The Boxing Biographies Newsletter
2nd Anniversary Edition
Volume 5 - No 1 4th July , 2009
www.boxingbiographies.com
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Name: Johnny Kilbane
Career Record: click
Birth Name: John Patrick Kilbane
Nationality: US American
Birthplace: Cleveland, OH
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Born: 1889-04-18
Died: 1957-05-31
Age at Death: 68
Height: 5′ 5″
Reach: 68 inches
Division: Featherweight
Manager: Jimmy Dunn
The man who ended the featherweight championship reign of Abe Attell, Johnny Kilbane spent much of his life in the public eye. Kilbane defended the featherweight title for eleven years and, in retirement, became a senator in the Ohio state legislature. A Cleveland native, Kilbane started fighting professionally in the Ohio area in 1907 with three victories, according to the somewhat spotty records of his early career.
Attell v Kilbane
Published 23 Feb 1912
Johnny Kilbane Given Decision Over Attell In Battle At Los Angeles
A new pugilistic champion was made in the Vernon arena yesterday, when Johnny Kilbane of Cleveland, decisively outfought, outgamed and outpunched Abe Attell in a 20 round contest and at' the close was awarded the featherweight title by Referee Charles Eyeton.
Nearly. 10,000 persons saw the fight; Fully 500-others were turned away at the gates. This was the greatest crowd that ever viewed a prize fight in Los Angeles. The receipts amounted to approximately $25,000. The men fought for a purse of $10,000, of which Attell was to receive $6,500, win lose or draw and Kilbane $3,500. They agreed to divide evenly the moving picture privilege.
Attell was clearly outfought. His boasted speed and wonderful cleverness were not in evidence. Kilbane made him look like a novice in nearly every round. Only in one round, the seventh, did Attell have a lead, that was not, by any means, as decisive as that of Kilbane in the remaining rounds.
Attell brought the wrath of the big crowd upon his head by foul tactics. Time and again he would hold Kilbane's arms in a clinch and once, In the' eighth, .he grabbed Kilbane's left arm with both hands and tried to bend it back. In the third he "heeled" the Cleveland boy while in a clinch and in nearly every succeeding round his work called for the hisses from the spectators.
In the seventh after rushing into a clinch to avoid Kilbane’s tattoo on the face and body, Attell butted the Clevelander with his head, opening a great gash over Kilbane’s left eye, from which blood spurted profusely.
At the beginning of the sixteenth round referee Eyeton stopped the fight, grabbed a towel and thoroughly wiped off Attell’s body. It was seen to covered with some greasy substance. Attell protested, but the referee paid no attention to him. Kilbane's work was a revelation to even his friends. Entering the ring with the odds 2 to 1 against him, he never faltered for an instant. He fought' fast and showed clever work with his hands and feet.
A straight left jab to Attell's nose or sore left eye was his favorite blow. He would send this in, and then, like a flash cross with his right to the other side of Attell's head and jump back out of harm's way. Attell seemed wild throughout the fight, but this was due as much to Kilbane's foot work as to any other cause. Time and again the bewildered Attell' tried in vain to corner the Cleveland man.
The decision of Referee Eyeton was received with cheers, and Kilbane was carried from the building on the shoulders of his friends. "I want to telephone to Mary." He said, meaning Mrs. Kilbane. Attell, tired, his face drawn and bleeding, left the ring alone. As he reached the edge of the platform, he said to a friend: "Well I had to stand for it; I couldn't do any better."
Fight By Rounds.
Round 1
Both men walked slowly to center. After sparring they clinched, and Kilbane got in a hard right to the jaw on the break. For the next minute both men stood in the center and not a blow was exchanged, then they clinched and Kilbane got In a left and a right to the jaw he was quick as lightning. They clinched again and Attell missed a right. Round even.
Round 2
Each man tried to feel out his opponent. Kilbane put a vicious left to the jaw and avoided a left counter . Attell did not seem as fast on his feet as Kilbane. The Clevelander landed right and left and avoided returns. He brought blood from Attell's mouth with a straight left. Kilbane again landed two hard lefts to the face, starting the blood flowing. A right to Attell's bad eye nearly closed the optic. It was Kilbane's round.
Round 3
They clinched and Kilbane complained to the referee that Attell bent his arm. Attell held on and at the break dodged a vicious left, only to encounter a hard right Each man was fighting rapidly and roughly. In the next clinch Attell was warned for heeling. Kilbane put right and left to the face. The bell rang with the men clinched. Kilbane's round.
