Stanley Ketchel

Stanley Ketchel
c. 1910
Statistics
Real name	Stanisław Kiecal
Nickname(s)	Michigan Assassin
Rated at	Middleweight
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Reach	70 in (180 cm)
Nationality	American
Born	(1886-09-14)September 14, 1886 Grand Rapids, Michigan
Died	October 15, 1910(1910-10-15) (aged 24) Springfield, Missouri
Boxing record
Total fights	64
Wins	53
Wins by KO	48
Losses	5
Draws	5
No contests	1

Stanisław Kiecal (September 14, 1886 – October 15, 1910), better known in the boxing world as Stanley Ketchel, was a Polish American professional boxer who became one of the greatest World Middleweight Champions in history.^[1] He was nicknamed "The Michigan Assassin." He was murdered at a ranch in Conway, Missouri at the age of 24.

Biography

Ketchel in fighting pose

He was born in 1886 in Grand Rapids, Michigan to Tomasz Kiecal and Julia Kiecal (née Olbinska), whose family immigrated from the village of Sulmierzyce in Piotrków Trybunalski Guberniya in modern-day central Poland.^[2]

He avoided school, instead falling in with a gang of street kids and often getting into fist fights. At twelve years old, he ran away from home, becoming a child hobo. As a teenager he lived in Butte, Montana, where he found employment first as a hotel bellhop and then as a bouncer. This profession obviously led to many scraps that established his reputation as the best fist fighter in town. Soon enough sixteen-year-old Stanley was performing in backroom boxing matches with older locals for twenty dollars a week. He began traveling throughout Montana, offering to take on any man brave enough to face him. Between 1903 and 1906, he lost just twice in thirty-nine contests and, in 1907, moved to California, where he knew most of boxing's big names and big fights waited for him.^[3]

Professional boxing career

Only a middleweight, Ketchel was also known for taking on heavyweights, who sometimes outweighed him by more than 30 pounds (14 kg). Ketchel used a very unusual method in his fights. He had a very close and loving relationship with his mother. It is rumored that before each of his fights, he would imagine that his opponent had insulted his mother; thus, he would be fighting with almost insane fury.

He started boxing professionally in 1904 in Butte, Montana. In his first fight, Ketchel knocked out Kid Tracy in one round. In his second fight, he was beaten by decision in six rounds by Maurice Thompson. He boxed his first 41 bouts in Montana, and had a record of 36 wins, two losses and three draws during that span. He lost once more to Thompson in their rematch and then controversially drew with him in their rubber match, in a bout that many people thought Ketchel had won. Afterwards, he would then go on to beat Tom Kingsley, among others, before moving his campaign on to California in 1907.

There, he won three fights that year, and drew one in Marysville against the man many considered the World Middleweight Champion, Joe Thomas. In his next bout, he and Thomas had a rematch and Ketchel won, by knockout in 32 rounds. Ketchel was then recognized by many as the World Middleweight Champion. He finished the year by beating Thomas again, this time by decision.

Middleweight Champion

Ketchel standing over a downed Billy Papke during their third fight

On February 8, 1908, Ketchel met the man who was generally recognized as the World Welterweight Champion and one of the leading middleweights of the era, Mike "Twin" Sullivan, knocking him out in the first round and winning general recognition as World Middleweight Champion. Sullivan often fought above the Welterweight limit, making him a light Middleweight. Whether Ketchel became world champion when he defeated Thomas or Mike Sullivan has always been up to debate, but the fact remains that it is Mike Sullivan and not Thomas who is historically remembered as a world champion.

He proceeded to retain the title against Mike's twin brother, Jack "Twin" Sullivan, also a former world champion, by a knockout in 20 rounds; against future world champion Billy Papke by decision in 10; against Hugo Kelly by a knockout in three and against Thomas, by a knockout in two.

Then, he lost the belt to Papke by a knockout in twelve, but he and Papke had an immediate rematch and Ketchel regained the title when he beat Papke by a knockout in eleven in their third match.

