The Berkshire Eagle
14 September 1965
FORMER BOXING GREAT Dave Shade discusses
his controversial world welterweight championship bout
against Mickey Walker while visiting here at the home
of his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. William
Shade of 263 Barker Road. The fight was held 40
years ago a week from tonight. Walker retained the
title, but most newspapermen at ringside felt Shade
should have been voted the winner. Shade and his wife
drove here from New Smyrna Beach, Fla., where they
operate a motel. Shade, now 63, weighs 160 pounds,
which was what he weighed in his last fight 30 years ago.
Dave Shade, the fellow who was called by many "the uncrowned king of the welterweights," still thinks he licked Mickey Walker for the title 40 years ago next Tuesday night in New York. He said so yesterday in the living room of the home of his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. William Shade of 263 Barker Road, where the 63 year-old former boxer and his wife are spending a vacation from New Smyrna Beach, Fla. "Sure I beat Mickey," Dave said. "All the newspapermen thought so, but those gamblers took care of that. I carried a large majority of the first 14 rounds, but Mickey had a little the better of it in the 15th. One round shouldn't win a fight."
KO Over Slattery
Shade, still a trim 160 pounds or exactly what he weighed in his last professional bout in the old Auditorium here Feb. 4, 1935, gladly gave a demonstration of his famed crouch style. "You see, I was short-legged and long waisted, so this was good for me," he said as he crouched with his head only inches from the floor. Then he proceeded to show how he had knocked out highly rated Jimmy Slattery in the third round of the last bout before his championship meeting with Walker. "Slattery was a big fellow, and he came down to get me," Shade said. "I hit him in the belly and then in the chin, and that was it. When a man is off balance, it's easy to knock him out."
Shade lived in Pittsfield for 17 years from 1934 through 1951. He and Sam George operated a cafe on East Street near the south gate of the General Electric Co. It later was known as the Boulevard Cafe. He sold out his interest in 1951, and bought a small motel in New Smyrna Beach.
22 Broken Hands
Dave veritably bristled when we started to check on his fights with Walker, the famed Toy Bulldog. We advised that Nat Fleischer's Ring record book charged one knockout against Shade — that by Walker in 1921 in the first of their three meetings. "I was never knocked out by anyone , " Shade declared
"Walker won that fight on a technical knockout in the eighth round. My hand was broken, so the referee stopped the fight." Shade showed his hands “that have been broken 22 times," he said.
He fought Walker in a 12 round return bout at Newark later in 1921, and this one went into the record book as "no decision. "I licked him that time," Dave said. "Then I defeated him four years later, but he was given the decision."
Dave said that his motel "is just enough to keep me busy." To get away from the monotony of the management of the place, he golfs, fishes and hunts. Yesterday morning, he and 18 year old grandson Bob Shade were considering a round of golf at Wahconah Country Club in Dalton. He fishes and hunts at his camp 14 miles from his home. His favorite game is wild turkey.
Shade always has gone for camps. He had one of his own in this area. That was at Sandisfield. His daughter-in-law called attention to the naming of a road after Dave. The road leading to the Sandisfield camp is known as Dave Shade Road. Mrs. Shade broke in to answer a question for him. "He hasn't been to a pro boxing bout since the last time he fought," she said.
Checks With Wife
Shade occasionally had to check with his wife for names of opponents, years and sites. Talk turned to the many bouts he had outside the country , Australia, England, South America. "She's my brain," he said. "Don't tell me those Aussies can't fight," he said. "I bought the little motel to keep active," he said. "A man can't just retire. He has to have something to do to stay alive. That's why I didn't put on any weight."
Shade said the motel helps him to keep in touch with Pittsfield. Explaining, he said "every year we see somebody from Pittsfield." Shade fought 149 professional bouts. He lost, only 15. He admittedly was. over the hill when he started to fight here. He had four bouts under the promotion of Police Capt. John Hines and Marty Cronin. Two were in 1934, two in 1935. He drew with Al Rossi, beat Joe Kaminski and Bob Turner, and lost to Al Gainer, whom he had beaten four years earlier. Dave and his wife plan to leave Pittsfield late this week. They probably will drive to California before they return to New Smyrna Beach. Both are natives
of California, and Mrs. Shade has relatives in the San Francisco area.
