The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-01-26
Something About KetcheI Set
Crowd Agog With Anticipation
As He Waited For Starting Bell
First Of q series.
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BY BILLY ROCHE

(FamOuS Referee and Manager)
There was something about STAN
ley Ketchel that attracted atten-
tion-Something that set the crowd
agog with excitement and anticipa-
ton of what was going to happen
when he stood in his corner waiting
for the bell.
Ketchel had the look of cham
pion and he was the greatest fight
er. pound for pound, ever saw.
Steve, as he was affectionately
known to his intimates, was a hand
some, daring, romantic, two-sided
fighter who could be gentle and
tender, tough ard implacable.
Ketchel, So, 154, fought with
such devastating fury he well de-
served the monike: Michigan AS
sassin" bestowed upon him by con-
temporary sport writer's. But for the
most part he was just hard-hit-
ting happy go-lucky youngster who
grinned as he fought and never
natured.
Stanislaus Kiecal was born Sep
TENDER IA, 1886, in Grand Rapids,
raised in Michigan and most of his
life was spent in hobo fashion. He
worshipped such swashbuckling
men as the James Boys and would
rather have been great train rob-
Der than champion fighter any
day. He affected the ten-gallon hat
and high-heeled bots of musical
comedy cowboy.
BEGAN FIGHTING EARLY
He storted fighting at an early age
around Butte, Mont, and drifted
from place to place grabbing a fight
here and there, acted as bouncer
and waiter in saloon, finally land
ed in Sacramento and kayoed a
battler named George Brown in
two rounds.
This gained him chance to fight
the champion, Joe Thomas, at
Marysville, a small California town.
The late Jim Coffroth took a
party to see Thomas trim another
sucker" They were shocked, how
ever, to see Thomas barely escape
with his life and a draw in 20
rounds. That was July 4, 1907.
Coffroth was so impressed he
Immediately rematched Ketchel and
Thomas for a 45-round bout on
September g
oft1ciated as referee and to this
day regard it as the greatest fight
ever saw in my life-and I've
seen EN- all.
After both men were on the deck
for a nine count Ketchel flattened
Thomas in the 32nd round of as
slaShing battle as was ever Waged
in a prize ring.
FIRST TO X. o. CONQUEROR
Ketchel went on to greatness, his
career studded whit sensational tri-
umphs and an equally sensational
defeat.
After beating Mike and Jack. the
Sullivan twins Ketchel met tartar
In Billy Papke in Milwaukee June
4, 1908. Knocked unconscious on his
feet by blow to the jaw in the
first round, Ketchel subconsciously
carried on and won the decision in
10 rounds. 49,
Steve met Papke again September
8 that year and was koncked out
In a savage battle lasting IL rounds.
The following November 26 Ket-
chel turned the tables, knocking
Billy out in II rounds, thus becom-
ing the first world champion to re-
gain his title by knocking out the
man who took it from him by a
K. o.
ketchel'S overweening confidence
in himself led to match with Jack
johnson, formidable heavyweight
champion, in Colma, Cal, October
To-, 1909. johnson, 81, 208, knocked
out Steve in the 18th, but not until
little Ketchel, less than 100 pounds,
dropped the heavyweight champion
Tor count with clean right to
the jaw.
Stanley Ketchels meteoric career
came to tragic and untimely end
at "a when he was shot and killed
by Walter Dibley on Pete Dicker-
sons ranch at Conway, Mo-, Octo-
Der Is, 1910.
There'n never be another middle
weight like him.
NEXT Battling Nelson.