Volume 5 - No 7 12 Oct , 2009
http://www.boxingbiographies.com
If you wish to sign up for the newsletters ( which includes the images ) please email the message “NEWS LETTER”
[email protected]
The newsletter is also available as a word doc on request
As always the full versions of these articles are on the website
HARRY MIZLER
Ok Guys Harry is in the middle of the picture but can anyone name any of the others
Name: Eddie Shea
Career Record: click
Nationality: US American
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Born: 1905-01-01
Died: 1947-02-11
Age at Death: 42
Height: 5′ 8″
Division: Featherweight
Managers: Joe Glaser, Ray Alvis
· Exact date of birth in 1902 unknown.
· Height sometimes recorded as being 5 feet, 4 inches.
· Featured on the cover of the May 1931 The Ring magazine
New Castle News
12 Jan 1926
BY NORMAN E BROWN.
A short while ago the wires carried the brief announcement that Eddie Shea, Chicago featherweight, had been matched to meet one Benny Gershe in the latter's home own of Cleveland. It looked just like any other fight to Shea until after his arrival in Cleveland. Then, to his surprise, Safely Director Barry of that city, who incidentally heads the boxing commission, called him into conference and told him of a well defined rumour that he ( Eddie Shea) was supposed to "take one" that Mr. Gershe, his manager and constituents might clean up on the bout.
No suspicion was attached to Shea's name, but one member of his entourage was said to be implicated in the plot.
Now Mr. Shea decided quite properly that there was but one way to prove his ignorance of any such plot and his disgust of such a plan, and he took that way. He socked Mr Gershe flat on his back in the fourth round, after bouncing the Clevelander around the ring like a can buoy for three rounds.
The sure thing boys lost plenty, doubled crossed by their own gang. And Shea found himself in big demand. Right off the bat he drew a bout with Mel ( Johnny ) Sheppard at Akron, and then found waiting for him a request to return to Cleveland for another battle—this time with another favored son. Al Corbett — once a protégé of Johnny Kilbane. And it was Shea's decisive and effective refutation of the "sure thing" stories that brought him both battles.
The Cleveland fight being staged by the Cleveland Amateur Baseball and Athletic Association to collect funds for improving athletic fields and taking care of injured members. Officials decided that the man best fitted to star in their show was the man who had, by his refusal to be a party to a "queer" show, best exemplified the spirit of athletics .The show is to be staged in Cleveland’s public hall Jan 18.
Demands of the fans in the neighboring town of Akron to see the little battler caused officials to sign him up. Shea’s ring earnings go to the members of the Shea family. This is not hokum, for Eddies family consists of something like 16 and most of them are much younger than Eddie. And Eddie would have had a hard time explaining to about 10 of those 16 had he been involved in some chicanery in that first Cleveland battle.
End
The Evening Independent , Massillon ,Ohio ,26 March 1931
Having Licked the featherweight champion and the outstanding contender for that title, Eddie Shea, fighting little Chicagoan, still sports a topknot bare of crown or diadem. Shea's rise in the featherweight ranks, in the last few months, has been most sensational, but so far it has not borne true reward in the shape of a title.
Eddie’s current mercurial campaign originated through a licking at the hands of Earl Mastro. Unable to get further Chicago bouts because of his defeat Eddie went into the tall grass and started smacking over all opponents in hope of rebuilding his rep.
Shea's campaign brought him up to a battle with Benny Bass, world junior lightweight title holder. Shea beat him. He also defeated Fidel La Barba, who was fresh from a victory over Kid Chocolate and who was at that time regarded as sure successor to Battling Battalino the feather king. Shea’s two victories brought him an overweight match in Chicago with battalion. Eddie defeated him, but the crown was not at stake. Champion or not this Shea kid looks like the stuff.
End
Name: Teddy Yarosz
Career Record: click
Nationality: US American
Hometown: Monaca, Pennsylvania, USA
Born: 1910-06-24
Died: 1974-03-29
Age at Death: 63
Height: 5′ 10″
Reach: 184
Manager: Ray Fouts
The Tyrone (PA) Daily Herald
12 Sept 1934
Teddy Yarosz Is New Middleweight King
Gets decision in 15 Rounds
Over Vince Dundee
Teddy Yarosz, youthful boxing idol of the steel district, ruled the middleweight class today by lifting the crown from titleholder Vince Dundee in a 15 round split decision battle here last night. Yarosz dethroned the champion but the chorus of boos that greeted the verdict showed it was far from a popular verdict. Two judges split the decision and it was left to Al Grayber, referee of Pittsburgh , to cast the deciding vote in favour of the Monaca battler. The battle,marked by an absence of punching power on the part of both fighters, lacked the colour and glamour of a title match. It was exceedingly tame and not altogether pleasing to the crowd of 28,000. Unofficial scores gave Yarosz a slight edge in six rounds and four to Dundee. Five were even. But the dethroned champion forced the issue. He kept pressing in and followed the challenger as Yarosz resorted to his peculiar style of combat. He continually pushed his left hand into Dundee’s face and then circled the ring. Neither battler displayed any hitting power. Dundee’s weaving style and his experience caused Yarosz to miss frequently but the loser found it difficult to land any telling blows. Both men left the ring unmarked. At the final bell both Yarosz and Dundee were tired and weary.