Round 4
They came to the center slowly and Kilbane jabbed Attell twice .Attell tried to clinch but ran into a hard right. The boy’s clinched and wrestled about the ring. Kilbane was landing three blows to Attell’s one. The crowd “booed” at Attell for holding in a clinch. Attell backing away, motioned for Kilbane to come on, to which the Clevelander responded with a stiff left to the jaw. Round even.
Round 5
Attel’s left eye was swollen and nearly closed and Kilbane kept pecking at it.Attell continually clinched and held on. The spectators yelled to him to fight. Kilbane backed off still hammering at Attell’s sore eye and the round ended with the lads in a clinch.Kilbane showed more speed on his feet than Attell.
The Bee, Danville , VA - 4 June 1923
CRIQUI NEW FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION; KNOCKED KILBANE
OUT IN SIXTH ROUND OF BOUT
A lithe-limbed panther like warrior of France, bearing the scars of the fight of fights, boxed and punched his way to dramatic victory and a world championship here today.
Eugene Criqui, who came back to the ring after his jaw had stopped a German bullet at Verdun seven years ago, rose to the greatest heights of his pugilistic career when he knocked out Johnny Kilbane, veteran American holder of the world's featherweight crown, in the sixth round of an International battle before a crowd estimated at 25,000 in the Polo grounds.
It was a battle of master ring men, Veterans of two continents, but in the end Criqui's greater stamina and ability carried him to triumph. Kilbane who had held the world title for 11 years had a shade the better of the defensive fighting, but at critical moments he was unable to stand the tide of Crlqui's cyclonic attack.
The finish came with sensational suddenness in the sixth round and when Kilbane's generalship appeared to have baffled Criqui's fiery onslaught. Time after time he had weathered a storm of rights and lefts to the head and body but Criqui was not to be denied. Starting from his corner in the sixth round with determination in his features he feinted, then whipped in a terrific left to the body that staggered the champion. Kilbane drew away, expecting another left, but Criqui shot in a right to the jaw and sent the American back on his heels and toppling to the canvass. At the count of six Kilbane tried to rise and succeeded in getting on one knee, but groggy and weak, he fell back as Referee Jack Appell tolled off the count of ten.
It was the second time in his long ring career that Kilbane had-been counted out.-In 1917, when at the height of this career as featherweight king he went out of his class to meets Benny Leonard, lightweight champion, and was knocked out in the third round.
Dramatic ringside scenes followed Criqui’s sudden triumph. The challenger himself, almost stunned by the quickness of, his victory was quickly seized by jubilant seconds. Freeing himself for a .moment, however, he rushed to the fallen title holder's corner and kissed Kilbane on each cheek.
Then as the crowd enthusiastically acclaimed the new champion, Criqui was carried from the ring by his manager and several comrades in uniform, who had escorted him, to the ring before the bout to the strains of the "Marseillaise,"
It was several minutes before the way back to the dressing room could be cleared. The principals in the most picturesque international boxing event, since the Jack Dempsey-Georges Carpentier battle two year ago, Kilbane and Criqui were a marked contrast.
The champion, gray haired and 34 was all smiles as he climbed through the ropes and went through the preliminary ceremonies .Criqui however, apparently in finely drawn conditions
was silent and unmoved, a look of determination and his face such as It might have worn before the zero hour as he waited in the front line at Verdun in 1916
.
From the first tap of the gong, Criqui’s rugged aggressiveness gave hint of what was to come. Kilbane fought off the Frenchman's rushes cooly and cautiously in the first two rounds, preferring to spar at long range. He clinched repeatedly as Criqui tore in and blocked most of the challenger's rushes from a comparatively slow pace, Criqui plunged and worried the champion with a into a faster clip in the third round series of jabs and hooks to the head and body. Often the challenger missed his swings but his defense left the champion few openings. Kilbane, who was apparently fighting well within himself took the aggressive for a short time in the fourth.
He stung the Frenchman with shots to the jaw but the chin that had stopped a bullet proved a durable target and the challenger bored in unchecked. Criqui brought blood from Kilbane’s
Nose in the fifth and jolted the champion with hooks to the jaw. Plainly worried Kilbane fought back gamely but found an impregnable defense.
