The Boxing Bulletin History Corner: April 23 - 29, 1910 & 1920

By Andrew Fruman

We're back with another edition of the History Corner.  Today, we've got news and fight reports from April 23 to 29 for the years 1910 and 1920.  In a few days, we'll be moving on to 1930, 1940 and 1950.

Check out last week's editions of the History Corner: April 16-22, 1910 & 1920
& April 16-22, 1930, 1940 & 1950

In this edition...

• Joe Walcott vs Bill McKinnon - Boston, April 25, 1910
• Johnny Coulon vs Frankie Burns - New York, April 25, 1910
• Sam Langford vs Stanley Ketchel - Philadelphia, April 27, 1910
• Frankie Conley vs Danny Webster - Los Angeles, April 28, 1910
• Owen Moran vs Tommy McCarthy - San Francisco - April 28, 1910
• Jackie Sharkey vs Abe Friedman - Boston, April 27, 1920
• Rocky Kansas vs Frankie Bull - Toronto, April 28, 1920
• Plus plenty more fight reports and pugilistic news of the times...

1910

April 23…

Referee Tommy Keenan declared Mickey Gannon of Pittsburgh the winner after five rounds of a scheduled six against Frank Picato in Philadelphia. The California fighter had been saved by the bell after being dropped with seconds remaining in the round by a left hook.

Picato had also been saved by the bell at the end of the second round and was well behind in points when the third man in the ring decided to use some common sense and end the contest. The decision was met with approval from the Philadelphia Inquirer…

It is to be regretted that all the referees who officiate in the various clubs in town do not manifest the same judgment that Tommy Keenan did at the National Athletic Club on Saturday night, when he stopped the bout between Mickey Gannon and Frank Picato at the end of the fifth round…

Now, some referees – those who believe they are "giving the public a run for their money" by permitting a defenceless man to stand up as a human punching bag – would have continued the bout, with the likelihood of Picato being rendered insensible, if not seriously injured, to say nothing of the possibilities of a job for the coroner. Picato did not lose a friend; on the contrary, he won hosts of admirers; Gannon is not deprived of the credit of a decisive victory, and the club with stand higher in the estimation of the sport-going public because of the humane and sportsmanlike action of the referee.

– Old Sport’s Musings, Philadelphia Inquirer

April 25…

At the Young Men’s Athletic Club in Brockton, Joe Walcott dominated Bill McKinnon only to lose in the sixth round on a disputed foul. After a series of jabs to the body from Walcott, the Boston fighter collapsed to the ground, holding his groin.

McKinnon’s seconds rushed into the ring yelling "foul" and referee Ward appeared undecided, watching McKinnon for several seconds before finally awarding the bout to Walcott’s opponent.

While some of Walcott’s blows were low, many in the crowd failed to see the blow that knocked McKinnon to the floor. Ward’s delay in making decision increased the crowd’s perplexity, and a good many thought McKinnon did not feel the effects of the blows but wanted to quit.

– Boston Globe

Showing up in surprisingly good condition, the 37 year old former welterweight champion controlled the action from the start, expertly dodging McKinnon’s right hand, while scoring repeatedly with his left. In fourth round, he opened up a cut over his McKinnon’s left eye with a "vicious" right and toyed with his overmatched opponent until the controversial finish.

* * * *

Frankie Burns of New Jersey won the newspaper decision from 115lb champion Johnny Coulon at the Marathon Athletic Club in Brooklyn. According to the New York Times, Burns had an edge in seven of the ten rounds, with two even and Coulon only winning a single round.

Burns used a two handed attack to gain the edge over the bantamweight title claimant, working both to the midsection and head. He wobbled Coulon in the second round with a right, and had Coulon looking to hold after a hard body attack in the third. The young Jersey fighter also scored heavily in the seventh with a hard left to the jaw that caught Coulon trying to force his way inside.

April 27…

At the National Sporting Club in New York, former bantamweight champion Monte Attell lost a ten round newspaper decision to Joe Wagner. It was the first ring action for Attell since losing his share of the bantamweight title to Frankie Conley in a marathon 42 round encounter back in February.  At times, especially early, the bout was marred by excessive clinching and wrestling, although it livened up considerably over the last few rounds, with Wagner getting much of the better of the hotly contested action.

Wagner had his famous shift working overtime, and it bothered Attell considerably. Apparently he could find no adequate defense to it, and once Wagner’s fast-flying arms landed hard enough to knock Attell down. Wagner finished the bout in fine condition, whereas Attell’s left eye was cut and his nose and mouth bleeding slightly.

