a professional dancer, who worked in another Pittsburgh nightclub, 25 years before that but now long gone, and she danced with her dance troupe there. My father was a regular customer, and Art was the main bartender and bouncer in between his fights as a professional boxer. The club was called, “The Copa”, and the time they met was in the early 1950’s. There we were, it was so complicated back in 1976, ‘77, and ‘78
He got over meeting my parents with his usual aplomb, offering free drinks and ran off to run the restaurant, all the while, teasing me when he could about it all. Nothing stopped his love for me, until we decided to go away together for good. There are reasons people love each other that sometimes out weigh any logic. My girlfriends liked Art but thought he was too old for me and although handsome, a bit, “punch drunk”. He would say the “punch drunk” thing was “all an act!” and it was, for when we were alone, he was always smart, articulate, funny as hell and tender.
I was supporting my mother as my parents were divorcing, and my younger brother, who Art also gave a job to in the restaurant, as a dish washer, because he was still in high school. Art was generous like that. He would give you the shirt off his back if you asked him. He didn’t care about money, in the sense of making a lot, but he did care about people, in spite of his outbursts when he would fly over the bar, all 6’1” of him, like a gazelle, if a bar customer got too drunk and was starting trouble. He’d grab the culprit from the back of the shirt, with his enormous boxer hands, and throw the, “bum out on his ass!” This would all happen in about 2 seconds flat. Now remember, Art was 48, 49, and 50 years old when I witnessed him doing this. He had the energy of a panther when he leaped over that bar, and the heart of a lion, protecting his pride, which was us, all the customers and bar and restaurant staff. He was a hell of a man. His friends were many, and a lot were famous themselves. Billy Conn came into the bar a few times back then, and he and Art were good pals. I remember when Art wanted to introduce me to him, as he always wanted me to meet his friends, infamous or just plane famous. I was so young, so I didn’t know most of them or why they were famous, but Art would laugh about it and explain it to me. Many years later, after Art’s death when I met up with our regular bandleader, Harold Betters, he told me a great story about Billy Conn. Harold saw him in the club, quietly having a drink at the bar, while he was playing his trombone up on stage. He got a break and went over to meet the famous Mr. Conn. Art had just walked away after talking to Billy. “Mr. Conn, is it true what they say about Art, was he really that good in the ring?” Harold who worked with Art in the club for years, and loved him like a brother wanted to know. Billy took a sip of his whiskey and replied, “You don’t see me messing around here now, do ya!?”
Art was more special than just a boxer. Art had a heart of gold, and if there were medals, Olympic size ones, for a man with a beautiful heart, it would have Art Swiden’s name on it.
I know this is a boxing site, and for all those who love the stats, here are Art’s: www.boxrec.com. (Put in Art Swiden in the search box). I can’t tell you all the hooks, uppercuts, and combinations Art did in each fight, but I do know the New York Times called him, “a Master Boxer”, and more quotes, like, “the cleverest stylist in the business.” And that’s when fighters like Rocky Marciano were his contemporaries. That he had bad management and saw almost no money in those 1950’s fights, and the dirty calls from refs and so forth are all part of his boxing history. That he was a kid, who came from nothing, lost both his parents by the time he was 12. He tried to get into the marines, while World War II was raging, at 14 years old, and was sent home when they found out his real age, shows what kind of courage he had. That he tried out for the Golden Gloves at 19 years old, with the bit of boxing he learned in the Marines, the short time he was there, and then won in Missouri, shows you what kind of determination he had to ,as he often put in Marlon Brando’s voice, “to be a contender, not just another bum”.
When it all came down to it, I knew his young daughter needed him more as a father, and I needed to help my mother. I also knew although Art was still willing against all the problems and odds but I really wanted to go back to college in California, where I had been when I was called back home to help my mother, who hadn’t worked since being a dancer and marrying my father. My father left her no money, so it was up to me to help her. Our lives were not our own. Upset, frustrated and sad, we both cried but we both knew we each had a place somewhere else, not together, not then. It was the right decision at the time, but it was not easy, nor without tremendous emotional pain. As my best girlfriend said to me at the time, “I have never seen a man look at a woman the way Art looks at you.” Even with this great gift of love, I could not compete with a child who needed him more. My father had left and my mother had nothing, I just couldn’t do it to a young child. Art agreed, very reluctantly, and we parted.