The sixth was over almost before it started. Criqui’s fiery attack this time was not to be denied. His two punch assault sent the title holder down after one minute and 54 seconds of the round had elapsed. Criqui's victory was, clean cut and decisive but experts tonight were agreed that Kilbane had shown far from the form that won the featherweight crown for him in 1912 in a twenty round battle with Abe Attell at Los Angeles.
Defensively, Kilbane retained much of his old time skill but his stamina and punching power were not the same. His foot work from the start showed his legs did not have the strength-to carry him through a grueling championship contest. They failed him when he tried to rise after that stunning punch on. the jaw.
Criqui, whose victory gives him the place in France's pugilistic hall of fame from formerly held by Carpentier, has one of the most picturesque careers In ring history. Now 29 years old, he started boxing nearly fifteen years ago in his school boy days. He did not attain much prominence, however, and when the war came he was among the first to go to the front. The bullet that tore away part of his jaw at Verdun nearly cost him his life, but he recovered after a remarkable operation in which the bone of a sheep was grafted in place of the shattered bone.
Undaunted he again turned to the prize ring and after several years of battling, won his way to the European featherweight championship knocking out his two foremost rivals, Arthur Wyns , Belgian title holder, and Billy Matthews, English claimant.
The crowd was a big disappointment to promoters, barely a third of big National League Baseball Park being filled. The-upper grandstand lesser priced seats under cover, as well as the ringside section on the field, were sparsely occupied .Prospects of a big financial loss as a result of the poor attendance faced promoters. It was said. Receipts were estimated at $80,000 by Matchmaker Tom O'Rourke, While it was understood Kilbane was to receive $100,000 and Criqui $30,000. In addition expenses for other fighters and promotion were said to be high.
The Journal Tribune 30 April 1913
KILBANE DEFENDS TITLE AGAINST DUNDEE
IN FAST 20 ROUND DRAW
Los Angeles April 29 – Johnny Kilbane of Cleveland, featherweight champion, defended his title for the first time since he won it from Abe Attell on February, 22, 1912, against Johnny Dundee, the New York featherweight . The betting odds were 2 to1 with, comparatively little Dundee money in sight just before the fight. The men were slightly under the required 122 pounds. Referee Eyton started the boys at 9:22.
THE FIGHT BY ROUNDS
Round 1
They rushed into a clinch and. wrestled about the ring. Kilbane jolted Dundee with left and right, to chin and Dundee planted a hard right to the face as they separated. Kilbane avoided a rush, and landed a hard straight right jolt as the .round ended. Kilbane's round.
Round 2
Kilbane rushed the Italian to the ropes, planting a hard right to the stomach. He jabbed Dundee's face with right and lefts. Kilbane put two hard rights to the jaw as the round ended. .Kilbane's round.
Round 3
Dundee tried his leaping in the air blow, but Kilbane was three feet away before he could land. Kilbane rushed the New York to the ropes. Both did clever work at long range, but neither landed a hard blow. Dundee took the aggressive and the bell rang. Round even.
Round 4
Dundee put two hard lefts to the jaw without a return and they clinched. The Champion fought Dundee to the ropes. Dundee clipped Kilbane's chin with a stinging left. Kilbane landed a hard right to the stomach. Kilbane had the better of the infighting. Kilbane-'s round.
Round 5
Dundee, missed a vicious swing and Kilbane jabbed three times with his left to the jaw. Dundee rushed forcing the champion to give way. Kilbane jarred Dundee with a hard right to the face. Dundee hurled himself in the air at the champion and rushed Kilbane to the ropes as the bell rang. Kilbane's round.
Name: Johnny Dundee
Career Record: click
Alias: Scotch Wop
Birth Name: Giuseppe Carrora
Nationality: US American
Birthplace: Sciacca, Sicily, Italy
Hometown: New York, New York, USA
Born: 1893-11-22
Died: 1965-04-22
Age at Death: 71
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 5′ 4½″
Reach: 160
Managers: Scotty Monteith (1910-1920); James J. Johnston (1920-1929)
Manitoba Free Press, Winnipeg
24 Ocober 1927
Johnny Dundee Attempting To Regain Crown
Ancient Boxer Meets Tony Canzoneri Tonight
BY FRANK GETTY
New York, Oct. 23.—Sentiment, bunk and dollars will play their part tomorrow night when Johnny Dundee, now growing grey above the cauliflowers returns to the ring at the featherweight limit to meet lusty young Tony Canzoneri o£ Brooklyn.