Ketchel began 1909 by fighting reigning Light Heavyweight Champion Philadelphia Jack O'Brien. Ketchel survived a terrible beating at the hand of the slick, quick O'Brien in the early rounds only to mount a terrific comeback and score four knockdowns in the ninth and tenth rounds. When the final bell rang at the end of the tenth round, O'Brien was lying unconscious on the mat, his head in a resin box in his corner. Under New York rules at the time, though, O'Brien had been saved by the bell and because official decisions were outlawed in New York boxing the fight was declared a "No Decision." A few weeks later, Ketchel had a rematch with O' Brien, knocking out Philadelphia Jack in three rounds.^[4]

A fourth fight with Billy Papke followed. Ketchel again won in a tumultuous slugfest to defend his championship and end their series of fights with a record of 3-1 in their four encounters. This (fourth) fight took place in the outdoor Mission Street Arena in Colma, California, during a terrible thunderstorm, yet neither fighter relented in his pursuit of victory until Stanley took the twenty-round decision.^[5]

Ketchel fought Sam Langford on April 27, 1910. It was a hard pressed fight by both men, each displaying terrific hitting power for all six rounds of the short bout. No knock downs were scored and both had plenty of energy in the end. Langford won by decision. A longer rematch bout was rumored, but never happened. Some disputed the decision, although a majority of people felt that Langford had won the bout, which following a decision-appealing vote, it was decided (in a non-controversial manner) that it would stand as a decision win for Langford.

Ketchel vs. Johnson

Ketchel's 1909 battle with Jack Johnson has been called by many a modern-day "David and Goliath." In the 12th round Ketchel floored Johnson with a right hand. Johnson got up and knocked out Ketchel with a right uppercut.^[6]

Ketchel and Johnson were rumoured to have been friends and to have gone gambling as well as hit the brothels together; they shared a love for women. Ketchel and Johnson planned to fight together, but because Ketchel was shorter than Johnson, he wore long coats to conceal his platform shoes to add height. The set up a script for their fight to stretch it to 20 rounds. A 20-round fight would guarantee boxing fans would pay to go to local theaters to watch the replay of the fight. Ketchel was offered more money if he deviated from the plan with Johnson. After 12 rounds, Ketchel swung a surprise punch that knocked Johnson down. Regaining his feet, Jack Johnson knocked out Ketchel with a swift combination to Ketchel's head and jaw.^[7] Ketchel did not wake up for many minutes and some of his teeth were knocked out by the blow, some embedded in Johnson's glove.^[8]

