In a strict reversal of form from previous bouts, the Miami Golden Gloves closed last night with Northeastern A. & M. winning the team trophy with the Seneca Indian school in second place. Northeastern won six of the nine championships with the other three going to the Indian school.
Norvel Trask, middleweight, and Pidgeon Riley, lightweight, showed the way for the college boys as they finished off their opponents in the first round. Trask got the fastest knockout when he loosed a series of left hooks that sent his opponent, George Waddle, Miami National Guard, to the canvas at the end of 55 seconds.
The nine Miami champs, who received jackets with a Golden Gloves emblem as a prize, will go to the Northeast tournament in Tulsa Jan. 28, 29 and 30.
In the lightweights, the Seneca Indian school cleaned up with Monkey Carey taking the 105-pound title, March Wind the 112 and Jim Rogers the 118.
Carey started the fireworks early in the first round of the championship fights, when he tore into John James, Miami, with both hands. Carey, who packs dynamite in either glove for a 105-pounder, floored James in the first round with a solid left hook that landed well. James didn't take a count on the knockdown, but he could not get in the fight as Carey continued landing both rights and lefts. In the second round Carey found the range and laced James around the ring as he piled up a long margin.
James came back in the third but Carey again found the range and a savage right sent James down again. James' reach and height helped even the third round up but he couldn't close the gap. Carey took the decision by a wide margin.
In the 112-pound class a couple of teammates from the Indian school battled for the crown. March Wind took a decision from Benny Bushyhead. March Wind opened up in the last two rounds and pounded Bushyhead time after time in close fighting.
At 118 pounds, another slugfest developed early in the first round when Jim Rogers, SIS, and Gene Flood, Chelsea, tore into one another. Rogers built up a long lead in the first two rounds as he consistently landed both lefts and rights as well as causing Flood to be wild. Flood staged a comeback in the third but couldn't do anything about the outcome.
J. E. Cook, last year's champion at 126, repeated as he won a decision over Bill Whipkey, Picher youngster. Whipkey had Cook in trouble in the first two rounds with his jabbing and aggressiveness. However, Cook came back in the final round, hooking with both rights and lefts, to win by the closest of margins.
Riley demonstrated some of his old form as he moved into action against Ronnie McLemore early in the first round. Riley landed a right cross and sent McLamore to the floor for a nine-count, but McLemore climbed back to his feet only to be floored again. The referee stepped in and stopped the fight at this point.
Lloyd Beard, newcomer to Miami fistic circles, an inexperienced but willing young puncher, took the welterweight toga, defeating Curtis Myers, also of Miami, in a torrid slugfest. Beard, younger and stronger, scored with a good left and piled up an advantage in the first two rounds. Myers, connected with a
looping right occasionally but it failed to bother Beard.
Julius Hecksher took a split decision over Tubby Logan, Commerce, for the light-heavyweight crown—and the decision drew a decision of booes. Logan scored repeatedly with a right cross, staggering Hecksher at least a half dozen times but the two judges overruled the referee giving the verdict to Hecksher.
The heavyweight championship went to J. W. Moreland, 6-foot, 5-inch, 205-pounder of Miami. He eked out a decision over Bud Parker, OMA stylist, in one of the best fights of the night. The smaller, courageous Parker did most of the leading but caught some solid smashes coming in. It was a whale of a battle with both boys eager and willing.
Results
105 Ibs.—Monkey Carey, SIS, decisioned John James, Miami.
112 Ibs.—March Wind, SIS, decisioned Benny Bushyhead, SIS.
118 Ibs.—Jim Rogers, SIS, decisioned Gene Flood, Chelsea.
126 Ibs.—J. E. Cook, Miami, decisioned Bill Whipkey, Picher.
135 Ibs.—Ridgeon Riley, Miami, TKO'd Ronnie McLamore, SIS, 1:11 first round.
147 Ibs.—Lloyd Beard, Miami, decisioned Curtis Meyers, Miami.
160 Ibs.—Norvel Trask, Miami, TKO'd George Waddle, Miami (NG) :55 first round.
175 Ibs.—Julius Hecksher, Miami, decisioned Tub Logan, Commerce.
Heavyweight—J. W. Moreland, Miami, decisioned Bud Parker, OMA.
Source - Miami Daily News Record; Miami, OK; Friday, January 23, 1948; p. 4.
Transcription by Polly's Granddaughter
copyright 2010, Polly's Granddaughter - TCB
copyright 2010, Polly's Granddaughter - TCB