Neither was floored during the fifteen rounds although one or the other fell during clinches on three different occasions. Dundee entered the ring holding a 1 lb advantage over his opponent. He displayed a determined defiant air and relied heavily upon his experience and knowledge rather than an aggressive attack to carry him to victory.
Yarosz was eager and obviously nervous. His desire to win the match and title caused him to miss many blows to the champions head as the latter danced around the ring. The early rounds were uninteresting as Yarosz assumed his peculiar stance. Pushing his left glove into Dundee’s face and circled the ring while the champion pursued.
Repeated warnings to Dundee from the referee for hitting low brought a complaint from the titleholder that Yarosz was pushing the glove to the low mark.
As the battle proceeded Dundee’s experience and ring knowledge became more obvious. He weaved his head and shoulders forcing Yarosz, anxious to pile up an advantage, to miss many good blows.
Dundee’s bid for victory in the final round fell short. Some of his blows found there mark and Yarosz weakened. The challengers pace was retarded as he stumbled awkwardly about the ring. Still he showed no signs of going down as he fought back until the bell.Then he trudged slowly to his corner when Dundee moved with equal uncertain steps toward his handlers.The decision was as unpleasant to Yarosz as it was disappointing to Dundee who had been defeated twice before in non title bouts by the newly crowned champion.
The Morning Herald, Uniontown, PA
20 Sept 1935
YAROSZ IS BADLY
BEATEN IN SECOND
MATCH WITH BABE
Champion Floored Twice During
Fight; Suffers Badly Wrenched
Knee Early in Bout
TEDDY RALLIES GAMELY
Babe Risko, ex-.sailor won the middleweight boxing championship tonight by defeating Teddy Yarosz, of Monaca in a 15-round bout at Forbes Field. The Syracuse slugger received unanimous decision of the Judges after flooring the champion twice and pounding him steadily throughout the fight.
The barrel-chested Syracuse battler kept up a constant attack that the Pittsburgh boy could not overcome. In the sixth and again in the seventh round Teddy went down , each time for a nine count. Yarsoz. Who won the title just a year and eight days ago from Vince Dundee was groggy at times but he was able to come back strong and weather the best of Risko's pile-driving punches.
It was the second time Risko defeated Yarosz — the first time by a technical knockout in seven rounds last New Years Day at Scranton, Pa. Yarosz's right knee was bandaged by his handlers after the fourth round and it seemed to bother him during the rest of the fight. Yarosz blamed an injury to this knee for his defeat at Risko’s hands in Scranton. He limped slightly in the closing rounds.
At no time during the fight was Risko in danger. The Associated Press score sheet showed Yarosz won only one round – the first with the eighth even. Perhaps the greatest action of the comparatively tame fight came in the 13th when Risko landed long measured rights and lefts to Yarosz’s head at will. The defeated champion rallied desperately in the 13th and 14th rounds but Risko more than held his own.
Nursing his knee in the dressing room after the fight, the defeated Yarosz said
"I felt my knee click in the first round and I felt then that I could not win. That knee caused me to lose in Scranton and it is what sent me to the floor tonight. Risko landed some hard blows but they did not hurt me”
The new champion who, like the man he defeated, is a Polish American had this to say.
“I knew before the start that I would win. If Yarosz’s knee was bad he seemed to forget it on several occasions because he hit me hard”.
Lincoln State Journal 18 May 1937
Story of Teddy Yarosz Climb Back
Up Ring Ladder Is Saga of Courage
Overcame Almost Hopeless Physical Handicap, Now
Near Top Again.
.
BY PAUL MICKELSON.
NEW YORK.. This is the story of a 26 year old Polish-American boy, sole support of a mother and six hungry kids, who is making perhaps the most courageous comeback in the history of the grim, cheerless business of professional fighting.
A little more than a year ago, Teddy Yarosz was tagged as a "hopeless cripple" with a stiff right knee, his middleweight crown gone and his future curtained by despair. Today, victor in a fight that few men would even have attempted, he's back as a foremost challenger to the title he once held.
It was on New Years afternoon 1935, that Yarosz, riding high and mighty as king of the middleweights, fought what was regarded as a "sucker match" against Babe Risko at Scranton, Pa. His title wasn't at stake and no one then regarded Risko seriously. But in the mauling, Risko suddenly walloped Teddy on the chin and he fell — fell on his right knee The knee was so badly twisted that Yarosz was forced to hop around on one leg, finally losing on a technical knockout in the seventh round.
Tragedy Again.
No alarm was felt as Yarosz went to the Mayo brothers in Rochester. Minn., for an operation and repairs for a torn ligament By September Yarosz felt great again, risking his title this time against Risko at Pittsburgh. But to the dismay of his handlers, that right knee crumpled again in the fourth round. His trainer, fearful of such an emergency, wrapped his knee in elastic bandage and the courageous Yarosz hopped around for 11 rounds in agony only to lose the decision and the title.
