BoxRec - User contributions [en]

Bliss (Lee) Croft

2009-02-16T03:35:42Z

Lbcroft:

[[file:Croft.Bliss.JPG|left|300px|Bliss (Lee) Croft]]
<boxer>124088</boxer>
'''Division''': Heavyweight 
'''Trainer''': [[Fred Bruny]] 
'''Manager:''' [[Jack Connor]]
 

The son of the 1940s Pierce County Sheriff (Washington state, USA) and former old-time boxer [[Lee Croft]], '''Bliss Croft''' attended Tacoma's Stadium High School and Pacific Lutheran College. (The earliest known newspaper mention of Bliss Croft is in the June 16, 1932 ''Tacoma News Tribune''.)

He became a paratrooper during World War II, stationed on the American East Coast, during which time he made it to the [[Golden Gloves]] Semi-Finals, but lost his March 15, 1944, bout to [[Salvador Mirabito]], and where he also made his professional debut, according to the ''Tacoma News Tribune''.

As a professional boxer, Croft was rated in the world's top ten by 1948--at one time knocking out eight opponents in a row. Then he re-entered the U.S. Army for the Korean Conflict and stayed through three tours in Vietnam, retiring as a Lt. Colonel. A much-decorated combat veteran of three wars, Bliss Croft was one of the original "Green Berets." He died in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on February 12, 2009 at age 87 after a long fight with Parkinson's disease.

Photographs of Bliss (Lee) Croft can be found in the following 1946 editions of the ''Tacoma News Tribune'' newspaper: January 2 (shown above); March 26 (with trainer Fred Bruny); and June 1.

[[Category:World_War_II Veterans|Croft, Bliss (Lee)]][[Category:Korean War Veterans|Croft, Bliss (Lee)]]
[[Category:Vietnam War Veterans|Croft, Bliss (Lee)]]

Bliss (Lee) Croft

2009-02-16T03:34:17Z

Lbcroft:

[[file:Croft.Bliss.JPG|left|300px|Bliss (Lee) Croft]]
<boxer>124088</boxer>
'''Division''': Heavyweight 
'''Trainer''': [[Fred Bruny]] 
'''Manager:''' [[Jack Connor]]
 

The son of the 1940s Pierce County Sheriff (Washington state, USA) and former old-time boxer [[Lee Croft]], '''Bliss Croft''' attended Tacoma's Stadium High School and Pacific Lutheran College. (The earliest known newspaper mention of Bliss Croft is in the June 16, 1932 ''Tacoma News Tribune''.)

He became a paratrooper during World War II, stationed on the American East Coast, during which time he made it to the [[Golden Gloves]] Semi-Finals, but lost his March 15, 1944, bout to [[Salvador Mirabito]], and where he also made his professional debut, according to the ''Tacoma News Tribune''.

As a professional boxer, Croft was rated in the world's top ten by 1948--at one time knocking out eight opponents in a row. Then he re-entered the U.S. Army for the Korean Conflict and stayed through three tours in Vietnam, retiring as a Lt. Colonel. A much-decorated combat veteran of three wars, Bliss Croft was one of the original "Green Berets." He died in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on February 12, 2009 at age 87.

Photographs of Bliss (Lee) Croft can be found in the following 1946 editions of the ''Tacoma News Tribune'' newspaper: January 2 (shown above); March 26 (with trainer Fred Bruny); and June 1.

[[Category:World_War_II Veterans|Croft, Bliss (Lee)]][[Category:Korean War Veterans|Croft, Bliss (Lee)]]
[[Category:Vietnam War Veterans|Croft, Bliss (Lee)]]

File:PaavoKandBadNewsWallace.jpg

2008-11-26T04:41:26Z

Lbcroft: This is a photo of Paavo Ketonen with Edgar "Bad News" Wallace from 1978 in the ring at Phoenix Madison Square Garden...uncredited photo.

This is a photo of Paavo Ketonen with Edgar "Bad News" Wallace from 1978 in the ring at Phoenix Madison Square Garden...uncredited photo.

Paavo Ketonen

2008-11-25T02:33:23Z

Lbcroft: In the 1960s and 1970s Ketonen trained and worked in the corner of highly regarded Phoenix-based professionals like heavyweight Tony Doyle and light middleweight Edgar "Bad News" Wallace.

