Larry Boardman

[CONN CHRIS]

Hey, I was wondering if any of the ..ahem... more seasoned amoung us may have seen Larry Boardman fight? He is another family favorite that I want to find more information on. I saw the piece at IBRO Research but it has little in the way of bio information (and someone needs to let them know that they misspelled his hometown - Marlborough, CT).

He lived a few streets over from my Grandfather's house. My dad as a little boy used to sit by his mailbox in the summer to wait for Larry to run by when he was at his dad's house (which was often, his Dad managed him). After this went on for a while, Larry started handing my dad a stopwatch when he passed by and had my dad click it and hand it off to him when he came by on the return. In hind sight, my dad is pretty sure that this meant nothing to Larry's routine, but was his way of being nice to a nieghborhood kid. (It also kept dad out of grandma's hair while he diligently sat with the watch for an hour or so )

Anyway, My dad and grandfather lost touch with the Boardmans when Sam and the family moved to Florida a few decades ago, so I was just curious if anyone knows anything about Larry or has stumbled across some good bio material on the web.

Thanks,

CONN

[Austin]

Conn,

I saw Larry fight on TV, in the 50's, when I was a kid. He had heavy hands, with power in both of them. Had a nice ko over a good Frankie Ryff. He was a slugger, and a good one. His chin was ok, but he had trouble with the left jab. Hope that helps.

Austin

[CONN CHRIS]

Thanks Austin, I appreciate the response. I am hoping to cobble enough together on him to do a full blown replay. My dad's memory of his fights was fuzzy, he was just a kid like you (I am 38 - dad married young) But he seemed to think Larry could really sit on his crosses, he was impressed by them anyway.

CONN

[bear]

Chris
Some biographical info on Larry Boardman can be found in Friday's Heros, by Willie Pep. A chapter is devoted to the 50s boxers who were the sport's early TV stars. Clay Moyle might have a copy available on his webpage at prizefighting books. Alternatively you can try the Advanced Book Exchange at:
http://www.abebooks.com/

bear

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

Hey, I was wondering if any of the ..ahem... more seasoned amoung us may have seen Larry Boardman fight? He is another family favorite that I want to find more information on. I saw the piece at IBRO Research but it has little in the way of bio information (and someone needs to let them know that they misspelled his hometown - Marlborough, CT).

He lived a few streets over from my Grandfather's house. My dad as a little boy used to sit by his mailbox in the summer to wait for Larry to run by when he was at his dad's house (which was often, his Dad managed him). After this went on for a while, Larry started handing my dad a stopwatch when he passed by and had my dad click it and hand it off to him when he came by on the return. In hind sight, my dad is pretty sure that this meant nothing to Larry's routine, but was his way of being nice to a nieghborhood kid. (It also kept dad out of grandma's hair while he diligently sat with the watch for an hour or so )

Anyway, My dad and grandfather lost touch with the Boardmans when Sam and the family moved to Florida a few decades ago, so I was just curious if anyone knows anything about Larry or has stumbled across some good bio material on the web.

Thanks,

CONN

[CONN CHRIS]

Originally Posted by bear

Chris
Some biographical info on Larry Boardman can be found in Friday's Heros, by Willie Pep. A chapter is devoted to the 50s boxers who were the sport's early TV stars. Clay Moyle might have a copy available on his webpage at prizefighting books. Alternatively you can try the Advanced Book Exchange at:
http://www.abebooks.com/

bear

Bear:

I checked Amazon, the site you mentioned and a few more with no luck. Then I located Clay and exchanged a few emails, it sounds like a dynamite book and he had an extra copy which is no on its way to my post box!

Thanks for the tip,

CONN

[bear]

Its a good read. I like books that contain bios of lesser known fighters. Don't think these guys should be forgotten. I'm especially fond of the 50s. Grew up watching fights and ballgames with my dad. I probably saw Boardman fight if he was on TV here in the 50s, but my better memories are of later in the decade. I was a few years out of kindergarden when dad took me to the show to see The Harder They Fall. For days afterward he told me all sorts of yarns about The Ambling Alp, Maxie Baer, Ernie Schaff, and mobsters in boxing. I realize he must have edited the Baer stories for my child-age ears. Dad would always take me to the Park to watch any kind of sandlot game and to the National Guard Armory to see fights. Dad could watch two kids in a school yard playing fast pitch transfixed for hours on end because they were playing ball. My interests are more toward boxing and football, and then baseball. I liked hockey back when the NHL was a six team league before it watered itself down.