Fight fans, few of them deluded by the claim that the featherweight championship is at stake, will flock to see the gallant old survivor of 325 ring battles in action once more. The fans are sentimental about Johnny, and it must be admitted that during his 16 years In the ring he has given them a run for their sentiment.
Retired Undefeated
But Dundee as everyone knows, is no more featherweight champion of the world than rotund, rosy nosed old Jack McAuliffe is lightweight champion. Both retired undefeated, but with their retirements their titles passed on. That is the law of the game and all talk of championships being won and lost in the ring is irrelevant.
If Johnny really believed himself champion of the world at 126 pounds he would be almost as pitiful a figure as old "Ad Wolgast, out there on the far coast, training, training ceaselessly
for 'my next fight.'
The facts of the matter are that Johnny needs the money, family extravagance having over-taxed his ring earnings, and this meeting with young Canzoneri at the featherweight limit presents Dundee's last opportunity for a shot at the big money which the fight game reserves for its headliners.
Title Passed On
Johnny never defended the 126 pound title he won from heroic Gene Criqui four years ago. "Kid" Kaplan succeeded Dundee when the "Scotch Wop" withdrew from featherweight
competition and the Meriden kid in turn retired and passed on the title to the others of his division,
At the moment, Benny Bass, of Philadelphia is recognized by the National Boxing association as featherweight champion and the New York State Athletic association, the only rival boxing body of any epic, has not protested the recognition.
Meanwhile, Dundee has been fighting Junior lightweights, lightweights and even welterweights, with indifferent success. He was beaten by Martinez, a Spaniard who weights 20 pounds more than the weight limit which Johnny is making for Canzoneri.
Johnny had to make 126 pounds in order that there might be a championship tag at tomorrow night's fight. Otherwise, the affair would be hardly what the boys call a "natural." Canzoneri
should punch his poor old opponent's head off.
Growing Too Fast
Tony recently tried in vain to win the bantamweight championship. He was growing too fast. Now he is a natural featherweight, although if he keeps on at the spaghetti it won't be long before he'll be up among the lightweights. With Benny Bass only just beginning to enjoy the fruits of his 126 pound title, the chances of Canzoneri getting a match with the Philadelphian were remote.
Tile Dundee affair presented an opportunity for Tony to "talk title," at any rate. And here was a chance for Dundee to appear once more as in headliner, perhaps for the last time. So Johnny consented to boil him self down from his every day weigh of 145 pounds to the featherweight
limit of 126. At the latter weight he will try to go 16 rounds with Tony If he loses he will concede the "championship" to Canzoneri, which after all appears to be the purpose of the bout.
Of course, if by some miracle and Dundee has done too much in the ring these 16 years for it to be declared impossible Johnny should climb through the ropes and hand his young opponent a first class whipping.
All this business and bunk and dollars would be forgotten in the screaming, uproarious, tumultuous enthusiasm which would ring the rafters of Madison Square Garden.
Syracuse Herald 27 October 1915
What New York Critics Said
About Ritchie – Dundee Go
New York, Oct. 27.—Johnny Dundee beat Willie Ritchie the former lightweight champion of the world, in their bout at Madison Square Garden and beat him through all but about two of ten hot rounds. The queer hop toad tactics of the little Italian seemed to completely befuddle the one-time title holder. Willie was more of a welterweight than a lightweight on the scales, having nearly ten pounds advantage over Dundee and he was more of a second rater than a champion in the ring. A fast and clean boxer at his best, there were moments when he seemed painfully slow before the weird squatting, hopping; bouncing attack of the Italian.
In the eighth the Californian appeared to finally be getting unlimbered and he caught Dundee on the tip of the jaw with a right hand lick that knocked Johnny to the ropes, following this a second later with another slashing right that staggered Dundee. In the ninth he unveiled a beautiful right cross, catching Dundee fair on the jaw, but the Italian proved that there is no glass in his facial structure by shaking off the punch and then winning the round.
Ritchie was cautioned for holding by Bill Brown in the fourth. In the fifth the fighters fall in a heap when Johnny almost hurdled Ritchie in a wild rush. Once Willie slipped and fell on the wet canvas, the rain falling through the open skylight and dampening the surroundings. Through the earlier stages of the fight Ritchie fought in a dazed manner and let Dundee swarm all over him. But in the concluding rounds he was fighting In something like the form that once made him champion.
He had no chance to catch up however. Dundee tried to make every round a winning round and won too far away foe any argument.
