The story of the boxers who sailed on the Titanic...

[Alex]

By Miles Templeton

In the January 21st 1911 edition of ‘Boxing’ under the article headed ‘Welsh Notes’ there appeared the following: “Wanted – a smart boxer. A well-known American sports promoter has just written to me from across the Atlantic to ask me to recommend a smart boxer for a trip across the water, and the terms, which I do not care to make public, will gladden the heart of the selected man. At present I have two lightweights in view, both good men, but I am in no great hurry to make the selection, as circumstances allow me ample time to do so.” The article was penned by the Welsh correspondent, Charles A Barnett, and it referred to an invitation he had received from a wealthy racehorse owner and sports promoter, Frank Torreyson.

The following week Barnett wrote that “As might have been expected, quite a shoal of boxers have written to me offering their services in answer to the announcement that I made last week.” Barnett added that he had been given a name by Torreyson and that until this person had accepted or declined the offer he would look no further.

Nothing further was mentioned regarding the matter until March 25th when Barrett wrote that “Some time ago I announced that I had received £20 from an American promoter in order to select a good class boxer and pay his passage out to the States with a contract lasting a year. Two men were mentioned in the letters that I received – Fred Delaney and Fred Dyer – though I was not pinned down to either. Unfortunately Delaney was up North, and Dyer also had a few engagements on, so that each was forced to delay the acceptance. The American season is now, of course, drawing to a close, and I have decided, after hearing from the promoter, to postpone the offer until next September.” Delaney and Dyer were lightweights of the top class at this time and either one of them would have done well in the States.

True to his word, On September 30th 1911 Barnett wrote that Torreyson had been back in contact, offering to increase the amount so that two good boxers could be sent out. As well as enquiring about the availability of Dyer and Delaney, Torreyson also indicated an interest in the Merthyr bantamweight, Eddie Morgan. Again, the matter went quiet, and Torreyson must have been wondering what was going on. In February 1912 Torreyson sent another £40 asking Barnett to arrange for boxers and Barnett wrote, somewhat high-handedly, that “Of course, Torreyson is anxious to get Fred Delaney or Fred Dyer, or Eddie Morgan, but the last word in the selection is left to my discretion. The money is to cover the passages, and the terms of the contract can only be seen by those likely to be sent to America. Applications should be forwarded early to me.”

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[Jake Hughes]

Jimmy Wilde, in his autobiography "Fighting Was My Business" mentions a tour to the USA that was being put together by Ted Lewis and Charley Harvey in 1913. Wilde was very keen to go but was told by Harvey no match could be made for him due to his exceptional skill and power at such an exceptionally low weight. This was then a common problem for Jimmy Wilde. He writes:

To go against the considered opinion of one of the shrewdest men in Anglo-American boxing was manifestly absurd, and so I resigned myself to confounding my weight, not for the first time. Just a few pounds stood between me and a grand tour of new country; it was difficult to be cheerful about it

Jimmy Wilde adds:

Les Williams of Tonypandy and Dai Bowen of Treherbert were the "lucky" boys to go. They would have had a successful time in America, but they left for the States on the Titanic, and were among the hundreds lost in that dreadful disaster on the high seas. Had I been given those few extra pounds I would have shared their fate; so I blessed my size. I sometimes shudder when I realise how desperately hard I tried to make Harvey change his mind.