Dave Shade
Re: Dave Shade
Rob- The posted article about Dave Shade isn't one that I have seen before.
I find it interesting that Dave's wife said that he hadn't been to a pro boxing bout since he retired. That isn't a big surprise to me. When interviewed for an article about him in Ring Magazine during the early 1930s, Dave said that he didn't want his son to be a boxer. He added that it wouldn't happen as long as he was alive.
There was an article about Dave and his two older brothers in Ring Magazine during the early 1920s. Another article about Shade was in Ring Magazine when he and his wife were managing their new motel in Florida during the early 1950s.
When Dave was living in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, a local newspaper had numerous items about him. He gave talks to local organizations about his career and even refereed at least one amateur bout.
A few years before Dave died, his wife, Irene, was interviewed for an article about in a Pittsfield area newspaper. At the time, Dave wasn't interviewed because he was suffering from memory loss. I remember reading that Irene said she saw her husband fight only once in a bout which took place about 1920. She added that she didn't like seeing him get hurt.
It appears that Irene lived until the late 1990s, about fifteen years after Dave died. Their only child, William, died in 1981, two years before Dave died.
- Chuck Johnston
I find it interesting that Dave's wife said that he hadn't been to a pro boxing bout since he retired. That isn't a big surprise to me. When interviewed for an article about him in Ring Magazine during the early 1930s, Dave said that he didn't want his son to be a boxer. He added that it wouldn't happen as long as he was alive.
There was an article about Dave and his two older brothers in Ring Magazine during the early 1920s. Another article about Shade was in Ring Magazine when he and his wife were managing their new motel in Florida during the early 1950s.
When Dave was living in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, a local newspaper had numerous items about him. He gave talks to local organizations about his career and even refereed at least one amateur bout.
A few years before Dave died, his wife, Irene, was interviewed for an article about in a Pittsfield area newspaper. At the time, Dave wasn't interviewed because he was suffering from memory loss. I remember reading that Irene said she saw her husband fight only once in a bout which took place about 1920. She added that she didn't like seeing him get hurt.
It appears that Irene lived until the late 1990s, about fifteen years after Dave died. Their only child, William, died in 1981, two years before Dave died.
- Chuck Johnston
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
Re: Dave Shade
I was pleased when i came across the article as i had no idea what he did after he retired from the ring. The article includes a photo of him which i will upload shortly. What i found astonishing was the number of times he broke his hands and how he was so matter of fact about it.like yourself i was not surprised he had no interest in watching fights afterwards, although i guess he may have done so on TV.
Re: Dave Shade
Great find, Rob!
Here are reports of Shade's two fights with Jack Hood.
Here are reports of Shade's two fights with Jack Hood.
Re: Dave Shade
Thank you Mr Snell for bringing alive a great fighter of the past, Dave Shade...They don't makerobert.snell1 wrote:I was pleased when i came across the article as i had no idea what he did after he retired from the ring. The article includes a photo of him which i will upload shortly. What i found astonishing was the number of times he broke his hands and how he was so matter of fact about it.like yourself i was not surprised he had no interest in watching fights afterwards, although i guess he may have done so on TV.
fighters like Dave Shade anymore. He was from my dad's generation, along with the equally tough
Ace Hudkins, who my dad saw upset and ko, the "new Benny Leonard, Ruby Goldstein ". As an oldtimer, I say thank you.!
Re: Dave Shade
Besides breaking his right hand in his first bout with Mickey Walker during 1921, Dave broke his left hand in a fifteen-round bout with Joe Simonich in Simonich's hometown of Butte, Montana earlier in the year, but still won the decision.
Shade loved to play golf, much like his manager, Leo Flynn. There was a fine article about Flynn in Sports Illustrated. There is a possibility that Flynn became fatally ill while hustling someone while playing golf.
There are a number of stories about Shade's fondness for smoking cigars while in training camps.
- Chuck Johnston
Shade loved to play golf, much like his manager, Leo Flynn. There was a fine article about Flynn in Sports Illustrated. There is a possibility that Flynn became fatally ill while hustling someone while playing golf.
