Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1935-09-21

OF Willie. Jerry Mccarthy was train
ing Nose LaFonfiee; Cans was man
aged by al Hereford; his opponent,
Buddy King, BY Joe Lucas. Cans and
King were co30red boys
Tive In One Day
Just three weeks previously, two gteI-
lar ring attractions were staged In one
day when OKeefe- Britt and Herrera
Broad furnished the milling That year
Butte had plenty Of boxing. good base-
ball, wrestling, trotting, pacing and
running races as well as dog racing.
Butte was the most sports-minded city
in America. Big shots IN all lines Of
sports we're constantly arriving and de-
parting.
Leads Coast League Clubs
Besides basking I'm the pugiistic spot
light, Butte was also prominent on the
baseball map. The Butte club during
boxing week" was leading the Pacific
Coast league. The circuit was made up
Of teams, representing Butte, Helena,
Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle,
Spokane, Tacoma and Portland. Walter
Wilmot was manager of the Butte club.
Pete Bowling, Roach, Bandelin and
Thomas were the pitching staff with
old Pete and Roach as the mainstays.
Piggy Ward was playing second base
for Butte and he was great idol with
fans all over the circuit
That well-dressed man Of today, Jack
Flannery, was manager of the Helena
team. He resigned the pilots job in
June, but in July he received a call
from the Tacoma club and finished the
season parading the outfield for the
lumber jacks. Jack Is now an inspector
for the Montana liquor board. For
many years he was Butte fireman.
Whenever he stepped to the plate in
any city league, the fans always yelled
"fire." For 10 years he was chief Of
police at Helena and later was fire
chief at the Great Falls smelter for
eight years. Old-tine fans viii tell
you that Butte had a great baseball
team that year and that the Pacific
Coast league was the fastest Of all
minor leagues
Met by the Band
when Ryan came to Butte" the
Boston and Montana band was engaged
to serenade him at the train. This
was considered good publicity, design
ed to create SIS much interest as pos
sible in the first Of the three scheduled
championship bouts. Willie had ar
rived a week before Ryan, when the
three clubs were all figuring on staging
shows on the holiday date.
Ryan trained at the Nine-A1ile and
confined his activities to road work
and shadow boxing. Willie set up camp
at Pipestone Springs. Willie, q 1855
FOUNDER, had wins over Young Peter
jackson. AL Weinig, and drew with
Kid Carter. They were the high spots
of his record sheet before he tangled
with the champion. Ryan, holder of
the middleweight title, was really a
welterweight, never scaling above 145
pounds. He was a great, even fancy
boxer and had gained prominence by
Jefferies the wine points Of the
game.
incidentally, Jeffries and Corbett
we're scheduled to fight in August for
The heavy title. Jeffries, the champion, |
Ryan's former protege, was not picked
BY Tommy to win that bout, as he fav-
pred Corbett's cleverneSs to be the big |
instrument in gaining the decision and
regaining the title. But Ryan proved
10 be a poor prophet, as Corbett too, |
for many years after was bum steer.
Jeff kayoed Corbett In the 10th round. |
Eastern sports writer's figured that
If any man could defeat Ryan, 1t was !