Not Since Days of Ted Kid Lewis Has There Been Anyone To Compare With Davay

[Joel Day Daitch]

By Jack Miley, Sports writer for the New York Daily News, New York Post 5/24/1939.

Day, Looking Like Fugitive From Oxygen Tent, Needs No Sympathy. A scrawny, knobby-kneed youth, did better than fair for himself in the Garden last evening. And if Henry Armstrong or Lou Ambers, wish to make anything of it, I think I can persuade him to accommodate them in the event that either of 'em wishes a bit of a tiff. My man's name is Davey Day and he is a human stringbean, if ever you saw one. Billy Conn and this walking case of pernicious anemia are my favorite fighters this season, and they've replaced Barney Ross and Jim Braddock, who are grazing in green pastures.

This bopping lead pencil from Chicago did a neat job of plastering Pedro Montanez, which is no mean achievement. The thing was an optical confusion, for after the Puerto Rican got his glimmer slashed open almost at the start of their bout, he found, he found himself unable to see eye-to-eye with Davey. You'd think Day had a scalpel in his glove. The round- shouldered, slab-sided kid from the corn belt did everything but pry Pedro's peeper from its socket and pass it around for the inspection of the ringsiders.

Not since the gaunt and emaciated Ted Kid Lewis was arousing the sympathy of customers-and how that cadaverous Englishman could lather them years ago- has any athlete roused the pity of the patrons as does Day. This spindly-legged, hatchet-faced boy make the clients weep. I heard one lady say, when she got a gander at him as he teed off against the muscular, beautifully built Montanez: "Oh, the poor thing! Why don't they feed him?" Somebody else opined that Davey was fighting to save up enough money to buy himself a blood transfusion.

Davey's managers are afraid he'll blow away. For days before the fight they plied him with ale, they made him guzzle three or four raw eggs, whiooed up in thick cream, and forced him to drink quarts of orange juice in their efforts to keep his poundage up so Montanez wouldn't seem to be picking on a stretched-out midget from the World's Fair. Every time he would walk across the Edison Hotel lobby, where he was staying, he'd lose two or three pounds. They put weights in his shoes so that if a gust of wind hit him when he went outdoors he wouldn't take off like Dr. Picard's ballon. They lined his clothes with tea lead for the same reason. ..... For more History on Davey Day go to Ebay put in search, ' Henry Armstrong vs. Davey Day" Getting off train with Manager. Don't have bid , Great Information in the description with pic of fights.

[Controversial]

By Jack Miley, Sports writer for the New York Daily News, New York Post 5/24/1939.

I assume you are related to Day in some way?

[Joel Day Daitch]

Bulls eye, you are 100% correct, I am his son. All the information on Davey Day has not been fairly mentioned in Boxing History. I've met Willie Pep, Sammy Angott, Lou Ambers, Eddie Perkins, Johnny Coulon, Jack Lamotta,, Jackie Fields, L
eo Rodak, Nae Bolden, Barney Ross, Tony Zale, Joey Giardello, and many many others. CHICAGO BOXING book by J.J Johnson and Sean Curtin has a Memorable picture of Great Fighters honoring Davey. Ray Arcil, Jimmy McLarnin, LesterBromberg, Mike Silver all recognized Davey as one of the Greatest fighters. Joe Jacobs manager of Max Schmeling, Mike Jacobs Boss of all fights in New York, Barney Ross all wanted to buy Mr. Day's contract from Pian and Winch. When Davey and I went to the Chicago Italian hall of Fame convention, we walked into a parlor where there was several Great fighters, and suddenly, Willie Pep eyed Davey, and jumped up, acclaimed ( shouted) "Davey Day great fighter of the Golden Age of Boxing". Tony Zale, Davey Day and Ross were in the same stable. Tony and Davey were two of the most humble guys you'd ever want to meet. We were together on many occasions. Than you.

[Controversial]

Bulls eye, you are 100% correct, I am his son.

You must be proud of him

[Joel Day Daitch]

Just a little. Thanks.