I ran into Art a year later, 1979. He told me straight up, “I still love you”, and begged me to come back to him and I said the same, “I still love you, too, Art.” But I was mourning the loss of someone in my life I knew before Art. Although I was back in college studying psychology, and loving it, I was emotionally very vulnerable because of the premature death of someone else. There were so many reasons but I also knew he was back with his family, and I said that this was right and as it should be. Never did I know how hard those words would affect me later.
Did we ever see each other again? Yes, in 1994. However, as Art would say, “that’s a story for another time”. I can hear him say that as I write this, and so, what happened in the end…?
I had a dream about Art in September 2005, a long time resident of London, England now, working here, raising my own young daughter on my own. The dream was so real and charming and made me laugh as I woke up, that I just had to Google him and see if anything was up. Something I never did before, but there it was, first the loss of his voice box from cancer in 1999. Poor Art, he so loved to put on actor’s voices, and tell funny stories, but at least he was alive…until I scrolled down to see his obituary; August 23, 2004 at age 76. I felt the life rush out of me and the tears well in my eyes…”Art, beautiful Art, no!” I said it aloud, and began to cry and wail like a baby. “Baby” that was what Art always called me, so full of affection, and softly. For the weeks that followed, and through the tears of grief, I realized I had not been in touch with anyone who knew Art for all those years. In a frantic search to talk to one of his few friends who had known about us, and there were only a few, as we both held this secret for all these years, finally a reply off a boxing website. One of the many that I had clumsily put out my plea. Luckily, fate or Art from the Great Beyond, made his friend find this site and he emailed me. It was from his old best friend, Bob. Bob said to me when we talked on the phone, “I thought I would hear from you, Shawn. You know Art loved you all his life, he never stopped loving you. When he spoke about you, his eyes lit up, and he always spoke so highly of you. I was sure I would hear from you, and now here you are.” We talked for 3 hours, all about Art and all the missing years.
Now, here I am, 3 years later, writing and still researching and searching for information about Art’s boxing career because I am writing a book about this wonderful, funny, handsome man. A boxer, yes, and a hell of a boxer, who never got the big money, or the kudos he deserved. That the boxing world should not forget about him, because he was absolutely “Unforgettable”…in every way. (Art loved his music, and he used to sing this to me…little joke between us, now I sent it out to you all about him.)
One day, you might read it. I’m calling it, “The Pittsburgh Phantom and Me”.
I have found over 600 newspaper articles on his fights, the highs and the lows, the glory and the grit which is great but If anyone out there has any video tape, cine films or DVDs of Art’s fights, I would love to see them. I am sure Art would want me to. Somehow, like Svengali, I feel him looking over my shoulder, helping me to write this biography/memoir and I can just hear him laughing, telling me “don’t forget this story or that” or “make me look like a Champ, Kid!” Boxers are people, too, with hearts not just for the ring, but also for the people they love in their lives, and I am very blessed indeed to have been one of them.
Art Swiden will always be the Champion of my heart.
TOM ALLEN'S LIFE STORY – taken from article published in 1937
AFTER licking Posh Price in 41 rounds, and George Iles in 17 rounds, Allen -was matched with Joe Goss for £100 a "side. They met on March 5, 1867. Altogether they fought 34 rounds, and owing ,to interference, the 34 rounds were contested in three different rings. At last, after they had battled fiercely for one hour and forty-two minutes, the bout was finally declared a draw.
This was Allen's last battle in England, for shortly afterwards he sailed for the U.S.A., where, on July 21, 1867, he duly arrived in New York.
Joe Goss got the needle at Tom's running out of a return battle, and being determined to get Allen's scalp he followed that worthy to the States. Directly he reached the land of the almighty dollar he challenged Allen to a return bout. Allen accepted immediately, and a match was made for 5,000 dollars a side and the championship of the world. Nobody knew what right they had to battle for such a pretentious title, but nobody cared, so they satisfied their vanity.
The battle took place in Cincinatti on September 7. After several rounds, during which neither had asserted superiority, Allen hit Goss when that. worthy was on the ground, and was promptly disqualified on an appeal.
In Cincinatti a little later Tom_, got into a bit of trouble with the authorities. He had made all arrangements for a battle with a fellow whose name we didn't catch. The authorities didn't care for Tom's way of making money, so they arrested him and kept him in goal until he gave bonds for his good behaviour. In other words, he had to keep the peace in that State for twelve months.
