Tom Ryan

Camden Courier-Post - May 17, 1971

Camden Courier-Post - January 3, 1928

Roxie Allen Starts New Year in Impressive Style
by Shading Al Del Galdo in Convention Hall Finale
BOOTS AND MICHAELS ADD TWO MORE KAYO VICTIMS
Long and Short Knockout Artists of Riverside put Quietus on Opponents
GRANDE BEATS ROSS

By Tom Ryan

The year of 1928 evidently is going to be kinder to Roxie Allen, one of the best local lightweights, than the last one and 1927 can not be said to have frowned upon the pugilistic careers of the downtown Italian, despite the fact that he lost his first scrap that year 

Allen started off the New Year on the right foot by defeating Al Del Galdo, clever New York thumper, in the feature eight-round bout at the Convention Hall last night, while the same day last year he took one of the niftiest pastings of his career when he encountered Basil Galiano, of New Orleans, at the Philadelphia Arena. Allen won four rounds of his scrap with Del Galdo, while the invader carried three and one was as even as a carpenter’s level. 

Two of the other four settos on the night’s program terminated in knockouts, while the other brace of jousts went the limit. Kid Boots and Joey Michaels, the Long and Short knockout twins of Riverside, again stepped into the limelight by carting their rival foemen in rapid-fire order. Michaels knocked out Jimmy Costello of Philadelphia, in the second round, while Boots flattened Stanley Criss, another Pere Penn scrapper, in the first round of the third bout.

Grande Proves Too Elusive For Ross

Frisco Grande, of New York, proved too elusive for Pee Wee Ross, local flyweight, in the eight round semi-final and won hands down. Jackie Hindle, another local product, also finished on the short end of the verdict in his fracas with Joey Blake, of Conshohocken, Hindle’s wildness leading to his downfall. 

However, the main fracas held the interest of the crowd as Del Galdo was confident before the contest that he would overpower the local Italian. Al simply failed in what many another mitt wielder has felt certain he could accomplish as Allen was crafty enough to take the lead during most of the fuss, and, after jolting home a few shots at long range, would sew Al up tight as a drum when they came to close quarters. 

Allen was clearly entitled to the verdict as he landed far more punches than Del Galdo, took the initiative more often and sustained less damage than the good-looking New Yorker. 

The downtown Italian one-twoed his way to the decision, first stabbing his left to the head, then crossing with the right to the same spot. Del Galdo centered his attack upon Allen's body for the first six rounds and attained very little for his efforts as that is one of Allen's strong points and a spot on which few of his opponents ever attempt to stage an assault in order to beat him. 

But Del Galdo wised up after the sixth, shifted his attack to the head in the seventh and almost brought Allen to the mat with a crushing right hook to the jaw. It was the hardest punch of the bout and Allen's knees sagged a bit under the impulse of the wallop, which forced him to hold until he collected his bearings. After the break Al followed up with a stiff left hook to the body and  Allen did the sailor’s hornpipe for the remainder of the round. 

That was Del Galdo’s best session, and the only round in which either lad was in a precarious position. 

Allen's best round was the fifth. In that period he hit Del Galdo with at least a dozen rights on the chin, but none of the slams carried enough pressure to daze the New Yorker, who kept coming forward after every punch. Allen also carried the final session by quite a fair margin, and gave Al plenty of “roughing” in doing so. 

There was little to rave about the first four rounds, one or two mixups on the ropes constituting the major part of the scrapping, but those scrambles led the fans to belies that something might turn up in the closing sessions and it did.  Allen had won the first and third rounds by mere shadows, while Del Galdo copped the fourth with the second being even, but from the fourth on the boys stepped on “it” and finished in whirlwind fashion.

Last Four Rounds of Action

Allen romped away with the fifth in great style; Del Galdo came back and won the sixth and also grabbed the seventh, while Allen fought his way back to an edge in the eight and every session was crammed full of action. All things considered, it was a satisfactory skirmish and sent the mob home well pleased.

The surprise of the night cropped up in the semi-final. Ross, who has been traveling at a fast pace in his last few bouts, was expected to win over Grande, but alas and alack, Pee Wee stubbed his toe. Grande proved to be a regular whill-of-the-wisp and Ross found it difficult to locate the bigger portion of the foe.

Grande displayed a dandy left hand. In fact, he did more tricks with it than a monkey can do with a peanut. He jabbed, hooked, and uppercutted with his unorthodox plan until Ross appeared to be bewildered. Nevertheless Pee Wee finished strong and had Grande holding in the final session. Grande copped five rounds, four of them by wide margins, while Ross gained a slight edge in the fourth and sixth and won the eighth by a wide gulf. Ross weighed 110½ while Grande came in at 114 pounds.

While Hindle won three rounds of his skirmish with Blake the latter won the periods credited to him by wider margins than any credited to Jackie. The local lad carried the first three rounds, while Blake carried off the honors in the last half of the battle.

