Billy Miske
(William Arthur Miske)
(the "St. Paul Thunderbolt")

BORN     February 16 1894; St. Paul, Minnesota
DIED     January 1 1924; St. Paul, Minnesota (Bright's Disease)
HEIGHT   6-0
WEIGHT   158-190 lbs
RACE     White; German-American
MANAGERS J. P. "Pearly" Smith (1913-18), Jack Reddy (1918-23)

Miske was a clever, superb boxer who was fast and quick; He was not a crunching power hitter but threw blistering barrages of punches

Among those he defeated during his career were Jack Lester, "Fighting" Dick Gilbert, Jumbo Wells, Jim Barry, Joe Bonds, "Wild" Bert Kenny, Tom Cowler, Ed "Gunboat" Smith, "Sailor" Ed Petroskey, "Wild" Bill Hart, "Fireman" Jim Flynn, Gus Christie, "K.O." Bill Brennan, Walter "Farmer" Lodge, Lee Anderson, Jack Renault, "Captain" Bob Roper, Al Roberts, Billy Shade, Martin Burke, Homer Smith, Willie Meehan, Fred Fulton, Tommy Gibbons and Harry Foley

Miske started as a middleweight and boxed successfully as a light-heavyweight and heavyweight in a period of outstanding fighters; If he had fought at any other time, he may have been considered a great fighter

1913
       Soldier Gregory                                             KO  4
       Danny Ritt                                                  KO  2
       Joe Christie                                                 W  6
          -Some sources report the previous 3 bouts held
           Jan 1-3 1913 at "St. Paul, Mn"
       Thor Thompson                                               ND 10
Sep 30 "Steamboat" Bill Scott     Superior, Wi                     ND 10

1914
Feb 17 Spike Kelly                Superior, Wi                     ND 10
Mar 24 Tommy Gibbons              Hudson, Wi                       ND 10
May 16 George "Kid" Ashe          Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
May 26 Jack McCarron              Pottsville, Pa                   ND 10
Jun  3 Kid Griffo                 Shenandoah, Pa                   ND 10
Jun 15 Thor Thompson              St. Paul, Mn                     KO  2
Nov 12 Jimmy Dougherty            Philadelphia, Pa                 TK  3
          -Some sources report 11/14/14
Nov 25 Ralph Erne                 Shenandoah, Pa                   KO  4
Dec 10 Al Thiel                   Pottsville, Pa                   ND 10
          -This man was the "New" Al McCoy, not the Champion

1915
Jan  1 Billy Maxwell              Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jan  9 Billy Maxwell              Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jan 12 Harry Greb                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jan 16 Jack McCarron              Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Jan 26 Joe Borrell                Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Feb 25 Mike Hirsch                Milwaukee, Wi                    ND  6
Mar 16 Gus Christie               Milwaukee, Wi                    ND  8
Mar 23 Eddie Nearing              Hudson, Wi                       TK  9
Apr  6 Mike O'Dowd                Hudson, Wi                       ND 10
Apr 27 George "K.O." Brown        Dubuque, Ia                      ND 10
          -Some sources report 4/26/15
May 21 Mike O'Dowd                Hudson, Wi                       ND 10
Jul 12 Tommy Gibbons              St. Paul, Mn                     ND 10
Aug 24 Gus Christie               Dubuque, Ia                      ND 10
Sep 10 Jack Lester                St. Paul, Mn                     KO  2
Nov  1 George "K.O." Brown        Winnipeg, Man, Can               ND 12
          -Some sources report "D 12"
Dec  3 Terry Kellar               Superior, Wi                     ND 10
Dec 17 Jack Clements              Minneapolis, Mn                  KO  8

1916
Jan 28 Jack Dillon                Superior, Wi                     ND 10
Feb 29 "Fighting" Dick Gilbert    Denver, Co                        W 15
Apr 14 Jack Dillon                St. Paul, Mn                     ND 10
Jun 22 Jumbo Wells (Jack Hubbard) Brooklyn, NY                     KO  9
Aug 31 Johnny Howard              Brooklyn, NY                     KO 10
Sep 21 Jim Barry                  Brooklyn, NY                     KO  6
Oct 12 Battling Levinsky          Brooklyn, NY                     ND 10
Oct 30 Battling Levinsky          Brooklyn, NY                     ND 10
Nov  9 Tim O'Neil                 Brooklyn, NY                     KO  6
Nov 17 Bob Moha                   Brooklyn, NY                     ND 10
Nov 27 Larry Williams             Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Dec 19 Jack Dillon                Brooklyn, NY                     ND 10

1917
Jan  1 George "K.O." Brown        Brooklyn, NY                     ND 10
Jan 12 Charley Weinert            New York, NY                     ND 10
Jan 16 Jack Dillon                Brooklyn, NY                     ND 10
Feb 27 Battling Levinsky          St. Paul, Mn                     ND 10
Jul 24 Joe Bonds                  Brooklyn, NY                     TK  2
Sep 18 "Wild" Bert Kenny          Brooklyn, NY                     ND 10
Sep 28 Carl Morris                New York, NY                     ND 10
Oct  2 Charley Weinert            Brooklyn, NY                     ND 10
Oct 16 Kid Norfolk                Boston, Ma                        L 12
Oct 30 "Wild" Bert Kenny          Boston, Ma                       TK  5
Nov 13 Jack Dillon                Brooklyn, NY                     ND 10

