The Boxing Bulletin History Corner: May 21-27, 1930, 1940 & 1950

By Andrew Fruman

Picking up from where we left off last time (May 21 to May 27, 1910 & 1920), we're moving on to the years 1930, 1940 and 1950 for the week of May 14 to May 20.

In this edition...

• Al Singer vs Ignacio Fernandez - New York, May 23, 1930
• Dave Shade vs Ace Hudkins - Los Angeles, May 27, 1930
• Ceferino Garcia vs Ken Overlin - World Middleweight Title - New York, May 23, 1940
• Henry Armstrong vs Ralph Zanelli - World Welterweight Title - Boston, May 24, 1940
• Kid Gavilan vs Georgie Small - New York, May 26, 1950

1930

May 21...

London born Montreal fighter Al Foreman knocked out Fred Webster in the opening round at Premierland in Whitechapel to win the British and Commonwealth lightweight titles…

The Montreal flash opened up with a bruising attack and had Webster in distress after a few blows had been struck.

Foreman feinted cleverly for an opening and sent in a smashing blow to the Englishman’s jaw which sent him sprawling to the canvas for the count.

– Globe & Mail

May 23…

At the Detroit Olympia, middleweight champion Mickey Walker (164) continued his success against bigger men, winning eight of ten rounds against light-heavyweight Charley Belanger (175). Belanger scored a flash second round knockdown and hung tough early before the two handed body attack from the aggressive Walker (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) took its toll. The Canadian appeared on the verge of going down in the eighth, and was in trouble in the final two rounds as well, but managed to see out the final bell.

 
* * * *

Before almost 13,000 spectators at Madison Square Garden, Al Singer (135) cemented his shot at lightweight champion Sammy Mandell, with a lopsided decision over Ignacio Fernandez (131). The win levelled the score between the two fighters at one victory apiece, as a year earlier Fernandez had knocked the Bronx fighter senseless with a crushing right hand.

Fernandez was sent to the canvas in the opening session – reportedly the first time he’d been dropped in his career – and outclassed in each of first four rounds. Singer (pictured right, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) continued to pour it on in the fifth, and at one stage had Fernandez almost helpless on the ropes, before the rugged Filipino brought the Garden crowd to its feet with a remarkable rally - only for the Bronx fighter to regain control before the close of the round.

With his left eye closed from Singer’s blows, Fernandez (pictured left, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) was in trouble several times over the second half of the bout, but managed to finish the ten rounder on his feet. He drew plaudits from the big Garden crowd for his gameness, while Singer received rave reviews for his brilliance…

…his exhibition was a characteristic demonstration of his ability as a boxer, one of the most superb of this generation.

– James P. Dawson, New York Times

Singer complained of having bruised hands after the bout, but said he’d be ready to battle Mandell at the Polo Grounds on July 17.

May 27…

A full house of over 10,000 spectators watched Dave Shade (158 ½) easily outpoint Ace Hudkins (161 ¼) in a battle of middleweight contenders at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Times had the bout a shut-out for the top rated Californian, though the official tally was closer, with referee Duke Kenworthy’s card favoring Shade by a 5-1 (4 even) tally.

Hudkins kept pressing throughout the bout, but found Shade’s bobbing and weaving style impossible to solve and took a "gory" beating for his troubles. Hudkins was also warned "repeatedly" for hitting low, and was booed by the crowd for his foul tactics.

From beginning to end it was Shade’s fight. The Nebraskan found but a fleeting target for his terrible wallops and paid dearly in return for his offering as his opponent stabbed him with left jabs and clipped him with stinging uppercuts.

– Associated Press

Considered by many as the leading contender for Mickey Walker’s title, Shade said after the bout that he would continue to press the middleweight champion for a chance at the crown. Whether Walker has any inclination to defend the belt is another story, as the Toy Bulldog has made only 3 title defenses (two against Hudkins) since winning the title four years earlier and has recently set his sights on campaigning for both the 175lb and heavyweight crowns.

1940

May 21…

Local lightweight Toby Vigil edged Richard Polite of New Orleans in a thrilling battle at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Times referred to the 10 rounder as a "blistering fistkrieg that had 4500 customers in a lather from start to finish." At the close of the heated back and forth hostilities, referee Mushy Callahan lifted Vigil’s arm, having scored the bout 4 rounds to 3 – with 3 even.

A knockout finish seemed inevitable as first one and then the other got into distress. But they were a couple of A-1 catchers as well as dealers.

– Al Wolf, Los Angeles Times

May 22…

The National Boxing Association expressed its desire for a meeting between the organization’s featherweight champion Petey Scalzo and NYSAC recognized title-holder Harry Jeffra. Both fighters staked a claim to 126lb honors the previous week, with recently appointed champion Scalzo knocking out Frankie Covelli and Jeffra taking his share of the title from Joey Archibald. If the NBA’s plans don’t get scuttled, the hope is for the winner to eventually take on Louisiana’s Jimmy Perrin.

May 23…

At Madison Square Garden in New York, crafty veteran Ken Overlin (159) claimed the world middleweight title – NYSAC version – with a unanimous decision win over Ceferino Garcia (154 ½). Though he finished a little banged up and struggled at times down the stretch, Overlin (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) controlled the majority of the bout, beating the big hitting Garcia to the punch over and over again.