Hindle's Wildness Loses Tilt

The fact that Hindle has been inactive for a long period was very much in evidence last night and was the main cause of his losing the verdict. His judgment of distance was weird and lost him the fuss. He missed any number of swings, which if they had found their mark would have been moiré than enough to have enabled him to romp home a winner. But Jackie was away off, and as a result Blake, an awkward southpaw, got in many telling uppercuts due to Jackie's missing.

Hindle, however, fought his usual courageous battle and with a few more fight under his belt should be ready to tackle far bigger game than Blake. The Pennsylvanian was three pounds lighter than Hindle, who weighed in at 136 pounds.

Camden Courier-Post - January 5, 1928

CAMDEN FANS ANTICIPATE ADVENT OF LEAGUE BASEBALL
LOU SCHAUB FAVORS PLAN TO FORM NEW BALL LOOP
Camden Manager Almost Certain to Take Franchise In New Class B League
MAY BE SIX CLUB CIRCUIT

By TOM RYAN  

Camden Courier-Post - January 9, 1928

Camden Courier-Post - January 10, 1928

FRANKIE RAPP FAVORED TO ECLIPSE RECORDS OF ALL LOCAL BOXERS
Critics Predict Great Ring Future for Former
Camden Catholic High School Baseball and Basketball Star
Has Scored 12 Knockouts in 17 Bouts

 By TOM RYAN

 Is Frankie Rapp, South Camden lightweight due to eclipse the performance of every scrapper who has ever been developed here?

That is the question that was asked at a gathering of local fight critics the other day and the consensus of opinion was that Rapp will eventually outshine every lad who is considered a local product. Frankie’s ability to batter his opponent into submission within short space of time is the reason that local critics favor him to rise higher In the boxing “racket” than any other Camden fighter, including both Roxie Allen and Mickey Blair, who are the outstand stars at the present time.

Rapp’s knockout record is one of the most remarkable ever compiled by a local lad.  He has scored twelve knockouts out of seventeen bouts only two of the scrapes going over two rounds. He has won four on decisions and has lost but one fracas, the tilt he lost resulting in the wildest night ever witnessed at the Convention Hall, - a near-riot ensuing when the decision was rendered against him.

Has Kayoed 4 out of 5 “Pros”  

Frankie has engaged in twelve amateur bouts and five professional encounters. He stowed away eight out of the twelve “Simon Pures” he faced and four out of five professionals. He was Middle Atlantic A. A. featherweight champion before turning “pro” having won the title while representing Shanahan Catholic Club of Philadelphia.

His rise has been spectacular to say the least. He never had had a glove on until the Courier Relief Fund amateur boxing tourney, which was staged in conjunction with the South Jersey Exposition of 1926, enabled a host of South Jersey lads to display their prowess as “glory” glove wielders.

Rapp’s athletic ability prior to the Courier Fund bouts had been confined to baseball and basketball. He is a graduate of Camden Catholic High School; he played the outfield on the 1924 and 1925 teams and a forward position on the basketball team during his junior and senior years.

Wins First Bout by Knockout

Fast as a whippet on his feet, Rapp proved to be one of the best leadoff lads ever to represent the Green and White, while his speed on the court made him a dangerous foe to guard, as he also was an accurate shot from the field and foul line.

It was regarded as a joke by Rapp’s friends when lie announced his intention of entering the amateur bouts, but after his first appearance when he knocked out Lou “Kid’ Hinkle in the first session they began to perk up their ears for Frankie showed evidence of developing into a .300 consistent hitter. He next won the judges decision over Tommy Skymer and followed up this victory by stopping Jesse Urban In the fourth round, the judges calling the bout even at the close of the third round.

Then came the combat that nearly wrecked the Convention Hall. “Red” Haines, who also had cut a wide swath in the lightweight ranks, and Rapp came together for the lightweight title. It developed into a slugfest at the start and for the entire three rounds both endeavored to annihilate each other. Both boys had a host of friends on hand who thought that their favorite had won and when the late Jack Dean, who was the third man in the ring, was forced to decide the issue, owing to the disagreement of the judges, the fun began.

Haines Decision Starts Riot

There was considerable money bet out the outcome and when Dean’s decision favoring Haines as the winner was announced, Rapp’s supporters started scrapping with Haines’ adherents, who, nothing loath, piled in with the result that it took the combined effort of every cop in the hall to stop the impromptu bouts. However. Deans decision stood, and, while the writer was of the opinion that a draw would have been proper verdict and that another round should have been ordered to decide the issue, he knew then as he knows now that the decision rendered by Dean was his honest opinion of the bout. Jack was a “square shooter” if there ever was one and as good a Judge of a bout as any man in South Jersey.  

That bout wound up Rapp’s Camden career in the amateurs as shortly after he was induced to represent Shanahan in the featherweight class. He won every one of his eight “glory’ battles for the Philadelphia organization with comparative ease and after copping the featherweight crown, decided he was ripe for a whack at the “money getters”.

Frankie guessed right. In his first bout here he halted Billy Cortez, of Philadelphia, in one round. He next flattened Frankie Youker, local lad, in the very same round and then outpointed Manuel Flores, also of Camden, in six rounds.

