Human:35688

Name: Steve Ketchel
Alias: Lester Oakes
Birth Name: Lester William Oakes
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Birthplace: Joliet, Illinois, USA
Died: 1958-11-14 (Age:68)
Height: 160cm
Reach: 165cm
Pro Boxer: Record

A large number of the 1910-1914 bouts in this record come from T. S. Andrews's WORLD'S ANNUAL SPORTING RECORDS (1915), pp. 170-171. _________________

Willie Ritchie was his manager, per the Nov. 1, 1913 TACOMA DAILY NEWS. See the Jan. 1, 1920 SACRAMENTO STAR for a nice article on Oakes/Ketchell. Born in Joliet, IL, in 1892. Started boxing in 1910 at age 18, and had 14 bouts without a loss. The following year fought another 14 bouts without a loss. In 1912 he had 17 more fights. And 14 more in 1913, again without losing a single one. He reportedly ended his career with 59 contests without a loss.

According the Find A Grave website, one Lester William Oakes was born on March 25, 1890 in Grundy County, Illinois and died on November 14, 1958. According to an obituary in the November 18, 1958 edition of the Chicago Daily Tribune, Lester W. Oakes, 67, was a former lightweight boxer known as Steve Ketchel and owned a tavern (which also served as his residence) for thirty years. He was survived by his widow, four(?) sisters and a brother. Note- Another death notice lists only three sisters.