The sun., 1919-03-09
MELODY A STURDY,
COURAGEOUS BOXER
Boston Weltcrweight Twice
Got Decision Over Joe
Walcott.
BUDDY RYAN. NEMESIS

William J. Honey Melody. who re-
Gently died at his home In Charestown,
Mass, was probably the best welter-
weight fighter ever produced In the New
England States. He won many contests
against meritorlous boxers. but was not
n consistent performer. While he
earned two decisions on points over Joe
WalCott, yet Ii was when the Black
Demon was on the down grade On the
other hand, a Chicago welter named
Buddy Ryan beat Melody on points In
a short bout and in a second meeting
knocked out the Bay State boy In the
first round.
Harry Lewis. the Philadelphia welter,
also stopped Melody. and SO did Joe
Thomas, later on a mlddlewcight
After his first victory over Walcott In
1906 Melody and his friends claimed
the weller title for the victor. evidently
overlooking tho fact that Dixie Kid had
received q referees decision over Wal
colt April 30, 1904, two years previous
to the bout with Melody While an at
tempt was made to ignore the claim OF
Dixie KID, the records sustain him.
A Handsome BOY.
Melody was native Of Charlestown.
VAS born there in 1854. and had always
resided In that section at the home Of
his mother, to whom he was greatly
attached. In his youth he was an uH-
usually clean and handsome chap. well
built and put together and OF sunny
disposition which won for him the nick
maine Of Honey"
As ring fighter he had many as
sets. and while never considered par
ilcularly clever as a boxer was a game
two handed fighter Of ability. After "A
season IN the ranks OF the amateurs he
began his active ring career in 1901.
and from that time on up to his retire
nent about eight years ago his numerous
and successful ring bouts Kept him in
the eye OF the sporting world
1t was at Chelsea at tire old Douglas
A. C.. October 1f, 1906, that Melody
defeated Joe Walcott IA a fifteen round
battle. Walcott though far from his
prime, was st!ll formidable. and in the
first round OF the battle sent Melody
flying through the air and down into the
canvas In his own corner as IL ne were
sack OF oats Youth and condition
served to revive the groggy Charlestown
boy sufficiently for him to crawl up Mt
nine and hug like a drowning sailor
would spar. He recovered in the sec
ond round and by fighting in close kept
out OF the way OF Walcotts mighty
swings and finally wore the veteran
down 10 defeat. A few weeks later Mel
the once demon" in twelve rounds
In 1907 Melody was defeated by Mike
I Twin Sullivan of Cambridge
His Fight with Martin.
Another of Mellody's notable ring
| bouts was his clash with Terry Martin
of Philadelphia, who died at Chelsea in
| 1906. Martin was a southpaw with n
wicked punch and much gameness. The
| fight was terrific one and more than
! once during the twelve rounds Melody,
Martin or both. and one one occasion the
| referee, were either between or over the
ropes, crashing down into the press
| tahlN or spectaiS 5. L., battle ended
In Melody scoring a knockout in the
twelfth round. Later on Honey
| stopped Martin in eleven rounds at the
same club.
On a bitter cold night, February II,
| 1907, Melody met Willie Lewis of New
| York In a ring ut Valley Falls. Il. l., and
! whipped the New Yorker In four rounds
| So crowded was the hall that when il
! was time for the principals to make
| their appearance they could not get
through the crowd. Spectators near
| the doors hoisted lighters and seconds
! into the air and they crpw,ed 20 the
: ring over the heads and shoulders OF
Z Nllt lhHH diillu lllutN NtTbtl tpulIUotlOu,
Following his defeat BY Frank Man
( tell at Dayton. Ohio. In November. 1907.
I Melody began to dcteriorate as a ring
stor, and while he continued in the sport
( his ring days We're numbered. In 1908
Honey made trip to France, fought a
/ number Of contests there and was finally
| whipped in Paris ring by Willie Lewis
/ In four rounds
on his return to America Melody re-
! tired. lie was practically done as a
I fighter and in addition in one OF his
! Paris bouts had sustained an injury "a
his eye which later led to its removal
! In the ring Melody won large sums OF
money and at one time was reputed tC
| have more than $4,000 Invested II
real estate. As business man, how
| ever. he was not successful and lost con
| siderable money IN various enterprises.
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