The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-01-27
States Ring History
Blazoned With Stars
Nearly All Of Premier Glove Artists Have Appeared in
Montana Rings at Various Times; Sullivan, ketchel,
Jeffres, Welsh, Walcott Among Them

that attracted world wide attention
was the scrap between Battling Mel
son. then in his hey-day. and Aurelia
Herrera. the Mexican. who had made
sensational and meteoric climb to
the top Of the lightweight ladder. Her
rera had run OUT Of match with
the Battling Dane" few months be-
fore. but was finally cornered in the
mining camp early In 1906. The Next
can fought Benny Yanger. the Chicago
'wop." couple OF battles in Butte and
Anaconda. and gained considerable ia
vor. When he finally met the "Battler."
he knew that he had to fight, and the
pair went It hot and heavy. Nelson
though the fight was rough and
ready scrap all the way.
Joe Cans Another.
Jimmy" Britt. another famous ring
character of days gone by, whipped
Jack O'Keefe in terrific ring battle
that went a score of rounds. in Butte.
Joe Cans. the colored champion. APP
peared in Montana soon after he
downed Nelson In 1906. and knocked
out Buddy King. popular Treasure
state boxer. in three rounds.
Tommy Ryan won from John Willie.
some scrapper himself. In four round
set-to at Butte. while Jim Flynn the
Pueblo fireman. and Tom Riley
smashed through 10 terrific rounds to
a draw before an enthusiastic crowd Of
miners at the Holland arena. Mike
Twin" Sullivan knocked out Jack
Dougherty in Butte In 10 rounds some
IL years ago.
Luther Mccarthy. now dead. knocked
out Watt Adams In two rounds at Gull
bertson, while Toni Caponi, another
heavy weight. trimmed Montana Jack
Sullivan in 2o-round 20 at Butte
frankie white. the feather weight.
whipped Fred Coo'ey In 10 rounds in a
Billings ring. and won decision from
Jack Richards in 10 rounds at Butte
That WaIcott Affair.
Joe Walcott. the Rarbadoes Kid,
fought Nose La Fontise at Butte, win
ming by knockout, after a speedy, but
terrific clash. A Missoula man who
had ringside seat at that fight was
an unwilling victim of Walcott's skill,
though to this day he doesn't like to
have the story told. 1t seems that the
Garden city fight fan equipped him
self for the pilgrimage to Butte with
brand black suit costing him
exactly one $50 bill. In the second
round Walcott, who had been giving
La F'ontise a terrific trimming, drove
n Int 70 riDh
and dropped him in the Garden city's
sports lap. La Fontise was bleeding
like a stuck pig. and during the pro-
cess managed to thoroughly cover that
new black suit with gore. Whereupon,
ii Is reported. the Garden city fan lost
all interest in the fight and left his
seat. Walcott hit La Fontise in the
stomach in the third round so hard that
Nose fell flat on his face. instead of
backwa rds. Joe swung around and
walked to his corner without deigning
his fallen opponent a look, knowing
well how hard he had hit him.
Freddie Welsh. lightweight cham
pion. fought two real battles in Mon
tana, winning from Fighting Dick
Hyland" in IL rounds at Butte and
whipping Leo Kossick. the pride of the
Beet city. in IL rounds at Billings.
Good Fights in Later Years.
Some mighty good fights were pulled
off under the state boxing commission
during the comparatively recent years
that 1t held sway. Eddie McGoorty
fought draw with Jack Sullivan and
a no-decision bout with Tony Caponi
In Billings, and lost a 12-round set to
with Jimmy Clabby. which was staged
In Butte. Clabby also beat Freddy
Steve Ketchel won from Phil Knight
in IL rounds at Iewistown and Jimmy
Duffy, fast easterner. took a L. round
battle from Ray Temple.
Jack Dillon. the Giant Killer" had
three fights in Montana. winning. all.
He gained decision over Battling
Levinsky In IL rounds. whipped Sailor
Petroskey in IL periods. and was the
victor over Bob Moha. the Gave Man"
in the same number of rounds.
Tally" Johns. the old Butte favorite.
for many years with the Butte Miner.
who enlisted In Missoula last fall.
fought Tommy Dixon Of Kansas City
twice. winning the first in six rounds.
the second being a draw.
And in Missoula rings some OF the
best in the country have fought, too.
Joe Bonds, Frank Barrteau, Jack
Torres, Art Magiri Danny Cummings.
Leo Renz. Johnny TiIlman. Maurice
Thompson. Paul Cantway, Peanuts"
and many others. have ap-