1 TheBoxing Biographies Newsletter Volume 6 – No 4 18th July , 2010 www.boxingbiographies.com

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A Story Of Three Friends – Dick Burke – Dom Volante 2 NelTarleton Name: Nel Tarleton Alias: Nelson/Nella Birth Name: Nelson Tarleton Born: 1906-01-14 Birthplace: , Merseyside, Died: 1956-01-12 (Age:49) Nationality: United Kingdom Hometown: Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom Record: click

Born in Merseyside, Liverpool on the 14th of January 1906 as Nelson Tarleton, later adopting the name young Nel Tarleton, and known as “Nella” to his adoring Liverpool fans.

Nel wasn’t an ordinary fighter, he was tall but very thin, gangly, overall Nel had never weighed over ten stone in his entire career, this was mainly due to only having only one sound lung since the age of 2 when he contracted TB. He was a keen footballer and in his early childhood he used to play out on the tough Merseyside streets just like every other young boy but he soon realised he was not strong enough to compete with the other lads, he was pushed and shoved and lacked obvious strength.

He was teased about his weight and his looks only for a school bully to invite him down to the Everton Red Triangle Boxing club. It was there, and at the Gordon Institute, he learned to love the sport of boxing and was picking up prizes as early as twelve years old. He reached the finals of the Liverpool boy’s championships at three different weights; 6 st 5 lb, 7 st 5 lb and 7 st 12 lb. Nel won the two out of the three only being denied the 7 st 12 lb championship because his best friend was fighting in the opposite corner, so he refused to fight.

Although successful as an amateur he did so only with the grudging consent of his parents. He was so wary of the opposition from his family to him turning professional that he slipped away to make his first paid debut, In secret, in Birmingham using the assumed name of Nat Nelson . There was little hint of 3

future ring glory when he was outscored over 10 rounds by Tom “Kid” Fitzpatrick, and worse from a personal point of view for Nel when the following day a report and picture of his debut appeared in the local newspaper.

However Nel managed to convince his parents he could make a go at being a professional fighter and made his local debut at the Liverpool Pudsey Street Stadium at age twenty against George Sankey on the 14th of January 1926, Nel’s 20th birthday, for a scheduled 10 rounder. He won on points displaying the technical ability and boxing skill he had perfected in the gym. It was some 19 years later when , after defeating Al Philips on 23 February 1945, he was to hang up his gloves.

During those years Nel packed in enough fighting in Britain, Australia and America to fill a book. It took 68 contests before he was to have his first title shot – he was to have some 10 British title fights and 2 for the world championship, he fought his great friend Dom Volante on four occasions ( winning three ) and when aged 40 was set to the World Champion Willie Pep and would have but for Pep suffering a broken leg in a plane crash.

Nel gained his first title when he defeated his friend Dom Volante on points in a fifteen rounder at Breck Park on 26 July 1928 for the vacant Northern Area title in front of a 16,000 crowd.

By 1929 Nel was well established and like many men of his day America beckoned. Nel had eight bouts in just under 12 months, beating Archie Bell, Jackie Cohen, Pinkie Silverberg, Frankie Marchesi and Mickey Greb, drawing with Jimmy Slavin and losing to Al Ridgeway and Joe Scalfaro.

When he returned to Britain he faced Johnny Cuthbert for the British in the Liverpool Stadium on 6th November 1930.They fought a long fifteen round fight but the bout was called a draw, eleven fights and eleven wins later for Nel he had the opportunity to take the title away from Cuthbert again and so he did with a display of undeniable skill which fans had no choice but to warm to. The fight took place at Anfield – The Liverpool football club ground- in front of a 22,000 crowd on 1st October 1931. A year later took the title from him on points.

In 1933 Nel accepted an offer to fight in Australia, beating Jimmy Kelso and drawing with Tim Morgan at Sydney, then losing to Young Klew Edwards at Melbourne. Nel returned to regain his British crown in 1934 by outpointing Watson and later that year he outpointed Dave Crowley at Wembley, to win his first Lonsdale belt outright.

