The Boxing Bulletin History Corner: May 14-20, 1910 & 1920

By Andrew Fruman

We're back with another edition of the History Corner.  Today, we've got news and fight reports from May 14 to May 20 for the years 1910 and 1920.  In a couple days, we'll be moving on to 1930, 1940 and 1950.

Check out last week's editions of the History Corner: May 7-13, 1910 & 1920
& May 7-13, 1930, 1940 & 1950

In this edition...

• Stanley Ketchel vs Dan "Porky" Flynn - Boston, May 17, 1910
• Billy Papke vs Joe Thomas - San Francisco, May 19, 1910
• Willie Jackson vs Johnny Dundee - Newark, May 14, 1920
• Tommy Gibbons vs Harry Greb - Pittsburgh, May 15, 1920
• Mike O'Dowd vs Jack Britton - Canton, May 17, 1920
• Plus plenty more fight reports and pugilistic news of the times...

1910

May 16…

Frankie Burns of Oakland made an impressive New York debut at the Olympia Athletic Club with a resounding ten round newspaper decision over Frankie Madden. The New York Times called the performance of the young lightweight one of "the best exhibitions seen here in a long time."

Burns (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) used his left jab almost exclusively over the first half of the fight to befuddle his aggressive opponent, before bringing his right into play over the final few rounds. In the tenth, the young Californian punctuated his victory with a 1-2 combination that dropped Madden for a 9 count.

May 17…

Middleweight champion Stanley Ketchel stopped heavyweight Dan "Porky" Flynn in the third round of a scheduled twelve at the Armory A.A. in Boston. Ketchel’s performance was well received by the local spectators…

His like has not been seen in this section for a long time, and the aggressiveness and hitting power he displayed made the spectators look on in wonder. He was in pretty fair shape last night and when he got going at full speed he was a revelation to those present who had never seen him before.

– Boston Globe

There were those that felt Flynn’s size advantage might trouble Ketchel (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring), but the champion’s speed was too much for the local fighter. By the second round, Ketchel had Flynn on the run and covering up, and a pair of knockdowns finished matters a minute and a half into the third.

* * * *

At the Fairmont Athletic Club in New York, Sam Langford dropped heavyweight Al Kubiak three times en route a second round knockout victory. Though he spotted Kubiak (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) an estimated 25 pounds in weight, Langford had little trouble blasting out the bigger man…

Langford started into business as though he had fully made up his mind to dispel the impression that has prevailed lately that he doesn’t always try his best. He was doe to show his best last night, and the way he waded into Kubiak was delightful to those who like to see scientific pugilism.

– New York Times

The Times added that many of the spectators at the club believed Langford capable of giving Jack Johnson a real run for his money.

The win was the second of the week for Langford, who was given a much harder fight on May 14 against Battling Jim Johnson in Philadelphia. Johnson (pictured, Cyber Boxing Zone) hung very tough for the first few rounds, before Langford turned up the heat to secure the six-round newspaper verdict…

Johnson’s long left plainly bothered Langford in the early rounds, and a few right handed swings which he received around the body wised the Boston Tar Baby up to the fact that Johnson was not such a soft mark as he was represented to be. It was a whirlwind bout, and though repeaters as a rule do not pan out well, this is one who which every person who saw it would like to see over again.

– The Old Sport, Philadelphia Inquirer

May 18…

Tex Rickard (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) announced that the July 4 heavyweight championship bout between the aforementioned Jack Johnson and Jim Jeffries would take place in San Francisco…

This was expected since the officials of Alameda county took a stand against the fight being held at Emeryville, and the promoters realized that they should make a statement right away, or else the attendance at the fight would suffer. Rickard lost no time in seeing the powers here, and he has been given assurance that the fight could be fought here without molestation.

There is no serious opposition by the people of this city to Jeffries and Johnson settling the question of superiority between them here. In fact, the businessmen in general seem to be for it, as it means that a lot of outside money will be spent here and business will be stimulated.