He kept Garcia off balance with a left hand. He feinted him out of his position by cute movements of his body, eyes and feet. He slapped him, cuffed him, and, on those rare occasions when he was hurt, quickly and carefully tied up the Filipino so he could not get set for a punch.

– Henry McLemore, United Press

Having been shut out through the opening third of the bout, Garcia finally started connecting with his famed right hand bolo punch in the middle rounds, landing heavy shots in seventh and eighth sessions. There was a moment when it appeared Overlin might be cracking, but he rebounded well to edge the next couple rounds – though he lost the tenth due to a low blow.

He was careful after that, and made the Filipino fight exactly as he wanted him to, and easily took three of the following five rounds. Realizing that Garcia was ever dangerous because of his punch, Overlin held through most of the final round. With about fifteen seconds to go, however, he elected to trade with the champion and thrilled the crowd with his reckless stand.

– Joseph C. Nichols, New York Times

Overlin lands a right hand to Garcia's jaw during the title encounter - courtesy of Antiquities of the Prize Ring

Known for his enjoyment of a few drinks and a good night out, Overlin told the press after the bout to look for him at the clubs on Broadway, as he needed to "make up for lost time."

…he wanted to get the business over with and rush to some place where the woodwinds were whining, the saxaphones were giving off hot licks and the piano player was going out of this world on the latest swing piece.

– United Press

The following day, an offer of $25,000 was reportedly made by N.B.A. 160lb champion Al Hostak’s manager Nate Druxman, but Overlin was forced to decline as Garcia held the option of a rematch.

May 24…

As expected, welterweight champion Henry Armstrong (140) retained his crown with a battering of a game, but overmatched Ralph Zanelli (145 ½) at the Boston Garden. The Providence fighter managed to stay on level terms through the opening session, but was dropped by Armstrong (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) in the second, fourth, and twice more in the fifth – with the final knockdown prompting referee Johnny Martin to stop the contest.

While putting a period to what was scheduled to be a 15-round title affair, Martin saved Zannelli from much needless punishment, for Armstrong really was going to work with both hands, mostly to the head, when the official intervened.

– United Press

1950

May 22…

Jake LaMotta (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) signed to defend his middleweight title against his friend Rocky Graziano at the Polo Grounds on June 28. Having sat on the title for almost a year after winning it from Marcel Cerdan, there had been considerable pressure on the Bronx fighter to defend the crown – but Graziano was not considered among the list of worthy challengers, and the choice came under some criticism...

Robert Villemain, the Frenchman, who was robbed of one decision over LaMotta – causing a tremendous furore in the press – and winner by official edict in a return match is among those shelved to enable to the close friends to cut up a touch.

Ray Robinson, the welterweight champion, also has been sidestepped so that Graziano who was held to a recent draw by Tony Janiro, can have an outing with his title-holding buddy.

– Lawton Carver, International News Service

The Pennsylvania commission reacted to the move by stripping title recognition from LaMotta, and announcing the winner of the upcoming 160lb battle between Robinson and Villemain set for Philadelphia should be declared the new champion. The commission urged the National Boxing Association to follow suit, but after polling its members, the NBA decided rather to call for the winner of LaMotta/Graziano to defend against the winner of Robinson/Villemain within 90 days of the June 28 contest.

* * * *

Local heavyweight Rex Layne (192) won a clear cut unanimous decision over Dave Whitlock (176) in a ten rounder at the Coliseum in Salt Lake City. It was the third meeting between the fighters in a little over three months, with the victory giving Layne a 2-1 edge over the California light-heavy.

Whitlock used his left jab to stay on the level terms against the mauling style of Layne (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) through first half of the bout, but couldn’t keep pace after his strength appeared to have been sapped by a sixth round low blow to the groin. Whitlock was knocked through the ropes in the seventh, was unsteady at the close of the eighth, and took a five count in the final round.

It was clearly a Layne victory, though just how much damage that sixth-round submarine did, no one can surmise. Layne appeared to be in fine condition, showing no evidence of fatigue which usually staked him after five rounds.

– Bill Clegg, The Salt Lake Tribune

May 26…

Welterweight contender Kid Gavilan (151 ¾) hammered out a one-sided decision over Brooklyn middleweight Georgie Small (158 ¾) at New York’s Madison Square Garden. It was Small’s first appearance since his bout with Laverne Roach back in February ended with the tragic death of the Texas fighter.

After battling on level terms though the opening couple of rounds, Small took a heavy beating the rest of the way from the flashy Gavilan (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring).

Small absorbed all of this punishment without flinching, gamely seeking to get across a right hand punch that might end matters at once. But Gavilan, elusive as a dragon-fly, never permitted his chin to get in the way of one of George’s would-be haymakers.

– Joseph C. Nichols, New York Times

Small looked like he might go down in the final round, but managed to stay on his feet to hear the final bell. His gritty effort was even more impressive, when it was learned he’d suffered a broken jaw in the bout.

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 week of May 28 - June 3.

e-mail Andrew Fruman