There are a number of stories about Shade's fondness for smoking cigars while in training camps.
- Chuck Johnston
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
Re: Dave Shade
Thanks a lot for the additional info guys that is a real help in filling out the gaps. This is the Shade v Walker report
Nevada State Journal
22 Sept 1925
Pugilists Box Furiously For Fistic Laurels
Mickey Walker of Elizabeth, N. J., retained his world's welterweight title when he scored a judges' decision over Dave Shade of California in a furious 15 round title match at the American league baseball park tonight. A thrilling rally in the final round won the verdict for the champion, who had been absorbing plenty of punishment from his challenger in the early rounds. Walker had been wearing down his challenger with a concentrated body attack and reaped his
harvest in the final round, when he hammered Shade about the ring with a charge which retained for him the world's 147-pound crown.
When the fighters stepped into the ring for the semi-final match the immense stands were packed to capacity, while 5,000 more were seated at ringside on the field. Tex Rickard, promoter of the fight, estimated the crowd at 45,000 and the total receipts at $200,000. It was easily the largest
crowd of the outdoor season.
Standing in the center of the ring almost throughout the struggle, the pair hammered away until both were almost ready to drop from exhaustion at the finish. They bled profusely from nose and mouth and Shade was in the verge of a knockout in the closing minutes of the struggle as the
champion brought forth a thrilling rally to save his title by a close judges' decision of two to one.
Both men. casting science aside, slugged with abandon and without letup. Until Walker's sensational finish the consensus among newspaper men at the ringside gave the crouching Californian an edge over the champion. Even after Walker's spectacular rally, under which Shade bent like a broken reed, opinion remained divided, a chorus of boos accompanying the ovation which greeted the verdict.
Frank Moody of Wales scored a technical knockout over Kid Norfolk, negro heavyweight of New York in the fourth round of an eight-round preliminary. Norfolk was down three times for counts of four, eight and four before the white towel of defeat cluttered into the ring.
The negro was an easy target for the heavy-punching Moody, who poured a battery of rights and lefts at the veteran heavyweight which sent him down three times in the second and fourth rounds. The end came after one minute and five seconds of fighting in the fourth. .
The Walker-Shade fight round by round follows:
ROUND ONE.
The champion took the aggressive after a clinch and scored heavily in the infighting against his crouching challenger. The champion was pounding on Shade's body. Shade staggered Walker with three straight left jabs to the face. Shade almost floored Walker with a light to the head. Another right sent Walker to the ropes. Both landed damaging blows in a fierce encounter near the ropes. Shade's crouching position and his dodging tactics puzzled the champion.
They were sparring at the bell.
ROUND TWO.
Shade's left sent Walker backward. They locked arms, but both got one free, and they pounded away in a fierce fashion. Shade almost upset Walker with an overhand right. Clinch followed clinch as Shade reached to protect himself from Walker's charge. Shade scored a beautiful right upper-cut, which turned Walker half around. The crowd was in an uproar as the bell ended a furious skirmish.
ROUND THREE.
Walker hooked his left to Shade's jaw. Another left caught Shade's jaw and a clinch followed. Shade staggered Walker with a driving left to the face. Walker almost floored Shade with a right to the jaw. Both landed weakly to the head. Walker scored with his left and Shade clinched. Five times shade landed to Walker's face with a hard right. The referee had to pry them from a clinch as the bell rang.
ROUND FOUR.
Walker continued to punch away at Shade's body as the challenger drove into a clinch at every charge. Both missed frequently. Walker stung Shade with a right cross to the jaw and followed it with a beautiful left. There was plenty of infighting. Walker staggered Shade with his left, but took a right uppercut on the return just as the bell ended the round
.
Nevada State Journal
22 Sept 1925
Pugilists Box Furiously For Fistic Laurels
Mickey Walker of Elizabeth, N. J., retained his world's welterweight title when he scored a judges' decision over Dave Shade of California in a furious 15 round title match at the American league baseball park tonight. A thrilling rally in the final round won the verdict for the champion, who had been absorbing plenty of punishment from his challenger in the early rounds. Walker had been wearing down his challenger with a concentrated body attack and reaped his
harvest in the final round, when he hammered Shade about the ring with a charge which retained for him the world's 147-pound crown.