Between the Watson and Crowley bouts Nel made himself a date with the World Featherweight champion, the quick, stocky American who went by the name of . Miller was a fighter based in Cincinnati he was an easy going, likable character who fooled around in the and out of the boxing ring. He famously said to a reporter who asked about his training regime;” ôI prefer to have lots little fights, that way I get paid for training”. This was a typical remark from Freddie. 4

The fight took place at Anfield, Liverpool’s football stadium with thousands of screaming fans cheering for Nel but it wasn’t to be. He was knocked down early but he regained his composure only to lose the fifteen rounder on 20th September 1934 . nel always maintained he won despite the points decision going against him. Miller had asked for £2000 for his defence, which seemed beyond the reach of Stadium promoter Johnny Best. Nel however offered to fight for nothing just to get his chance. Over 30,000 fans flocked to Anfield to witness the contest and did so again just nine months later when the return took place at the Stanley Greyhound Track in June 1935.

This was to be one of the biggest fights in Liverpool’s history. Everyone expected Nel to beat Miller this time round because that’s what Nel did, he was never beaten twice, he used to study his opponent and pick out there weaknesses, he had a great knowledge of the sport and he had always put his plan into action with great precision. The fans were soon to realise that maybe Nel has had his day, he was knocked down within the first round. However as always Nel fought his way back, learning through his own errors, he was always one step ahead but he needed two to beat Miller, unfortunately Miller had his number. It was far from clear cut many sat on the fence because it literally was too close to call, the fans were outraged when Miller was announced as the winner and bottles and turf were thrown into the ring. Nel’s push for the big time just wasn’t strong enough but he still had his British title.

Apart from Miller Nel had beaten virtually everyone he had come up against and in may 1936 he put the first notch on a second Lonsdale belt when he Manchester’s . Some five weeks later, after celebrating the birth of twins, Nel dropped his title on the 24th of September 1936 when Johnny McCrory, a Scottish fighter came down to Liverpool to take his British Lonsdale belt away from him.

On this day after the fight Nel announced his retirement or so we thought. Nel came back from retirement in 1937 just four months after saying he would retire, he then won two more fights but disaster stuck, Nel had a nasty road incident he shattered his knee cap and was told he never would 5 fight again. Did this stop Nel from boxing again ??? Of course not, he was out of the ring for eighteen months.

He returned with tremendous winning streak that took in Arnold Lagrand, “Nipper” Fred Morris, Josef Preys, Billy Charlton and Spider Kelly.He later won back his British Lonsdale belt from Johnny Cuswick on New Years day 1940 – one of the few British title fights to be held during the war., again over fifteen long fought rounds. He always wanted a second British Lonsdale belt he said one for each of the twins and he secured it five years later against Al Phillips in Manchester on the 23rd of February 1945, Nel was 39 years old, against a much younger opponent who had a fiery reputation. Nel boxed rings round the young Al after an early scare to another fifteen round points win. As you can gather by now this type of result became highly associated with Nel. He was never seen in a boxing ring again.

Nel showed sheer class throughout his career, he was unorthodox, tall, gangly, thin everything you wouldn’t expect a boxer to be but he showed every one that in a time where boxing was all about displaying heart, aggression and that killer instinct there was room for skill. People forget that boxing is an art and most definitely Nel was an artist. Nel’s sister Lily said at the end of his career there were more marks on his back than on his face this was referring to his style and the way he used the ropes to launch attacks and dictate his opponent. After boxing Nel was always fighting a battle with his health, he later died just short of his fiftieth birthday in 1956. 6

The Daily Mirror - Edition

2 October 1931

BOXING TITLE LOST BY CUTHBERT

Champion Beaten by Cleverer Boxer

Johnny Cuthbert, the feather-weight champion, was beaten at Liverpool last night on points for the title and Lonsdale Belt by Nel Tarleton, who was always the cleverer boxer. When the pair met on a previous occasion the result was a draw, but many good judges thought Tarleton had won then. There were 30,000 people on the Liverpool football club's ground at Anfield last night and they were delighted at the success of the local boy.

TARLETON THE MASTER

All through Tarleton was master of tactics Cuthbert tried to force the lighting but found the Liverpool man's defence superb, and a flashing left hand stabbed him mercilessly in his rushes. Tarleton's body blows worried Cuthbert a lot and he was also troubled by the speed of his opponent.

Cuthbert was down to a great right to the head in the third round but was not hurt, and checked Tarleton with a fine left to the mouth when he rose. There was a dramatic incident in the sixth round, Cuthbert going down from a left to the body. He claimed a foul but Mr. Jack Smith the referee, counted nine before the champion jumped up.