'''Born''': 1910 
'''Died''': February 1999

Paavo Ketonen was a Finnish-American wrestler on the West Coast of the United States from the 1930s, through the early 1950s. After his wrestling career was over, he became the wrestling promoter in Tacoma, at the Tacoma Armory. Ketonen would also promote boxing in Tacoma as well during the 1950s. Ketonen's promotional company was the Central Boxing Club, his matchmaker was [[Ingo Lucchesi]]. The most successful fighter developed by Ketonen and Lucchesi, was Tacoma Heavyweight Pat McMurtry.

In July 1956, McMurtry would defeated Ezzard Charles in front of 10,729 fans. A month later, he would lose a 10-round decision to Willie Pastrano in front of 11,095 fans. Both of these bouts were held at the Lincoln Bowl in Tacoma.

In the late 1950s, Ketonen moved to Phoenix, where he worked as both a boxing and wrestling promoter. Ketonen during this time, ran the Top Level Gym in Phoenix. In the 1960s and 1970s Ketonen trained and worked in the corner of highly regarded Phoenix-based professionals like world champion lightweight Alton "Sonny" Colter, heavyweight contender Tony Doyle and light middleweight Edgar "Bad News" Wallace. He also worked with a large number of prominent amateur boxers, including Golden Glovers Larry Ford and Lee Croft.

[[Category:Promoters|Ketonen, Paavo]]

Bliss (Lee) Croft

2007-08-23T03:23:25Z

Lbcroft: now refined by nephew

<boxer>124088</boxer>
'''Division''': Heavyweight 

*Son of the 1940s Pierce County Sheriff (Washington state, USA) and former old-time boxer [[Boxer:Lee Croft:150679|Lee Croft]]
*Former Stadium High School and Pacific Lutheran College (both in Tacoma) student/athlete
*Paratrooper during World War II (jumped into France during the Normandy invasion), he had, while stationed on the American East Coast, made it to the Golden Gloves Semi-Finals, but lost his March 15, 1944, bout to Salvador Mirabito. After the war, he made his professional debut. ''Tacoma News Tribune'' As a professional boxer he made it to the top ten in the world by 1948, at one time knocking out eight opponents in a row. Then he reentered the army for the Korean conflict and stayed through three tours in Vietnam, retiring as Lt. Col. A much decorated combat veteran of three wars, he is one of the original "Green Berets."

[[Category:World_War_II Veterans|Croft, Bliss (Lee)]]

Bliss (Lee) Croft

2007-08-23T03:01:43Z

Lbcroft: added details by his nephew

<boxer>124088</boxer>
'''Division''': Heavyweight 

*Son of the 1940s Pierce County Sheriff (Washington state, USA) and former old-time boxer [[Boxer:Lee Croft:150679|Lee Croft]]
*Former Stadium High School and Pacific Lutheran College (both in Tacoma) student/athlete
*Paratrooper during World War II, stationed on the American East Coast, during which time he made it to the Golden Gloves Semi-Finals, but lost his March 15, 1944, bout to Salvador Mirabito, and where he made his professional debut. ''Tacoma News Tribune'' As a professional boxer he made it to the top ten in the world by 1948, at one time knocking out eight opponents in a row. Then he reentered the army for the Korean conflict and stayed through three tours in Vietnam, retiring as Lt. Col. A much decorated combat veteran of three wars, he is one of the original "Green Berets."

[[Category:World_War_II Veterans|Croft, Bliss (Lee)]]

Lee Croft

2007-08-23T02:52:43Z

Lbcroft: more facts added by his grandson

[[file:Croft.Lee.jpg|left|Lee Croft]]
<boxer>150679</boxer>
'''Division''': Heavyweight 
'''Trainer''': [[Bobby Titland]] (aka Raymond) 

*Reported as being a red-head, Croft was the former Pacific Coast and British Columbia Amateur Heavyweight Champion. ''Tacoma Daily News'' (TDN), Jan. 19, 1910. (Croft's record-to-date can be found in that edition.) He was never defeated in the ring and once fought to a draw against Australian champion and "Great White Hope" Jack Lester. And see the Nov. 19, 1914 TDN.
*His parents owned a ranch in southern Oregon by 1910.
* He spent time prospecting with his brothers in the Yukon and,in 1910, he visited with his parents in London, England, from where he sent frequent dispatches to the TDN, commenting on boxing over there.
*By the mid-1940s, he was the owner of the Croft Hotel at 1519 Pacific Avenue in Tacoma, Washington and had become the Pierce County (Washington) Sheriff. He died in 1951 at age 69.
*His son, [[Boxer:Bliss (Lee) Croft:124088|Bliss Croft]], became a professional boxer of some note, and fought as "Lee Croft," too.