The Washington times., 1922-04-17


Billy is an even six feet In height
and he scales 100 pounds. He is
only twentyeight years old, an age
at which heavyweights are at their
best. 1t may be that ring follow
ers VIII have to revise their esti-
mate OF the st. Paul heavy. Since
his recent return to form he has
displayed brand of fighting that
commands respect.
The remarkable feature is that
Miske has made a complete change
In his style, and the new one IL
far superior to the old. For years
he has been known as a strong
fellow with plenty OF speed and
boxing ability. The fans admired
his skill and said that Il was a
shame that he could not hit.
Miske has at last found the
wallop that he needed. He no
longer Is a boxer. but a two-handed
fighter. He beats his man down
with showers OF left and right
hooks that land sharp and clean.
Miske came here from st. Paul
In 1916 unheralded and unknown,
although he had been fighting with
some success In the middle West
for several years. His first local
match was with the late Jim
Barry. Miske knocked the vet
eran out I'm ten rounds. This
earned him a match with Battling
LevinsiSy. and Miske created a
sensation by beating the clever
Levinsxy IN every round.
Like Mike Gibbons, another of st.
Paups noted citizens. Miske became
star over night. With New York's
stamp OF approval upon him he was
made. He knocked out the tough
Johnny Howard in six-rounds. Jack
Hubbard In nine and then outpointcd
Battling Levinsky again. He alRo
boxed Jack Dillon three times, hol1-
ing him even.
In 1917 Miske beat Charley wein.
ert in a great fight before a local
club. but was shaded by Levinsky.
who had been studying his methods
and had found a way to offset them.
Carl Morris, who had made Fred
Fulton quit cold by roughing him In
the clinches, was matched with Miske
at club I'm Harlem. The giant Nor
ris set out to rough the 1s0-pound
Miske, but Carl met with the SUR
prise of his life.
The first time Morris obtained one
of his wrestling holds and began to
use the top OF his head Miske threw
the big fellow right across the ring
with one heave. After that Morris
became gentle enough. Mlske had
shown him that despite the great
difference in weight he was just as
strong. and Morris boxed according
to the rules during the rest OF the
bout. That made things easy for
Miske, who beat him up without ever
extending himself
In the following year, after
Miske had knocked out Tom Cowi-
err, Jim Flynn and Gus Christie
and had outpointed Fred Fulton In
a nO-decisiou bout, ne was match
ed with Jack Dempsey for ten
rounds at Milwaukee. At that time
Dempsey was In the midst OF a
knockout streak that looked as
though II never would be broken.
but Mlske fooled him by going the
full route and giving n good
account Of himself.
A few months later they met again
in six-round event at Philadelphia.
Miske again went the limit. For
four rounds he outpointed his hard
hitting opponent; but Dempsey wore
him down In the last two and won
the popular decision. Miske had no
trouble landing on Dempsey. II he
had been able to hit then as he can
now he might have stopped Jack.
In 1913 Miske began TO lose form.
He suffered from an injury 70 his
spine and finally became 80 m that
he was forced TO retire from the ring.