Articles

Wilbert “Skeeter” McClure

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October 29, 1938. . . In the 22 Brand-Whitlock Homes, a Federal Housing project in intercity Toledo, Ohio, a young girl was in labor for the 1st time in her life. An anxious husband paced in the hallway outside their bedroom. Dr. Hart had everything under control when he announced that a baby boy had just arrived into the world. An announcement that was difficult to hear over the newborn’s first cries for breath. When the new father entered the bedroom to see his first born he exclaimed “why he’s no bigger than a skeeter!” Thus a newborn child had a nickname before he had a first name. Wilbert Jessie Lamont and Evelyn McClure were the proud parents of little Wilbert McClure.

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Freddie Steele

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Freddie Steele was a boxing prodigy. As early as age six he dreamed of a career as a boxer. His parents hoped he would outgrow the idea. But he didn’t. Every day after school his friends would find him in his backyard, imitating the style of his idol Tod Morgan.

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Chuck Wiggins

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CHUCK WIGGINS KING OF THE BACK ALLY BRAWLERS by Robert Carson   On a mild evening in 1942, Chuck Wiggins sat drunkenly on a railing at Ohio and Illinois Street in downtown Indianapolis, situated by Haig’s Drug Store, and a cab stand. Behind the railing there was a stairway with a 40 foot drop. All

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Punching Power – Some Misconceptions and Conceptions

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Great punchers are born, and in some cases made. No matter how proficient the balance, leverage, follow-through a boxer may or may not have; unless born with the rare ability to hit hard with terrific force, that said boxer will never be able to hit with extraordinary force. Conversely, no boxer ever walked into a gym and was ever to hit as hard as any man of his weight in the world unless certain abilities are very well honed. The boxer may be a “real” banger” but will never develop into a puncher of frightening power.

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Dick DiVeronica

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Dick DiVeronica was born on January 26, 1938 in Kirkville, New York. He was a popular fighter who campaigned from 1958 until 1972, starting as a lightweight and ending his career as a middleweight.

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Reuben Vargas

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Reuben Garcia Vargas was born May 17, 1932, in Orange City, CA. Managed by Bert Brodose (and later co-managed by Frank Sinatra), he was the most prominent Mexican-American Heavyweight in the mid to late 1950’s.

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Ellsworth (Spider) Webb

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Its amazing to me that over the years one of the best middleweights of the fifties has gone unnoticed among veteran fight aficionados. As a young boy, on November 19, 1958, I witnessed Ellsworth (Spider) Webb’s complete domination of future hall-of-famer Joey Giardello on national TV. In all the years I witnessed Giardello in action on television and in person I have never seen any other opponent dominate him like Webb did that night. Spider was the quintessential boxer-puncher who engaged in many exciting fights in his forty fight professional career.

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