Professional boxing record

51 Wins (48 Knockouts), 2 Defeats (2 Decisions), 5 Draws, 1 No Contest[9]
Res.	Record	Opponent	Type	Rd., Time	Date	Location	Notes
Win	51-4-4	Jim Smith	KO	5 (10)	1910-06-10	National S.C., New York, New York
Win	50-4-4	Willie Lewis	KO	2 (10)	1910-05-27	National S.C., New York, New York
Win	49-4-4	Porky Flynn	KO	3 (12)	1910-05-17	Armory A.A., Boston, Massachusetts
Loss	48-5-4	Sam Langford	NWS	6	1910-04-27	National A.C., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Newspaper Decision
Draw	N/A	Frank Klaus	NWS	6	1910-03-23	Duquesne Gardens, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Newspaper Decision
Loss	48-4-4	Jack Johnson	KO	12 (20)	1909-10-16	Mission Street Arena, Colma, California	For World Heavyweight Title
Win	48-3-4	Billy Papke	UD	20	1909-07-05	Mission Street Arena, Colma, California	Retained World Middleweight Title
Win	47-3-4	Philadelphia Jack O'Brien	TKO	3 (6)	1909-06-09	National A.C., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Win	46-3-4	Tony Caponi	KO	4 (10)	1909-06-02	American A.C., Schenectady, New York
Win	N/A	Hugh McGann	NWS	6	1909-05-18	Duquesne Gardens, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Newspaper Decision
Win	N/A	Philadelphia Jack O'Brien	NWS	10	1909-03-26	National A.C., New York, New York	Newspaper Decision
Win	45-3-4	Billy Papke	KO	11 (20)	1908-11-26	Mission Street Arena, Colma, California	Won World Middleweight Title
Loss	44-3-4	Billy Papke	TKO	12 (25)	1908-09-07	Jeffries' Arena, CoVernonlma, California	Lost World Middleweight Title
Win	44-2-4	Joe Thomas	TKO	2 (20)	1908-08-18	San Francisco Coliseum, San Francisco, California	Retained World Middleweight Title
Win	43-2-4	Hugo Kelly	KO	3 (20)	1908-07-31	San Francisco Coliseum, San Francisco, California	Retained World Middleweight Title
Win	42-2-4	Billy Papke	PTS	10	1908-06-04	Hippodrome, Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Retained World Middleweight Title
Win	41-2-4	Jack Twin Sullivan	KO	20 (35)	1908-05-09	Mission Street Arena, Colma, California	Retained World Middleweight Title
Win	40-2-4	Mike Twin Sullivan	KO	1 (25)	1908-02-22	Mission Street Arena, Colma, California	Retained World Middleweight Title
Win	39-2-4	Joe Thomas	PTS	20	1907-12-12	Recreation Park, San Francisco, California	Won World Middleweight Title
Win	38-2-4	Joe Thomas	KO	32 (45)	1907-09-02	Mission Street Arena, Colma, California
Draw	37-2-4	Joe Thomas	PTS	20	1907-07-04	Marysville, California
Win	37-2-3	George Brown	KO	2 (20)	1907-05-23	Sacramento, California
Win	36-2-3	Benny Hart	KO	8	1907-05-03	Marysville, California
Win	35-2-3	Mike McClure	KO	7	1907-03-23	Redding, California
Win	34-2-3	Kid Foley	KO	11	1906-09-10	Miles City, Montana
Win	33-2-3	Kid Fredericks	KO	7	1906-08-29	Butte, Montana
Win	32-2-3	Kid Lee	KO	17	1906-06-16	Helena, Montana
Win	31-2-3	Mike Tierney	KO	7	1906-05-18	Butte, Montana
Win	30-2-3	Paddy Hall	KO	1	1906-05-11	Gregson Hot Springs, Montana
NC	-	Warren Zurbrick	ND	2 (20)	1906-03-19	Grand Opera House, Great Falls, Montana
Draw	29-2-3	Montana Jack Sullivan	PTS	20	1906-02-12	Butte, Montana
Win	29-2-2	Kid Foley	KO	4	1905-12-24	Butte, Montana
Win	28-2-2	Jerry McCarthy	KO	11	1905-12-19	Great Falls, Montana
Win	27-2-2	Jack Bennett	KO	5	1905-12-16	Butte, Montana
Win	26-2-2	Marysville Kid	KO	3	1905-12-02	Butte, Montana
Win	25-2-2	Jerry McCarthy	TKO	12 (20)	1905-12-01	Great Falls, Montana
Win	24-2-2	Bob Sennate	KO	11	1905-09-14	Miles City, Montana
Win	23-2-2	Roy Hart	KO	1	1905-07-19	Opera House, Miles City, Montana
Win	22-2-2	Bob Sennate	KO	17	1905-07-15	Miles City, Montana
Win	21-2-2	Peter Kelly	KO	8	1905-07-04	Miles City, Montana
Win	20-2-2	Kid Lee	TKO	17 (20)	1905-06-16	Helena, Montana
Win	19-2-2	Kid Pecor	KO	5	1905-06-13	Butte, Montana
Win	18-2-2	Curley Rue	KO	11	1905-06-04	Gregson Springs, Montana
Win	17-2-2	Sid LaFontise	KO	7	1905-05-18	Butte, Montana
Draw	16-2-2	Rudolph Hinz	PTS	20	1905-04-19	Miles City, Montana
Win	16-2-1	Sid LaFontise	KO	24	1905-03-25	Butte, Montana
Win	15-2-1	Jack Bennett	KO	5	1905-01-20	Butte, Montana
Win	14-2-1	Kid Thomas	KO	1 (10)	1905-01-04	Butte, Montana
Draw	13-2-1	Maurice Thompson	PTS	10	1904-12-29	Miles City, Montana
Win	13-2	Jack Grimes	TKO	10 (20)	1904-12-16	Union Hall, Butte, Montana
Win	12-2	Kid Herrick	KO	7	1904-12-08	Butte, Montana
Win	11-2	Joe Mudro	KO	4	1904-11-10	Butte, Montana
Win	10-2	Kid Lee	KO	8	1904-11-08	Lewistown, Montana
Win	9-2	Jimmy Kelly	KO	1	1904-10-29	Miles City, Montana
Loss	8-2	Maurice Thompson	PTS	10	1904-10-21	Butte, Montana
Win	8-1	Bob Merrywell	KO	3	1904-10-15	Butte, Montana
Win	7-1	Jimmy Murray	KO	3	1904-09-15	Butte, Montana
Win	6-1	Bob Merrywell	KO	4	1904-09-05	Montana A.C., Butte, Montana
Win	5-1	Johnny Gilsey	KO	4	1904-07-17	Butte, Montana
Win	4-1	Kid Leroy	KO	1	1904-07-15	Butte, Montana
Win	3-1	Jim Kid McGuire	KO	1	1904-07-07	Butte, Montana
Win	2-1	Jimmy Quinn	KO	3	1904-06-20	Butte, Montana
Loss	1-1	Maurice Thompson	PTS	6	1904-05-11	Broadway Theater, Butte, Montana
Win	1-0	Kid Tracy	KO	1	1903-05-02	Butte, Montana

Murder

Ketchel's Gravestone

The following year, 1910, Ketchel fought six times (including one exhibition), but his fast living had worn him down.