He was on the defensive in the seventh round, but Tarleton did not make the mistake of rushing in. He feinted with the left and kept on crashing the right to the body. It was the work of the master hand. Using left and right with telling advantage, but particularly the left, Tarleton continued to outbox the champion and sent him to the floor in the eleventh with a left to the ribs and a right to the body. This time the gong saved Cuthbert, as he collapsed just as the bell went,

Tarleton was still the aggressor in the next round, but was kept at bay in the thirteenth by a magnificent exhibition of generalship, but all the same Tarleton scored freely at close quarters. Cuthbert was also made to miss a lot, and when he did so Tarleton rapped a left to the body. 7

The same may be said of the last two rounds. It always seemed that Tarleton might win by a , but Cuthbert, although well beaten, was dead game. Still he could not stave off defeat, and at the close Tarleton was an easy winner on points.

The Daily Mirror 13 June 1935

British Champion's Heroism Was Not Enough

10,000 CROWD INVADES RINGSIDE — AMERICAN

PUNCHES HARD BUT FAILS WITH K.O.

By STANLEY LONGSTAFF

Remarkable scenes marred the world's boxing' championship at the Stanley Greyhound Stadium, Liverpool, last night, when Freddie Miller, America's South-Paw featherweight. successfully defended his title against Nel Tarleton, of Liverpool, The decision was on points,

As the champion and his English challenger entered the arena 10,000 spectators in the cheap enclosure, more t h a n fifty yards from the ring, broke through a strong cordon of police and rushed across the stadium. Stewards were brushed aside, helpless, and forced to retire before the onrush. Within the space of a few moments the ring-side was swarming. The surprising part of an astonishing exhibition of unsporting behaviour was that the greater part of a flood of abuse was aimed at Tarleton.

HEROIC TARLETON

There seemed to be no explanation for the amazing scene other than that the onlookers in the distant enclosures had held a feeling of resentment that row on row of ringside seats should remain vacant. Appeals through the microphone for order had no more effect than the efforts of a score of officials.

The crowd had its way and the contest went on amid uproarious scenes. Tarleton's battle to wrest for a world title was heroic. The British champion was, courageous, willing and always a great trier, but it just happened that he lacked the boxing knowledge and punching, power of the American.

Only Tarleton himself knows how he survived fifteen rounds. His revival after severe punishment in the first minute — when he was floored by a body blow was the feature of the fight.

He carried on in miraculous fashion until regaining full control of his senses, when he gave Miller something to think about. 8

This is how I read the contest — Miller won the first five rounds, Tarleton the next four and Miller the remaining six. It was a comfortable victory, but I cannot help nursing the impression that Miller did not quite display the workmanship of a world's champion,

He had Tarleton so reduced in stamina during the last three rounds that ringside Americans were offering the fantastic odds of 10 to 1 on a knock-out. Tarleton just lasted out, although it seemed that another minute would have put him out of the boxing game for many a month.

After the thirteenth round, when Tarleton was put through the ropes and fell across t he Press table, he was so mentally dazed and so groggy on his feet that he was unable to return to his corner unassisted. When the fight was over Miller put through a 3,000-miie telephone call to his manager, Pete Reilly, in New York. " I won, Pete," were his first words, and then he settled down to half an hour's conversation. In a statement to t h e Press Miller said: " I t was one of my best fights, and I am sure I won." Tarleton said: " I am disappointed, I thought I had done sufficient to earn the referee's decision, I would like to meet Miller in a third fight.

The Daily Mirror 11 December 1934 TARLETON KEEPS HIS TITLE-AND BELT But Crowley Nearly Had Him "Out" in Round 9

BOXER TAKES SEVEN COUNTS By STANLEY LONGSTAFF Nel Tarleton, the Liverpool holder of the British feather-weight championship, made a Lonsdale belt his own property at Wembley Arena last night when 2,000 people saw him out-point Dave Crowley, his rugged London challenger.

It must have been by a slender margin of points that Tarleton clung to his crown while there was a time when he came perilously near a knock-out defeat. The big thrill in a fast and eventful fight came in the ninth round, when Crowley, rushing in furiously, threw a vicious right hand which sent Tarleton staggering to the ropes.

