The Fargo Express

sharkeysboy · Post by **sharkeysboy** » 29 Aug 2005, 00:39

Do any of you know anything about Billy Petrolle, the Fargo Express? He was my father's favorite fighter back in the 30s. I looked him up in BoxRec of course and I've read a thing or two here and there through the years but there's still so many unanswered questions. My father passed away recently and I started wondering what he liked so much about the Express. Any info any of you have beyond Boxrec and what I could get off a google search will be appreciated. For instance, do any of you know if there's existing fight footage on Billy? Was he of Italian ancestry? The name and the look suggest this but you never know until you know.

klompton · Post by **klompton** » 29 Aug 2005, 01:22

I have footage of the all action bout between Petrolle and Battling Battalino. Great fight. I also have highlites of Petrolle-Ross and Petrolle-McLarnin. Petrolle was managed by Jack Hurley who groomed him to be hybrid of Mike Gibbons and Jack Dempsey. Hurley admired the masterful skills of Gibbons but knew that excitement sells so he spiced up the technical St. Paul style with some of Dempsey's moves and viola. I dont know a lot about Petrolle but one of my good friends is a huge fan of his and has been researching his and Jack Hurley's lives for years. At some point, time permitting, he intends to do a bio on Hurley which should make for excellent reading and provide a lot of insight into Petrolle's career.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 29 Aug 2005, 05:38

sharkeysboy · Post by **sharkeysboy** » 29 Aug 2005, 10:34

Thanks to Klompton and Kojoe for responding. Interesting stuff. My father had that edition of Ring once upon a time but it's not among his belongings and I fear he threw it away. He didn't have the collectible gene.