Featured Fighter: Mysterious Billy Smith (WIP)

The late, great AJ Liebling quoted Doc Kearns (who fought Billy Smith) on him:

“He was always doing something mysterious. Like he would step on your foot, and when you looked down he would bite you in the ear. If I had a fighter like that nowadays, I could lick heavyweights. But we are living in a bad period all around.”

 

Please continue. This is fascinating stuff about a renowned ruffian whom I’d like to know more about.

 

Which ones you are uncertain about? A have report for lots of Smith's bouts.

 

1894-11-19 Jack Powers ND6 (Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada)
1894-11-20 The Hartford Courant (Hartford, CT) (page 1)
St. John, N. B., Nov. 19.--A big crowd saw the six-round fight to-night between Jack Power of this city and "Mysterious" Billy Smith. The conditions of the match required a knock-out in order to obtain a decision. At the end of the sixth round both men were fighting hard and both in condition. No decision was rendered.


1897-05-29 Abe Ullman W20 (New York, NY, USA)
1897-05-30 Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, NY) (page 15)
New York, May 29.--Mysterious Billy Smith, of Boston, bested Abe Ullman, of Baltimore, in a twenty-round bout in the Polo A. C. to-night in the presence of 3,000 men. They fought at catch weights. Smith's handlers said he weighed 148, but he looked heavier. Ullman turned the scales at 157 pounds. They put up an interesting fight. Smith forced the going in nearly every round and clearly outpointed Ullman. Both men fought foul at times, but as both were to blame nothing was done by the referee. To give Smith his due he was never seen to better advantage in this city and fought remarkably fair considering the provocation he got from Ullman. Referee Frank Abraham's decision pleased the majority of those who saw the bout.


1897-08-23 Jack Powers D8 (Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada)
1897-08-24 The Hartford Courant (Hartford, CT) (page 1)
St. John, N. B., Aug. 23.--The boxing exhibition to-night in the Mechanics Institute was attended by about 1,000 people. The event of the night was the eight-round go between "Mysterious Billy Smith" and Jack Power of this city. From the third round Smith forced the fighting to the finish, but the bout was declared a draw.


1898-02-18 Abe Ullman ND8 (Baltimore, MD, USA)
1898-02-19 Morning Herald (Baltimore, MD) (page 9)
The bout was scheduled for eight rounds, and went the limit. At the end both men were fresh, and neither had obtained any advantage. The decision would clearly have been a draw. Both men fought a very clean, scientific battle, extremely creditable. Smith is much the harder hitter, and understands more about the game than Ullman, but the latter's reach and extra weight helped to make up the difference. Ullman has improved very much since his last appearance, and can now give the best of them a hard race.
The rounds were fought through very evenly, Smith doing most of the leading. No effective blows were landed by either man, though some sharp exchanges were had, particularly in the first and last rounds. The fine foot work and the scientific defense were evidently overlooked by some of the crowd of spectators, who, in their thirst for gore, called for more fight.

1898-02-19 The Sun (Baltimore, MD) (page 6)
The star bout between Abe Ulman, of Baltimore, and "Mysterious Billy" Smith, of Boston, at catch-weights, was not so favorably received.
The contest was set for eight rounds, and it not only went the limit, but could have gone an unlimited number of rounds in so far as hurt was inflicted. Smith came heralded as a rough, foul fighter, but stated that he would demonstrate the fact that he was a clean, square performer in the ring. He demonstrated this, and his being on his merits in this respect might generously be given as an excuse for his boxing in a style far different from that which he is said to employ usually. Instead of going in and rushing Ulman he was content to stand off and punish the air with hard blows. Ulman was just as well pleased to fail in taking advantage of openings and chances which occurred.