There the champion's knees sagged instinct alone steered him out of danger. With his arms and gloves cleverly covering the vulnerable spots, he swayed this way and that from dozens of punches flung at him from all angles.

Crowley saw the chance that had come his way and tried desperately hard to turn it to the fullest advantage. He just could not land the all-important blow, and when the round ended he threw his hands across his body in an expression of disgust at his own failure and disappointment.

It looked all Lombard street to a china orange on the title changing hands at this stage, but Tarleton—thanks in no small measure to the tactful handling of Ted Broadribb 9 in his corner during the interval quickly regained his composure.

The chance slipped further from Crowley in the tenth round when there were two stoppages. First the lace on Tarleton's right glove slipped loose, and then Crowley was sent back to his corner to have an abundance of grease wiped from his body.

These were welcome respites for Tarleton. Just how they benefited him could have been seen in the spirited manner in which he resisted Crowley's aggressiveness.

NON-STOP ATTACK

There was Tarleton's defensive cleverness and superior ring craft, allied to the accurate use of his left hand, pitted against the fiery non-stop attack set up by Crowley. Crowley forced the fight throughout, and, allowing for the fact that many of his punches were parried by Tarleton, I still think he went as near to victory as any other defeated boxer has been.

One had to admire his persistence. With his teeth gritted and his body weaving and , he set up a continuous attack, What is more, he put infinitely more " pep " into his hitting, and I thought that this effectively countered the often innocuous left hand work of the champion.

The fight was close enough not to permit any quibbling with the decision whichever way it went. I thought at the final gong that he had just about sneaked the title from Tarleton

In the eleventh round the men came out of a clinch, Tarleton with blood streaming from a gash over his left ear and Crowley with an injury to his forehead. They had collided rather heavily, but fortunately no serious damage was done. Tarleton pulled out his most convincing work after this and made Crowley flounder a great deal.

The champion gave the impression that he was capable of more than a persistent retreat by his flashes of brilliance in which he rained blows on his bewildered challenger. So the title remains in Liverpool but Crowley can take what consolation he likes from the fact that he emerged from the battle with a vast amount of credit.

THEY ENJOYED IT !

I am very happy to have won the Lonsdale belt outright and am not retiring from the ring, I enjoyed the fight because there was so much good, clean punching," said Nel Tarleton after his victory. Crowley said; " I am sure there was not a lot between us. It was a, fine contest.

End 10

Reference: Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph, Tuesday, February 27, 1996

This Thursday the Baths Hall will echo to the noise of fight fans cheering home favourite Trevor Meikle to victory in his clash with Hull’s Kevin Toomy for the vacant Central Area Welterweight Championship of Great Britain . In the build up to the fight which promises to be the biggest boxing event in the towns history, Evening Telegraph reporter DAVID ATKIN looks back at the towns most successful exponents of the noble art and joins today’s fighters in the gym. Tonight he takes a look at the career of the late Dick Burke whose hard hitting action and likeable personality won him the respect on both sides of the Atlantic during the first half of the century.

A much loved character of the boxing fraternity

Home to a thousand and one sporting heroes, the city of Liverpool was birthplace to the legendary Dick Burke.As a boxer few could match his hard hitting, all action style whilst outside the ring he mixed with ease with his fans and peers alike. He was a man for the people, one the supporters loved to cheer and the boxers used to respect – a British hero in an era of fighting legends.

Born in the tough Everton district of Liverpool in 1912, Dick had a hard up bringing but he kept a fond love for his home town after moving around the world with the RAF before settling in Scunthorpe in the 1960’s. 11

Despite his great achievements including flooring world champion Al Brown and beating European champion Dominic Bernisconi, both in non title fights, Dick didn’t start fighting until he left school. His wife, Marie, who still lives in Scunthorpe along with two of their five children Michael and Peter, takes up the story of her late husbands entry into the fight game.

School

“ He started just after he had left school “ she said. “He had a proper gym and really only did it as a hobby to keep fit. “Ritchie always used to do a lot of running but decided to try boxing – I don’t really know why. He had his first fight and won. It was over 10 rounds, which was usual for a first fight but it grew from there. He just kept winning.

Running and rowing were some of his favourite ways of training. He’d also push heavy grass rollers – anything to build his muscles up. It was really hard work”. Mrs Burke continued “Most people think they just get in the ring and have a go at each other but it takes a lot of determination and effort . A lot would be worn out after training but he was always fresh. It was rewarding for him and he enjoyed it”.

