Billy Miske
(William Arthur Miske)
Miske was a clever, superb boxer who was fast and
quick; He was not a crunching power hitter but threw blistering barrages of punches
Among those he defeated during his career were Jack Lester, "Fighting" Dick
Gilbert, Jumbo Wells, Jim Barry, Joe Bonds, "Wild" Bert Kenny, Tom
Cowler, Ed
"Gunboat" Smith, "Sailor" Ed Petroskey, "Wild" Bill Hart,
"Fireman" Jim Flynn, Gus Christie, "K.O." Bill Brennan, Francis
"Farmer" Lodge, Lee Anderson, Jack Renault, "Captain" Bob Roper, Al
Roberts, Billy Shade, Martin Burke, Homer Smith, Willie Meehan, Fred Fulton, Tommy
Gibbons, and Harry Foley
Miske started as a middleweight and boxed successfully as a light-heavyweight and
heavyweight in a period of outstanding fighters; If he had fought at any other time, he
may have been a champion and considered to be a great fighter
BORN : April 12 1894; St. Paul, Minnesota
DIED : January 1 1924; St. Paul, Minnesota (Bright's Disease)
HEIGHT : 6-0
WEIGHT : 158-190 lbs
RACE : White; German-American
MANAGERS : Paul "Pearly" Smith (1913-18), Jack Reddy (1918-23)
1913
Soldier Gregory KO 4
Danny Ritt KO 2
Joe Christie W 6
Sep 30 "Steamboat" Bill Scott Superior, Wi ND 10
Thor Thompson ND 10
Tommy Sheehan EX 4
Fred Fulton EX 4
Mike O'Dowd EX 6
Billy Papke EX 6
1914
Feb 17 Spike Kelly Superior, Wi ND 10
Mar 24 Tommy Gibbons Hudson, Wi ND 10
May 16 George "Kid" Ashe Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
May 26 Jack McCarron Pottsville, Pa ND 10
Jun 3 Kid Griffo Shenandoah, Pa ND 10
Jun 15 Thor Thompson St. Paul, Mn KO 2
Nov 12 Jimmy Dougherty Philadelphia, Pa TK 3
Nov 25 Ralph Erne Shenandoah, Pa KO 4
Dec 10 Al Thiel Pottsville, Pa ND 10
-This man was the "New" Al McCoy, not the Champion
1915
Jan 1 Billy Maxwell Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Jan 9 Billy Maxwell Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Jan 12 Harry Greb Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Jan 16 Jack McCarron Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Jan 26 Joe Borrell Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Feb 25 Mike Hirsch Milwaukee, Wi ND 6
Mar 16 Gus Christie Milwaukee, Wi ND 8
Mar 23 Eddie Nearing Hudson, Wi TK 9
Apr 6 Mike O'Dowd Hudson, Wi ND 10
Apr 27 George "K.O." Brown Dubuque, Ia ND 10
May 21 Mike O'Dowd Hudson, Wi ND 10
Jul 12 Tommy Gibbons St. Paul, Mn ND 10
Aug 24 Gus Christie Dubuque, Ia ND 10
Sep 10 Jack Lester St. Paul, Mn KO 2
Nov 1 George "K.O." Brown Winnipeg, Man, Can ND 12
Dec 3 Terry Kellar Superior, Wi ND 10
Dec 17 Jack Clements Minneapolis, Mn KO 8
1916
Jan 28 Jack Dillon Superior, Wi ND 10
Feb 29 "Fighting" Dick Gilbert Denver, Co W 15
Apr 14 Jack Dillon St. Paul, Mn ND 10
Jun 22 Jack Hubbard (Jumbo Wells) Brooklyn, NY KO 9
Aug 31 Johnny Howard Brooklyn, NY KO 10
Sep 21 Jim Barry Brooklyn, NY KO 6
Oct 12 Battling Levinsky Brooklyn, NY ND 10
Oct 30 Battling Levinsky Brooklyn, NY ND 10
Nov 9 Tim O'Neil Brooklyn, NY KO 6
Nov 17 Bob Moha Brooklyn, NY ND 10
Nov 27 Larry Williams Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Dec 19 Jack Dillon Brooklyn, NY ND 10
1917
Jan 1 George "K.O." Brown Brooklyn, NY ND 10
Jan 12 Charley Weinert New York, NY ND 10
