I find it quite odd that after professional boxing was finally once again legalized in Washington state, effective June 8, 1933 (after an 18-year hiatus), many popular Pacific Northwest boxers decided they had had enough and moved on.
For example, the highly popular boxers Doc Snell & Dode Bercot -- who both started their pro careers in the summer of 1922, both retired in mid-1933.
Leslie (Wildcat) Carter also quit boxing 1933 in the area, then moved elsewhere to fight.
So did ex-Champ Tod Morgan, who had his last local bouts in the Northwest in 1933 -- in the U.S. Navy town of Bremerton -- before moving on across the Pacific Ocean to Australia.
Then there was Leo Lomski -- who also started his career in 1922. (See a pattern here? Many of these local guys started their pro careers circa 1922.) But for a Sept. 1936 bout in Oregon, Lomski had his last Northwest fights in 1933.
What was up with all this? Did the new state boxing law make them all decide to quit or move on? Or is this all sheer coincidence?
1933: The Year That Was in the Pacific Northwest
1933: The Year That Was in the Pacific Northwest
Last edited by Ric on 25 Jul 2003, 02:36, edited 1 time in total.
Terap, I haven't researched the early period yet, but I suspect that prize-fighting probably was made illegal in Washington state with the ring death of Ludwig Anderson in 1915 or Joey Leon in 1916. From that time, there was still a lot of boxing in the state, but they essentially were considered non-professional fights. Either they were amateur bouts, or were contests between private club members.
State law of the day did permit "Sparring or fencing amongst members of private clubs for exercise only or for the enjoyment of their fraternal brothers." Thus, virtually all bouts in the state were usually held in the various American Legion posts, Eagles, Elks, Moose Lodge, and other private athletic clubs for their "members." Or they were conducted at other venues (Seattle's Crystal Pool, Tacoma's Greenwich Coliseum) under the auspices of a private Athletic Club. Anyone wishing to witness a match was required to obtain a membership card and levied an assessment for the seat. The boxers were paid "training expenses." Such bouts, however, are considered legitimate fights for purposes of the boxers' records of the time. For all extent and purposes, these were "pro bouts"; the authorities usually turned a blind eye to such boxing until someone else died in the ring, then things might get shut down again for awhile.
Still, there were repeated efforts to legalize pro boxing through the years. But other ring-deaths -- such as Eddie Cartwright's and Frank Farmer's -- caused such efforts to be withdrawn. But, immediately after FDR became U.S. President in February 1933, a wave of liberalism seemed to have swept across the country. The constitutional prohibition against alcohol was abolished, and many states, including Washington, enacted legislation permitting many forms of sports. For example, at the same time the state legalized boxing, it also legalized horse-racing. The Longacres racing track south of Seattle opened in 1933.
Fred Lenhart was in the very first "legal" prize-fight in the state; Abie Israel was in the first title fight in the state, I believe.
State law of the day did permit "Sparring or fencing amongst members of private clubs for exercise only or for the enjoyment of their fraternal brothers." Thus, virtually all bouts in the state were usually held in the various American Legion posts, Eagles, Elks, Moose Lodge, and other private athletic clubs for their "members." Or they were conducted at other venues (Seattle's Crystal Pool, Tacoma's Greenwich Coliseum) under the auspices of a private Athletic Club. Anyone wishing to witness a match was required to obtain a membership card and levied an assessment for the seat. The boxers were paid "training expenses." Such bouts, however, are considered legitimate fights for purposes of the boxers' records of the time. For all extent and purposes, these were "pro bouts"; the authorities usually turned a blind eye to such boxing until someone else died in the ring, then things might get shut down again for awhile.
Still, there were repeated efforts to legalize pro boxing through the years. But other ring-deaths -- such as Eddie Cartwright's and Frank Farmer's -- caused such efforts to be withdrawn. But, immediately after FDR became U.S. President in February 1933, a wave of liberalism seemed to have swept across the country. The constitutional prohibition against alcohol was abolished, and many states, including Washington, enacted legislation permitting many forms of sports. For example, at the same time the state legalized boxing, it also legalized horse-racing. The Longacres racing track south of Seattle opened in 1933.
