Show:137632

1929-02-05 Crystal Pool, Seattle, Washington, US

• Cecil Fat Geysel W KO Eddie Cartwright
• Al Konze W TKO Ozark Barkerdon
• Del Wolfe W KO Terry Hansen
• Paul Delaney W PTS Eddie Gross

Attendance: some 2,000
Reported in February 6, 1929 Seattle Times

There were only four bouts on the program, as the main event between Ray (Showboat) McQuillan and Elgin Moore was cancelled after it was apparent that Eddie Cartwright had been seriously injured. Cartwright hit his head on the canvas, rupturing arteries at the base of his brain, killing him. Referee Ad Schacht counted him out, unaware of the severity of his condition. Two more bouts were fought before "the announcer stepped into the ring and said that because of a serious injury to one of the fighters the main event would be called off." Seattle Daily Times

A bill pending in the Washington state legislature to legalize professional boxing was quickly withdrawn after this ring-death. (Prize-fighting was illegal in Washington state at this time. State law did permit "Boxing exhibitions between members of clubs for exercise or for the entertainment of other members." Anyone wishing to witness boxing was required to obtain a "membership card.")

Meanwhile King County Sheriff Claude Bannick issued an edict banning boxing in Seattle. Professional boxing in Seattle would be banned for approximately the next six months as a result of Cartwright's death. Efforts to legalize professional boxing throughout the state resumed again some time later. But the March 24, 1930 Tacoma ring-death of Frank Farmer ended those as well. (Professional boxing in Washington eventually became legal June 8, 1933.)