When the fighters stepped into the ring for the semi-final match the immense stands were packed to capacity, while 5,000 more were seated at ringside on the field. Tex Rickard, promoter of the fight, estimated the crowd at 45,000 and the total receipts at $200,000. It was easily the largest
crowd of the outdoor season.
Standing in the center of the ring almost throughout the struggle, the pair hammered away until both were almost ready to drop from exhaustion at the finish. They bled profusely from nose and mouth and Shade was in the verge of a knockout in the closing minutes of the struggle as the
champion brought forth a thrilling rally to save his title by a close judges' decision of two to one.
Both men. casting science aside, slugged with abandon and without letup. Until Walker's sensational finish the consensus among newspaper men at the ringside gave the crouching Californian an edge over the champion. Even after Walker's spectacular rally, under which Shade bent like a broken reed, opinion remained divided, a chorus of boos accompanying the ovation which greeted the verdict.
Frank Moody of Wales scored a technical knockout over Kid Norfolk, negro heavyweight of New York in the fourth round of an eight-round preliminary. Norfolk was down three times for counts of four, eight and four before the white towel of defeat cluttered into the ring.
The negro was an easy target for the heavy-punching Moody, who poured a battery of rights and lefts at the veteran heavyweight which sent him down three times in the second and fourth rounds. The end came after one minute and five seconds of fighting in the fourth. .
The Walker-Shade fight round by round follows:
ROUND ONE.
The champion took the aggressive after a clinch and scored heavily in the infighting against his crouching challenger. The champion was pounding on Shade's body. Shade staggered Walker with three straight left jabs to the face. Shade almost floored Walker with a light to the head. Another right sent Walker to the ropes. Both landed damaging blows in a fierce encounter near the ropes. Shade's crouching position and his dodging tactics puzzled the champion.
They were sparring at the bell.
ROUND TWO.
Shade's left sent Walker backward. They locked arms, but both got one free, and they pounded away in a fierce fashion. Shade almost upset Walker with an overhand right. Clinch followed clinch as Shade reached to protect himself from Walker's charge. Shade scored a beautiful right upper-cut, which turned Walker half around. The crowd was in an uproar as the bell ended a furious skirmish.
ROUND THREE.
Walker hooked his left to Shade's jaw. Another left caught Shade's jaw and a clinch followed. Shade staggered Walker with a driving left to the face. Walker almost floored Shade with a right to the jaw. Both landed weakly to the head. Walker scored with his left and Shade clinched. Five times shade landed to Walker's face with a hard right. The referee had to pry them from a clinch as the bell rang.
ROUND FOUR.
Walker continued to punch away at Shade's body as the challenger drove into a clinch at every charge. Both missed frequently. Walker stung Shade with a right cross to the jaw and followed it with a beautiful left. There was plenty of infighting. Walker staggered Shade with his left, but took a right uppercut on the return just as the bell ended the round
.
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
Re: Dave Shade
ROUND FIVE.
Walker cracked over a wicked left to the head which almost floored Shade. Shade came back with a furious charge and for a few seconds they hammered away without a thought of.
protection. Walker missed a right cross and Shade scored with both hands to the head. Walker got over a pretty left to Shade's body, but little damage was done. Every other charge
was a clinch. Shade scored heavily. to Walker's head without a return. They were milling at a fast clip when the bell rang.
ROUND SIX.
The challenger opened up a serious attack at the champion as the round opened, landing effectively with both hands. Walker put ever a vicious right square to Shade's face, which
sent the challenger back on his heels four times. Walker landed to the head without a return. Another left caught Shade off balance and he almost fell. The crowd was in a frenzy as the fight assumed faster proportions. Both landed vicious blows to the head and body in a hot exchange. Both of the fighters nearly went down under the slaughter. The bell halted a furious exchange.
ROUND SEVEN.
Shade was bleeding from the mouth and from a cut under his right eye as ho came up. Walker with both hands landed to the head. They locked in a clinch, but the infighting was even.
