Fight:23058 - Revision history

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2005-08-08T20:42:56Z

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	~~<fight>23058</fight>~~		#REDIRECT [[Panama Al Brown vs. Vidal Gregorio]]
	~~'''Vacant NYSAC World Bantamweight Title'''~~

	*Referee: [[~~Lou Magnolia]]~~
	*Judges: [[Harold Barnes]] & [[George Patrick]]
	*Brown becomes Latin America's first Boxing World Champion

	~~----~~
	~~[[file:Brown.PanamaAl.jpg\|right\|200px\|~~Panama Al Brown]]
	Often incorrectly recorded as being for the undisputed, unified World Bantamweight Title. Some sources, including the 1980 [[Ring Record Book]], even assert that this fight was the culmination of an official bantamweight elimination tournament, when there is no mention in the contemporary papers to support that claim either.

	To the contrary, earlier the [[New York State Athletic Commission]] had decided that the winner of the May 22 [[Boxer:Fidel_LaBarba:012310\|Fidel LaBarba]]-[[Boxer:Kid_Chocolate:009006\|Kid Chocolate]] bout would be the NYSAC's logical successor to the bantam title. According to contemporary newspaper accounts, the bout was "for what is unofficially considered the world's bantamweight championship. Though the New York boxing commission has not officially designated the bout a title affair, it has 'strongly advised' the pair to weigh in at 118 pounds, the bantam limit." The bout was scheduled for 15 rounds but both fighters entered the ring over 118 pounds. So, it was reduced to 10 rounds.

	"Fidel LaBarba and Kid Chocolate having failed to heed the suggestion of the Boxing Commission and make the bantamweight limit for their fight in the New York Coliseum last Wednesday night, the Solons [slang for "boxing commissioners"] decided to give ear to the plea of Al Brown that he be given an opportunity to prove he is the best 118-pound fighter here, there and everywhere. Hence they announced they would start the ball a-rolling by matching him with Vidal Gregorio, [[Boxer:Pete_Sanstol:009935\|Pete Sanstol]] or Kid Chocolate, the fight to be held in the Queensboro Stadium on June 11. On that night the Blowdeo will be for the benefit of the National Sports Alliance Relief Fund.

	~~It will have to be either Gregorio or Sanstol for Brown. Al is definitely off the Havana Kid's list of eligibles." New York ''World'', May 25, 1929, p. 11.~~

	~~----~~
	Three days before the fight the ''New York Times'' had said, "At its [New York State Athletic Commission] meeting yesterday... [d]ecision was reserved on the question of designating a main bout Tuesday night at the National Sports Alliance Relief Fund benefit show. Al Brown is to battle Vidal Gregorio virtually for the bantamweight title."

	~~The ''New York Times'' reported on the day of the June 18 fight between Brown and Gregorio:~~

	"A battle which is expected to have its sequel in the production of a world's bantamweight champion... is... scheduled for tonight. It is this contest which is expected to end with an acceptable claimant of the vacated bantamweight title established. Brown has earned recognition by the [[National Boxing Association]] and through ring conquests here and in Europe has mowed down all opposition.

	The Brown-Gregorio bout lacks the Boxing Board's official backing as a title match, but it is indicated that the winner may be looked upon with favor. Kid Chocolate is to engage [[Boxer:Terry_Roth:010438\|Terry Roth]], and still another ten is to be between [[Boxer:Pete Meyers:052070\|Peter Meyers]] and [[Boxer:Tony Vaccarelli:025857\|Tony Vaccarelli]]."

	~~----~~
	Then both Brown and Gregorio offered to fight for no compensation whatsoever, which "staggered" the NYSAC. "The Boxing Commissioners couldn't believe their ears. When they recovered they announced that the winner would be recognized by them as the 'defending' bantam champion." ''The World'', May 29, p. 13.

