The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-02-09
EXPRESS FANS
ASSURED REAL.
BOUT IF TRUE
Financial Impossibility OF
Sta6inx Such q Fight Make
Rumors GrOundless
BILLS RISE ALGEREsQUE
Fargo Italian Touches One Of
High Spots Of Career in
Scrap With Leroy
ny J. G. Mace


While no definite announcement
was forthcoming from the Myster-
ious Promoter, rumors about Bis
maYck today which appeared to have
I Fargo source, vouched that Billy
Petrolle, the Fargo Express, would
headline the boxing card that will be
staged in the city auditorium on the
uiaht Of Feb. 2e.
II Billy Petrolle is signed to fight
IN the Capital City, which is highly
impyobable from . financial stand.
point, It would mean western North
Dako4a's greatest fight card, for Pc
treile alone IS worth the price Of
admission ct any boxing contest that
is staged in the United States and
it would be signal event in the
news Of the day to have Bismarck's
neme heralded far and wide as a
toya hiG enough to show the ono and
lfem coast to coast wherever
there are fans who have seen the
Tereo Express in action. they pro-
clain him the next lightweight
chaMpien Of the world. Once seen
in the rjng, both n1en and women be-
come Petrolle fans and boosters, for
the North Dakota boy has what is
called ring personality"
Compared 20 Dempsey
Experts, promoters and fighters
all compare him to Jack Dempsey.
His bobbing, weaving, punching at
tack II the Manassa Mauler's. His
,,:~e~e>~AA~n $500 ~ vANvka the Vny%oR
the dynamo that darts from the cor
ner at the sound Of the bell; the
steady aggressiveness that knows no
backward steps; the gameness under
fire; the craftsmanship both in and
out Of the ring-are all Petrolle and
Dempsey characteristics.
Some pessimists claim that Billy
has been lucky; that Horatio Alger,
were ho alive today, would use him
for Z book model; that he is not the
great fighter the sport writer's would
have 10 believe.
But no compliments are too good
for Bill. He came from nothing and
has made his name more widely
known than any other man from
North Dakota.
Bill Has Worked
It was not luck. It was hard work,
steady work, persistent work. From
the time that Bill donned his first
glove, he has been in training. He
has never dissipated, never loafcd,
never fought . poor fight.
]. Down in Fargo his personal
friends-bankers, lawyers, doctors,
men Of the railroad yards. school
children, all know Petrolle as gen.
tlendan and one Of the most am
bitieus lads they have ever met.
It has been the same wherever he
has gone. Petrolle makes friends
and keeps friends because he is
gentleman, square-shooter, and true
friend. Nobody knows that better
than Jack Hurley to whom Bill has
been loyal despite fabulous offers
from other promoters who would
have Petyolls in their train.
Billy and Russie
. Bill touches one Of the high spots
in bic career tomorrow when he
fights Russie Leroy. Russie was q
headliner when Bill was picked up by
Jack Hurley. It wasn't two years
before the silent, little Italian had
diDpleeed the blonde ace. Naturally
it ms nettled Russie.
They call it Z 'grudge fight" If
there il any "grudge" between these
two fighters, it is confined to Rus
,ip who 10 naturally envious of Pc
trellA'o success. But Bill is no diff
ferQnt toYerds Leroy today than he
wes the first time that they faced
each otbpr over the padded mat.
IL pick Bill to defeat Leroy. Bill
packs Z hpYder punch. His bobbing.
wseyjng, rolling and ducking style
always vas hard for Russie to solve.
~ j. Just % fast. He is aggressive.
He finds openings that RuSsie never
spots. Since fighting Mandell, Billy
kpeWo how to stop . left jab or
heck, the two blows that always
caueld him the most trouble. But it
will Be . great fight.