 

1898-06-03 Billy Stift L-DQ5 (Chicago, IL, USA)
1898-06-04 The Chicago Daily Tribune (Chicago, IL) (page 7)
"Billy" Stift, who had some ten pounds advantage over "Mysterious Billy" Smith showed up in splendid trim. Smith was armed with two porous plasters and had his right knee in bandages. As far as the fight progressed there was little to choose. The New-Yorker was fast and clever, but several times was landed on heavily by Stift. Stift in the first round fell from the force of a blow which he failed to land. Few blows were struck in the second, which was even. Warmer work marked the opening of the third, Stift taking the aggressive. After one minute and eighteen seconds of fighting Stift swung and fell. While he was down Smith swung a hard right on the jaw, knocking the North Sider to the canvas. Masterson, who was on the other side of the ring, at once gave the fight to Stift. It was a difficult decision, and the opinion of the spectators was divided as to whether Stift's knee was touching the canvas or not. Stift was not knocked out and would have been able to continue. Smith refused to shake hands with Stift.

1898-06-04 The Chicago Record (Chicago, IL) (page 6)
Billy Smith and Billy Stift of this city went through two slow rounds, feeling each other for future use. In the third round, which proved to be the last, Stift slipped down after having received a light left from Smith, and, while resting on his knee, Smith completely lost his head and deliberately swung a hard right-hander upon the point of the Chicagoan's jaw which completely keeled that boxer over. This time Mr. Masterson was on deck and rightfully decided against the New Yorker, who was almost insane at having the decision given against him.

1898-06-04 The Daily Inter Ocean (Chicago, IL) (page 2)
The wind-up between Billy Stift of Chicago and "Mysterious" Billy Smith, Tommy Ryan's old and insistent foeman, was brought on shortly before 11 o'clock. Smith weighed about 160 pounds, the local man closely approximating 175 pounds. Stift appeared all tied up, and in the first round Smith succeeded in sending him in two short ones to the throat and wind, though no harm was done on either side. Stift landed on Smith's jaw in the second, Smith reciprocating in like fashion. They were in at close quarters when the round ended.
There was a warm exchange in the third round, and Stift was forced to his knees as the result of some sharp blows to the body in a clinch. While in this position Smith swung his right full to the side of the prostrate Stift's head. It was not hard enough to knock as rugged a fighter as Stift out, but the local man saw a soft spot and some easy money, and rolled over on his back, simulating unconsciousness. It was clearly a foul, and Masterson, following up the healthy precedent established in the preceding engagement, gave the fight to Stift.

 

1895-02-12 Peter Maher EXH3 (Lynn, MA, USA)
1895-02-14 The Boston Herald (Boston, MA) (page 2)
Billy Smith boxed Maher three stiff rounds at Lynn Tuesday night. While it was not in the nature of a contest, both men showed up faster than they would in an exhibition bout. Smith impressed every one with his fine condition, improved quickness and general cleverness, and his stock as a winner against Walcott at Music Hall March 1 went up.

1895-02-14 The Boston Post (Boston, MA) (page 3)
The Boston delegation of sports who went to Lynn on Tuesday evening to see Billy Smith box are speaking in warm praise of the "mysterious one." Smith was to box Billy Hennessey, but as the latter was ill it was decided that he should box Peter Maher. Three stiff rounds were boxed and Smith gave the greatest satisfaction, and added some friends to his list who will back him against Joe Walcott.
The great surprise, however, was the grand showing made by Peter Maher. The Irish champion is today more capable than at any other period of his career. He feels confident that he will beat Jim Hall in their coming six-round contest.
ROB ROY.

 

1900-09-11 Young Peter Jackson W18 (Cleveland, OH, USA)
http://senya13.blogspot.com/2013/09/1900-09-11-mysterious-billy-smith-w.html

 

Great stuff. Thanks guys.