– New York Times

* * * *

In a bout featuring two of the sport’s very best fighters, Sam Langford and middleweight champion Stanley Ketchell engaged in a fast six rounder before a packed house at the National Athletic Club in Philadelphia. A special train carried spectators from New York for the bout, with fight fans from all over the North-East making the trip to the Quaker city for the highly anticipated clash.

Ketchel (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) fought aggressively, constantly pressing the action behind a swarming two handed attack, while Langford picked his spots to counter, mainly with snapping left hands, but also with hard rights to the body. Ketchel also had success going to the body, but found it difficult to land clean shots upstairs as Langford did a masterful job of rolling and blocking.

While the majority of writers had Langford winning and his record reflects the newspaper decision going in his favor, it was not unanimous as opinions varied on which man had the better of the fighting…

The Cleveland Plain Dealer on the differing views as to the winner…

The Plain Dealer, late last night, secured seven different opinions on the result of the Ketchel-Langford fight at Philadelphia. The New York American and New York World said that Ketchel had won. The Associated Press, the Philadelphia Record, Philadelphia Inquirer and the Western Union ticker service declared in favour of Langford, while the New York Press gave the decision as a draw.

– Cleveland Plain Dealer

According to the New York American’s report in favour of Ketchel, the Michigan fighter earned the nod with a big finish…

Up to the sixth round it was anybody’s fight. Langford had a nice advantage in the fourth. Ketchell earned all the laurels in the third; the balance were even. But in that never to be forgotten sixth, Ketchell sprang from his corner with the ferocity of a lion. Before the negro could steady himself Stanley whipped both right and left to the body. Both hands landed clean and hard. Sam was hurt and showed it. For the next three minutes he was busy in the same place.

– New York American

The American’s report went on to indicate that Langford struggled to keep up with the pace in the final session, and spent the entire three minutes backing up and looking to hold.

The New York Times agreed with the American’s opinion that Langford finished poorly, although had the fight as a draw…

Langford was the finished boxer and landed clean and hard on the white man, who was all willingness and determined to finish the black man in short order. Langford lost a clear title to the fight by his slowing up in the last part of the last round. He was entitled to a draw however, and the doubt still remains whether or not he is Ketchel’s master. Up to the last round he demonstrated this fact, but his slowness in the last round took a lot of credit from him. Many thought he was stalling, but only he could tell that with any certainty.

– New York Times

The Boston Globe meanwhile painted the sixth round in an entirely different light, with Ketchel starting the round fast, but being quickly driven back by a series of left hands from Langford. The Globe reported Langford landed a couple of hard right as well, and had Ketchel very tired at the final bell. The paper tabbed Langford as an easy winner with Ketchel holding an edge in only the fourth round.

While no decision was rendered, it was apparent to everyone present that Langford deserved the honors. But, although beaten, Ketchel put up a game and gallant battle against his opponent.

– Boston Globe

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s round by round also indicated Langford (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) doing damage during a bitterly contested final round. As for the fight as a whole, the Inquirer favored Langford’s accurate counters to Ketchel’s busy flurries…

Langford showed superior cleverness. His blows were cleaner than Ketchel’s. He kept pushing his long left into Ketchel’s face with surprising regularity, gradually wearing down his opponent. Though Ketchel tried his hardest to land a decisive punch, he could not get away from that awful left of Langford’s.

- Philadelphia Inquirer

The following day’s Old Sport’s Musings column in the Philadelphia Inquirer was less than enthusiastic with the Boston fighter’s performance, suggesting Langford was holding something in reserve with the goal of securing a bigger fight, perhaps for the title, down the road.

Personally, the Old Sport is inclined to think that Langford gave himself what the horsemen call an easy race. So long as he was not stopped he did not give a tinker’s dam for any opinion expressed either by press or public…

What Langford, after seeing that he could hold Ketchel safe at any stage, was working for is undoubtedly a longer course, say in California, next fall. Such a meeting is not out of the question now by any means, and the differing opinions expressed by the critics of the East over Wednesday night’s bout will be the best kind of a boost for another. But if they ever do come together over and extended route, take it from The Old Sport, boys and string your checks along with that Boston Tar Baby.

– The Old Sport, Philadelphia Inquirer

Upon his arrival in Boston the following day, Langford strongly denied that he didn’t give his best and was surprised by some of the reports indicating that Ketchel had hurt him during the battle…

Ketchel is an awkward boxer. I am confident I can defeat him in less than 10 rounds. As to our meeting again, I can’t say until my manager, Joe Woodman, returns to Boston.

