The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-07-13
BILLY RHODES IS
N GRAND FORKS
Once Head Liner in Middle.
weight Divisioi, Has Quit
the Fighting Game.
HE ONCE LIVED HERE
Fought 20-round Draw with
Walcott-15-round Draw
with Billy Papke.
HE ONCE LIVED HERE

ems of matches. and who had an OBJ.
p~ortunity to be the middleweight
champion Of the world, but did not
make the most of it. is in Grand
Forks today visiting old friends. leav-
ing Monday for Winnipeg to spend a
few days.
Il. have retired from the aghting
game" said Billy this morning. Il
lind that 1t has it's p and downs like
run there is nothing in it. so l simply
laid away my tights and gloves and
took to railroading. While there isn't
as much glory in working on the road,
nevertheless there is more OF peace
Of mind and body. SO l am satisfied
10 stay out of the ring, although 1
u confess often get the ring
ing again"
Fought Twenty Round Draw.
Rhodes has had some tough fights
IN his day, and was especially known
for his ability to take punishment.
He fought the big colored boxer. Joe
Malcott. to a twepty-round draw in
Kansas City, Sept. 80. 1906, the fight
seen in the middle west. Billy Papke,
the illinois Thunderbolt," and
Rhodes met several rounds. Papke
took a ten-round decision over Rhodes
once and the second time the former
Grand Forks man fought Papke off
his feet. but was only given a draw
at the end of fifteen rounds.
One of Rhodes best victories was
won in Leavenworth July 16. 1905.
Tony Caponi. the Italian fighter, was
in line for the m~iddleweight cham
pionship. having been matched up
with Stanley ke1chel. then one of the
head raters in the division. Caponi
was going to beat Rhodes and then go
after ketchel. but he did not beat
Khodes Instead Billy knocked the
big Italian out in the seventeenth
round: in a CLASSY go. the bout being
staged on an island in the Missouri
river. In order that the state police
could not interfere. Caponi felt so
badly over his being eliminated for
championship honors that he cried
Tor several hours after he came to.
Worked Out With Big Men.
modes mas shown the white
feather at any stage of his pugilistic
career. always taking on any man
who could make his weight. He.
worked u in the camps of Sam
i<aagford. Jack johnson and other
heavyweight pugilists, also having
boxed with Jim Flvnn. jeanette. Pal
vision.
"Langford. to my mind. has no
chance with Johnson" he said while
talking over the biz men. "A person
can hardly realize how clever ana
fast a fighter johnson is. He has
practically everything on the scien.
tllc order. can take a lot of punish
!nent. knows every method of defense
going. and can generally outguess am
man in the ring. using his head at
every stage of every round. Lang
ford also is a good man. but 1 look
to see johnson beat him. If they come
together. Palzer is too Young a. fight
er to meet Johnson. To be a good
ring general and especially to meet
a champion, one must be seasoned
and developed and P.alzer is to young
may develop and make a good man."
Rhodes Pusilisttc Record.
The eN-Grand Forker's record in
the sporting annals is an interesting
::'tudy. Many of his fights were stag.l
IN towns near here. some OF them in
Mimic. Ben1idji. Grafton. Cando and
amor This was years ago. when
as now. and the bouts in this section
Of The count We're generally high
class affairs. with the best men in the
busir ess competing.
The key to the record is as follows:
*. knockout: EXh., exhibition: w,
won: LIZ, lost on foul: nc dc, no de-
eision: D, draw. The record is as
follows:
Born Jan. :. 1875. St. Paul. MINI.
Height 5 feet 10 inches. Weight l47-
$50 pounds. Color. white. National.
ity, German.
Record for 1900.
Johnny Morris, X. 2; Mike Dooley.
4. 9: Jim Coonan. K. .; Andy Fall
!on, +. 2: Billy Johnston. *. 2: George
Gould ~ <. H{111, DS,lAe y " Tat
Cross. K. 2: Mark Nelson, K. 5; Jack
Kelley, K. Z; Charley Smith. W. 4:
Jack Crowley. w, 8; Frank Heating,
w. 10: Mike Christison. w, 10; Dick
Johnson. .. s: Kid McGinnis. D. 6;
Jack McDoaough. L. 8; Jack McDon-
ough. L. Z: Mark Nelson. L-F. 2; Geo.
March 30-Jim Godette. K. Benaid.
August 12-rhundcrbolt Smith.
Exb. Minneapolis. :
March 21-Frank Collier. WE.
Omaha. 8.
April 1s-Dick Walton, ". Walnut,
May l--Teny Mustain, x. pes
November Fired Aurand. K.
Lynch, Neb.. l.
December 15-Marion Mcintyre. Il.
st. Joseph. l.
Nebraska City. 1.
January 14-Patsy Maggie. L-F. Ne
January 2s-Paul Murray. no dc.
Omaha, 4.
March e2-Georse Block. L. St.
Louis. 10.
March 27-Jack Balm. no dc. St.
Louis. 6.
April 2s-Philadelphia Tom Ryan
d: st. Louis, Is.
July 2S-Billy Kelly. K. Cando. n.
D.. /.
September 1c-A. Lawson, X. Graf
ton. N. D., 5.
October s-rom Darnell. x. Ed
more. N. D.. 4.
November s-Philadelphia Tom
Ryan. no dc. Omaha. 8.
1901.
March 25-Philadelphia Tom Ryan.
D. Council Bluffs. 6.
April 11-charley Aitken. ". South
01 june i5-reny Mu.t.,n. L. Dead.
wood. s.. D., 20.
June ls-Hamp Ireland, D. valen.