Hoping for a rematch with Jack Johnson, Ketchel moved to the ranch of his friend, R.P. Dickerson, near (on what is now referred to as Dickerson Ranch Road) Conway, Missouri, where he had hoped to regain his strength. Dickerson had just hired a cook, Goldie Smith, and a ranch hand, who Smith said was her husband, Walter Kurtz.

Walter Kurtz turned out to be Walter Dipley. Walter Dipley and Goldie Smith were not married and, in fact, had just met each other a month before Dickerson had hired them.

After being upbraided by the "Michigan Assassin" for beating a horse on the morning of October 14, Dipley decided to get even with Ketchel by robbing him. The following morning, Smith seated Ketchel at the breakfast table with his back to the door and Dipley, armed with a .22 caliber rifle, came up behind him and shouted, "Get your hands up!" Ketchel stood up and as he turned around, Dipley shot him. The bullet traveled from his shoulder into his lung and Ketchel fell to the floor mortally wounded. Dipley then took Ketchel's handgun and smashed Ketchel in the face with it. At the same time, Smith rifled Ketchel's pockets for his money.

After promising to meet Goldie Smith later that night, Dipley ran from the ranch.

Unaware that, as he lay dying, Ketchel told the former ranch foreman, C.E. Bailey, that Goldie Smith had robbed him, she told police officers that Ketchel had raped her and that that was the reason Dipley shot him. Her story fell apart and she admitted her complicity in the robbery but stated she did not know Dipley was going to kill the former champion.

In an effort to save the young fighter's life, R.P. Dickerson chartered a special train to take Stanley Ketchel to a hospital in Springfield, Missouri. But Ketchel died at approximately 7 o'clock that night His last words were: "I'm so tired. Take me home to mother."

Dickerson also offered a $5,000 dead or alive reward (preferably dead) for Dipley, who was captured at a neighboring farmhouse the next day.

Upon being informed of Ketchel's death, his manager Wilson Mizner reportedly said, "Tell them to start counting ten over him. He'll get up."^[10]

Aftermath of Murder

Both Walter Dipley and Goldie Smith were found guilty of murder and robbery at a jury trial in January 1911 and both were given a life sentence. Goldie Smith had her murder conviction overturned and she served 17 months for the robbery. Walter Dipley served 23 years before he was paroled. He died in 1956, 22 years after his release from prison.

Legacy

Ketchel was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery at Grand Rapids, Michigan. His funeral was the most attended until the Ford family surpassed him during the 20th century. There is a plaque in his honor at the corner of Stocking Ave and 3rd St and a statue at 438 Bridge St NW.^[11] The Ketchel Valley neighborhood on Grand Rapids' west side is named in Ketchel's honor.

Ketchel is now enshrined in the International Boxing Hall Of Fame.

The Ring Magazine in 2004 ranked Ketchel as the eighth greatest middleweight of all time, behind Harry Greb, Sugar Ray Robinson, Carlos Monzon, Marvin Hagler, Jake LaMotta, Charley Burley and Tiger Flowers.^[12]

In 2004, Ring magazine named Ketchel #6 on their list, 100 Best Punchers of All Time.^[13]

Nat Fleischer, the late ring historian and founding editor of The Ring magazine, considered Stanley to be the greatest middleweight in history.^[14]

He had a record of 51 wins, four losses, four draws, 1 no contest and four no decisions (Newspaper Decisions: 2-1-1), with 48 wins by knockout. He was the first Middleweight Champion to regain the world title after losing it.

Subject of The Killings of Stanley Ketchel, a novel by James Carlos Blake.

Subject of the short story "The Light of the World" by Ernest Hemingway.

Biography Stanley Ketchel: A Life of Triumph and Prophecy, by Manuel A. Mora.

Biography The Michigan Assassin: The Saga of Stanley Ketchel, by Nat Fleischer, RING Editor 1946

Stanley Ketchel: A Life of Triumph and Prophecy

References

External links

• Professional boxing record for Stanley Ketchel from BoxRec
• Ketchel's Record at Cyber Boxing Zone
• New York Times Article on his death
• Down Great Purple Valleys, a 1954 True magazine story about his murder by John Lardner