Some of the reports of our battle make me laugh. Why, Ketchel never hurt me. He is a showy boxer and the way he works will catch a crowd, but he cannot keep up the pace he boxed at Wednesday night. I feel sorry that my friends have an idea that I did not try to do my best when I did.

– Sam Langford

April 28…

Frankie Conley, bantamweight champion (of the 116lb variety) won a decisive newspaper verdict from Danny Webster. Conley (pictured, Los Angeles Herald) nearly won by the early stoppage route, dropping Webster twice in the fourth round, first with a right to the jaw and then for a count of seven with a body shot, but the local fighter managed to stall out the round.

Conley relentlessly forced the action from start to finish, with Webster trying to cope with the constant pressure with quick footwork and the occasional quick stab. Webster tried to hold on when Conley closed the gap, but was punished severely in the clinches by his stronger opponent.

Webster fought the best battle of his career and never showed the white flag at any time, but his blows lacked steam and Conley was too good at blocking for him to accomplish much in the way of giving punishment. Conley left the ring without a mark upon him and Webster’s body was beaten to a red glow from the effect of the continual and terrific body punishment.

– Jay Davidson, Los Angels Herald

The Los Angeles Herald had the youngster from Kenosha sweeping all ten rounds, while the Los Angels Times had it much closer, but also in agreement that Conley was a clear winner.

Jack Johnson also featured on the show, sparring four exhibition rounds, two each with opponents Joe Cotton and Marty Cutler. Johnson’s skills appeared to be sharp, but he was clearly not in the best of condition, with the Times estimating the champion’s weight to be almost 230 pounds.

After being urged to say a few words, Johnson walked to the middle of the ring to address the crowd…

After he had spoken about ten words cat calls and other interruptions forced him to silently smile and wait for the noise to cease. This was kept up until the sportsmen around the ring, believing in fair play to the negro, even in the enemy’s country, began to applaud him and tell him to go ahead. He did. He said, in substance, that the greatest heavyweight battle of modern times would be fought July 4 and that he wanted everybody to join with him in wishing that the event might be fought and won on its merits and that the better man would be returned the victor. Commenting on the rowdy conduct of those who interrupted him, Johnson said that he always had observed that a rowdy and a bum never changed and that such persons would be rowdies and bums all their lives and under all conditions. He got a round of applause for this, too.

– Jay Davidson

April 29…

Pictures from The San Francisco Call

Local lightweight Tommy McCarthy, one of the sport’s most promising young fighters, passed away at St. Mary’s hospital in San Francisco, several hours after suffering a sixteenth round knockout at the hands of Owen Moran. According to ringside accounts, the twenty year old was clearly outclassed and always fighting an uphill battle, but appeared to only absorb minimal punishment.

The opening ten rounds were relatively uneventful, with the bigger McCarthy trying to land left hooks to the body, and the experienced Moran controlling the pace with a steady left jab.  McCarthy gradually became arm weary and at times appeared visibly frustrated by his inability to catch the clever Englishman, but never looked hurt, even after Moran turned up the intensity between the thirteenth and fifteenth rounds.

Early in the sixteenth, Moran feinted with his left, prompting McCarthy to open his guard and take a step backward. Seeing the opportunity, Moran stepped forward with an overhand right hand to the jaw; the punch was not particularly hard, but caught McCarthy off balance, and the youngster fell straight back, striking the base on his skull on the ring floor.

Though there was a "resounding thud" when McCarthy’s head struck the floor, nobody believed the fighter would stay down…

Moran apparently was as much surprised as the majority of the spectators when his opponent did not regain consciousness. His smile of victory was soon replaced by a careworn, awe stricken expression when he beheld his adversary lying apparently lifeless in his corner with his seconds and the four physicians working desperately to restore consciousness.

– San Francisco Call

The following day, Moran was arrested and charged with manslaughter by San Francisco district attorney Charles M. Fickert. Several others involved with the contest were also arrested…

Moran wept as if his heart would break while he was confined in the city prison over night, and John McCarthy and William McCarthy, brothers of the dead pugilist, also confined in the prison, cried all night. Jeff Perry, the Oakland fighter, Moran’s training partner, and James Carroll, one of his seconds with Bernard Tainter, his trainer, also spent the night in jail.

Harry Foley, referee of the fight; James J. Griffen, manager of the contest; Tiv Krelling, Moran’s chief second; "Spider" Kelly and Charles Harvey, Moran’s manager, surrendered themselves during the day, and were released also on $100 cash bail.