In a near 70 fight career Dick mainly fought around his home city of Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds. The nearest he came to Scunthorpe was when he fought Brown for a second time at Blundell Park, Grimsby. In his first 56 contests Burke only lost eight times and rarely spent time on the canvas. His biggest fan, wife Marie, said “ I used to go to all his fights and had a ringside seat. I really enjoyed it and egged him on to win.

“He was a straightforward boxer with a really good punch and big heart. The fans used to love watching him fight and once, when he beat the Little Minor in Sheffield, the crowd were in uproar as they wanted their man to win but he was very popular. Although he never won a professional title, Dick fought several eliminators without getting a championship contest but he had an impressive record against some of the top boxers of his day.

“I am sure he would have given a lot of today’s fighters a run for their money “ Mrs Burke said “ He floored Al Brown and went with him when he was world champion. In one of his two fights with Al Brown his eye was cut. The referee thought it was a 15 round contest and so stopped it. It was really over and afterwards the referee apologised.

Fights

“Al’s manager wanted him to go to America and fight there, but he didn’t want to. He loved England to much.” After hanging up his gloves Dick joined the RAF as a physical training instructor and he travelled the world. He helped train British, Australian and New Zealand airmen to box in the Far East but when he returned to this country his active links with the sport diminished.

Although he kept in touch with friends in the fight game and went to the odd match, he no longer trained fighters when he moved to Scunthorpe with his family in the early 1960s .He took up a post as a welfare attendant, pitside at the Normanby Park works before retiring for a well earned rest.Unfortunately, he became ill and after a long battle, typical of the courage he showed in the ring, 12

Dick Burke passed away in August 1989, aged 76.

His family, the town and the fight game had lost one of boxing’s greatest and much loved characters, but his wife Marie still has a soft spot for the sport and believes her husband would have enjoyed watching some of today’s fighters. “I think he would have really liked Naseem Hamed. They would have got in the ring together and had a good fight. He was the sort of fighter Hamed would have respected” Mrs Burke said.

She added: Ritchie supported all talent and he would have probably have gone to see this local lad fight had he been alive today. It would be nice if he could .”

Reference: Evening Express Tuesday, October 9, 1934 The Gong Has Gone A fighter says good bye to the Ring

By Dick Burke

Dick Burke the Liverpool Whirlwind has fought his last contest….the red haired Irish battler, at the age of 22, has received doctors orders to hang up the gloves for ever.

“You must give up boxing”

No sentence pronounced by a judge in court could mean more to any man than the above words said to a boxer by his doctor.I know because I have just heard them. I have got to give up the game. I have heard the count from the most inexorable referee. I shall miss the ring more than I dare think. I suppose I would not mind so much If I had had a long innings ; had managed to claim some of the golden rewards that a boxing career can bring. But I am, so far as boxing goes, still very young.

Twenty two is not a great age, and when I think how very near I have been to having the rich prizes of the game within my hands I sigh for my lost opportunities. Somehow the really big rewards have always eluded me. I have defeated many champions and stopped many others on their way up the championship ladder.

But I have always missed the title myself by a hairs breadth.Still I am not complaining one little bit. It has been a great time. My only fault I suppose I must attribute to my Irish blood is that I have always been too impulsive. In all my fights I have always swung into my opponent, taken terrific punishment needlessly, because I have always been terribly anxious to make a “Go” of it and satisfy my supporters who have come to see me live up to the nickname they have given me. It is that which has finished my boxing career.

After my last fight with Albert Roothooft, Rotherham I was taken to hospital where the doctor told me how for the last six months I had courted death by going into the ring. I was left with partial paralysis and although I am now fit and well for ordinary life, I am forbidden to enter a boxing ring. Looking back now, it seems ages since I first dropped into the Red Triangle Lad’s Club, in Everton, one night five years ago. I was seventeen, and for the first time donned a pair of boxing gloves. I suppose I must have had some natural qualities as a boxer. 13

I know I felt a strange thrill as I weighed into my first opponent. I became an enthusiastic amateur and won my first seven fights.Then over confident I tackled a much bigger fellow and received a real hiding. That set me back for a few weeks. I wondered if I was really as good as I thought . I thought I was. So I asked for another fight. I won it so easily, and felt so gloriously confident after it that I decided there and then to go in for the game professionally.