Young Heppard, of Riverside, conceded to be a “killer”, was Rapp’s next victim. Frankie got rid of him in one round and in his last fuss knocked out Bill Walters, of Germantown, in the first round of the main preliminary at the Cambria Club last Friday night.

Frankie is 20 years old, is single, and opts to remain so during the ensuing year despite the fact that he looks like the best money earner in the city for the next twelve months.

Camden Courier-Post - January 21, 1928

Johnny Oakey Outslugs Johnny Haystack in One of Wildest Scraps Ever Staged at Convention Hall 
'COBBLE' THROWER WINS WILD AND WOOLY BATTLE
Haystack Proves Tough 'Egg' and Gives Trenton Lad a Great Big for Decision
MICHAELS STOPS DUNDEE

By Tom Ryan

If Johnny Haystack, of Binghamton NY, and Johnny Oakey, the Trenton “cobble thrower,” aren’t suffering from headaches today then neither one of them ever will.

For that pair of bone-crushing middleweights staged one of the wildest scrapes seen here in many moons at Convention halt last night. Oakey gaining the verdict by a fair margin in an eight-round fuss which included more heavy ‘rocking and socking” than is piled into a dozen ordinary combats. 

Oakey threw more 'cobbles' than Haystack threw 'bricks’ with the result that he was credited with five rounds, while Haystack was given the edge in the remaining three periods.

Besides the feature fracas, four other skirmishes were presented to a fair-sized crowd .

In the eight-round semi-flnal, Al Rowe, of Philadelphia. who was finally secured to box Mickey Griffin, of Newark. after Eddie Chaney of Whitman Park, and Joey Blake, of Conshohocken both were forced to withdraw from this match, gave Griffin a nifty boxing lesson to win the tilt hands down. Jackie Hindle, of Camden, outpointed Jackie Cassell, of Norristown, in the main preliminary of six rounds; Joey Michaels, of Riverside. scored his sixth straight knockout here when he flattened Jack Dundee, of Philadelphia, in the second round of the second bout, while Bert Brown, of East Camden, disposed of Fred Risco, of Philadelphia in the third chapter of the opener.

...continued.....

Rowe Displays Brilliant Form

There was nothing to the semi-final but Rowe. After Griffen had held the clever Philadelphian even in the first session, Rowe stepped on it and won every one of the remaining seven rounds. He owns one of the best left hands trotted out for inspection here in some time. Al jabbed, hooked, and upper-cutted with that wing to such an extent that Griffen must have thought he was mixed up in a gang fight and that everybody was tanking "picks" at him.

Rowe had Mickey in bad shape in the closing rounds but lacked the punch to put him away. However, his showing was tophole throughout and won him a host of admirers. He weighed 128, while Griffen tipped the beam at 130-1/2.

Hindle looked like himself again in his fuss with Cassell. Jackie forced the issue, hit harder and cleaner and won four rounds by clean-cut margins. He carried the first, second, fifth and sixth while Cassell won the fourth with the third being even-up. Hindle's judgment of distance was far better than when he last appeared here, few of his punches missing the target. He weighed 136, while Cassell was one pound heavier.

...continued..... 

Brown didn't have much trouble with Risoc in the opener. The latter was game and willing but far to inexperienced to cope with his foeman. Brown won the first two sessions and stopped his opponent with a flurry of body punches in the third. Brown came in at 131, while Risco weighed 134-1/2.

Camden Courier-Post - January 21, 1928

SHERRID AND DOYLE CAN MAKE OR BREAK LENNOX
If Hurlers Eggie Recommended to Yankees Make the Grade, 
Camden Star is More Than Likely to Obtain Job as Scout With World’s Champions

By TOM RYAN

“Wouldn’t it be a big boost for Eggie Lennox if Roy Sherrid and Johnny “Lefty” Doyle both show enough stuff to become regular members of the New York Yankees’ pitching staff this year?”

 That’s the remark which was pined by a rabid baseball fan today when it was reported that the Yanks are combing the country for a brace of southpaw flingers, but, in a pinch, will split their needs and take one left-hander and another tuner who heaves the right way. The Yanks are sadly in need of another southpaw. Herb Pennock is the only unorthodox flinger remaining on the Yanks’ payroll, “Dutch” Reuther and Joe Giard having passed on to other fields.

 However, what interested the local “bug” is the fact that Lennox recommended both Sherrid and Doyle as pitching prospects to the Yankees’ management and that both flingers are almost certain to accompany the club on its spring training trip.

 Both Hurlers Well Known Here

 Although Sherrid and Doyle are not local pitching products, South Jersey fans are as highly interested in their welfare as if they belonged in this section. Sherrid’s home is in Norristown, while Doyle is a resident of Philadelphia, but owing to the fact that Sherrid hurled for Lou Schaub’s Camden Club and Ocean City, and that Doyle pitched for both Clementon and Gibbsboro in the County League, they have every fan in this area pulling for them to make the grade.

 “If Sherrid and Doyle should both be retained by the Yankees, Lennox’s ability in selecting prospective big league pitchers should entitle him to grab off a scouting job with the Yankees, for that’s what they appear to be in need of for the next few years more than any other players,” continued the fan. “At that, the Yankees’ management must think well of’ Lennox’s judgment when they tendered both youngsters a con­tract on his recommendation.