	There may have been another reason the NYSAC decided the winner would be the "defending" champion. They may have been led to believe that Brown was recognized by the National Boxing Association as the bantam king. When he and Brown arrived back to New York from Europe in mid-May, Brown's manager [[Dave Lumiansky]] informed the press:

	"Half-baked titles are important in Europe but they mean little or nothing here," said Lumiansky. "Brown strengthened his N.B.A. championship abroad by defeating [[Boxer:Domenico Bernasconi:009892\|Bernasconi]], the [[International Boxing Union]] champion, in Madrid. That victory gave him two legs on the world's title, and a match with the winner of the La Barba-Chocolate fray should result in a generally recognized 118-pound king. The situation appears to be close to a definite settlement for the first time in three years." ''The World'', May 16, p. 13.

	On July 10, three weeks after he had won the so-called "world championship," Brown was suspended by the [[Illinois Athletic Commission]] for refusing to fight [[Boxer:Knud Larsen:009880\|Knud Larsen]] in Copenhagen, Denmark. (Brown finally agreed to fight Larsen on August 28.) "The commission also criticized Lumiansky for having spread reports in the United States and abroad that Brown was recognized by the National Boxing Association as bantamweight champion." ''The World'', July 11, 1929, p. 13. The NBA was headquartered in Chicago.

	~~The June 19 ''Tacoma News Tribune'' (Tacoma, WA, USA) reported:~~

	"The Panama Negro, one of the cleverest boxers in the business, also lays claim to the National Boxing Association's 118-pound championship. Brown claims he was recognized as champion by [[Thomas Donohue\|Tom Donohue]], Connecticut boxing commissioner, when Donohue was president of the N.B.A. Donohue, however, later was deposed and the N.B.A. announced last night that it no longer recognized any one as king of the 188[sic]-pounders."

	~~On June 20, the ''TNT'' continued:~~

	Brown "holds no title as far as the National Boxing Association is concerned. [[Paul Prehn]], president of the N.B.A., last night said the organization recognizes no one as champion of the 118-pound division, but plans an elimination contest to select a titleholder."

	~~----~~

	~~The June 20 ''New York Times'' reported:~~

	In as masterful an exhibition of boxing as he ever furnished, Brown won the decision over Gregorio and established himself beyond peradventure as a man worthy the mantle of champion of his class. Referee Lou Magnolia and Judges [[Harold Barnes]] and [[George Patrick]] collaborated in the award. The decision was unanimous....
	Brown was the master and saw to it that the action was maintained at long range. A tantalizing, snappy left jab accomplished this objective with surprising ease for with his left jabs Brown beat an annoying, discouraging tattoo against the face of Gregorio and with left hooks and right crosses Brown annoyed Vidal ~~no little....~~

	~~In the eleventh Brown caught his foe off balance with a push-punch right which upset~~ Gregorio ~~and the crowd booed while Referee Magnolia warned Brown.~~

	~~----~~
	The New York ''World'' newspaper reported on June 19 that even the New York State Athletic Commission was hesitant to declare Brown the "bantamweight world champion," but instead gave him "the novel title of 'defending champion.'" In his June 21 column entitled "Pardon My Glove," Ned Brown quoted one Mike Karem as saying, "It was not for the world's title."

	[[Joe Morris]], manager of British Bantamweight World Champion [[Boxer:Teddy_Baldock:009902\|Teddy Baldock]], "declared Baldock had just as much right to consider himself bantamweight champion as Brown." (The World, June 28, 1929, p. 9.)

	~~----~~

	~~When he fought [[Boxer:Battling_Battalino:009879\|Bat Battalino~~]] July 26, the papers clarified that Brown was the champion as recognized by the NYSAC only, and apparently nowhere else. "Bat Battalino of Hartford, New England featherweight champion, won a ten-round decision over Al Brown of Panama, recognized in New York State as world's bantamweight champion, at Bulkley Stadium to-night. The bantam title was not at stake." ''The World'', July 27, 1929, p. 9.

	Finally, on October 7, President [[Edward Foster]] announced that, following a telegraphic conference among its members, the National Boxing Association had proclaimed Panama Al Brown its World Bantamweight Champion. (''New York Times'', Oct. 8, p. 24.) This was the first time that Brown was recognized by the NBA--not earlier, as is frequently but erroneously recorded even to this day (2005).