There was a row over the matter of weights although the men had agreed to box at catch weights. However there is a boxing commission rule that prohibits one man from weighing ten pounds more than the other. Monteith brought up this rule and after Ritchie had entered the ring the chairman of the commission took him back to the weighing room. He tipped the beam at 141 ¼ pounds with just his shoes on. Dundee who had also entered the ring went back and showed that he weighed 132 ½ pounds.
By Freddie Welsh
Lightweight Champion Of The World
Johnny Dundee defeated Willie Ritchie in their ten round bout last night. According to my figures Dundee had the advantage in four rounds, three were even and the rest go to Ritchie.
It was a hard slashing fight, and Dundee deserves credit for his showing when you consider he was forced to give away about nine pounds. Dundee did the only thing possible by being on the offensive most of the time, for that was the only way he could overcome the handicap.
Ritchie put up his usual aggressive fight, but he couldn't keep up with his light-footed rival. In the ninth round it looked gloomy for Dundee. Ritchie landed hard rights to Dundee's heart. Willie landed a few hard rights and at the finish Johnny appeared to me to be rather tired.
The weight and steady bearing of Ritchie appeared to tire the little Italian. The last round was a thriller arid both boys worked hard enough to get the crowd to its feet.
It is hard thing for a man like Ritchie to fight a fast boy like Dundee, so you've got to give Ritchie credit just the same.
It was terribly disappointing that more persons didn't turn out to see this good fight. As far as I am concerned I'm still willing to fight either Dundee or Ritchie if satisfactory arrangements can be made. Of course, one of the stipulations must be that the fight is conducted under the lightweight scale.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Friends of Willie Ritchie, champion, and Johnny Dundee, the Italian fighter, disagree over the outcome of their ten-round bout last night Each side claimed their man had the advantage.
Dundee had all the better of the early rounds. His fast work puzzled Ritchie, and it was not until the last few rounds that Ritchie got the Italian's measure and gave him a severe lacing, evening- up what advantage the New Yorker had earlier in the bout.
NEW YORK HERALD
Willie Ritchie the Californian boxer who formally held the lightweight championship but who was trained down fine to make 141 pounds, last night fought a draw of ten rounds with "Johnny" .Dundee, the local contender for the title. Dundee weighed only a little more than 132 pounds and was a true lightweight. If Ritchie had weighed two pounds more than he did there would have been no contest, for the rules of the commission will not permit two contenders in the smaller classes to meet when there is a difference of ten ponds between them.
Name: Sergeant Sammy Baker
Career Record: click
Birth Name: Peniel Roy Baker
Nationality: US American
Birthplace: Huntsville, AL
Hometown: Mineola, New York, USA
Born: 1902-03-20
Died: 1984-03-00
Age at Death: 81
Height: 5′ 8″
The Helena Daily Independent
26 July 1927 - Ace Hudkins Gains Decision Over Baker
Ace Hudkins, Nebraska "Wildcat" of the welterweight ranks, got back at Sgt.. Sammy Baker for the technical knockout victory the Soldier boxer won over him several weeks ago by slashing his way to a victory in a return 10-round bout here tonight.
Hudkins took the decision by reason of a nine count knockdown in the fourth, while ringsiders also accorded him a majority of the rounds.
They battled on even terms through the opening round, Baker beginning the session by crowding Hudkins into a corner and landing lefts to the head and body. Hudkins opened a two-fisted attack, walloping Baker with left and right in quick succession, but took four hard lefts to the
body.
Hot Work.
In the second Hudkins staggered baker with a straight left to the chin. Baker recovered and came back with a right cross to Hudkins' chin Hudkins smashed four lefts to Baker's face. Baker landed with his right every time Hudkins planted a left early in the third. Hudkins in a flourish battered Baker with several left upper cuts and rights to the body and closed the round with two rights to the chin.
Hudkins scored a knockdown in the fourth. Hudkins was forced to take a blow for every one he gave early in the round. After mauling each other in a clinch, Hudkins slashed three left hooks to Baker's head and Sammy came back with a hard right.
Baker Down.
Hudkins knocked Baker down with a right to the head, and the referee had counted nine when the bell rang.
Baker, after a brief exchange of rights in the fifth held on but Hudkins broke loose and knocked Baker down for a one count. Ace scored with a right to the chin, but took a heavy right to the body. Baker's face was bleeding badly but he appeared to have recovered from his grogginess and gave the Nebraskan blow for blow in a sharp exchange of rights and lefts.