Everyone, especially the surgeons who looked him over told teddy to forget boxing, to get another job where he wouldn’t have to stand. Boxers and fight handlers felt sorry for him. He was thru, but was he?
Someone told Teddy about Dr John Moore of Temple University at Philadelphia who had won fame for making crippled legs as good as new for injured football players. Dr Moore didn’t encourage him but removed his kneecap and performed an operation for a torn cartilage. So with his leg in a plaster cast Teddy went home. New challengers arose. He was forgotten, a "washed up" fighter lucky to be hobbling around with the aid of a steel leg brace and a cane.
Vows Comeback.
But in January, 1936, against all advice, Teddy Yarosz decided to try a comeback. He packed his grip sack, took a train for New York and hobbled into Stillman's gymnasium to see his old trainer, Ray Arcel. "Ray," he said almost hopelessly, "I gotta fight."
The fighting stars and stumble bums around the gym shook their heads. So did Arcel. Then suddenly, Arcel recalled an old American colonel who conquered a stiff leg by the use of weights He took Teddy to see Dr. Moore again. Dr. Moore said it wouldn't hurt to try weights and Arcel filled two large bags with salt and began his work.
For four long months. Yarosz lifted those bags of salt enduring excruciating pain at first but gradually developing strength and spring in his leg. Everyone, including Arcel, was amazed. The leg got better and better. Yarosz began to do some shadow boxing Soon he accompanied Arcel to Prime Camera's fight camp. No one but Yarosz ever will know the pain he had endured and by the end of May he was given his first fight
As his manager and Arcel held their breath, Teddy met Bob Turner at Pittsburgh. May 19 and won a ten round decision. He went back for more exercises but returned August 13 and knocked out Young Terry at Youngstown, O , in ten heats. On September 21. he finally got another crack at Risko. who had lost his title in the meantime He whipped Risko too.
After Fred Steele.
Since then, no one has been able to beat the courageous Yarosz. Tho he still drags his leg a bit, he went thru to win ten round decisions over Ken Overlin, Eddie MaGuire and Solly Krieger. His last start and victory was over Lou Brouillard and the account of the fight read “Teddy Yarosz came from behind to win the decision over Lou Brouillard”
Name: Kirkland Laing
Career Record: click
Alias: The Gifted One
Nationality: United Kingdom
Hometown: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
Born: 1954-06-20
Stance: Orthodox
1972 ABA Featherweight champion
I've spent the last seven years putting together a biography of Kirkland Laing, and it is now finally printed and ready to launch. Details of the book and how to buy it are below.
I'm also having two launch events in the UK, one in Birmingham and one in London, at which everyone is very welcome, so please feel free to forward this email to anyone you like.
Finally, if you are interested in the memorabilia side, I have listed on my website (http://www.oliverjarratt.com) various items that I have collected as part of the research process which I am now selling.
The Book
The Gifted One: Kirkland Laing through the eyes of others", hardback, 453 pages, 53 photos (colour and b/w), price £18. Not available via on-line booksellers or in bookshops. My website, http://www.oliverjarratt.com explains more about the book and how to buy it.
Kirkland Laing is the finest British boxer never to have fought for a world title. From his shock ABA triumph aged just seventeen, Kirk moved on to a rollercoaster pro career marked by dazzling successes, unexpected defeats and implausible comebacks. A fighting exile by the mid-eighties, he returned in triumph as the dreadlocked elder statesman of British boxing, calling himself “The Gifted One” as he feasted on cow’s foot and the cream of the nation’s welterweights. Only at the age of forty did he walk away from the professional ring. Even then, the drama wasn’t over.
Through seven years of research, I've interviewed the people who took part in this remarkable journey to provide the first full account of Kirkland Laing’s career and a unique insight into British boxing’s most brilliant eccentric. Interviewees include Jimmy Batten, Ib Bøtcher, Glen Catley, James Cook MBE, Dean Cooper, Malcolm Cordier, John Coyle, Colin Flinn, Reggie Ford, Mick Gauntlett, Dave Green, Joe Hannaford, Colin Hart, Clive Hogben, Harry Holland, Bob Lonkhurst, Charlie Magri, Marvin McDowell, Clinton McKenzie, Howard Mills, Achille Mitchell, Sylvester Mittee, Des Morrison, Salvo Nuciforo, Frank O’Sullivan, Joe Ryan, Chris Sanigar, Derek Simpson, Joey Singleton, Lee Town, Colin Ward and many more.
The Launches
Birmingham: Thursday 15 October 2009 (7pm onwards), The Portland Pavilion, 241 Portland Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B17 8LS.
London: Sunday 18 October 2009 (12 noon to 4pm), The Old Red Cow (upstairs bar), 71 Long Lane, Smithfield, London EC1A 9EJ.
Anyway, hope you can make it! If you can't, but if you are still interested in buying a book, see the "How to buy" section on http://www.oliverjarratt.com or drop me a line back on this email address.
All the best,
Oliver
