The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-12-20

their battle, Nelson winning after 20
rounds of vicious milling. Other match
es we're in prospect, too
So fast and furious was the Okeefe-
Melody fight, that it is a matter of
record that both started slipping from
that day. They poured u volumes OF
punishment and never were the same.
From the opening round up to the
sixth frame there was no letup and 1t
was a debatable question whether the
bout would go 10 rounds-it did-and
10 more to boot. There was no btcker-
ing by the crowd when Referee Dune
Mcdonald declared it a draw.
Melody forced the fighting. His
close-in fighting impaired the long
ang attacks of O'Keefe, every clinch,
and there were many, meant hard
fighting. When they clinched, it was
not to rest, but to exchange hard Kid
ney and body blows.
When the fight was over. both were
at the point of exhaustion. They were
able to keep going while the battie was
on, but when the final bell was sound
ed they were led to their corners and
inst folded up. For the most part Of a
week the boxers toOk a rest cure" A
report was circulated the following day
that OKeefe had died from the Cruel
ling punishment administered: Fast,
vicious and furious partly tells the
story of this ring classic, which still
stands out in the minds of oldtlmerS
as the creme de menthe of all boxing
shows in Butte. .
A recorder at the ringSide ventured
that hundreds of blows were struck. A
look at the boxers as they were led
from the ring to dressing rooms. was
evidence sufficient that blows were de-
.-- -l,~lnc011 h0Cic ThniYs
faces and ears were cut and swollen;
their bodies we're raw from the chafe
of gloves and they looked anything
but the fine physical specimens That
climbed into the ring so minute be-
fore.
The big crowd was in an uproar
every minute. The knockdowns. the
head blows tossed by both men had
the mob dizzy and spellbound. As the
bout progressed it lost none of its fast
moving. savage momentum.
Melody was knocked through the
ropes in the eighth round. He climbed
back. unaided, just as the count was
under wav A vicious left to the Jaw
Boston boy hurting through the air.
Just the round before, OKeefe. was
hanging on the ropes. in a helpless
condition, so when Melody was sent
sprawling, the crowd vas amazed at
OKeefe's regeneration.
Melody didn't seem to be badly stun
ned, for he held Jack even for the next
other bombardment in the tenth, to
capture that stanZa. For the next four
rounds. Melody was the master. as
OKeefe became a constant target.
OKeefe brought the crowd to its feet
by doing things in the 18th and had
a wide margin in the 10th. The tide
of battle turned frequently. Melody
the 10th was even, but Melody called
upon all his reserve strength in the
final round. He tried hard for a knock
out. He was bending every effort to
put over a sleep producer. When he
had about spent himself, OKeefe took
up the attack, landing singing blows
to Mellody's head. They were snarling
the bell brought to a close a nerve
wracking, bloody fight such as had
never been witnessed at Butte before.
All hands present were glad when
the battle ended. It required the better
part of an hour to clear the arena, as
hundreds remained in their seats for
a time to relax and to collect their
bearings.
Jere Clifford, the promoter OF the
bout, still active in business, talks
about that fight by the hour. We turn
the m%icrophone v to Jere:
Never was there a better fight. It
even eclipsed the Dune McDonald-Pete
Mccoy match, fought in 1884, for hard
fighting. I still maintain that no ring
number of rounds where SO many
blows were struck; where the pace was
fast and where such sheer nerve shown
by both fighters could be approached
That, in substance, is the Clifford YER
sion.
The late Jack Kiley was Clifford's
matchmaker. He was a close student
record; was in touch with all the man
ayers Of his day, and regularly, pro-
duced good shows.
Kiley was proud Of the roped arena
that Clifford and Melody fought In.
The spliced rope for the ring was
Butte made. Kiley had the rope gang
on the hill weave the numerous hemp
placed on ring posts by the "ropers,"
who knew their hemp from A to z. The
ropes were used for many fights over
many years.
Butte fans did not call it a day, fis-
tically speaking. There still remained
the 20-round bout between Herrera and
Yanger. In a few hours, action would
o1o4 d6dAA. ~ tA1c md1CQtO
a long parade Of fans that evening.
This bout had spice, too. It was COM
non knowledge that the pair had
fought to a draw several months be-
fore at Chicago. Despite the draw, the
odds were Is to 10, with Yanger the
%favorite. A few days before the odds
were even, but Herrera was supposed
to have broken training two days be-
fore the match. It was gossiped that
the Mexican was drinking. The story
was exaggerated, so that the odds went
up on Yanger to win. The Mexican was
indignant, and declared he was in
shape-and would prove it. Well, he
did.
The first round was fast. Herrera
won it. The second was faster, and
this, too, was scored in Herrera's fay
or. Yanger was backing away from
the Mexican, ready to counter punch
when occasion came up. The third
round was even, with Yanger getting
in two hard blows. The fourth round