Tom Has to Behave
After Allen's run-in with the authorities, in which he had been made to give bonds for his good behaviour in that State, Tom, not caring for this turn in his affairs, migrated to another State, where they were not so particular about his keeping the peace.
So one month after his giving bond in Cincinatti, he was meeting Mike McGoole, for £200 a side, in St. Louis, which is quite another State. Right here Tom met some of those celebrated American sports, for Which America has ever been famous. Nine rounds had been fought, occupying some thirteen minutes (unlucky number, as you will note), when some of these American sports started an argument around the ring, the ropes were cut, and the ring broken up by these gentlemen. Some of these drew pistols and bravely fired at Allen, putting one bullet through his right and another in his gongha, the latter necessitating his standing at meals for a few days.
The referee therefore decided that as Allen had not played fair, McGoole was the winner. Allen, however, thought that he was not getting the square deal which the U.SA. has always been noted for giving strangers in those days, and instituted proceedings for the recovery of his dough, and got it.
Knives and Pistols Again
Soon after he met Charley Gallagher once more. This time, however, Tom meant -business, for he was knocking the stuffing out of Charlie when once more those sporting Americans broke the ring up, and Tom fled for his life to escape the knives and pistols of the said sports.
A couple of months later he made another match with his old pal, Mike McGoole, for £200 a side, but the match was finally abandoned, owing to their not agreeing upon a stakeholder. They had to be particular in them there days.
Jim Mace arrived in America shortly after this, and Allen was promptly on his trail. They finally signed articles for £500 a side and the world's title. The battle took place in New Orleans on May
10, 1870.
In the battle. with Mace, Tom had the misfortune to injure .his right shoulder when he rushed Jem, and, getting a grip, throw him awkwardly, and in the fall sustained the injury. Allen, however, never had a chance with the clever Mace, and had he had a_ dozen arms he could not have licked the incomparable Mace.
Shortly after, Tom's arm was well; he was again on the warpath, and challenged the world. A party named James C. Gallagher accepted Tom's challenge with the proviso that Allen should lay £200 to £100. Allen was willing, so a match was made on those conditions.
Tom Retires, But
On November 5, 1870, they met near St. Louis, when Allen punched the stuffing out of Gallagher in sixteen rounds, occupying 23 minutes. After this contest Tom publicly stated that he was finished with the ring and would retire.
The Mike McGoole whom Allen had fought was quite some baby. He stood 6ft. 3in, and weighed 17st., so Torn was at a slight disadvantage, being 5 inches shorter and nearly 5st. lighter. In spite of all the Irishman's advantages, Allen simply cut him to ribbons; until, at the finish, when Allen was set upon by the " boys," Mike was a bleeding lump of battered humanity when carried away from the scene of battle.
In spite of the terrific beating Mike had taken the referee had awarded him the decision ; but, as stated above, Tom had sued for the return of his stakes, and had got them.
Three years after stating he had finished with the ring, Tom, like all of 'em, made another match with his old opponent Mike McGoole. Evidently Mike's sporting pals were not on hand this time, for Mike got. another terrific hiding.
After stopping everything that Torn sent him he was polished off in nine rounds, the nine rounds occupying 20 minutes.
Once' more Tom retired; and once more he came back., this time to meet Ben Hogan of Pittsburg. They were to have met at 'St. Louis, but while they were selecting the ground for the battle they were arrested. The Illinois authorities also arrested several of the more prominent of those who had interest in the battle. These , were all required to give bonds for their future good behaviour. This being done, .all, were liberated. Shortly afterwards Hogan and Tom fought at a place called Pacific City.
Foul Causes Trouble
Three fierce rounds were fought, when, during the third round, Allen is reported to have struck his opponent 'a foul blow. That being a good excuse for trouble, .the boys started it, and they immediately. got busy. Knives and pistols were drawn, the ropes cut, and once more Allen did his hundred in less than evens, and then some!
Tom’s next battle was with Joe Goss once again. They fought first in Kent county, where seven rounds were fiercely contested. The police came on the scene and the battlers and their followers had to take it on the run. The ring was then fixed in Boone County, where fourteen more rounds were fought. Tom took the lead here throughout. the battle. He' was punishing Goss severely when the cry of " Militia ! " was raised, and again the contestants got oh the move.