Ric: material researched by me in 1998 for my Sanstol site ("Climb" page)

2005-08-08T16:40:23Z

material researched by me in 1998 for my Sanstol site ("Climb" page)

New page

<fight>23058</fight>
'''Vacant NYSAC World Bantamweight Title'''

*Referee: [[Lou Magnolia]]
*Judges: [[Harold Barnes]] & [[George Patrick]]
*Brown becomes Latin America's first Boxing World Champion

----
[[file:Brown.PanamaAl.jpg|right|200px|Panama Al Brown]]
Often incorrectly recorded as being for the undisputed, unified World Bantamweight Title. Some sources, including the 1980 [[Ring Record Book]], even assert that this fight was the culmination of an official bantamweight elimination tournament, when there is no mention in the contemporary papers to support that claim either.

To the contrary, earlier the [[New York State Athletic Commission]] had decided that the winner of the May 22 [[Boxer:Fidel_LaBarba:012310|Fidel LaBarba]]-[[Boxer:Kid_Chocolate:009006|Kid Chocolate]] bout would be the NYSAC's logical successor to the bantam title. According to contemporary newspaper accounts, the bout was "for what is unofficially considered the world's bantamweight championship. Though the New York boxing commission has not officially designated the bout a title affair, it has 'strongly advised' the pair to weigh in at 118 pounds, the bantam limit." The bout was scheduled for 15 rounds but both fighters entered the ring over 118 pounds. So, it was reduced to 10 rounds.

"Fidel LaBarba and Kid Chocolate having failed to heed the suggestion of the Boxing Commission and make the bantamweight limit for their fight in the New York Coliseum last Wednesday night, the Solons [slang for "boxing commissioners"] decided to give ear to the plea of Al Brown that he be given an opportunity to prove he is the best 118-pound fighter here, there and everywhere. Hence they announced they would start the ball a-rolling by matching him with Vidal Gregorio, [[Boxer:Pete_Sanstol:009935|Pete Sanstol]] or Kid Chocolate, the fight to be held in the Queensboro Stadium on June 11. On that night the Blowdeo will be for the benefit of the National Sports Alliance Relief Fund.

It will have to be either Gregorio or Sanstol for Brown. Al is definitely off the Havana Kid's list of eligibles." New York ''World'', May 25, 1929, p. 11.

----
Three days before the fight the ''New York Times'' had said, "At its [New York State Athletic Commission] meeting yesterday... [d]ecision was reserved on the question of designating a main bout Tuesday night at the National Sports Alliance Relief Fund benefit show. Al Brown is to battle Vidal Gregorio virtually for the bantamweight title."

The ''New York Times'' reported on the day of the June 18 fight between Brown and Gregorio:

"A battle which is expected to have its sequel in the production of a world's bantamweight champion... is... scheduled for tonight. It is this contest which is expected to end with an acceptable claimant of the vacated bantamweight title established. Brown has earned recognition by the [[National Boxing Association]] and through ring conquests here and in Europe has mowed down all opposition.

The Brown-Gregorio bout lacks the Boxing Board's official backing as a title match, but it is indicated that the winner may be looked upon with favor. Kid Chocolate is to engage [[Boxer:Terry_Roth:010438|Terry Roth]], and still another ten is to be between [[Boxer:Pete Meyers:052070|Peter Meyers]] and [[Boxer:Tony Vaccarelli:025857|Tony Vaccarelli]]."

----
Then both Brown and Gregorio offered to fight for no compensation whatsoever, which "staggered" the NYSAC. "The Boxing Commissioners couldn't believe their ears. When they recovered they announced that the winner would be recognized by them as the 'defending' bantam champion." ''The World'', May 29, p. 13.