Fred Lenhart was in the very first "legal" prize-fight in the state; Abie Israel was in the first title fight in the state, I believe.
Here may be part of the answer.
Per local papers of the day, June 26, the new Washington State Athletic Commission "revamps California fistic code to meet conditions here." The Commission would officially take office on July 1. A large number of rules were adopted.
Then, per Bremerton's Daily News Searchlight newspaper of July 8, the new state rules "Threaten to Finish Boxing" "Small Fight Promoters Cannot Operate Under Expensive Regulations." It was reported that only the cities of Seattle, Tacoma and Spokane could afford boxing now;, and that regular weekly shows that were held in Bremerton, Wenatchee, Aberdeen, Everett, Walla Walla, Bellingham and other Washington cities were now "threatened by the expensive demands of the new commission."
"In view of the comparatively small-gate receipts in the smaller cities, it was shown, none of the boxing programs in the smaller municipalities can operate at a profit and most shows undoubtedly would result in heavy losses to the promoters. Besides the $2.50 a round minimum to fighters, licensed judges, a licensed referee, doctor, announcer and timekeeper are required, all of whom must be paid a nightly wage ranging from $3.50 to $10."
Fewer shows? Fewer opportunities? So some boxers retired and others moved elsewhere to fight?
Per local papers of the day, June 26, the new Washington State Athletic Commission "revamps California fistic code to meet conditions here." The Commission would officially take office on July 1. A large number of rules were adopted.
Then, per Bremerton's Daily News Searchlight newspaper of July 8, the new state rules "Threaten to Finish Boxing" "Small Fight Promoters Cannot Operate Under Expensive Regulations." It was reported that only the cities of Seattle, Tacoma and Spokane could afford boxing now;, and that regular weekly shows that were held in Bremerton, Wenatchee, Aberdeen, Everett, Walla Walla, Bellingham and other Washington cities were now "threatened by the expensive demands of the new commission."
"In view of the comparatively small-gate receipts in the smaller cities, it was shown, none of the boxing programs in the smaller municipalities can operate at a profit and most shows undoubtedly would result in heavy losses to the promoters. Besides the $2.50 a round minimum to fighters, licensed judges, a licensed referee, doctor, announcer and timekeeper are required, all of whom must be paid a nightly wage ranging from $3.50 to $10."
Fewer shows? Fewer opportunities? So some boxers retired and others moved elsewhere to fight?
Final installment of this story:
On May 20, 1935, a Bremerton Daily News Searchlight newspaper sports headline read: "Boxing Matches Postponed Until Talent Gets Here."
The sub-text was: "Bremerton will have no more professional boxing matches until suitable talent can be imported, the lack of good main event material in the Pacific Northwest precluding the operation of shows without loss to the sponsors. This was the verdict of Bremerton Athletic Club promoters when questioned as to their program for the future. No professional matches have been held here for several weeks.... Lack of good main event boxers has raised havoc with all professional clubs in Washington, practically all promoters operating at a loss through failure to produce desirable results."
This is one reason my interest in researching Pacific Northwest boxing results wanes by the end of 1935. Boxing here seemed to become less exciting by that time.
Well, my interest in researching boxing results generally always ends in 1935 -- the year my grandfather Pete quit pro boxing himself to move on to other things in life.
On May 20, 1935, a Bremerton Daily News Searchlight newspaper sports headline read: "Boxing Matches Postponed Until Talent Gets Here."
The sub-text was: "Bremerton will have no more professional boxing matches until suitable talent can be imported, the lack of good main event material in the Pacific Northwest precluding the operation of shows without loss to the sponsors. This was the verdict of Bremerton Athletic Club promoters when questioned as to their program for the future. No professional matches have been held here for several weeks.... Lack of good main event boxers has raised havoc with all professional clubs in Washington, practically all promoters operating at a loss through failure to produce desirable results."
This is one reason my interest in researching Pacific Northwest boxing results wanes by the end of 1935. Boxing here seemed to become less exciting by that time.
Well, my interest in researching boxing results generally always ends in 1935 -- the year my grandfather Pete quit pro boxing himself to move on to other things in life.