– William J. Slattery, San Francisco Call

It was the second piece of big news from Rickard in successive days, as the previous day he had announced he would be the third man in the ring for the fight…

I have made up my mind to referee the Jeffries-Johnson battle no matter what happens or no matter where it is fought. I have been selected by the principals and I think that I know enough about the fighting game to give each of them a square deal. This is my final decision.

– Tex Rickard

Rickard added that he didn’t think he’d have much to do as both Johnson and Jeffries were clean fighters, and he would be expecting no rough tactics from either.

May 19…

At Dreamland Rink in San Francisco, middleweight contender Billy Papke (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) stopped Joe Thomas in the sixteenth round of a scheduled twenty, but left the ring with his local reputation in tatters. Reportedly there were plenty of wagers made in the days leading up to the fight on whether or not the bout would last past the fifteenth round, and Papke’s performance left many observers convinced he’d been part of a fix.

After fifteen dreary rounds had gone by – with boos raining down on the combatants as early as the third - Papke cut loose in the sixteenth, dropping Thomas three times before referee Jack Welsh signalled the bout was over. A right hand placed just below the heart did the initial damage to the suddenly overwhelmed San Francisco fighter.

Everybody seemed to realize that Papke was fighting for the 15 round play, and their hisses and hoots sounded their sentiments. But Papke was brazen and bold enough to carry out his daring plan. He got away with it, and now he’s laughing in his sleeve at the San Francisco "suckers".

– William J. Slattery, San Francisco Call

In Slattery’s opinion, Papke could have finished Thomas (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) much earlier if he’d been so inclined. The writer took referee Jack Welsh to task for not declaring the bout a no contest, or at least announcing that all bets were off…

If the public can not be protected in the fighting game, then why tolerate the game? What is the reputation of a referee worth if he does not show courage enough to put an end to a fake when he sees one?

– William J. Slattery

Within a few days, the city of San Francisco took action, declaring that Papke would not be welcomed back…

Yesterday, the San Francisco board of supervisors took a crack at every one connected with the affair, including Promoter Coffroth. This is only right. The lawmakers should try and protect the fans against a repetition of the kind Billy Papke put up on the public. They did one thing, and that was to blacklist him from appearing again in San Francisco.

– Eddie Smith, Oakland Tribune, May 24, 1910

1920

May 14…

Willie Jackson (131) earned the newspaper decision victory over Johnny Dundee (129) after twelve fast rounds before a crowd of over 10,000 at the Newark Sportsmen’s Club. It was the eighth meeting between the two lightweights, with Jackson (pictured, Cyber Boxing Zone) now holding a 4-3-1 edge.

The Bronx boxer, with a slashing, vicious offensive in the early part of the bout, accumulated enough points to withstand a surprising rally by Dundee in the closing rounds, and won by a close margin.

– New York Times

The Times gave Jackson rounds 1, 3-6, 9 and 12; favoring Dundee in rounds 2, 7, 8, 10 and 11. The winner reportedly took his rounds in a more decisive manner, although Dundee emerged from the hard fought contest without a scratch, while Jackson was well marked up.

May 15…

Tommy Gibbons (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) trounced Harry Greb over ten rounds to win the newspaper decision at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. The defeat was the first for the local middleweight in 68 contests, dating back over two years.

At a distance or in close, it was the same story. Greb, one eye puffed so that it was of no use to him, was a plaything in the hands of the relentless Gibbons. Ever and ever Tommy bored in, picked his spot and let punches go. Many times he caught Greb standing still on the ropes and planted hard blows with either hand or both. Always that left hook was the best bet. He literally hooked Greb "to death" with it. Harry could not get out of the way of it, and the solid punches, delivered with Tommy set, shook and jarred and hurt, so that it was no wonder that Harry had to clinch many times.

– Harry Keck, Sporting Editor, The Pittsburgh Gazette-Times

Greb had the look of a thoroughly beaten fighter at the finish; his body was red from the blows absorbed to the midsection, his left eye was swollen shut and discolored, his face puffed up and several front teeth were reportedly missing as well.