 

1898-10-07 Charlie McKeever W25 (New York, NY, USA)
1898-10-08 New-York Tribune (New York, NY) (page 4)
"Mysterious Billy" Smith outpointed "Charlie" McKeever, of Philadelphia, in a twenty-five-round contest last night at the Lenox Athletic Club, thereby retaining the 142-pound championship, which he has successfully defended many times recently. His last encounter was with "Jim" Judge, at Scranton, Penn., last Monday, when he knocked Judge out a few seconds before the end of what was intended to be the last round.
Smith was fresh and strong last night, and McKeever also looked to be in good condition, and confident of holding his own. The man of mystery, however, proved his superiority in every round, and forced the issue from start to finish. The decision was favorably received by the spectators.

1898-10-08 The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, NY) (page 4)
Mysterious Billy Smith demonstrated his right to hold the title of welter weight champion by defeating Charlie McKeever in their twenty-five round contest at the Lenox Athletic Club last evening. Both men showed great cleverness in blocking, but there was one blow that McKeever was unable to stop and that was Smith's right to the kidneys in the infighting, and it was this blow that did much to win the battle for Smith. When the men entered the ring there was a long delay, owing to McKeever's demand that Smith should remove the bandages which he wore on both hands. Smith finally agreed to remove those on his right hand and McKeever agreed to allow him to retain those on his left. This hand Smith was unable to use more than a few times during the bout and had it been well the fight would have been considerably shorter.

1898-10-08 The Morning Telegraph (New York, NY) (page 3)
The bout lasted the full twenty-five rounds scheduled. Smith was the aggressor, but McKeever showed himself to be a clever defensive fighter. Referee White's decision gave satisfaction.

1898-10-08 The New York Herald (New York, NY) (page 12)
The men fought cleverly throughout, but Smith in a majority of the rounds clearly had the better of the contest. In one round only did McKeever make a decided impression, and that was in the twenty-third, when he dazed the Bostonian with a right on the jaw. Smith scored a knock down in the twenty-fifth and final round, and thereby clinched his right to the winner's share of the purse.

1898-10-08 The New York Press (New York, NY) (page 5)
In the last ten rounds of the contest Smith's left hand practically was useless and in the last five rounds it dangled helplessly by his side. Notwithstanding this big handicap he whipped his man and earned the decision which was awarded to him by Charley White, the referee.
This was a fight from start to finish. There was not a minute of it that was not filled with work that was both fast and clever. McKeever, like Smith, is a two handed fighter. Both are hard punchers, and each can take as well as give a blow.
Smith's hands were not in good condition when he entered the ring, and when he landed his left on McKeever's head in the fifteenth round that hand went out of business. The only use he made of it after that was to feint with it, and from the twentieth to the twenty-fifth round he could not get this poor service out of it.

1898-10-08 The Standard Union (Brooklyn, NY) (page 7)
"Mysterious" Billy Smith, the Boston pugilist, was given the decision in a twenty-five round fight last night with Charley McKeever, of Philadelphia, at the Lenox A. C. The spectators were not pleased with Referee White's verdict, but nevertheless it was probably a just one, as Smith was the aggressor throughout the fight. He injured his left hand before the contest had progressed far, but despite that he forced the fighting. In the twenty-third round McKeever landed heavily on Smith's jaw, making him groggy. He couldn't put the mysterious fighter out, however, and in the following two rounds Smith exhibited wonderful recuperative powers.

1898-10-08 The Sun (New York, NY) (page 9)
"Mysterious" Billy Smith of Boston received the decision of Referee White after a sensational twenty-five round glove fight with Charley McKeever of Philadelphia at the Lenox A. C. last night. Smith hurt his left hand early in the battle, but for the first dozen rounds he did the bulk of work. In the twenty-third round McKeever had Smith groggy from a punch on the jaw, but he could not finish the job and literally fought himself out. In the next two rounds the Boston man showed wonderful recuperative powers. McKeever was on the defensive during a majority of the rounds, and was fairly defeated. There was intense excitement during the last half dozen rounds, and the McKeever spectators did not like the referee's verdict. But it could not have been otherwise, after taking into consideration the constant offensive tactics of the Boston pugilist.