 “And it wouldn’t be surprising if both Sherrid anti Doyle exhibit enough ‘stuff’ on the training trip to stick, as I have seen them in action and believe they have the ability to land a job in the ‘big show’,”  said the fan in bringing his oration to a close.

 Sherrid’s Start Like Fairy Tale

 The “booster’s” views are shared by hundreds of other South Jersey fans who have seen both curvers display their pitching prowess, and who are expecting great things from Sherrid and Doyle in the near future.Sherrid’s start in first class independent baseball reads like a tale from the Arabian nights.

 In mid-season of 1921, Schaub’s pitching corps was badly in need of bolstering and the Camden pilot was willing to go the limit to obtain an effective flinger, but could, not land one who could turn in victories with any consistcncy until Sherrid bobbed up on the horizon.

 Here’s how it all happened.

 Walter “Reds” Harris, now resident of Norristown, but who is well known to older baseball fans here, having played with Camden A. C., X.X.V., and several other semi-pro clubs in Camden, had been touting Sherrid to Schaub, and though the latter thought Sherrid was a “bloomer” like several dozen other flingers who had been boosted to him earlier in the season, he was in such a bad way for pitchers that he told Harris to bring Sherrid to Catasauqua and that he’d. look him over at least.

 Works Two Days Hard Running

 Harris, who had plugged Sherrid’s wares to Schaub for several weeks, was tickled to death with the proposal and towed his find up to Catasauqua the day Camden was due to tackle the “Catties.” Schaub liked Sherrid’s looks and wanted him to work that day, but was skeptical about starting him as the kid admitted he had worked nine innings the night before at Norristown.

 Nevertheless, he insisted he could go the route again that day and he proved it. The home forces only got three blows and as a result of Sherrid’s airtight flinging, Camden won 3 to 1. After that exhibition, Sherrid, who was then pitching under the name of Richards, owing to the fact that he still was attending college, became a regular member of the Camden hurling staff. He won six straight for the locals before joining Ocean City, where he continued his great work, winning 12 out of the 14 games in which he participated.

 However, before leaving Camden, Sherrid signed an agreement to play with the Yankees. Lennox, sensing a great curver in Sherrid, wrote Eddie Holly, who was then an Ivory hunter for the Yankees, just what a great prospect Sherrid appeared to be and after looking him over once, Holly immediately offered him a contract upon which Sherrid placed his signature without the slightest hesitation.

 Is Student at Albright College

 The burly hurler returned to school that fall and rejoined Camden last spring. He only worked two or three games here before he was sent to York, of the New York-Penn League, by the Yankees. He was well up among the leading hurlers at the close of the race in that circuit and his showing evidently made an impression on Miller Huggins for Sherrid’s name appears on the list of the players who are expected to accompany the club on its spring training trip.

 Sherrid still is attending Albright College, but is expected to grad­uate shortly. However, even though he does not obtain his sheepskin by the time the Yanks start south he more than likely will foreswear his de­gree and accompany the club when he gets the call to report.

 From Clementon to Yanks in Two Leaps

 Doyle, while not as tall or as heavy as Sherrid, is one of the sweetest little left-handers ever to toe a slab. He first broke into the limelight in this section when he accepted an offer to hurl for Clementon, of the Camden County League, in the spring of 1926. Johnny was a success from the start and it wasn’t long before every club in the circuit was “leery” of facing his southpaw slants.

 But, he didn’t linger long with the “Clams.” Offered better inducements by several other clubs in the league, he broached the matter to Roy Nichols, who was managing Clementon, and as the latter team had no chance to win the crown and could not afford to increase Doyle’s salary.

 “Nick” did more than the average manager would do by turning him loose to sign with any club he desired. Johnny hooked up with Gibbsboro and his brilliant hurling kept them in the title hunt until the final days of the race.

 He rejoined the “paintmakers” at the start of last year’s campaign, but also signed up with Lansdale of the Montgomery County League, where Lennox, who was a member of the Pottstown Club, of the same circuit, became so impressed with his work that he also recommended him to the Yankees.

 Lennox Likes Both Boys’ Chances

 Paul Kritchell is the Yankee scout who signed Doyle upon Lennox’s say so, and if anyone should ask Eggie just what he thinks of both boys’ chances of sticking in the “main show’ he’ll get the answer, ‘if they don’t make the grade it won’t be because they haven’t got the stuff, for both of them have enough to make it  tough for nearly any club in baseball today.

 That’s what Eggie thinks of Sherrid and Doyle, and if they should vindicate his judgment, he will gain recognition as being one of the best pickers of hurling material in the country.

 “Every fan who is acquainted with Sherrid and Doyle is pulling for them to cop a regular berth with the world’s champions, for they are clean-cut youngsters both on and off the field.