Unfortunately for Allen, Goss's party had got busy, and report says that the referee was got at. A few seconds after they started again , Goss got the decision on a foul. What the foul blow was nobody seemed to know.
A few days later Goss was arrested, but Allen kept under cover, and shortly after was smuggled aboard a boat bound for England. It was then that the match with Charlie Davis was made. Allen evidently returned to the States later, for we read that he died in St. Louis.
King of the Toughs
Here in St. Louis, Tom Allen reigned as a king among the toughs of that city. Tom kept a big whiskey store, which was frequented by all the toughest citizens of the city of St. Louis. It was here that he was visited by an English sport who was on a visit to that city. An American friend took him there. Said he: " Tom Allen's always glad to see a fellow countryman, so come along."
There was a little difficulty at first in even getting inside until they had satisfied the custodian of the door that they were, the right sort. Then they were ushered into a large hall with white- washed walls.
Pictures of all kinds of sports and sportsmen decorated the walls. Seated in a huge chair at the 'end of the hall was Tom Allen, with a prize bulldog squatting each side of him. The hall was crowded with miners and toughs of all sorts and liquor flowed freely. A sixteen-feet ring occupied the centre, and at the suggestion of one of the visitors a couple of boys were put into the ring. The purse was put up by the English visitor. and the two boys put up a rattling scrap over nine rounds, when one put the other down for the full ten seconds.
After the scrap followed a sing-song. tale telling, etc., and it -was six a.m. before the visitors sought their hotel after a lively night's sport.
Tom Allen's word WAS law among those roughs, and woe 'betide any that upset him. He had a hundred trusties. all ready at any and every moment to do " King's " bidding. Tom died at the age of 65, the cause of death being given as "general debility."
Thus they lived and died in those " Them there good old days."
HELP WANTED
George Reynolds
Does anyone have any info on George Reynolds, originally from Cardiff, who held the Welsh lightweight title from 1937 to 1938. I believe he was based at Wolverhampton for at least some of his career.
I would particularly like to know when he was born and when and where he died, also when he moved from Cardiff. Any others details, both biographical and regarding his fight record, would be much appreciated.
http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?hu ... &cat=boxer
I would also appreciate any information on
Cassius Clay Scott
http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=22901&cat=boxer
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Written by Rob Snell
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Monday, 19 January 2009 |
The Boxing Biographies Newsletter
Volume 4- No 2 19th Jan, 2009
www.boxingbiographies.com
If you wish to receive future newsletters ( which includes the images ) please email the message “NEWS LETTER”
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
The newsletter is also available as a word doc on request
As always the full versions of these articles are on the website
I NEED YOUR HELP
I am looking for any footage of his fights and would be most grateful for any help people can provide. I would also appreciate any other information on him
Missouri State Amateur Champion
Name: Art Swiden
Career Record: click
Alias: The Pittsburgh Phantom
Nationality: US American
Birthplace: McKeesport, PA, USA
Hometown: New Kensington, Pennsylvania, USA
Born: 1928-02-11
Died: 2004-08-23
Age at Death: 76
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 6′ 1″Write Comment (0 Comments) |
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Written by Rob Snell
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Wednesday, 10 December 2008 |
Some Email requests from our readers which you may be able to help with
I wonder if you could help me in my quest.
I am researching my grandfather Ralph Auker a decorated WW1 soldier. He was also a Boxer during his war years and after. The info I require is he won the divisional brigade and regiment welterweight championship in Brussels in 1919? His opponent was a Lewis Reamaker apparently the Belgian Champ at that time. But I cannot find any information about this gentleman.
I am in the process of looking through war records to see if they can shed some light.
Anything at all would be a bonus
Many thanks for your time
My grandad was a boxer in the 50's and 60's under the name Teddy Gardner from Croydon. His brother was also a boxer known as Pat Stribling. Pat was a Heavyweight between 1947 and 1951. I am trying to find any photos of him for my grandad as he doesnt have any of his brother boxing. If you have a photo or know where I can get one please let me know. Any help would be more than welcome.
boxer: Pat Stribling
Global ID 24208
sex male
birth date 1926-01-26
death date 1992-03-28
division heavyweight
nationality United Kingdom
alias William Gardner
residence Croydon, London, United Kingdom
won 24 (KO 8) + lost 17 (KO 9) + drawn 3 = 44
rounds boxed 266 : KO% 18.18
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