Bear

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

Bear:

I checked Amazon, the site you mentioned and a few more with no luck. Then I located Clay and exchanged a few emails, it sounds like a dynamite book and he had an extra copy which is no on its way to my post box!

Thanks for the tip,

CONN

[jofre]

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

Hey, I was wondering if any of the ..ahem... more seasoned amoung us may have seen Larry Boardman fight? CONN

Larry Boardman was a terrific puncher with either hand. He had an average jab, a terrific left hook and a horrific right hand. He was also a lusty body puncher and when in close quarters possessed a beautiful left uppercut. He had a good chin and an average defense. He was fearless and very aggressive.

His biggest drawback was against fast moving and elusive boxers. When he got frustrated he had a tendency to be very wild.

As a kid my dad took me to the fights. The first fight I attended was Boardman against Wallace Bud Smith. Boardman was substituting for Tony DeMarco. Boardman was dropped in the first and ninth rounds, but was competitive through out. He showed a lot of guts, fighting back strongly from each knockdown. Boardman got the decision, but I thought Smith had the edge.

The next time I saw him was against Sandy Saddler. He really dominated Saddler and won an easy decision. He stunned Saddler on several occasions. The next time I saw him was on TV when he made his TV debut against Frankie Ryff. In the ninth round he scored one of the most devastating knockouts I had ever seen. It was a thing of beauty – a terrific right cross right on the button. Ryff was down and out for quite awhile.

He was back in Boston and looked terrific stopping Jimmy Carter. I was surprised at how many times Larry hurt and dropped Carter with sucker right hands.

Then Larry broke this young kid’s heart when Orlando Zulueta boxed him silly at Boston Garden. Zulueta kept his left jab in Larry’s face all night long. He never gave Larry a chance to mount any kind of sustained attack. Larry’s frustration was obvious, as he didn’t land a significant punch at any time. Larry was wilder than I had ever seen him, even falling part way through the ropes on one of his wild rushes.

Against Tony DeMarco he was lucky to go the distance. DeMarco was just too strong. Tony dropped Larry twice in the fifth round I believe, and won going away. Boardman showed a lot of heart in staying the distance.

Johnny Busso dropped Larry twice in their fight in Boston and won an easy decision. I had expected an easy win for Larry, but Busso just outboxed and outpunched him. Thinking about it now, Larry was probably starting to slip after the DeMarco fight.

In his rematch with Busso he didn’t look to be the same fighter I had seen earlier. He was dropped 7 times in suffering his first stoppage loss. He did manage to drop Busso once during the fight. He showed tremendous courage, however, getting up six times. It was a very sad night for me.

[jofre]

Boardman's knockout of Ryff

[CONN CHRIS]

Thanks Jofre, especialy for the photos with Ryff. That cross looks devestating even in stills.

I do not know if dad went to see Larry fight in person, he would have been about 10 or 11 when Boardman started fighting in Hartford and the Northeast. I am pretty sure his recollections of Larry the boxer as opposed to the local star that ran by his house were from television.

[bear]

Chris
Boardman must be experiencing a re-birth. You were the second person in the last six months that asked about him. Someone in another of my boxing newsgroups had asked about him a short time ago and I shared the same info about Friday Night Heroes.
My mom had her 91st birthday on Christmas day. She was from Connecticut originally but I don't recall her birthplace. When I visit her tomorrow I'll find out.

bear

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

Thanks Jofre, especialy for the photos with Ryff. That cross looks devestating even in stills.

I do not know if dad went to see Larry fight in person, he would have been about 10 or 11 when Boardman started fighting in Hartford and the Northeast. I am pretty sure his recollections of Larry the boxer as opposed to the local star that ran by his house were from television.

[CONN CHRIS]

Originally Posted by bear

Chris
Boardman must be experiencing a re-birth. You were the second person in the last six months that asked about him. Someone in another of my boxing newsgroups had asked about him a short time ago and I shared the same info about Friday Night Heroes.
My mom had her 91st birthday on Christmas day. She was from Connecticut originally but I don't recall her birthplace. When I visit her tomorrow I'll find out.

bear

Maybe we know her Bear. It's a small world and strange things happen all the time.

[bear]

Chris
Found out my mom hails from a place called Tariffville and came to Chicago around 1926.

bear

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

Maybe we know her Bear. It's a small world and strange things happen all the time.

[CONN CHRIS]

Originally Posted by bear

Chris
Found out my mom hails from a place called Tariffville and came to Chicago around 1926.

bear

Bear:

There are well over 100 towns in CT and that is unfortunately one that I am unfamiliar with. I wonder if she remembers Bill Savat?

