hwgt Arne Andersson - Swedish ring death victim

Palais · Post by **Palais** » 20 Oct 2002, 07:33

This fighters record need a few adjustements.

1931-10-08 Leonard Johnson Mason City, IA, USA NCND 6
This bout has to be moved to another year, or another boxers record, as Andersson was about 13 years old by then. However, the location fits with Andersson activities around Minnesota/Indiana around 1939-40.

1939-12-08 Emil Scholz St. Paul, MN, USA W KO 1
It's okey if Scholz is the same boxer as Emil Schulman. If not, Schulman was another fight.

Queries;

Colin - If you read this. I think you covered most of Andersson's record. Did you find the fights in a record book including his own record, or did you pick the fights from the opponents records?

Ric - Same as above. Did you pick two fights from Johnny Hanschen's record?

1941-02-24 Lou Thomas Chicago, IL, USA L KO 7
It's correct, but another version tells that nobody saw a KO punch. The fighters clinched and the refree broke them apart. Andersson took two steps backward and suddenly fell flat on his back, hitting his head towards the canvas. He remained on the floor, doctors tried to rescue, the firedepartments was called for oxygene supply, ring lights went out and the stunned audience started to leave the arena. Lou Thomas was in chock and had to be carried out of the ring. Andersson died still in the ring.

Arne Andersson was regarded as an european prospect by the american press, but his manager handled him to carelessly, putting him in against to tough opposition to early. Johnny Paycheck, Buddy Knox and Lee Savold were to high ranked for Andersson so early in his career.
Any new additional fight discoveries for Andersson is welcome.
YT :(

Colin · Post by **Colin** » 23 Oct 2002, 09:14

Palle
All of my entries for Andersson come from the 1941 Ring Record Book. The earliest bout this gives is a bout in 1937 in Sweden with a fighter whose surname (Vircoulon) only is given. The description of the fatal fight was the Associated Press' version that appeared in the New York Times. It would seem a bit surprising that his head hit the canvas so hard to cause a fatal cerebral injury if he just fell backwards, as opposed to being propelled backwards by a blow. Alternatively I suppose he could have had an intracerebral bleed, either a spontaneous one or one due to earlier blows, and then have fallen and died as a result of this bleed rather than the force of hitting his head on the canvas being the cause of his death. (His death seems to have been extremely quick for the usual boxing brain injury to have been responsible). It seems that was the sequence of events in the death of Luther McCarty, one of the great white hopes.
Colin

Palais · Post by **Palais** » 23 Oct 2002, 18:58

Thanks Colin! Can you check, if you have time, if the 1931 bout fits somewhere else in the record
1931-10-08 A.A. - Leonard Johnson NC 6, Mason City, IA
If you find it, Anderssons record may be considered complete.
I think Ric entered that bout.
YT :)

Ric · Post by **Ric** » 23 Oct 2002, 21:33

If I did (and I just read your message without checking the record), again my source likely was THE EVERETT DAILY HERALD newspaper. All my material from 1925 thru the end of 1931 I sent to DeLisa. I have 1932 thru 39 still, and 1920-24. So, I no longer have my source, although I could go back to the library this weekend to double-check, if Colin doesn't have the answer by then.

Colin · Post by **Colin** » 24 Oct 2002, 00:40

Sorry Palle, I did check to see if there was a bout against Johnson elsewhere in Andersson record as in the 1941 RRB, but neglected to mention that there wasn't.
Colin

Palais · Post by **Palais** » 24 Oct 2002, 04:00

Hi Y'all! I checked other Anderson hwgt's who boxed around 31-34 in and around IA. Three names came up, who all fit. They are Ernest, Harold and Tuffy. I don't find the weightclass for Tuffy so Ernest and Harold remains. By the way, Ernest Anderson was involved with another ring death, as his opponent (Bob Hughes) died from injuries suffered in the ring. It would be fatal to replace Arne Andersen with him, so I choose Harold Anderson as opponent, until facts are confirmed.
Thank y'all! :)

Ric · Post by **Ric** » 24 Oct 2002, 22:04

Both the day-after EVERETT DAILY HERALD and the SEATTLE DAILY TIMES state it was Aney Anderson (of Duluth, Minn) vs. Leonard Johnson (of Forest City) Oct. 8, 1931. Yes, spelled "Aney."

I could find no mention in the SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, PORTLAND OREGONIAN or the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE. (I haven't checked THE NEW YORK TIMES or Chicago papers yest.)

My local library does not have microfilm of Des Moines, Iowa papers. Some editor who has access should check out a Des Moines paper.

Palais · Post by **Palais** » 25 Oct 2002, 03:08

Great Ric! Now it's confirmed that it couldn't have been a 12 years old Arne Andersson in that fight. Ha, ha. Neither one of the other "suspects" I mentioned. Let's make an entry for a new face, Aney Anderson. Probably of scandinavian roots. You really got the right tools for research.
Thanks