1918
Jan 18 Fred Fulton                St. Paul, Mn                     ND 10
Feb 27 Gus Christie               Superior, Wi                     ND 10
Apr  8 Tom Cowler                 Minneapolis, Mn                  TK  7
Apr 12 Ed "Gunboat" Smith         Atlanta, Ga                       W 10
May  3 Jack Dempsey               Minneapolis, Mn                  ND 10
May 31 Henry Hendricks            San Francisco, Ca                TK  2
Jun  7 Willie Meehan              Los Angeles, Ca                   D  4
Jun 14 "Sailor" Ed Petroskey      San Francisco, Ca                 W  4
          -Petroskey used the name "K.O. Kruvosky" for this bout
Jul 11 Ed "Gunboat" Smith         Jersey City, NJ                  ND 10
          -Some sources report 7/12/18;
           Some sources report "ND 8"
Jul 15 Bartley Madden             Jersey City, NJ                  ND  8
Jul 16 George "Kid" Ashe          Brooklyn, NY                     EX  4
          -Some sources report "ND 4" in "New York, NY"
Aug 15 Battling Levinsky          Brooklyn, NY                     EX  4
Sep 14 "Wild" Bill Hart           Omaha, Ne                        KO  1
          -Some sources report "St. Paul, Mn"
Sep 14 Jock Malone                Omaha, Ne                        EX  3
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Sep 21 Harry Greb                 Pittsburgh, Pa                   ND 10
Nov 18 Tom "Bearcat" McMahon      Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
          -Some sources report "Pittsburgh, Pa"
Nov 28 Jack Dempsey               Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Dec 16 "Fireman" Jim Flynn        Tulsa, Ok                        KO  2
Dec 28 Gus Christie               Milwaukee, Wi                    TK 10

1919
Jan 11 Tom Cowler                 Philadelphia, Pa                 ND  6
Mar 28 Tom Cowler                 Baltimore, Md                    KO  4
Mar 31 Harry Greb                 Pittsburgh, Pa                   ND 10
Apr 28 "K.O." Bill Brennan        Tulsa, Ok                         W 15
Jun  6 Willie Meehan              St. Paul, Mn                     ND 10
Jun  9 Kid Norfolk                Pittsburgh, Pa                   ND 10
Jun 19 Tommy Gibbons              Minneapolis, Mn                  ND 10
Jun 25 "K.O." Bill Brennan        St. Louis, Mo                    ND  8
Jul  3 Battling Levinsky          Toledo, Oh                       ND 12
          -Some sources report "Rossford, Oh"

         -Miske retired due to his serious illness; After 
          hospital treatment, he was advised to make his 
          retirement permanent, but financial troubles 
          prompted him to return to the ring

1920
Jun 11 Jack Moran                 Minneapolis, Mn                  KO  2
Sep  6 Jack Dempsey               Benton Harbor, Mi                LK  3
          -Heavyweight Championship of the World

1921
Feb  9 Lee Anderson               Milwaukie, Or                     W 10
          -Some sources report "Portland, Or"
Mar  7 Walter "Farmer" Lodge      St. Paul, Mn                     KO  4
May  9 Tommy McCarthy             St. Paul, Mn                     KO  2
Jun  8 "K.O." Bill Brennan        St. Paul, Mn                     ND 10
Jul  2 Jack Renault               Jersey City, NJ                  ND  8
Nov 11 Tony Melchior              Columbus, Oh                     TK  4
          -Some sources report "Columbus, Ne"

1922
Jan 16 Charley Weinert            Newark, NJ                       ND 12
Jan 28 Jack Renault               Brooklyn, NY                     TK 13
Feb 16 Tony Melchior              Columbus, Oh                     KO  2
Feb 20 "Captain" Bob Roper        Philadelphia, Pa                 WF  6
Mar  2 Al Roberts                 New York, NY                     KO 10
          -Some sources report "KO 2"
Apr 10 Billy Shade                Youngstown, Oh                   TK  2
Apr 27 Martin Burke               New Orleans, La                   W 15
May 29 "Captain" Bob Roper        New York, NY                      W 10
Jun 23 Homer Smith                Covington, Ky                    KO  1
Jul  3 Willie Meehan              Oklahoma City, Ok                KO  1
Jul 10 Martin Burke               Denver, Co                       ND 12
Aug 25 Fred Fulton                St. Paul, Mn                     KO  1
Sep  4 "Captain" Bob Roper        Oklahoma City, Ok                ND 12
Oct 13 Tommy Gibbons              New York, NY                     WF 10
Nov 11 Bud Ryder                  Grand Forks, ND                  KO  3
Dec 15 Tommy Gibbons              St. Paul, Mn                     ND 10

1923
Jan 12 Harry Foley                Omaha, Ne                        TK  1
Nov  7 "K.O." Bill Brennan        Omaha, Ne                        KO  4


*** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed ***

1913
       Tommy Sheehan                                               EX  4
       Fred Fulton                                                 EX  4
       Mike O'Dowd                                                 EX  6
       Billy Papke                                                 EX  6
       Kid Norfolk                                                 ND 10

1915
Dec 28 Frank Hoe                  Marshfield, Wi                   KO  2

1918
Aug 23 Bob Moha                   New York, NY                     ND 10

1919
Jul    Lee Anderson                                                KO   

1921
Apr 14 Tom McCarthy               St. Paul, Mn                     KO  2


*** Some Data Provided By Tony Triem ***


Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
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