BOXING
From: Baseball Days—Dayton’s North Side Field 1922-1934
Written by Roland L. Larke, Sponsored by the Dayton & Montgomery County Public Library, 1992 The North Dayton Amusement Company led Dayton athletic organizations in supporting the rising popularity of professional boxing in the 1920s. North Side Field was the setting for summertime evening boxing programs, pitting local pro favorites against one another and against nationally ranked headliners.
The peak of activity came in 1927 when Dayton’s Joe Sekyra, the “Blonde Bohemian,” held Johnny Risk, the “Cleveland Baker Boy,” a leading light heavyweight, to a draw in their first meeting but lost the second bout on a referee’s decision. Sekyra, a light heavyweight contender, also TKO’d Art Weig and another contender in the North Side Field ring. Sekyra was first known for his handsome physique and boxing skills. He was idolized by local fans, but had an up-and-down career of stellar exhibitions against top-rated fighters and disappointing matches against lesser lights.
Sekyra’s record shows decisions over Jimmy Braddock, Pete Latzo, a TKO of Charlie Retzlaff, and loss by decision to Tommy Laughran, Young Stribling and Max Schmelling.
Max Yinger of the Dayton Amusement Company, sometimes in association with Jim Holland of the McCabe Athletic Club, were promoters of cards involving fighters in lesser weight classifications. The result was some classic encounters: lightweight Blockie Richards and Young Webb fought two memorable battles in the early 1920s. The first was a 12-round draw. Richards won the second 15-rounder later. In his declining years, Richards was KO’d by Frankie Bob, another outstanding lightweight. Syd Conn, a Jewish lad from England who moved to Canada and then to Dayton, was a headliner at North Side Field. He met local Italian Shifty Dando in two classic fights, the first a draw and the second a decision to Dando.
Other Daytonians who headlined programs at North Side Field were Joey Lawrence, Joe Delaney and Tommy Herman. Opposing Dayton favorites included Mike Dundee from Rock Island, Illinois, Spug Myers, the “Idaho Wildcat,” Ted Merchant from England and Mel Coogan, New York City lightweight.
Also found on the boxing programs at the North Side arena in those years were the names of Gil Eichoff, Kid Lucky, Ray “Big Man” Fisher, Little Dillon, Coleman Johns, Babe Bright, Dutcher Mitchell, Gene Belmont, Mutt Snyder, Reach Devlin, Mickey McGarr, Danny Huff and Piggy Young. |