1898-10-08 The World (New York, NY) (page 8)
The fight was one of the best that has been seen in any of the clubs of Greater New York within a year.
There was science for those who like science, while those that love slugging and blood got plenty of both.
The men were aggressive throughout. In one round Smith looked a winner, but in the next McKeever evened up matters. So it went until the end of the twenty-five rounds, and Referee White announced Smith the winner.

 

1899-06-30 Charlie McKeever D20 (New York, NY, USA)
1899-07-01 The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, NY) (page 5)
Charles McKeever of Philadelphia showed to remarkable advantage with Mysterious Billy Smith at the Broadway Athletic Club last evening and his most ardent admirer, who had expected no more than that he would stay the limit, were greatly elated when he succeeded in making a draw. Smith's showing was disappointing on the whole and while he was the aggressor throughout the contest, and administered the most punishment, his face at the finish gave evidence of McKeever's cleverness.
Smith did not fight in his old form, but tumbled in trouble in such a reckless manner that he left many openings of which the Philadelphian was not slow in taking advantage. Smith's best work was confined to McKeever's body, which he had very sore from right hand smashes. McKeever possessed the better left and proved a surprise to Smith on the infighting, returning blow for blow with Smith at that game. The men fought twenty rounds at catch weights and the referee's decision pleased the majority of the large crowd present.

1899-07-01 The Morning Telegraph (New York, NY) (page 1)
What was expected to prove a fierce encounter between "Mysterious" Billy Smith and Charlie McKeever at the Broadway Athletic Club last night turned out a rather tame affair.
Billy Smith's usual ferocity was missing, and he showed little of his customary aggressiveness. This he attributed to his recent attack of sunstroke, and in proof of the same his seconds constantly applied large cakes of ice to his head.
Occasionally the mysterious gentleman made a rush and hammered his man, but for the most part he contented himself with long range sparring.
Smith was quite quite willing to come to close quarters and settle the question in a mixup, but McKeever would have none of it, and hugged like a grizzly whenever they came together. Both men were cut over the left eye, which was the only mark.
McKeever continually directed his attacks to Smith's body, but failed to do any damage. On the other hand, McKeever's body was soon very red as a result of Smith's blows. Smith certainly landed the most effective blows, catching McKeever very hard on the mouth a number of times, but the latter's strength sustained him.
McKeever shook Smith up in the nineteenth with a terrific thump on the neck with the left, but the New Yorker came back strong.
Smith certainly was the aggressor throughout, and was willing to fight all the time, but McKeever's hugging tactics prevented.
On points it looked as though Smith had an advantage, but Referee White could not see it in that light, for he called it a draw.
CHARLES F. MATHISON.

1899-07-01 The New York Herald (New York, NY) (page 11)
For the second time during their careers as pugilists "Mysterious Billy" Smith, of this city, and "Charley" McKeever, of Philadelphia, fought a twenty round draw at the Broadway Athletic Club last night. It was an interesting fight and many of the spectators thought McKeever should have been declared the winner, but the majority of the sports believed the ruling a just one and applauded "Johnny" White, the referee.

1899-07-01 The New York Press (New York, NY) (page 4)
While Smith was looked upon as the better man, his work showed that he has not recovered from the sunstroke, on account of which his match with Ryan had to be declared off. He met McKeever at catch weights, and the bout resulted in a draw.
Smith was the lighter of the two. He showed to anything but good advantage, lacking his usual quickness, and failed to make as good a fight as was expected of him. McKeever, on the other hand, was a decided surprise, as he has improved wonderfully since the last time he met Smith in the ring.
They agreed to box under strict Queensberry rules, and McKeever proved to be a tartar on in-fighting. While the Philadelphian was not so effective at close quarters, he certainly administered more punishment than Smith looked for.
McKeever was fast and clever, landing his left frequently to the face; but Smith countered with left hooks to the neck and hard right wallops over the kidneys.