– San Francisco Call

Adding to the storm were rumors that Moran had carried McCarthy to satisfy heavy wagering on the contest making it past the fifteenth round. These charges were adamantly denied by Moran…

I did not extend myself exhaustively until about the two or three rounds before the finish, because I believed that I could tire McCarthy and beat him at the end. I was fighting all the time though, as all who saw the fight know.

I tried the right to the jaw, which knocked McCarthy out, at least five times before it landed in the sixteenth round with such fatal result. Any one that says I declared that I let the fight go 15 rounds because of bets that McCarthy would stay that long is not telling the truth.

– Owen Moran

The Call seemed to doubt the allegations, as the paper stated that heavy betting on rounds was generally rare unless one fighter was a prohibitive underdog, and despite McCarthy’s inexperience, Moran was only a 10 to 8 or 10 to 9 favorite.

• Charges were dropped against Moran and all those involved on May 11th after a coroner’s jury ruled McCarthy’s death was an accident. The decision was based on the autopsy report, indicating McCarthy had suffered a fracture to the base of his skull as the result of a fall, and not the punch landed by Moran.

1920

April 25…

In Albany, the James J. Walker's (pictured, Library of Congress) boxing bill was passed by the New York State Assembly by a vote of 91 to 46. All that remains is Governor Smith’s signature, who will then be required to appoint a commission of three members to supervise the sport.

The new measure legalizes decisions, while allowing for bouts of up to fifteen rounds. Under the old Frawley law, the rendering of decisions was against the law with bouts limited to ten rounds.

If Governor Smith signs the Walker bill, New York City will resume the position once held as the world center of boxing. The Walker bill is similar to the Horton law under which 20-round bouts to decisions were staged here in the past, but it has features which will tend to eliminate unscrupulous boxers and promoters whose activities resulted in the killing of the sport during Governor Whitman’s regime.

Under the Walker bill referees and boxers, managers of boxers, physicians, judges and promoters will be licensed. Even seconds, time-keepers and trainers will have to secure certificates from the boxing commission.

– Jack Veiock, International News Sporting Editor

April 26…

The world’s welterweight and middleweight champions were both in action, with Jack Britton taking on Jock Malone in Canton and Mike O’Dowd facing KO Samson in Philadelphia.

Britton (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) won a "tame" twelve rounder over Malone. Though Malone was fast and in the peak of condition, the welterweight champion reportedly had little difficulty, as his left hand was just "too swift" for the St. Paul fighter to avoid.

O’Dowd stopped Samson in the fourth round of a scheduled six at the Olympia A.A. after the Captain of Police intervened in the affair. Samson was totally outclassed and on unsteady legs after a thorough beating when the lawman gave the signal to referee Lew Grimson to call an end to the contest.

April 27…

In a bout that very nearly failed to take place, Jackie Sharkey and Abe Friedman battled to a twelve round draw at the Mechanic’s Building in Boston…

Shortly before the time the boxers were to enter the ring Sharkey and his manager tried to get away with an old trick, that of objecting to the referee agreed upon.

Eddie Mack, manager of Friedman, and the club also refused to stand for it. Sharkey was about to leave the building when he was prevailed on to accept Al Delmont for the third man in the ring. Sharkey and his manager had previously agreed on Harry Edels for referee.

– The Boston Globe

As far as the fighting went, Sharkey relied mostly on his left, while Friedman responded with a two handed attack. Friedman scored the only knockdown, catching Sharkey rushing in with a left uppercut, but the New York was unhurt and up in an instant.

It was the first time that Sharkey has shown here and he did not impress the fans as a boxer who can defeat Jimmy Wilde. At times he tries to imitate Johnny Dundee. He hits with the left hand and hops about the ring like (Memphis) Pal Moore.

– Boston Globe

April 28…

At the Arena in Toronto, local fighter Frankie Bull was knocked out in the sixth round of a scheduled ten by Rocky Kansas of Buffalo. It was one punch deal, with Kansas dropping Bull for the count with a huge overhand left.

In the early going, the lanky Toronto fighter did some good work from the outside, consistently catching the much shorter Kansas (pictured, Cyber Boxing Zone) on the way in. However, by the fourth session, the visiting man’s ceaseless pressure had started to take its toll, and Kansas was having the better of the exchanges.

The win was the second of the week for Kansas. Five days earlier in Baltimore, he won an easy twelve round decision over Ralph Brady, dropping the Syracuse fighter for a count of three in the eleventh round.

For more great boxing photos of the past, make sure to visit Antiquities of the Prize Ring.

Check back in a few days for more of The Boxing Bulletin's History Corner as we move on to the years 1930, 1940 and 1950 for the week of April 23 to April 29.

e-mail Andrew Fruman