He owned a large jewlry store in Hartford from the twenties to the seventies. He sponsored a semi-pro baseball team that barn stormed the state in the 20s and 30s hitting almost every town. They were called the Savat Gems, played regular games in Hartford and sometimes would pick up a marginal pro player for their barnstorming runs. Bill had a big in-state profile, even back when your Mom lived here.

She left a great state (In my little mind anyway)

CONN

[bear]

I don't know if she will remember him, I can ask, but her memory is getting dodgy. She was about 10 or 11 when she left. I'm wondering if it was near a larger local and got eaten up by a bigger place. When I'm at work tomorrow I can check a gazeteer and see if they have the location listed.

bear

[ QUOTE=CONN CHRIS]Bear:

There are well over 100 towns in CT and that is unfortunately one that I am unfamiliar with. I wonder if she remembers Bill Savat?

He owned a large jewlry store in Hartford from the twenties to the seventies. He sponsored a semi-pro baseball team that barn stormed the state in the 20s and 30s hitting almost every town. They were called the Savat Gems, played regular games in Hartford and sometimes would pick up a marginal pro player for their barnstorming runs. Bill had a big in-state profile, even back when your Mom lived here.

She left a great state (In my little mind anyway)

CONN[/quote]

[CONN CHRIS]

Originally Posted by bear

I can check a gazeteer and see if they have the location listed.

I think the name was actualy "Savitt" He has died and the stores he owned have been sold, but in his day he was a big, big fish in our little pond.

[bear]

Chris

I've found the following. From the Feb. 1941 Ring, Sectional Ratings for Connecticut based on 1940 performances by Don Hamill:
HW Nathan Mann, Hamden; Charley Eagle, Waterbury; George Fitch, New Haven; Lee Q. Murray, South Norwalk
LHW Al Gainer, New Haven
MW Maxie Katz, Waterbury
WW Irish Eddie Dolan, Waterbury; Jimmy Leto, Hartford; Cocoa Kid, New Haven;
Oscar Suggs, New Haven; Pete Koloff, Rockville; Red Moffett, Devon; Dick Turcotte, Waterbury
LW Johnny Bellus, New Haven; Red Guggino, Hartford; Julie Kogan, New Haven
FW Bobby Ivy, Hartford; Joey Ianotti, New Haven; Snooks Lacey, New Haven; Johnny Compo, New Haven
BW Earl Roys, Bristol
Fly none

Some really good names from boxing history in this group.

Bear

[CONN CHRIS]

Very neat Bear! I would love to see a scan of that if you have the capability.

Now I want to pull out their records at that time, Charlie Eagle ranked above Lee Q Murray

The date you have is right between Battalino and Pep so the normaly strong Featherweight showing for Hartford looks a bit thin.

I have been meaning to rank Katz, I have his records in the desk drawer. If memory serves, I came accross him as a frequent opponent of the in-state Heavyweight stiffs - the Middleweight division was a bit thin in the forties here in CT.

Thanks so much Bear, enjoyed this greatly.

CONN

[bear]

Chris

I have a new 4 in 1 so, theoretically I have scanning capability, but I've never tried to use it. Once I figure it out I'll try to scan and send. I'll probably fiddle with it tomorrow. Predicitions are for a winter storm overnight with 4 to 12. I expect I'll be hunkered in all day tomorrow.

It was also pre-prime for Murray. Was about 5 years before the appearence of a fighter using the name "Young Lee Q. Murray" in tribute.

Bear

[bear]

Chris
I found out about Tariffville. It is part of:
Simsbury, town (1990 pop. 22,023), Hartford co., N Conn.; 41°52'N 49°72'W. Although the town is mainly residential, it produces ordnance, machinery, and chemicals. Agr. and insurance offices. The Westminster and the Ethel Walker schools are here. Became home to many Olympic skaters from the former Soviet Union in the early 1990s with the opening of the Internatl. Skating Center. Gifford Pinchot, the forester and public official, b. here. Includes village of Tariffville (1990 pop. 1,477). Inc. 1670.

Bear

[CONN CHRIS]

Ah, so that's where it is. Must be a burrough folded into Avon at some point. The skating center (and home to more than a few Russian skaters that have had mug shots in the paper for drunken driving) is always listed as being in Avon.

I grew up in Gilead, which technicaly does not exist anymore as it was dissolved by the State and folded into Hebron. I suspect, Tariffville has a similar history.

CONN