Subj: The BAWLI Papers No. 34
Date: 99-01-16 09:47:10 EST
From: Oldfallguy@aol.com
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The BAWLI Papers
(Boxing As We Liked It)
By J Michael Kenyon
Issue Number 34
Saturday, January 16, 1999
New York City, New York, US of A
__________________________________________
IN THIS ISSUE: THE FORGOTTEN MEN (Cont.) -- NOBODY EVER STOPPED CHARLEY BURLEY
__________________________________________
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Readers are welcome to submit interesting and otherwise noteworthy articles
concerning professional boxing's long and storied past. The emphasis,
generally, should be on the foremost fighters, managers, trainers and
promoters, and events that otherwise were of some moment in the sport's
history. Either transmit the articles via e-mail or mail them to the editor at
the following addresses:
J Michael Kenyon (oldfallguy@aol.com)
244 Madison Avenue, Suite 145
New York City, New York 10016
_________________________________________
ED. NOTE -- Recent editions of The BAWLI Papers have probed the career records
of Tiger Jack Fox and George Godfrey, a couple of outstanding fighters from
the past who never really came close to getting what they deserved for their
ring talents. This series now continues with Charley Burley, a remarkable
fighter from the 1930s and '40s who, despite fighting one tough sonuvagun
after another, and winning most of the time, never got a title shot. In fact,
he only fought in New York City one time in a career spanning nearly 100
fights. We are indebted to the folk at the following URL:
http://www2.xtdl.com/~brasslet/ All_Timers_Alpha.htm
for the Burley record. Take a look at it, and the murderous fighters that
Charley was up against on a regular basis -- all the while never once getting
stopped. There is a paucity of literature concerning the career of Mr. Burley.
If any of our readers have materials they would be willing to share concerning
this illustrious, now nearly forgotten career, we'd be tickled pink to receive
them and to include them in a forthcoming BAWLI.)
-------------------------------------------------------------
CHARLEY BURLEY
Born, Sept. 6, 1917. Died, Oct. 16, 1992.
Eddie Futch called Burley the greatest all-around fighter he ever saw -- which
is covering quite a bit of ground. Although ranked as a top welterweight or
middleweight for nearly a decade, he was always overlooked when it came time
to passing out championship belts. The record against men like Soose, Zivic,
Williams, Bivins, Marshall, Charles and Moore, though, speaks for itself.
(RECORD AS SHOWN BELOW: 98 fights, 84 victories, 50 by knockout, 11 losses --
0 by knockout, 2 draws, 1 no contest)
1936
Sept. 29 -- George Leggins, Pittsburgh KO4
Oct. 22 -- Ralph Gizzy, Pittsburgh W6
Nov. 9 -- Eddie Wirko, Pittsburgh KO5
1937
Jan. 22 -- Ralph Gizzy, Oil City, Pa. KO2
Feb. 8 -- Ray Collins, Oil City KO5
Apr. 15 -- Johnny Folio, McKeesport KO5
Apr. 19 -- Ray Gray, Pittsburgh W6
May 3 -- Sammy Grippe, Pittsburgh W6
May 27 -- Keith Goodballet, Pittsburgh KO2
June 24 -- Mickey O'Brien, Pittsburgh W10
Aug. 9 -- Remo Fernandez, Pittsburgh KO7
Aug. 16 -- Sammy Grippe, Millvale, Pa. KO6
Sept. 9 -- Eddie Dolan, Pittsburgh L8
1938
Jan. 27 -- Tiger Jackson, Pittsburgh KO2
Feb. 3 -- Johnny Folio, Pittsburgh W4
Feb. 10 -- Carl Turner, Pittsburgh W4
Mar. 3 -- Arthur Tate, Pittsburgh KO2
Mar. 21 -- Fritzie Zivic, Pittsburgh L10
June 1 -- Mike Barto, Millvale Pa KO4
June 13 -- Fritzie Zivic, Millvale W10