There may have been another reason the NYSAC decided the winner would be the "defending" champion. They may have been led to believe that Brown was recognized by the National Boxing Association as the bantam king. When he and Brown arrived back to New York from Europe in mid-May, Brown's manager [[Dave Lumiansky]] informed the press:

"Half-baked titles are important in Europe but they mean little or nothing here," said Lumiansky. "Brown strengthened his N.B.A. championship abroad by defeating [[Boxer:Domenico Bernasconi:009892|Bernasconi]], the [[International Boxing Union]] champion, in Madrid. That victory gave him two legs on the world's title, and a match with the winner of the La Barba-Chocolate fray should result in a generally recognized 118-pound king. The situation appears to be close to a definite settlement for the first time in three years." ''The World'', May 16, p. 13.

On July 10, three weeks after he had won the so-called "world championship," Brown was suspended by the [[Illinois Athletic Commission]] for refusing to fight [[Boxer:Knud Larsen:009880|Knud Larsen]] in Copenhagen, Denmark. (Brown finally agreed to fight Larsen on August 28.) "The commission also criticized Lumiansky for having spread reports in the United States and abroad that Brown was recognized by the National Boxing Association as bantamweight champion." ''The World'', July 11, 1929, p. 13. The NBA was headquartered in Chicago.

The June 19 ''Tacoma News Tribune'' (Tacoma, WA, USA) reported:

"The Panama Negro, one of the cleverest boxers in the business, also lays claim to the National Boxing Association's 118-pound championship. Brown claims he was recognized as champion by [[Thomas Donohue|Tom Donohue]], Connecticut boxing commissioner, when Donohue was president of the N.B.A. Donohue, however, later was deposed and the N.B.A. announced last night that it no longer recognized any one as king of the 188[sic]-pounders."

On June 20, the ''TNT'' continued:

Brown "holds no title as far as the National Boxing Association is concerned. [[Paul Prehn]], president of the N.B.A., last night said the organization recognizes no one as champion of the 118-pound division, but plans an elimination contest to select a titleholder."

----

The June 20 ''New York Times'' reported:

In as masterful an exhibition of boxing as he ever furnished, Brown won the decision over Gregorio and established himself beyond peradventure as a man worthy the mantle of champion of his class. Referee Lou Magnolia and Judges [[Harold Barnes]] and [[George Patrick]] collaborated in the award. The decision was unanimous....
Brown was the master and saw to it that the action was maintained at long range. A tantalizing, snappy left jab accomplished this objective with surprising ease for with his left jabs Brown beat an annoying, discouraging tattoo against the face of Gregorio and with left hooks and right crosses Brown annoyed Vidal no little....

In the eleventh Brown caught his foe off balance with a push-punch right which upset Gregorio and the crowd booed while Referee Magnolia warned Brown.

----
The New York ''World'' newspaper reported on June 19 that even the New York State Athletic Commission was hesitant to declare Brown the "bantamweight world champion," but instead gave him "the novel title of 'defending champion.'" In his June 21 column entitled "Pardon My Glove," Ned Brown quoted one Mike Karem as saying, "It was not for the world's title."

[[Joe Morris]], manager of British Bantamweight World Champion [[Boxer:Teddy_Baldock:009902|Teddy Baldock]], "declared Baldock had just as much right to consider himself bantamweight champion as Brown." (The World, June 28, 1929, p. 9.)

----

When he fought [[Boxer:Battling_Battalino:009879|Bat Battalino]] July 26, the papers clarified that Brown was the champion as recognized by the NYSAC only, and apparently nowhere else. "Bat Battalino of Hartford, New England featherweight champion, won a ten-round decision over Al Brown of Panama, recognized in New York State as world's bantamweight champion, at Bulkley Stadium to-night. The bantam title was not at stake." ''The World'', July 27, 1929, p. 9.

Finally, on October 7, President [[Edward Foster]] announced that, following a telegraphic conference among its members, the National Boxing Association had proclaimed Panama Al Brown its World Bantamweight Champion. (''New York Times'', Oct. 8, p. 24.) This was the first time that Brown was recognized by the NBA--not earlier, as is frequently but erroneously recorded even to this day (2005).