Baker fought flat-footed in the sixth, battering Hudkins with hard rights to the head and body. Hudkins after a brief exchange of left jabs to the head, brought over a hard right to Baker's bleeding face. In a clinch Baker scored three rights to Hudkins' stomach, and jabbed with left to the Nebraskan's head.
Hudkins' lip was badly cut and his mouth was bleeding as the seventh started. Baker landed a terrific right to the head and three lefts to Hudkins head. In a clinch Hudkins caught Baker with rights and lefts to the stomach. Baker pounded Ace's injured mouth, but Hudkins was forcing the going.
Baker's Round
Baker made a strong showing in the eighth and ninth rounds. After a bit of wildness early in the eighth In which he missed rights and lefts to the head. Baker found the range and reciprocated for three lefts that Hudkins planted to his head, with several hard rights and lefts to Ace s head. Baker outscored Hudkins in an exchange of lefts to the chin.
Ace scored heavily with rights and lefts in the early part of the ninth, but look a left hook to the body, that appeared to hurt him. Both appeared to be tired, and went into a clinch. As they parted, Baker dropped Hudkins, but the Nebraskan quickly regained his feet,
Hudkins displayed his fighting heart in the 10th, furiously pounding the soldier on the body and head with both hands. Baker, however, returned rights and lefts to Hudkins' body and head.
End
Name: Phil Scott
Career Record: click
Alias: Phillip Suffling
Nationality: United Kingdom
Birthplace: London
Hometown:
Born: 1900-01-03
Died: 1983-12-04
Age at Death: 83
Height: 6′ 3½″
Reach: 81.5
Division: Heavyweight
The Tyrone Daily Herald – 26 Feb 1930
ENGLISH accents not uncommon along Florida's east coast in the Winter season, are more pronounced than ever this year among the society set now that Mr. .Philip Suflling
(Scott) of Old Kent Road Manor, London, has been accepted as the social successor to that polite limelight so long enjoyed by M. Georges Carpcntier of Paris. This Scott Gentleman — with his ballroom carriage, beaming smile, and Mayfair conversational flair — is quite the regular among society folk.
Phil's that "top ho chap, you know," who will brave "The terrible Sharkey Man" tomorrow night. He may even display the drawing room nonchalance such as "Gorgeous Georges" affected when facing the "Mauling Dempsey.
:
Oh, well, "My Phil" (as "Jimmy" Johnston, his'American manager, calls him) would seem to have a better chance against the temperamental typhoon known as Sharkey than Carp bad against The Mauler in the hitter's prime. Scott is bigger than the gallant Frenchman and, Sharkey seldom has shown such a destructive attack as was once Dempsey's. Phil has a chance of outboxing Jack if the hitter's mood happens to be uninspired and, if he can ride Sharkey's early 'rushes, he might tire less easily than the nerve wrought, plunging U. S. champ.
Scott is thoroughly experienced and a genuinely skilled boxer. He probably will try to keep away from the bull-like Sharkey during the early rounds (will there be more than one? some prophets ask ) and tire out Jack by the orthodox English tactics of "boxing" him. If his plans succeed, the British champ will have the distinction of having sprung the most startling upset in heavyweight history.
Of course, in the stress of battle it is possible for Scott to win on a foul. Even if he .ignores or doesn't feel a low blow this time, the argus eyed Johnston is more than sure to see such. He's a very smart fight pilot, is James Joy of the Johnston clan. He got Scott the rich Miami shot after Phil had been hissed from our shores following "the light foul" with which he was awarded victory over Otto Von Porat. No wonder "Jimmy" thinks his Phil is a bloomin "man of destiny." Like a ring Napoleon, Scott's Austerlitz — or Waterloo — lies right before him in Miami.
Harry Mizler
In previous editions of the newsletter I have included short extracts of the following document and here produce the entire 17 page ( approx) text which I trust will give you as much pleasure as it gave me in its reading.
My sincere thanks go to the Mizler family who have been kind enough to provide me with such a wealth of material.
THIS IS A RECORD OF THE PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS
OF HARRY MIZLER
JUNE 1933 – DECEMBER 1943
AS
RECORDED IN THE CONTEMPORANEOUS DIARY OF HARRY MIZLER’S FIGHTS AS KEPT BY HIS
BROTHER, JUDAH MIZLER
Transcript typed by Adrienne Edwin, youngest daughter of Harry Mizler.
