Battling Chico

Name: Battling Chico
Alias: Johnnie/Johny/Jonnie Rice
Birth Name: Johnny Rice
Hometown: Los Angeles, California, USA
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
Died: 1943-03-23 (Age:48)
Height: 160cm
Pro Boxer: Record

It appears that during World War I Battling Chico had a few bouts at Camp Lewis, Washington, using the alias "Johnny Rice." Oct. 11, 1917 Tacoma Times [1]

According to his card on the U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-18 database on Ancestry.com, one "Johny" Rice, a "Boxer" and a "Mexican," was born in Los Angeles, California on July 26, 1894. Curiously, he signed his name as "Johnnie" Rice on the same card. Rice was "short" and "stout."

According to his prison file in digital form on the California, Prison and Correctional Records, 1851-1950 database on Ancestry.com, one Johnny Rice, a 32-year-old native of California, a "Mexican," and a "cook," was serving a term of 1-to-15 years for 2nd degree burglary in the "California State Prison At Folsom" starting on November 11, 1926. His listed aliases were "Johnnie Rice" and "Battling Chico." Included in the file are two photographs of Rice, one of his full face and the other of his right profile.

According to his card on the U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 database on Ancestry.com, one Johnny Rice was born in Los Angeles, California on July 26, 1894 and was living in the "Nat. Military Home" in "Sawtell," California. He was unemployed at the time. Rice weighed 148 pounds with his height not being listed.

According to the California, Death Index, 1940-1997 database on Ancestry.com, one Johnny Rice was born in California on July 26, 1894 and died in Los Angeles, California on March 23, 1943, and buried at Sawtelle National Cemetery. His mother's maiden last name was Saunders while his father's last name was Rice.