A straight right sent Walker to the ropes. An uppercut jarred him. Both landed smashing drives straight to the face as they fought openly. A right and left in the chin forced Shade to clinch. They were sparring openly at the bell.
ROUND EIGHT
.
They mixed at close range as the round opened. The champion missed two left hooks. A blow to the body doubled Shade. Both missed with rights. A left jab spun Shade around. They fought furiously at close quarters. The action slowed until Walker started a charge which lasted for only
a moment, during which they both fought openly, both landing effective, blows in the exchange. Just as the bell rang Walker doubled Shade a left to the body
ROUND NINE
They fell into the inevitable clinch. Walker scored heavily in the infighting. Both missed furious rights. A left to the face sent Walker half around, but he came back to stagger Shade with lefts to the body. Shade smashed the champion's face, but Walker was wide with his return. They stood toe to toe and battled furiously. Shade having the edge in the exchange. Three times Shade’s left sent Walker’s head back. The challenger was forcing the fighting. They were in the center of the ring at the bell.
Walker cracked over a wicked left to the head which almost floored Shade. Shade came back with a furious charge and for a few seconds they hammered away without a thought of.
protection. Walker missed a right cross and Shade scored with both hands to the head. Walker got over a pretty left to Shade's body, but little damage was done. Every other charge
was a clinch. Shade scored heavily. to Walker's head without a return. They were milling at a fast clip when the bell rang.
ROUND SIX.
The challenger opened up a serious attack at the champion as the round opened, landing effectively with both hands. Walker put ever a vicious right square to Shade's face, which
sent the challenger back on his heels four times. Walker landed to the head without a return. Another left caught Shade off balance and he almost fell. The crowd was in a frenzy as the fight assumed faster proportions. Both landed vicious blows to the head and body in a hot exchange. Both of the fighters nearly went down under the slaughter. The bell halted a furious exchange.
ROUND SEVEN.
Shade was bleeding from the mouth and from a cut under his right eye as ho came up. Walker with both hands landed to the head. They locked in a clinch, but the infighting was even.
A straight right sent Walker to the ropes. An uppercut jarred him. Both landed smashing drives straight to the face as they fought openly. A right and left in the chin forced Shade to clinch. They were sparring openly at the bell.
ROUND EIGHT
.
They mixed at close range as the round opened. The champion missed two left hooks. A blow to the body doubled Shade. Both missed with rights. A left jab spun Shade around. They fought furiously at close quarters. The action slowed until Walker started a charge which lasted for only
a moment, during which they both fought openly, both landing effective, blows in the exchange. Just as the bell rang Walker doubled Shade a left to the body
ROUND NINE
They fell into the inevitable clinch. Walker scored heavily in the infighting. Both missed furious rights. A left to the face sent Walker half around, but he came back to stagger Shade with lefts to the body. Shade smashed the champion's face, but Walker was wide with his return. They stood toe to toe and battled furiously. Shade having the edge in the exchange. Three times Shade’s left sent Walker’s head back. The challenger was forcing the fighting. They were in the center of the ring at the bell.
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
Re: Dave Shade
ROUND TEN
Shade staggered Walker with a stiff right to the head. The champion continued to center his attack on Shade’s body. Shade came up with a pretty uppercut and the champion came up with a bleeding mouth. Both blasted away viciously to the head, Shade getting the better of the battling. Shade battered to the head, but took two on the body. Three uppercuts rocked Walker's head. Shade forced Walker to the corner, and poured leather at the champion in all directions. The champion came back strong, however, and forced Shade into a clinch as the bell ended the round.
ROUND ELEVEN.
Walker's eye displayed a nasty cut as he came up for the round. Walker staggered Shade with a left hook to the head. Walker was staggering Shade, with a tantalizing jab. Walker missed a left and took a right to the head. Shade scored with his right and left to the head. Both were
bleeding from the face. Shade put across five choppy jabs before Walker could counter. The referee pulled them from a clinch as the round ended.
ROUND TWELVE.
Walker missed a right uppercut. They clinched. They tied into a knot after every charge. Walker charged, landing with his left and missed with a wild right swing. Both landed stinging blows to the face as the action speeded. The challenger was on top of Walker in every crash, playing
for Walker's face. Walker slid his left across Shade's dodging- head. The infighting continued, with honors even. Walker was short with a left. They just came out of a clinch as the bell rang.