Foreword by Adrienne Edwin: Youngest Daugher of Harry Mizler
My uncle wrote this diary. A dedicated man who idolised his family and was very proud of his brother. All their lives they squabbled but, loved each other dearly.but of course they were a very close knit family. One of the last things Uncle Judah wrote was an insertion in the Jewish Chronicle when my father died. In March 1990 it was when we returned home from The grounds and he was rather agitated and asked for some paper and a pencil. I found one and gave it to him and he produced this to be put into the J.C. it read; -
WHEN YOU WERE A KID I WAS A BROTHER TO A KID
WHEN YOU WERE A MAN I WAS A BROTHER TO A MAN
NOW YOU ARE GONE I AM STILL YOUR BROTHER
TILL' WE MEET AGAIN.
And they did sadly three months later.
Uncle Judah had a way with words; he used to put pen to paper and wrote from the heart. He always said exactly what he thought as you can see from his work.
My father used to tell me stories about his boxing career I asked him once whether or not his brothers used to go and watch him fight and also how they felt about his success. He said that they did come and watch all his fights that they were able to go to, and of course they were very proud of him but, he did mention the fact that after the fight he used to hide from uncle Judah leave as swiftly as he could. At the time I thought it funny but after reading this diary I can understand .He must have driven him crazy, but of course after reading this you can understand that he only wanted the best for his baby brother.
If you ever get a chance to read Uncle Judah’s A Diary From The 1930's - only then perhaps you may begin to understand THE MIZLERS.
-Adrienne Edwin, 1994
THE PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS OF HARRY MIZLER
Sunday 4th June 1933
Harry K.O. Bob Lamb ( Sunderland) in the 1st round, it lasted 2 minutes 13 seconds. In a 10 (3 min) round contest at The Ring Blackfriars.
Harry was slightly heavier. He started with a nice left hand followed with one, two, punches, and finished Lamb off, like a good workman. ( O.K. Harry )
Sunday 18th June 1933
Harry K.O. Jim Travis (Oldham) in the first round. It lasted 2 minutes 40 seconds. In a 10 (3 min) round contest at The Ring Blackfriars.
Harry came out of his corner briskly, poked his left and caught Travis easily. He then set about Travis with one, two punches to the head, finally knocking him out with a beautiful One to the jaw.
( O.K. Harry, but a right to the body would have done the job a bit quicker)
Sunday 2nd July 1933
Harry K.O. Nobby Baker ( Wales ) in the 1st round. It lasted 32 seconds in a 10 (3 min) round contest at The Ring Blackfriars.
Harry started nicely with his left, Baker came out to him and Harry started his one-two punches to the head, went back to the ropes and covered his head. Harry saw an opening to the head and sent in a beautiful right there, and knocked out Baker.
(O.K. Harry, good work keeps it up.)
Sunday 30th July 1933
Harry beat Albert Heasman (Brighton) the towel being thrown in the 8th round. In a 10 (3 min) round contest at The Ring Blackfriars.
Harry started well boxing nicely at first, then let go his one-two punch. Caught Heasman, had him down three times in the first round, but did not steady himself to finish him off. He did not do anything until the 6th round then boxed nicely. In the 7th he boxed nicely caught Heasman with one two and had him down again followed him up caught him in a corner and Uppercutted him down again, he then let him have it Heasman was being counted out when the towel came in.
( O.K. Harry, glad to see you go 7 rounds. It shows you are still as powerful in the 7th as in the first. Watch your man and steady yourself when you have him going in the future.)
Sunday 27th August 1933
Harry K.O. Jim Gordon ( Darlington ) in the 7th round. In a 10 (3 min) round contest at The Ring Blackfriars.
Harry started off full of confidence with a nice straight left, boxed well using his brains all the time. The end of the first round saw Harry punching away with both hands.
Later in the fight, Harry was boxing well, but sometimes he was very short with his left hand, but all the time making Gordon look like a novice. Gordon was very strong and always dangerous but, Harry mastered him. Harry opened the 7th round with nice straight lefts, then with the right. Gordon backed to the ropes and covered up. Harry gave him a right hander to the heart, and Kept hitting away with both hands, until Gordon went down for eight. When he got up Harry went for him with one, two punches till he dropped to be counted out.
( O.K. Harry. good work keeps it up, but see that your left hand always hits its target. Don't be short with it. )