Harry Gattle

Name: Harry Gattle
Birth Name: Harry Goettel
Hometown: Port Chester, New York, USA
Birthplace: Greenwich, Connecticut, USA
Died: 1956-06-15 (Age:59)
Height: 183cm
Pro Boxer: Record

Managers: Fred Goettel; Jimmy Howard
Harry Gattle graduated the New Lebanon School with the Class of 1910. His boxing career began at lightweight, having his first fight in 1912 on the Leach Cross-One Round Hogan program at the 44th Street A.C. in New York City. He was only 15-years-old at that time, having been born May 11, 1897 in Greenwich, Connecticut. ("Gattle" is an anglicized pronunciation and spelling of the family name of Goettel.) Gattle was managed originally by Fred Goettel, but Jimmy Howard guided him through most of his career.

Gattle progressed rapidly, suffering the first serious check to his progress when stopped by Marty Cross in January, 1916 in a fight that he was winning until Cross nailed him with a hard right to the jaw. He recovered from this setback, and fought his way to a rematch with Cross. Although that fight went the distance, Gattle took a severe trouncing and seems to have lost his confidence, losing decisively to Jock Malone and Soldier Bartfield.

Gattle joined the National Guard on July 8, 1916 and was sent to France in August 1918, having been named Sergeant in the "Old Twelfth" Company. He was married October 13, 1917, while on leave. He attempted a comeback in 1920 and lost twice, at about the time that his first child was born and soon died. To further complicate matters, his wife was hospitalized and in serious condition for a long time after giving birth.

Gattle's best victories were over Paddy Sullivan, Tommy Robson, Jimmy O'Hagan, Farmer Sullivan, Al Dewey, and Battling Kopin. He fought on even terms with Joe Eagan and Jack Kelsey. A six-foot blond, with an excellent left hand and long reach, he was undoubtedly rushed along too fast and his career was nearly over at about the time he reached his twentieth birthday.

Gattle may have had a few fights in addition to those that appear on his "official" record. He was scheduled to fight George Sharkey at Rockaway Beach, Queens, New York, on September 26, 1916, but no result of that fight has been located. At various times he was scheduled to fight Willie Gradwell, Knockout Brown, Shamus O'Brien, and Pat Bradley, and may have met Irish Paddy Callahan.

The material for this biography and Gattle's record was provided by his son, Harry Goettel of Bethel, Connecticut, by way of boxing historian Luckett Davis.