ROUND THIRTEEN.
They clinched. As they came up, Walker put over a vicious left to the body, which doubled the challenger. Both appeared to be tiring under the killing pace and the clinches became more frequent. Walker was doing good work on the inside, with Shade laying back for a knockout punch. Walker missed a left hook and took a right to the jaw. Walker scored Shade's head, but was forced to take two in exchange. The one-two punch to the head and body sent Walker to the ropes, where the bell found them locked.
ROUND FOURTEEN.
They rushed to the ropes in a clinch and Shade had a little advantage at close quarters. Both stung with rights to the head. Walker continued his body punches. Both of Shade's eyes appeared to be cut as he came out of the clinch. Walker missed three lefts. A right grazed Shade's face. He staggered Walker with a counter right. Shade's crouching tactics had Walker at "sea." Walker measured Shade with a right, but the bell prevented the blow.
ROUND FIFTEEN.
They shook hands. Walker scored in the infighting as the two clinched Shade landed to the head, but clinched when Walker missed with his left Walker stung Shade with a right to the body. Another crushing right to the head sent Shade to the ropes Mickey was rallying. He poured a furious onslaught at Shade. The crowd was in an uproar, yelling for the champion to finish his weakening rival. Blow after blow landed on Shade's head and body. Walker stung his right to Shade’s head. They were pouring in furiously at each other at the bell.
Shade staggered Walker with a stiff right to the head. The champion continued to center his attack on Shade’s body. Shade came up with a pretty uppercut and the champion came up with a bleeding mouth. Both blasted away viciously to the head, Shade getting the better of the battling. Shade battered to the head, but took two on the body. Three uppercuts rocked Walker's head. Shade forced Walker to the corner, and poured leather at the champion in all directions. The champion came back strong, however, and forced Shade into a clinch as the bell ended the round.
ROUND ELEVEN.
Walker's eye displayed a nasty cut as he came up for the round. Walker staggered Shade with a left hook to the head. Walker was staggering Shade, with a tantalizing jab. Walker missed a left and took a right to the head. Shade scored with his right and left to the head. Both were
bleeding from the face. Shade put across five choppy jabs before Walker could counter. The referee pulled them from a clinch as the round ended.
ROUND TWELVE.
Walker missed a right uppercut. They clinched. They tied into a knot after every charge. Walker charged, landing with his left and missed with a wild right swing. Both landed stinging blows to the face as the action speeded. The challenger was on top of Walker in every crash, playing
for Walker's face. Walker slid his left across Shade's dodging- head. The infighting continued, with honors even. Walker was short with a left. They just came out of a clinch as the bell rang.
ROUND THIRTEEN.
They clinched. As they came up, Walker put over a vicious left to the body, which doubled the challenger. Both appeared to be tiring under the killing pace and the clinches became more frequent. Walker was doing good work on the inside, with Shade laying back for a knockout punch. Walker missed a left hook and took a right to the jaw. Walker scored Shade's head, but was forced to take two in exchange. The one-two punch to the head and body sent Walker to the ropes, where the bell found them locked.
ROUND FOURTEEN.
They rushed to the ropes in a clinch and Shade had a little advantage at close quarters. Both stung with rights to the head. Walker continued his body punches. Both of Shade's eyes appeared to be cut as he came out of the clinch. Walker missed three lefts. A right grazed Shade's face. He staggered Walker with a counter right. Shade's crouching tactics had Walker at "sea." Walker measured Shade with a right, but the bell prevented the blow.
ROUND FIFTEEN.
They shook hands. Walker scored in the infighting as the two clinched Shade landed to the head, but clinched when Walker missed with his left Walker stung Shade with a right to the body. Another crushing right to the head sent Shade to the ropes Mickey was rallying. He poured a furious onslaught at Shade. The crowd was in an uproar, yelling for the champion to finish his weakening rival. Blow after blow landed on Shade's head and body. Walker stung his right to Shade’s head. They were pouring in furiously at each other at the bell.