Camden Courier-Post - January 23, 1928

 CAMDEN WILL NOT ENTER NEW BASEBALL LEAGUE
Schaub States He Will Not Purchase Franchise in Proposed Class B Circuit-
Failure to Obtain Jersey City Territory Given as Cause of Change in Plans

By TOM RYAN

“You may state definitely that Camden will not enter the proposed North-South Baseball League this year.”

That is Lou Schaub’s answer to the query as to just what he intended doing in the matter of accepting a franchise in a new Class B circuit in which Camden had been extended an invitation to join, together with Trenton, Jersey City, Allentown, Easton, Norfolk, and Richmond.

“I wired Judge William H. Bramham, one of the organism of the league, last night that Camden would not enter the circuit under any circumstances. The fact that Jersey City cannot be represented in the league is the reason for Camden not taking a franchise, yet there were several other angles, mostly financial, which did not appeal to the local club owners,” continued Schaub.

When the St. Louis Cardinals recently bought the Rochester Club; of the International League, and in turn transferred the Syracuse Club to Jersey City, that decided our stand in the matter. Without Jersey City in the league, the proposition doesn’t look good to us.

Jersey City Would have “Made League”

“The circuit which was proposed at the only meeting I attended was one that I thought should prove a success. The cities suggested and which were represented at that meeting included Trenton, Allentown,1 Jersey City, Easton, Camden, Norfolk and Richmond. Of course, the league organizers were in favor of * six-club circuit and as Easton, so far as I could understand, had no ball park, it was the thought that the other six clubs represented would form the circuit.

“Jersey City, represented by Dick Breen, was not free to enter the circuit at that time due to territorial rights owned by the International League, but it was thought that that matter could be adjusted without any undue difficulty, the club having been out of that circuit for the past two years. Breen was one of the most enthusiastic prospective club owners present and inferred that he would have little trouble in interesting enough capital to purchase a franchise providing the International League would void its territorial rights to Jersey City.

Would Have Cost $10,000 to Enter Circuit

“We fully intended to enter the circuit if Jersey City, Trenton, Allentown, Richmond and Norfolk comprised the circuit even though it would cost us in the neighborhood of $10,000 to even open the park for league ball. However, the failure to secure Jersey City, doesn’t warrant our spending any considerable sum of money despite the fact that the organizers notified me to the effect that they were willing to cut down the good faith guarantee from $3,000 to $2,000, and the time limit from five years to one year as was originally proposed at the meeting I attended.

“In fact, only making the clubs post a thousand dollars for one year was worse than the original plan. Suppose we went to the expense of improving Public Service Park, upon which we hold a three-year lease, which is far from iron clad, as it states that the company has the right to use it at the close of any baseball season for whatever purposes they desire, and that Public Service decided to use the park at the close of the present year, or that the league ‘blew’ in mid-year. We’d be out of luck, and how.

“Our good faith guarantee of $2,000 would be returned to us in event the league ‘blew,’ but that would be just a drop in the bucket compared to the amount of money that would have to be expended in refitting the park and obtaining ball players. And I don’t like the looks of the circuit without Jersey City in it.

Would Have Taken Chance With Jersey City

“Then again, if the Public Service Corporation decided to utilize the park for any purpose after this year we’d be in a worse jam even though the league went through. But, we would have taken both chances if Jersey City had been included in the league as we felt that it was one of the clubs which would have given the league a sound footing and which would have been a main factor in making it a success.

“Of course, that is mere supposition on our part, but the position we are in now hardly call, for the club owners to invest dose to $10,000 in getting a franchise in a new league.

Will Run Same Sort of Club This Year as Last Year

“Besides the expense of improving the local park, we would have been forced to spend considerable money to obtain players. Although some players might be awarded Camden from the Virginia League Club whose franchise we would have been granted, there was little likelihood of there being any worthwhile material go with the franchise. Therefore, in order to compete with the other clubs we would have been compelled to either buy or at least give a signing bonus to players who would have been useful to the club.

“No, it isn’t worth the chance and you may inform the public that we’re not going in the league. If Jersey City had been included in the league, we were ready to invest the money, but the circuit as it now stands, often no inducements for us to join, but you can also inform the fans that we will be in the field with another good independent club this year,” were Schaub’s parting words.

“Barney” Tracy on Way Home

Here’s more baseball news which will interest quite a number of local fans. Received a letter from Harry “Barney” Tracy, who has been playing winter baseball with Tony Pasquerella’s Crisfield Club in Porto Rico for the past two months. The “redhead” writes that he will be home almost any day now as he arid the other members of the club sailed for South America on January 16.

“Barney” informs us he has seen all there is to see of Porto Rico and then some. The club played from one end of the island to the other and if they missed a town it was because that town didn’t have a ball orchard. They played most of their exhibition games opposed to the Ponce Club, which included San, of the Cuban Stars, and Daviu, former1y of Allentown, but who is now the property of the Binghamton Club, of the New York-Penn League.

San Made Great Record Here

San, incidentally, is the flinger who established one of the greatest strikeout feats ever witnessed here when he fanned three Camden batsmen on nine pitched balls in a game played between the Cuban Stars and Lou Schaub’s club last summer. Every one of the strikes was a legal affair. All three batsmen swung at every pitch and the fact that not a one was fouled made the feat one of the most remarkable ever turned in on a local lot.