The one day I was invited to call in to the gymnasium kept by Mr. Charlie Phillips, who had handled every Liverpool boxer of note. I got my first big chance through him when I was brought to the attention of Mr. Johnny Best.It was the usual custom for a beginner to be given a six round contest, and I suppose it was a tribute to my abilities that I started off in a ten round fight.

That started me off. I went anywhere and everywhere for a fight , the harder the better. I was determined to get there, and to do it quicker than anyone had done it before. I suppose it was this over anxiety which had so much to do with the punishment I took.I believed that real boxing was ninety percent attack. I looked down on those boxers who relied only on defence; dodging and swaying and feinting and holding. I still believe that my idea is right and that more points should go to the man who takes the fight to his opponent.

I had 72 fights in under four years, have won 54, drawn 6 and lost 12.This works out at about one every three weeks for four years.

It has been uphill work too because at first I wouldn’t tackle anyone unless he was worth while and above me in class and reputation; later no one but men well up in the game would tackle me.Johnny Peters, Little Minor, ,Freddy Webb, Mendiola , Boy Edge, Bert Kirby, Johnny King, Bernasconi, Dick Corbett right up to Al Brown the world champion himself; I have fought them all and I think I can say without conceit that nearlyevery one of those fights stand out in boxing history.

Let me tell you of one of my fights with Al Brown, that extraordinary coloured world bantam champion the freak boxer the “six foot” bantam. I was matched with him first at Sheffield , nearly two years ago It was the chance of a lifetime. The fight was not for the title, but I knew that if I could beat him nothing on earth would prevent me getting a shot at the title. I would visualise the glittering prize of the ring coming my way at last. I piled into him from the start, trying to break through his extraordinary defence.

He was an amazing fellow light as a feather on his feet, forever moving and flashing his long arms in at unexpected moments. It puzzled me at first, but I kept at it and gradually I think my persistence began to count. Every round was a ding dong affair, and the crowd round the ring were going mad with excitement. When the gong went on the last round, there was a dramatic pause. Then Al Brown’s arm was raised and I knew I had lost on points, and he rushed over to me to congratulate me on one of the hardest fights he had had.

The most dramatic moment in my career came when I got a return contest with Brown six months later. It was at an open air show in Grimsby. This time I knew my Brown better and I put everything I knew into it. I knew I was scoring well and I felt strong and confident.Then my bad luck started towards the end of the fight when I verily believe I had piled up a lead in points. A cut over the eye started to bleed.

The fight was nearing the end and I carried on. It was the last round and with blood streaming down 14 my face I slashed into Brown as if possessed . I could hardly see what was happening but I saw someone step between us.It was the referee. He had stopped the fight thirty seconds from the last gong. It was a terrible disappointment, for which even the congratulations of men famous in the boxing world could not atone.

I had another great battle at Bell Vue against Dominic Bernasconi the Italian bantam champion. A few weeks before I fought him I had seen him knockout Johnny then the British champion. He had a peculiar over arm and when it connected it had a deafly effect. I decided the only way was to fight him hard, and went in with a set purpose. It was a terrific battle all the way, but I had the satisfaction of beating on points the man who had vanquished the champion..

Here I would like to pay a tribute to Mr. Johnny Best and to thank him for the chance he gave me at the stadium to climb the boxing ladder; .and Mr Harry Fleming who later managed me.He was more like a father than a manager and I was very happy in his Manchester ”camp”. And know I am out of it, but still have a lot to fight for. I have a good companion in my wife who married me when I was just starting out on my boxing career with high hope in my heart.

We had worked together at a Liverpool upholstery factory – Guy Rogers of Soho street -and I used to tell her of my ambitions. We got married when we were eighteen with nothing much more than ambition and courage to start on We have two little girls – Sheila, who is now two and a half, and Maureen, born on my twenty second birthday a week ago.

The principal of the old firm where I used to work has kindly offered me my job back. So I still will be “leather pushing” although there will be no crowds or applause where I work among chairs and chesterfields.But at least I will have memories, and as I watch from the ringside other Liverpool boys climbing up the ladder of fistic fame, I will recall the four glorious yeas in which I topped the bill, fighting my way through every difficulty to find the prize swept away as I neared he summit.