Jan 16 Jack Dillon Brooklyn, NY ND 10
Feb 27 Battling Levinsky St. Paul, Mn ND 10
Jul 24 Joe Bonds Brooklyn, NY TK 2
Sep 18 "Wild" Bert Kenny Brooklyn, NY ND 10
Sep 28 Carl Morris New York, NY ND 10
Oct 2 Charley Weinert Brooklyn, NY ND 10
Oct 16 Kid Norfolk Boston, Ma L 12
Oct 30 "Wild" Bert Kenny Boston, Ma TK 5
Nov 13 Jack Dillon Brooklyn, NY ND 10
1918
Jan 18 Fred Fulton St. Paul, Mn ND 10
Feb 27 Gus Christie Superior, Wi ND 10
Apr 8 Tom Cowler Minneapolis, Mn TK 7
Apr 12 Ed "Gunboat" Smith Atlanta, Ga W 10
May 3 Jack Dempsey Minneapolis, Mn ND 10
May 31 Henry Hendricks San Francisco, Ca KO 2
Jun 7 Willie Meehan Los Angeles, Ca D 4
Jun 14 "Sailor" Ed Petroskey San Francisco, Ca W 4
-Petroskey used the name "K.O. Kruvosky" for this bout
Jul 11 Ed "Gunboat" Smith Jersey City, NJ ND 8
Jul 15 Bartley Madden Jersey City, NJ ND 8
Jul 16 George "Kid" Ashe Brooklyn, NY EX 4
Aug 15 Battling Levinsky Brooklyn, NY EX 4
Aug 23 Bob Moha New York, NY ND 10
Sep 14 "Wild" Bill Hart St. Paul, Mn KO 1
Sep 14 Jock Malone Omaha, Ne EX 3
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Sep 21 Harry Greb Pittsburgh, Pa ND 10
Nov 18 Tom "Bearcat" McMahon Pittsburgh, Pa ND 6
Nov 28 Jack Dempsey Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Dec 16 "Fireman" Jim Flynn Tulsa, Ok KO 2
Dec 28 Gus Christie Milwaukee, Wi TK 10
1919
Jan 11 Tom Cowler Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Mar 28 Tom Cowler Baltimore, Md KO 4
Mar 31 Harry Greb Pittsburgh, Pa ND 10
Apr 28 "K.O." Bill Brennan Tulsa, Ok W 15
Jun 6 Willie Meehan St. Paul, Mn ND 10
Jun 9 Kid Norfolk Pittsburgh, Pa ND 10
Jun 19 Tommy Gibbons Minneapolis, Mn ND 10
Jun 25 "K.O." Bill Brennan St. Louis, Mo ND 8
Jul 3 Battling Levinsky Toledo, Oh ND 12
-Miske retired due to his serious illness; After hospital
treatment, he was advised to make his retirement
permanent, but financial troubles prompted him to
return to the ring
1920
Jun 11 Jack Moran Minneapolis, Mn KO 2
Sep 6 Jack Dempsey Benton Harbor, Mi (1:13) LK 3
-Heavyweight Championship of the World;
Weights: 187-185
1921
Feb 9 Lee Anderson Portland, Or W 10
Mar 7 Francis "Farmer" Lodge St. Paul, Mn KO 4
May 9 Tommy McCarthy St. Paul, Mn KO 2
Jun 8 "K.O." Bill Brennan St. Paul, Mn ND 10
Jul 2 Jack Renault Jersey City, NJ ND 8
Nov 11 Tony Melchior Columbus, Oh TK 4
1922
Jan 16 Charley Weinert Newark, NJ ND 12
Jan 28 Jack Renault Brooklyn, NY KO 13
Feb 20 "Captain" Bob Roper Philadelphia, Pa WF 6
Mar 2 Al Roberts New York, NY KO 10
Apr 10 Billy Shade Youngstown, Oh TK 2
Apr 27 Martin Burke New Orleans, La W 15
May 29 "Captain" Bob Roper New York, NY W 10
Jun 23 Homer Smith Covington, Ky KO 1
Jul 3 Willie Meehan Oklahoma City, Ok KO 1
Jul 10 Martin Burke Denver, Co ND 12
Aug 25 Fred Fulton St. Paul, Mn KO 1
Sep 4 "Captain" Bob Roper Oklahoma City, Ok ND 12
Oct 13 Tommy Gibbons New York, NY WF 10
Nov 11 Bud Ryder Grand Forks, ND KO 3
Dec 15 Tommy Gibbons St. Paul, Mn ND 10
1923
Jan 12 Harry Foley Omaha, Ne TK 1
Nov 7 "K.O." Bill Brennan Omaha, Ne KO 4
*** The following bouts are reported by some sources but not confirmed ***
1915
Dec 28 Frank Hoe Marshfield, Wi KO 2
1919
Jul Lee Anderson KO
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