However, that’s that, and we’ll go back to Tracy. He states that Pasquerella sailed for home in advance of the other members of the club, and that Tony Luciano’s brother was killed in an auto accident December 26. Whether or not Luciano was a member of the club “Barney” doesn’t state, but evidently he was, although he was not listed among the players who were to form the starting party.

He closed his letter with a request that his regards be extended to all his friends, so we’re using this method to inform them that he’s okeh and hopes everyone else is the same.

Immaculate Conception Takes Over Camden Elks Franchise in South Jersey Cage League

NEW ENTRANT TO RETAIN SIX OF ELKS PLAYERS
Lennox, Cunneff, Hyde, Deighan. Boone, and Burns to Play With ‘Irish’
MILLERS NOSE OUT ELKS

By TOM RYAN 

When Millville handed the Camden Elks there second straight reverse in the second-half race of the South Jersey Basketball League by beating them 30-26 at the Convention Hall Annex last night it saw the finish of the Elks a s a member of that circuit. The Elks sustained their first defeat at Bridgeton last Tuesday night when the “Moose” turned in a 26-23 victory.

“Immaculate Conception has taken over the Camden Elks franchise and will finish out the second half schedule under the name of Immaculate Conception.”

That’s the bombshell Jim Mulligan, manager of the “fightin’ Irish”, dropped in local basketball circles when he made the above announcement today.”

I talked the matter over with Larry Callahan, who has been handling the Elks, after Camden hand dropped their second league game to Millville last night at the Convention Hall and Callahan agreed to surrender the franchise to Immaculate Conception”, continued “Big Jim”.

To Retain Six Local Players

The players signed by the Elks are our property now, but I’ll be forced to cut some of them loose in order to retain some of the Immaculate players whom I think are plenty good enough for the as South Jersey League. I’m going to keep Hughey Lennox, Joe Hyde, Harry Cunneff, Joe Burns, George Boone and Neil Deighan, all local players who go with the franchise, but will have to drop the other Camden players. Bart Sheehan, Bernie Maguire and Roger Brown are the Immaculate Conception players who will be retained in order to round out the South Jersey League roster.

“1 would have liked to have retained Joe Scrone, but he informed me last night that he had been offered a job with Salem, and when he told the financial inducements they had offered him, I told him to go ahead and sign with them, for I could not pay him that much money. I consider Scrone one of the best men in the league, but rather than have him with us and be dissatisfied, I thought it best to let him sign where he pleased.”

“Dolin and Richelderfer would hardly fit in with my plans, so they also are free to join any other club in the league”.

“In taking over the Elks franchise, we must relinquish our Camden County League franchise, as we will be not be able to compete in both leagues. We also ask permission of the League to change our home-playing night to Monday instead of Wednesday, which has always been Camden’s night to play their home games, as we can only obtain the Catholic High School gym on Monday nights.

Must Assume Elks Standing

“We will start under a big handicap as we will have to assume the Elks league standing of two losses and no wins, but I feel certain we can make a respectable showing during the remainder of the season”’ concluded Mulligan.

The transfer of the Elks franchise had been hinted at more than once during the past two weeks, due to lack of patronage at the home games. Callahan, one of the best sportsmen in the city, is “stuck” for several hundred dollars. He lost plenty last year, but decided he would make another attempt to make the club a success but to no avail.

However, it is thought that the en­trance of Immaculate Conception will solve the difficulty here, as the “Irish”’ have one of the largest followings of any club in South Jersey.

Better marksmanship from the 15-foot mark during the last few minutes of play enabled the Millers to turn back Camden last night.

After taking the lead five minutes from scratch the Elks appeared cer­tain winners until a rush of goals drew the visiting Eagles dangerously close to the locals. Then the sudden collapse of Larry Callahan’s aggregation paved the way for John ‘Pete” Miller and his mates to amble home on top. The game failed to arouse any frenzy in the scant gallery but anyone who watched it closely could not fail to see the bruising combat that was waged inside the four wired walls of the civic cage. The players plugged hard from start to finish and it was only the freak turn of events in the closing minutes that really decided the issue.

Coach Roy Steele again started Neil Deighan at center with Hughey Lennox up in front alongside of Joe Scone. Captain Joe Hyde and Harry Cunneff did guard duty.

Hyde retired with only four minutes to go after banging the baskets for four field shots and a foul in addition to handing a pair of passes to mates.

Galley, Young, Miller Shine

Walter Galley, who is now a member of the Collingswood club in the Camden County circuit, made his de­but at center for the Eagles and proved a powerful factor in the triumph. His string of eight straight fouls stands as one of the best exhibitions seen in local cage games here this season. 

It was the steadying influenced of Miller and the plugging of Billy “Dutch” Young that swept the Millville club to victory in the dying minutes of action.

Hughey Lennox tied up the score at 4-4 shortly after the first tossup and a trio of fouls by Harry Cunneff put the locals out in front. A rally in which Hyde figured prominently checked a Millville spurt and gave Camden an 18-12 lead at the end of the initial session.