May 17…

Mike O’Dowd (158) won a decisive newspaper decision victory over welterweight king Jack Britton (146) at the Canton Auditorium. The crafty Britton (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) landed a number of left hands early, but couldn’t put a dent in the former middleweight champion, and was gradually worn down over the twelve rounder.

Although he was on the short end of the mill Britton was too clever to let O’Dowd plant his haymaker. Jack ducked, blocked, clinched and sidestepped to keep out of reach of Mike’s fists which worked like pistons but try as he would Britton couldn’t shake off his persistent opponent who was on top of him at all times and always playing for an opening to land a punch that would spell curtains for the champion.

– The Evening Independent, Massilon, Ohio

The Independent gave O’Dowd eight rounds, Britton two and called two even, stating that the bigger man’s edge "left no room for argument."

May 19…

Mike O’Dowd (159) stayed busy with a sixth round stoppage of George Knockout Brown (161) at the inaugural boxing show at the Ice Palace in Philadelphia. A crowd of 11,000 spectators came to watch O’Dowd (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) in action and check out the new venue…

The opening of the Ice Palace as a boxing arena made fistic history in this city. One of the finest crowds that ever graced a boxing club was on hand and they found everything ready for them. The club house was complete as to comfort, but the management announced that things would be even better for the next show.

– Philadelphia Inquirer

As for the bout, the former middleweight champion dominated from start to finish, with Brown absorbing a great deal of punishment before a right uppercut to the jaw dropped him for the full count.

Bantamweight champion Pete Herman (119) also featured on the card, winning the newspaper decision over Roy Moore (125) in a disappointing eight rounder. Herman fought with an injured right hand, but still won easily in a bout that was not well received by the large crowd.

The best fight of the big night took place between Joe Welling (134) and George K.O. Chaney (133) of Baltimore. The fighters went toe to toe in a six-rounder, with Welling (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) gaining the newspaper nod in a bout the Inquirer called "one of the hardest fights seen for a long time."

Chaney kept battling hard to the end, and while he lost he gave the Chicago man a lot of trouble and the fans a great run for their money.

– Philadelphia Inquirer

* * * *

Benny Valger dropped Nick Michaels of Syracuse five times en route to an easy ten round decision victory at the Arena in Toronto. Michaels pressed forward throughout the contest, but was calmly picked apart by the skilled Frenchman...

Valger is all that has been said of him – fast, clever with hands, feet and head, a great dodger, and he has a bucket of alert brains behind those sleepy eyes. He is as clean as a whistle too, in his work, and made a hit with the crowd by walking away when he got Michaels turned around in a corner or tangled up on the ropes. The Toronto fans like Valger for his cleverness and good sportsmanship and they like Michaels for his grit and courage.

– Lou E. Marsh, Toronto Star

The show also featured a ten round bantamweight bout between Young Montreal of Providence and Hamliton’s Bobby Eber. Montreal gained the decision by landing some heavy shots early and backing Eber up for much of the contest.

  May 20…

Young Montreal was quickly back in action, this time picking up a loss after being disqualified against local fighter Gardner Brooks at the Crescent A.A. in Lowell. Montreal – ahead on points and pulling away at the time of the low blow foul – denied any wrongdoing, but the ringside physician backed up the referee’s call after examining Brooks.

The bout presented two distinct types, Brooks tall and rangy with a wonderful left hand exemplified the scientific boxer. Montreal, short and stocky, with a wallop in both mitts and bewildering aggressiveness proved street fighter.

– The Lowell Sun

According to the Sun, Montreal (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) strayed low on a number of occasions, and the fighter was warned in the sixth round to keep his punches up if he wanted to keep fighting. The paper surmised that the height difference between the fighter contributed to the fouls, and none appeared to be intentional.

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

Check back in a couple 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 May 14 - 20.

e-mail Andrew Fruman