And at least I will have some satisfaction in knowing that my name will go down in boxing history alongside those of Nel Tarleton, Dom Volante ,Alf Howard and a hundred others who have kept Merseyside’s name bright in boxing annals.

Dom Volante Without doubt one of Merseysides best remembered former boxers Dom Volante could be guarantered to fill any venue he was appearing at during the 1920's and 30's.

The son of Italian parents who met and married in England, Don grew up in Gerrard Street, of Scotland road, Liverpool and was one of 14 children. 15

Due to his all action style he was known as the "Liverpool Fighting Machine" and in a 14 year professional career scored wins over names as Nel Tarleton, Johnny Cuthbert and Seaman Tommy Watson.

He had around 140 contests and is fondly remembered for his skills with the harmonica after fights as he was for his skills in the ring.

Together with his brother Vincent, himself a former Catholic Schoolboy Champion, Dom was a founder member of the Merseyside Former Boxers association and both remained so until their deaths. Dom passed away in 1982 aged 77 whilst Vincent died in 1996.

In 1936 one of Liverpool’s finest boxers, and undoubtedly the best who ever won a title finally hung up his gloves. Dom Volante grew up in the gas light era, a time of Hansom cabs, cobblestones and grinding poverty. He was one of 14 children born to Italian immigrant parents in Gerrard Street near Scotland Road – Liverpool.

This area was Liverpool’s “Little Italy”. Dom’s father made a living by playing the street organ. After one amateur fight in 1922 Dom turned professional as a featherweight.

He was unfortunate in some ways to be a contemporary of the great Nel Tarleton, they clashed four times in the ring with Dom only winning their first meeting and losing the others. At one of their fights, an open air show at Breck Park – Liverpool – in 1928 the crowd of 13,000 disagreed so violently with the decision of referee “Bombardier” Wells in awarding the bout and the Northern Area Title, to Tarleton, that more than the usual verbal abuse was hurled, and the “Bombardier” Billy Wells in awarding the bout and the Northern Area Title , to Tarleton, that more than the usual verbal abuse was hurled, and then the “Bombardier” received a severe cut on the head when he was hit a bit slow slow ducking out of the way of a low flying chair.

Tarleton and Volante were friends away from the ring and their double act with Dom on the mouth organ and Nel tap dancing was legendary. One of their most famous performances was at the opening of the Paramount Cinema which was built on the site of the old Pudsey Street Stadium .

Dom had been on the “Bill” on the last night at Pudsey Street when he had stopped Teddy Brown of Newcastle. On one occasion his skill with the mouth organ came to his rescue when in a bout with Nipper Cooper In 62 seconds and the crowd, mostly miners, threatened to riot. Dom produced his mouth organ and defused the situation. In fact his mouth organ displays became a feature of his life of his life and helped him raise thousands of pounds for charity. 16

During his 14 year career he packed in around 140 contests with only a hand full of defeats. In his early days he sometimes fought twice a night to help bring the money in, only the alternative to doubling up was to sell chocolates at ringside in between bouts. Dom was the scourge of continental boxers and the despair of top agent Nick Cavelli who brought 32 of them over to beat the “Liverpool Wop”, he defeated 31 of them and drew the remaining contest. In 1930 he toured America with Tarleton and his fight with Harry Carlton in front of 18,000 fans at Madison Square Gardens was voted by the U.S. press as the greatest fighter ever seen in that famous arena.

He quit the ring in 1933 with eye trouble , but only after 18 months he was back again for a six undefeated comeback. After a short spell as a manager he went to sea, first as a steward and later as a gym instructor on the Britianic,Mauretania and the Queen Mary. Ashore he worked as a security guard at Jacobs for a while until his retirement.

His death , in 1972, at the age of 77 brought down the curtain on the life of a truly remarkable fighter who made thousands of friends both inside and outside of boxing.. in his time he was one of Liverpool’s best loved personalities, he, like Dean and Tarleton in the inter war years truly became a legend in his own lifetime.

Evening Express February 8 , 1933

Volante “Hangs” Up The Gloves

By THE PILOT

Dom Volante, the Liverpool , has “hung up the gloves” in boxing parlance, that means definitely he has retired from the ring.

I am able to make this announcement following the visit of the Liverpool Italian to an eye specialist. The specialist’s verdict is that Dom must give up boxing immediately or run the risk of losing his sight. Reluctantly Volante has had to consent and has intimated his retirement to his manager, Mr Ted roadrib.