Camden Attack Collapses

The “Millers” flashed another uprising early in the final inning, but the better passing of the Elks kept them well ahead of their foes. The score was 24-18 when Millville uncorked another spurt that ended when Miller put his club ahead with a field goal from a point under his own basket. Hyde again stepped out, and tied the score at 25-25. The next two minutes were spent in passing, but Camden could not break through for any more field goals. Galley’s sixth straight foul gave the invaders the lead, and when Young trailed him to the line he sealed up the combat.

The odd part of the whole game is that Camden scored seven field goals to three Millville in the first half. In the last period Hyde scored the other two floor goals for the Elks four minutes after the half began.

A whirlwind battle seems assured Ocean City fans when the Bridgton outfit journeys to the resort. Trenton’s Bengals will clash with Hammonton in another game.

Camden Courier-Post - August 19, 1933

Johnny Duca Wins Decision Easily Over Carl Fuser at Open-Air Arena
PAULSBORO LAD NEARLY HAS RIVAL OUT IN SIXTH
Takes 6 Out of 8 Rounds and Divides Another With Quaker City Youth
PEPE BEATS SMALLWOOD

By TOM RYAN
Courier-Post Sports Editor

Johnny Duca, Paulsboro "Paralyzer," won the referee's decision over Carl Fuser, of Philadelphia, in the last half of a double-windup held at Grip's Pennsauken Township Open­Air Arena last night.

About 1000 fans saw the hard-hitting Italian win six of the eight rounds, lose one and spit even in another. Duca dropped Fuser for a count of nine in the sixth, a short right to the pit of the stomach sending the Philadelphian to the mat. Johnny tried valiantly to finish his groggy foe, but Fuser covered up and held on to last out the round and also remain on his feet till the bell ended the one-sided skirmish.

A straight left started the gore flowing from Fuser's nose in the first round and also had the claret streaming from the organ in the last two rounds. Johnny also opened a cut under Carl's right eye In the seventh and the Philadelphian was badly marked at the finish. Duca did not show a mark of the encounter.

Duca did not become serious till the start of the fifth, but from that time on won every round by a commanding margin. He won the second and third by a fair shade and split even in the first, with Fuser having the better of the fourth round.

The fact that Fuser refused to "dog it" after being dropped in the sixth had most of the crowd pulling for him to stick it out till the end. And although Duca belabored him with everything in the last two sessions, a body attack in both periods causing Fuser's knees to ·sag on several occasions, the bushy-haired Philadelphian fought back as well as he was able and was given a good hand for his for his gameness.

Both boys scaled in at 155 pounds.

Pepe Beats Smallwood

A 19-pound pull in the weights proved too big a handicap for Joe Smallwood, 151, of Wilmington, to overcome in the eight-round semi­final against Johnny Pepe, 170, of Philadelphia.

It was an uninteresting match, Pepe trying to fight inside with Smallwood tying him up continually. However, when Johnny did get inside he did enough damage to win five rounds.

Smallwood won the second and third rounds by a shade and split even in the second frame. The Wilmington youngster suffered a cut on the nose in the sixth.

At the weighing-in exercises yesterday, the weights of the two boxers were given as Smallwood, 156; Pepe, 170.

Making his debut as a boxer, Joe Montana, 181, South Camden's wrestler, outpointed Mike Sullivan, 200, of Atlantic City, in a special six-rounder. Montana won the first, second, fourth and sixth rounds, while Sullivan won the third round by a big margin, and also carried the fifth.

Sullivan, who had the usual roll of fat around his mid-section, made a clown fight of it. Montana, regarded as a good puncher, failed to rock Sullivan at any stage of the fuss.

Little Given Verdict

In an interesting match, Marty Little, 142, of Waterford, eked out a close decision over Terry McGovern, 136, of the U. S. Marine Corps, in the third six-rounder.

The last round decided the issue as Little had won the second and third rounds and McGovern won the fourth and fifth, while the first was even. Little was the hardest hitter and spilled McGovern in the second with a left hook to the jaw, but Terry was up before a count could be started.

Joe Lawson, 118, of Camden, outpointed "Mushy" Green, 115, also of Camden, in the second six-rounder. Lawson finished strong, winning the last three rounds along with the first. Green won the second and third rounds. The bout was marred by frequent clinches.

Frank Blair, 145, of Camden, and Eddie Faris, 143, of Wilmington, Del., fought a great draw in the opening bout of six rounds. Both boys won two rounds with two even.

Blair won the first and fourth rounds, Faris won the second and fifth, while the third and sixth were even. They stood toe to toe almost from start to finish and both were tired at the end.

Blair was bleeding at the nose at the end and Faris sported a "mouse" under the left eye,

Any decision other than a draw would have been unfair to both youngsters, who were in there to annihilate each other and who tried their best to turn the trick.  

Camden Courier-Post - April 5, 1951

Loss of One Eye No Handicap to Ex-boxer Lew Skymer
by Tom Ryan

John L. Davis, fourth ranking lightweight, the other day announced his retirement form the ring because he feared the loss of his vision.