Aug. 2 -- Leon Zorrita, Millvale KO6
Aug. 22 -- Cocoa Kid, Millvale W15
Nov. 3 -- Werther Arcelli, Pittsburgh KO1
Nov. 21 -- Billy Soose, Pittsburgh W10
1939
Jan. 10 -- Sonny Jones, Pittsburgh KO7
Jan. 20 -- Jimmy Leto, Millvale L10
July 17 -- Fritzie Zivic, Pittsburgh W10
Aug. 28 -- Jimmy Leto, Pittsburgh W10
Oct. 23 -- Mickey Makar, Pittsburgh KO1
Dec. 1 -- Holman Williams, New Orleans L15
1940
Feb. 12 -- Nate Bolden, Pittsburgh W10
Apr. 12 -- Baby Kid Chocolate, New Orleans KO5
Apr. 26 -- Sammy Edwards, New Orleans KO2
June 17 -- Carl Dell, Holyoke W10
July 29 -- Georgie Abrams, Millvale D10
Aug. 19 -- Kenny LaSalle, Millvale W10
Sept. 3 -- Jimmy Bivins, Millvale L10
Oct. 18 -- Eddie Peirce, Pittsburgh W10
Nov. 11 -- Vincent Pimpinella, Washington W10
1941
Mar. 31 -- Babe Synnott, Pittsburgh KO5
Apr. 18 -- Eddie Ellis, Boston KO5
June 2 -- Ossie Harris, Millvale KO9
July 14 -- Gene Buffalo, Philadelphia KO5
Aug. 25 -- Otto Blackwell, Millvale W8
Sept. 25 -- Antonio Fernandez, Philadelphia W10
Dec. 12 -- Ted Morrison, Minneapolis KO2
Dec. 23 -- Jerry Hayes, Eau Claire KO4
1942
Jan. 9 -- Shorty Hogue, Minneapolis KO10
Jan. 23 -- Jackie Burke, Minneapolis KO5
Feb. 6 -- Milo Theodorescu, San Diego KO4
Feb. 13 -- Willard Hogue, San Diego KO6
Feb. 26 -- Holman Williams, Minneapolis W10
Mar. 13 -- J.D. Turner, Minneapolis KO6
Apr. 10 -- Cleo McNeal, Minneapolis KO5
Apr. 20 -- Phil McQuillan, New York KO1
Apr. 24 -- Joe Sutka, Chicago KO4
Apr. 30 -- Sonny Wilson, Minneapolis KO2
May 25 -- Ezzard Charles, Pittsburgh L10
June 23 -- Holman Williams, Cincinnati W10
June 29 -- Ezzard Charles, Pittsburgh L10
Aug. 14 -- Holman Williams, New Orleans KO9
Oct. 16 -- Holman Williams, New Orleans L15
Nov. 13 -- Cecilio Lozada, San Diego KO2
Dec. 13 -- Lloyd Marshall, Los Angeles L10
1943
Feb. 3 -- Harvey Massey, Oakland KO9
Feb. 19 -- Jack Chase, Hollywood W10
Mar. 3 -- Aaron Wade, Oakland W10
Apr. 19 -- Cocoa Kid, New Orleans D10
May 14 -- Holman Williams, Hollywood NC10
June 26 -- Bobby Birch, San Diego W10
1944
Mar. 3 -- Bobby Berger, San Diego KO5
Mar. 20 -- Aaron Wade, San Diego W10
Apr. 3 -- Jack Chase, Hollywood KO9
Apr. 21 -- Archie Moore, Hollywood W10
May 12 -- Al Gilbert, San Diego KO4
June 23 -- Frankie Nelson, Hollywood KO6
Aug. 28 -- Gene Buffalo, San Francisco KO5
Sept. 11 -- Jack Chase, San Francisco KO12
1945
Mar. 12 -- Joe Carter, San Francisco W10
July 11 -- Holman Williams, Buffalo L12
July 26 -- Oscar Boyd, Pittsburgh KO2
Aug. 20 -- Aaron Wade, Pittsburgh W12
Sept. 4 -- Dave Clark, Cincinnati KO1
Sept. 18 -- Walter Duval, New Orleans KO4
Oct. 8 -- Billy Smith, San Francisco W10
1946
Mar. 14 -- Charley Dotson, Pittsburgh KO3
Apr. 8 -- Paul Peters, San Francisco KO1
Apr. 24 -- Billy Smith, Oakland W10
July 16 -- Charley Banks, Pittsburgh W10
Aug. 5 -- Bert Lytell, Pittsburgh W10
1947
Feb. 17 -- Bert Lytell, Baltimore L10
Aug. 8 -- Larry Cartwright, Huntington WVa KO7
1948
Mar. 24 -- Battling Blackjack, Phoenix KO3
1949
Apr. 3 -- Charlie Williams, New Orleans W10
July 25 -- Willie Wright, Pittsburgh W8
1950
Feb. 2 -- Chuck Higgins, Pittsburgh KO1
Mar. 2 -- Buddy Hodnett, Pittsburgh KO7
July 22 -- Pilar Bastidas, Lima, Peru W10
_________________________________
OLD MONGOOSE GETS LIFT FROM GEORGE
(San Diego Union-Tribune, Thursday, Nov. 17, 1994)
By Nick Canepa
Archie Moore, a genuine American work of art, is sitting in his own museum,
the billiard den in his Southeast San Diego home, enveloped in his own great
history, talking boxing, talking what he knows.