Volante was the gamest fighter Liverpool ever produced. He was known as the “Liverpool Fighting Machine” an no description fitted him better. He went into the ring to fight and no one who met him ever expected anything but a fight.

Boxing loses a brilliant little battler, perhaps, the most popular boxer seen for many years. He was a great favourite not only in Liverpool, but in Manchester, London and in America, where he toured with his pal, Nel Tarleton.

Volante never gained a championship, but he defeated, during his brilliant career, no fewer than six men who were champions – or later won Lonsdale belts. 17

They were Harry Corbett, Young Johnny Brown, Nel Tarleton, Johnny Curley, Johnny Cuthbert and ex Seaman Tommy Watson.

Cuthbert won on each occasion, but Volante found honour in defeat.

“I’ll be there”

A favourite expression of Dom’s was “I’ll be there at the finish”, and invariably he was.

February 27th 1928 Versus Paddy Jones at the NSC Covent Gardens.

“Boxing at the N.S.C. Two Perfectly Matched Feather-Weights”

“It would be hard to imagine two better matched boxers – over 15 rounds, at any rate – than Paddy Jones the North Boxer, and Dom Volante from Liverpool, who met in a contest at the Feather-weight at the last night.

In physique, fitness, all-round skill, punch, and fighting spirit, there was so little to choose between the two men that, although each had his good and his bad moments it was hardly surprising that the referee decided, like every-one else, that it was impossible either Jones or Volante to be a beaten man, even on points.

It would indeed have required a sensitive seismograph rather than a judge’s pencil; to have recorded without fail every shock inflicted on head and body by two such rapidly moving, tireless combatants. Even the apparent differences in style and method would have proved a snare and delusion.

If Volante went after his man relentlessly from start to finish, Jones’ and punches beat him back. Perhaps it was Jones’ sheer steadiness that counterbalanced the amazing way in which Volante kept up his offensive in the face of counter blows that would have knocked out of stride 99 boxers out of 100.

For the first six rounds, Volante’s aggression and speed probably gave him the advantage. He was able to keep springing in with lefts and following rights, and at infighting he tested Jones’s defence equally severely.

Really it wasn’t until the ninth round when Jones’s left stops to Volante’s face began to be the blow that mattered, although Volante was well able to take the punishment. In the tenth there was a sort of lull in the intensity of the fight, but the fight broke out again as fast and furious as ever. Both men contacted punches from every angle ad caused an impossible task to count the clean hits.

The remaining rounds were all boxing and totally entertaining with Volante’s following rights to the head and body and Jones’s rights; with one which came in the 14th that almost had 18

Volante stopped dead in tracks. But a possible chance of winning decisively vanished when in the 15th round, Volante was hard at it again and it was only Jones’s counterpunching defence that saved him.

Altogether, it was a magnificent display of keen and clean two-handed, wholehearted boxing, and quite a relief from the sporting point of view, to hear that the decision was a draw.

~ ~ ~ 19

March 26th 1929 Versus Vincent Cerdan of Marseilles at the NSC Covent Gardens.

“Liverpool versus Marseilles.”

Dom Volante of Liverpool met Vincent Cerdan of Marseilles in a 15 round featherweight contest, providing the chief contest, and most importantly, the best entertainment at the NSC last night.

Cerdan had given Johnny Cuthbert a fairly good fight recently and Volante, a touted contender for the British title, looked upon the fight as a line to championship form. Certainly, as Volante forced his man to retire in the 7th round, the form looked good for the winner.

During the first two rounds, Volante had anything but an easy time of it, for Cerdan more than made up for his short reach by his activity and speed with the use of his left . Volante was dropped in the first half minute and eventually took advantage of Cerdan’s failure to follow up.

Cerdan was all at sea as soon as Volante steadied himself; Cerdan tried hard to land more of his left hooks but to no avail as Volante was able to control his opponent physically with careful use of his straight left. When the outdistanced Cerdan did land it was only on Volante’s elbows, which were used very skilfully as a guard to the body.

It was quite likely that through blows to Volante’s elbow, Cerdan injured his hand; eventually, too, Volante began to press and punish his man heavily, bringing about a decision by the opposing corner to end the match.

Dick Burke - Nel Tarleton - Dom Volante 20