Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-06-04
Ringside, Haven
OF Ring Greats,
Closes Its Doors
BY CLAYTON HEPLER

BY CLAYTON HEPLER
They've pulled down the ropes
and folded up the chairs at Ring
side. IN VI
The short but violent life of the
State street tavern has come to
an end. Like the fight game H.
self. from which 1t derived its
name, Ringside basked under the
brilliant lights of success only to
fade into oblivion.
And with its passing an era also
came to an end, an era in the
history of Detroit newspaperdom
as well as of boxing. For il was
from these spheres that Ringside
drew the bulk of its trade.
There were others among the
regulars, OF course. Tom Schroe-
der, the artist whose caricatures
graced the walls, and Doc Ballard.
the dentist, but they were fight
fans OF the first degree. II was
seldom you could argue Tom down
on a point of boxing, or any point.
for that matter.
FIGHT HEADQUARTERS
II was fraternity without
charter, and its members were
the regular guys OF both profess
sionS. Newspaper men. fighters.
managers and promoters from
other cities made il their head
quarters, as well as other sports
celebrities.
Jack Dempsey, Jack Kearns,
Damon Runyon, Dan Parker, Bob
Pastor, Lou Ambers and George
Blake were among the countless
visitors who stopped in to see
Elmer (Slim) McClelland. who
opened Ringside in partnership
with the late Bill Snowden.
Bill was a former police lieu
I tenant and a rabid fight fan. He
was an inspector for the late
Frank MacDonell when the for
mer Times writer was state box
ing commissioner. So IL was only
natural that he should go in with
Slim.
And they really had the best
bartenders in town working for
them. Joe WaIdemar. Gene Day
ton and-the late frankie Andrews
were as much part of the fra
ternity as were the customers.
AN ORDERLY CROWD
II was Sims boast that with
all the horseplay and conviviality
that went on. there were never
more than two or three fights in
the entire time he was there.
I'VE didn't need q bouneer.
" a stranger started acting up.
there'd he ut least 10 guys
around me right away to zee n
I wanted him thrown out"
Slim grinned yesterday.
But like all good things. II didn't
last. First Snowden sold his in
terest TO Sam Rosenthal because
of i'll health. Then Slim sold his
10 Rosenthal because he planned
10 open a new business down in
Norfolk. Va.
Sam didn't have il long until he
sold 10 Jake Wiseman. Now Jake
was a saloon keeper from way
back. but his only interest in the
fight mob was as customers. He
didn't last long, either. but his
was a not altogether uninteresting
interlude.
II was during Jake's regime that
the now famous checker tourna-
ment was held. More memorable.
however. were his frequent cries
of distress at any change in the
even tenor OF the situation. He
finally gave up.
l ON DOwNGRADE
, Next in line was Jack Aspery,
himself a referee like Slim. BY
that time. however. Ringside was
definitely fading. There was little
he could do but sell, and the buy
ers this time were kayo Morgan
and his manager. Harry Baxter.
There came a brief revival with
IflPiI duNtni ds ENdgO '''
ring warfare. But they sold out
Just as suddenly as the others and
are now running similar estab-
lishment over on Library.
The final ones TO make a stab
a, the venture were Sam Pearl
stein. manager OF Sid Barbarian.
and his brother. Maurie. BY this
time the only regulars who still
gave the State street spot con-
sistent play were Army and
Little Burt Corners and MIME.
Sometimes even they weren't
around. which left Sam and
Maurie very much 10 themselves.
And as this is not conducive to a
regular diet. they finally called II
quits.
The regulars have long since
scattered. so the final break wasn't
as sharp as il might have been.
Time will erase many more mem
cries. but Ringside will live on In
the hearts Of few as the symbol
of an era that was short and vio-