Last December, George "Sugar" Costner, formerly of Cincinnati, but now of Camden, was barred from boxing because of a detached retina in his right eye. Davis also has a detached retina in one of his eyes.

Davis is only 24 years old and Costner is 28. Both were nearing the championship in the lightweight and welterweight divisions when they were forced to quit the ring.

Their plight calls to mind the same misfortune which overtook Lew Skymer, former Camden lightweight who now is a prominent business man.

Lew was only 22 when he was forced to stop boxing becasue if a detached retina. He later had to have his eye removed to save the sight of his other eye.

We happened to talk with Lew the day after Davis announced his retirement and we naturally got on the subject of boxing, and Lew, who isn't embarrassed to talk about his misfortune, said:

Of course, it's a tough break for anyone to lose even a part of their vision, but I think Davis and Costner don't want sympathy.

I know I didn't when I lost my left eye because I refused tot follow the instructions of an eye specialist. I wasn't sore at the world when I lost an eye through boxing as I enjoyed every minute I spent in the ring. 

I feel the loss of one eye hasn't handicapped me. I still can do everything I used to do except box and I'm too old for that now.

And I don't think it will handicap Davis or Costner either if they still retain their vision in one eye.

They had to have courage when they were in the fight game and courage should carry them through the years of their lives even though they are a bit handicapped.

My trouble started when a cataract developed on my left eye. I had the cataract removed and was told not to box again as it might result in a permanent injury and the loss of vision in that eye. That was in 1928. I fought three fight is 1931, meeting Joe Ryan Sr., Tommy Cormey, and Rusty Leroy. My left eye was bloody after the Leroy fight, but I didn't realize I had suffered a hemorrhage.

It became steadily worse until I knew I had to do something about it. So I underwent another operation and was told I had a detached retina in my left eye, and that the eye would have to be removed to save the sight in my other eye.

The doctor's diagnosis frightened me, but I knew I had to go through with the operation as the eye was about useless at that time.

So the eye was removed in the latter part of 1931 and ever since I've been wearing an artificial eye.

 Only about six of my intimate friends, including you, ever knew I had an artificial eye and you know I've never been embarrassed to talk about it with you or any of my other friends.

Even my parents to this day didn't know about it, but of course they'll know about it now and I'm relieved to think it won't hurt them like it would have if they'd known about it at the time it happened.

I didn't tell them about it because I knew it would worry them, but the shock won't be sop great now.

And I haven't thought about it much for years, but I still read all the fight news and of course I read about the Davis and Costner cases.

I know how they fell right now as I've experienced what they are going through I didn't have as much at stake as those two as they were nearing the championships in their divisions.

But I know they'll snap out of it just as I did. 

What they need is a steady job to take their minds off their troubles. I know the two fellows like boxing, and so did I. Even after they eye was removed I took two chances boxing exhibition bouts. I boxed Johnny Lucas and Battling Mack and wasn't any the worse for it.

But that was the last time I drew on a glove although I still like boxing better than any other sport. 

I used to think that if we had more rigid physical examinations in my days perhaps I wouldn't have suffered a detached retina.

Now I know better. With this Davis and Costner both suffering the same eye injury which I suffered over 20 years ago proves that it can happen even in these days of rigid examinations.

But if these fellows are like I was when it happened to me, they don't want any sympathy. all they wan to do is to make a living like any other person.

I knew it was my own fault when it happened to me. I had been warned beforehand, yet I liked boxing so much that I went on fighting, and it wasn't becasue I needed the money.

My father had a good business, and I didn't need to box. But you'll remember that dozens of Camden kids were boxing in those days, and I wanted to be in the swim. 

After I started, I knew it was a game I liked, although I never was particularly bloodthirsty. But it got me like it got many others and if I had my life to live over I'd do the same thing.

It must be tougher on Davis and Costner than it was on me as both those boys were close to the top when they were forced to stop boxing.

But I believe they would rather have what eyesight they have left than be a blind ex-champion. At least that's the way I felt about it" concluded Skymer.

Lew was a smart boxer who never was a dynamite puncher. But he won 49 out of 55 fights and still had a brilliant career ahead of him when he was forced to quit.

Older boxing fans will recall his fights against Johnny DeMarco, Artie McCann, Chick Kansik, Jackie Hindle, and Lou Mayers.

Lew was a nice kid when he was boxing. He hasn't changed over the years. He's still an affable chap who has a ready smile and who still doesn't want any sympathy.

He wouldn't have missed boxing even though it cost him an eye. He hopes both Davis and Costner feel the same way about the matter.    

Veterans Boxing Association Ring 6
11th Annual Banquet - April 20, 1959

Camden Courier-Post
November 3, 1966

Veterans Boxing Association Ring 6
Tom Ryan
Martin Segal
Sgt. Ray Smith
Joe Spearing
Joe "Kid" Murphy
Lew Skymer
Roxie Allen
Tom Kenney Sr.
Battling Mack
Eddie Prince
Anthony Georgette
Stephen O'Keefe