His body, which survived a triple bypass earlier this year, may not be what it
was, but the mind, unbent by 229 fights, is straight, his face unmarked. His
only scar is surgical -- on his chest -- and his wonderful eyes of age sparkle
and bubble like Dom Perignon as he stares off into the past.
The room is full of mementos, trophies and superb record albums and the walls
are lined with photographs and newspaper clippings, cheerful reminders of a
boxing career unlike any other. One clipping, a column by late Union sports
editor Jack Murphy, Archie's favorite newspaperman, covers Moore's stunning,
11th-round knockout of Yvon Durelle, in Montreal, on Dec. 10, 1958, for the
light heavyweight championship.
The Old Mongoose, as Murphy dubbed him -- Archie never was The Young Mongoose,
was he? -- came back from a first-round knockdown to finally floor the
Canadian. And how old was he then -- 43, 46, 50? Who knew and who cared?
Archie wasn't a child, safe to say.
This is why I want to talk to Archie, who is either 78 or 81 now, not that it
matters. Because he wasn't through fighting after Durelle. His pro career,
which began in 1936, wouldn't end until '65, after he had recorded 10 more
knockouts, running his astonishing KO world record to 141.
So, if anyone is capable of discussing 45-year-old George Foreman's knockout
of Michael Moorer, it's Archie. He not only knows what it takes to fight at
that age, but he knows George, having advised Foreman for many years.
"I think it's wonderful," Archie says. "I thought he would put up a good
fight, because George is a fighter from the heart and George is afraid of
nobody, being a Texas street fighter. But I wouldn't have bet he would have
won against this young man."
I am not among those who wonder if Foreman's short right to Moorer's chops was
enough to keep the former heavyweight champion on the floor. In fact, I think
it's ludicrous to think otherwise. So does Archie.
"I wasn't worried about the boy getting up," Archie says with a giggle.
"George hit him. George is one of the hardest-hitting heavyweights of all
time."
With that, he tells me he considers Foreman one of the hardest punchers in
history, putting him up there with Jack Johnson, Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano.
"George can punch," Archie says. "When you talk about punchers, these men can
knock your head off, can give you a concussion with one punch. Moorer got
nailed and, man, he was out.
"I've been hit hard. Marciano . . . every punch he hit you with spelled
curtains. No matter where he hit you, the arms, shoulders, anywhere, it hurt.
He finally hit me (in '55) and stopped me."
Archie recalls that, following Foreman's victory in the 1968 Olympics, George
came to his house.
"I wasn't here at the time, but he told my wife he wanted to work with me," he
says. "I did. I sharpened him up -- sharpened his powers -- so he really would
be dangerous. I turned a tiger loose.
"George did a marvelous thing coming back. I'm glad to see him win the title.
It gives him great distinction to go along with his hitting powers. He has
contributed to boxing in a great way."
