The New York herald., 1922-11-05
FORMIDABLE GLASS
With RYAN AT TOP
Mysterious Billy Smith and
Walcott Made 1t Lively for
~ All COntcnderS.
DIME KIDS GOOD CLAIM
BrittOn Oldest and Most Indus
trious Champion of Glass
and Walker Youngest.
NJ CHARLES +. arArnIsoN.

ny CHARLES +. AIATHiSoN.
Mickey Walker. the newly crowned
monarch Of the welterweight division,
is the twelfth boxer to hold the cham
pionship Of the 147 pound class. He is
also the youngest man that ever won
the title in this country, while Brit
ton is the Oldest boxer to win and de-
fend the houors of the division.
Britton held the championship for
four years and unquestionably did
more fighting than any other welter
champion in the history of the class.
So far as Walker is concerned he
has several worthy rivals Of whom
Dave Shade, George Ward and Sailor
Friedman are the leaders. There are
other 147 Founders who may develop
into contenders for the honors. but the
class as a whole is not to be COM
pared to that which flourished in the
decade beginning with 1894. In those
days Tommy Ryan, Kid Mccoy, Mys-
terious Billy Smith Joe Walcott, Ru3e
Ferns. Matty Matthews and Dixie Kid
battled for the title, and their combats
We're memorable ones. Paddy Duffy
OF Boston was recognized as the cham
pion welter in the early sos, but his
performances are shrouded in mystery.
The first authentic Champion of the
class was Tommy Ryan, WI ose name
was Joseph Youngs. a native of Red
wood, n. Y.
In 1894 Tommy Ryan loomed as the
best man In the class and he beat Mys-
tcrIous Billy Smith. his nearest rival. in
a twenty round bout for The title At
Minneapolis July &c. 1894. They met
gain at Coney Island May 81, 1895, and
the bout was called draw owing TO
interference by the police.
Kid Mccoy then grabbed ;he honors
by stopping Ryan in the eighteenth
round at Maspeth March :. $50. This
vas the battle previous to which McCoy
is said to have tricked Ryan into think
ing he would not meet with any resist
ance, and In consequence the champion
neglected TO train.
Both Mccoy and Ryan entered the
Iniddleweght division the foliowing yea:
and Smith claimed and defended the
Nelter title for several years.
Ferns Gets the Honor.
Rube Ferns took the title from Smith
on foul in the twentieth round of
bout at Buffalo January 10. 1900, and
Walcott took the championship from
Ferns with knockout IN five rounds at
Fort Erie, ont, December s 1901.
Dixie Kid won the title frcm WalcoJt
on a foul in the twentieth round of Z
bout at San Francisco April so. 1905.
Dixie Kid held title until 1908. when he
went 10 England. where he has since re-
NAMED. Thus the championship lapsed
and was open TO general competition.
Kid Graves lad claim to tho title and
held II safe f3- two years. Jack Britton
aud Kid Lewis outgrew the lightweight
class and in general competition for
the welter class title Britton gained /.
through a twenty round decision over
Lewis at New Orleans on April "a, 1916.
Lewis regained title by means of a deci-
sion on points over Britton st Dayton
Ohio. June 25. 1917. Britton recovered
The honors BY stopping Lewis in the
ninth round at Canton. Ohio March II,
1919.
McIIody's BascIess Claim.
The assertion has been made that
Honey Melody won the title from
.Walcott but as Dixie Kid defeated Wal
cott In 1904 and Melody got decision
over Walcott in 1906, two years after
the negro had lost title to Dixie Kid,
i. is apparent that Melody never had
any title.
II has been asserted that the decision
or foul on which Dixie Kid won from
Nalcott was not justified and that the
referee was pursued out OF the club
house by an angry mob. Such may
have been the fact. but Il does not
change the referees decision In favor
OF the Kid. All bouts M those days
we're fought under tie Queen sherry
yrules tho final clause OF which provided
that 'in all other particulars Contests
shall be governed by the rules OF the
London ring"
one Of the chief conditions cr tho
London code was that "the decision Of
the referee shall be given promptly and
ilrevocably." Therefore, the Dixie Kid
won the bout according TO rule This
negro showed that nc was high class
fighter when he stopped Georges Car
ptntier In 1911 IN Paris with a body
punch. Carpenter at the time Nas the
middleweight champion Of Europe and
was at the top OF his mlddleweight form
Tho Dixie Kid never weighed more than
40 pounds.
Other erroneous statements ara that
Mike Twin Sullivan won title by beating
Honey Melcly. who never WAS the
champion.
The welter title was also conferred on
Clabby and Ray Bronson, though reither
ever acquired it
The list OF champions In tho weltor
class 20 date follows:
indy Duffy % Roston Early sos.