And that part of it is important to Archie Moore, because he also contributed
to the game. When he's reading off his list of great fighters -- the Johnsons,
Alis, Louises and Robinsons -- he doesn't mention Archie Moore.
And yet, has the sweet science ever known anyone sweeter? A case can be made
for this man being the greatest fighter ever. Forget the pound-for-pound
stuff.
He fought 229 fights over 30 years -- in four decades -- and won 194 of them.
His knockout record of 141 will stand against any in the history of any sport.
It never will be messed with. The last fighter he faced, Nap Mitchell, took
his given name in the third round.
"I would call myself a clever boxer," Archie says. "I knew how to duck punches
and stop punches before they started."
He stops and almost seems embarrassed, then adds: "This is the first time I've
bragged on myself in some time.
"I was in love with boxing because it was what I could do and it wouldn't hurt
me, because I was so clever. My nose was never broken; the only thing I ever
broke was my hands, beating on guys."
Archie claims he decided in reform school that he wanted to be a fighter and
that he had to leave St. Louis. He was fortunate. His first manager, an auto
mechanic named Felix Thurman, took him away, to La Jolla.
His first fight, he says, was against a fellow named Four H. Posey, and he
fought him in a Poplar Bluff, Mo., club, before a group "of 150 white guys."
And he won a decision.
"I beat Four H. Posey to a faretheewell," he says, chuckling.
And 228 more times The Old Mongoose would venture into the ring, because it
was what he did, what he could do, what he loved.
"All I ever wanted to be was a professional prizefighter," Archie Moore says.
And so he was. So he was.
_____________________________
HE BEAT SUGAR RAY ROBINSON TWICE
(Honolulu Star-Bulletin, January 22, 1997)
By Bill Kwon
Stan Harrington, who beat Sugar Ray Robinson twice in a 14-year boxing career,
died of cancer in St. Cloud, Fla., Sunday. He was 63.
"He was one of our great local boys in boxing," said Bobby Lee, an adviser
with the Hawaii State Boxing Commission. "At his time, he was one of the
saviors of boxing locally."
"He kept boxing alive here," said his long-time trainer, Tad Kawamura. "He had
fought every contender, every rated guy in his time. He had the most fights of
anyone in the state of Hawaii."
Harrington was the top draw in 1965 when he beat Robinson, the aging former
middleweight and welterweight champion of the world, twice at the Honolulu
International Center Arena.
Although Harrington never held the world title, he fought the best
middleweights of his time. Among his more than 60 professional bouts were
victories over Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, Jimmy Lester, Denny Moyer, Paddy
DeMarco, Virgil Akins and Gaspar Ortega.
Harrington lost to Emile Griffith, Don Fullmer and Hurricane Kid. But as in
many of his bouts, Harrington invariably won the rematch, beating Hurricane
Kid and Ortega twice after losing the first time. He also split with Joey
Miceli, winning a rematch.
The rugged Harrington, who was known for his punching prowess, had more than
100 fights as an amateur before turning professional in 1953. Growing up in
Palama, he was a standout football player for Farrington High School.
Of Irish, Hawaiian and English extraction, Harrington became a meal ticket for
the late Sad Sam Ichinose's Boxing Enterprises, which held promotions at the
old Civic Auditorium and then the new HIC, now known as Blaisdell Center.
Harrington sold out the old Civic on King Street numerous times, including
once with a one-punch knockout of Eddie Pace.
He had a face once described as being run over by an "HRT bus." But he never
suffered the after effects of boxing.
"He didn't talk much, but he remained the same all through his life," said
Kawamura, who talked to Harrington several days before he died. The fighter,
whose parents died when he was 8, called Kawamura, "my father."
Harrington never hung around to get punch drunk. He retired at age 34 in
March, 1967. He was diagnosed as having a heart condition. But it wasn't that,
according to Kawamura.
"It was just time to quit. He knew it."
And Harrington told Kawamura before he died that he knew it was time for that,
too, when doctors said the cancer in his body was inoperable.
Harrington, who had moved to Florida from San Francisco about 10 years ago, is
survived by his second wife, Diane, and their two children.
______________________________
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