1899-07-01 The New York Times (New York, NY) (page 11)
The men met at catch weights, and a decision of draw, rendered by Referee "Johnny" White, seemed satisfactory to the spectators. In leading McKeever was much better than Smith. At short-range fighting and in clinches his opponent landed two blows to his one.

1899-07-01 The Sun (New York, NY) (page 8)
Mysterious Billy Smith of Boston, who was overcome by the heat some time ago and was thereby incapacitated for meeting Tommy Ryan, indulged in a rather interesting twenty-round draw with Charley McKeever at the Broadway A. C. last night. Smith was not in his best form, and those who played McKeever believed that he had a slight advantage on points when the bout was over. The referee, John White, however rendered a just verdict, all things considered.
The men said they weighed 142 each, but they were undoubtedly heavier.

1899-07-01 The World (New York, NY) (page 3)
Charley McKeever, of Philadelphia, and Mysterious Billy Smith fought a twenty-round drawn battle in the Broadway Athletic Club arena last night, but it was not the exciting contest expected between two men of such high class.
Both were aggressive, but many thought McKeever had a slight shade the best of it. The men left the ring in good condition and no marks outside of a damaged eye each.
The referee declared the bout a draw, which decision was received with mingled cheers, hoots and cat-calls.

 

1899-07-28 Jack Mahoney ND6 (Philadelphia, PA, USA)
1899-07-29 The Boston Daily Globe (Boston, MA) (page 2)
"Mysterious" Billy Smith and "Young" Mahoney are supposed to know something about the game, but if they do it was carefully concealed from the spectators. True, they worked, but it was not that which is looked for from men of such caliber. Smith introduced a new punch that toyed with the spot where brights disease is suppose to locate, and that was about all he did.
His wild swings were cleverly avoided, and Mahoney contended himself with using his left straight for the face. Honors were about even, each being worse than the other.

1899-07-29 The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, PA) (page 4)
The boxing game in this city was reopened at Industrial Hall last night in the presence of the most exclusive followers of the art of hit, stop and get away. Nobody but the most exclusive would have thought of turning out with the thermometer cavorting around the melting mark. The wind-up was between Mysterious Billy Smith and Young Mahoney, and as was to be expected, it went the limit. Mahoney, always a clever defensive fighter, resorted to every known Fabian trick to stay the limit, and stay the limit he did, although this morning he is doubtless nursing a beautiful pair of enlarged kidneys.
Smith, under the direction of Charley McKeever, started in to rush things from the sound of the gong. He never came within a foot of the danger spot, but in all the clinches--and nearly all the leads resulted in clinches--he banged a merry tattoo on Mahoney's back right near the basement line. Mahoney stood this pounding all right for the first two rounds, but in the last four he gave evidence of being hurt by trying to bring his right glove behind him to soften the fall of Smith's hard punches. Smith never once transgressed the rules, but some of the more unthinking of the crowd hissed when he hit in the clinches. As a matter of fact, this was unavoidable for the reason that Mahoney clinched whenever opportunity offered, and on more than one occasion made the opportunity. Mahoney confined himself to occasional straight left leads, which had no perceptible effect upon Smith, and now and then got in a counter. These efforts were the more pyrotechnic, and consequently did more to enthuse the crowd than did the heavy body punches which Smith got in.

1899-07-29 The Philadelphia Record (Philadelphia, PA) (page 9)
John Mahoney and "Mysterious Billy" Smith met in a six-round boxing contest at Industrial Hall last night. Although Mahoney outpointed Smith, the latter's blows did more damage, and, as they were all directed at one spot, the left kidney, Mahoney is likely to feel the effects for some time. There was a fair-sized crowd present, but the extreme heat made it unpleasant, both for the spectators and principals.
The crowd did not take kindly to Smith's tactics--hitting with one hand free--and several times grew quite noisy. Referee Crowdhurst stopped the first round about half a minute before the close of the round on account of the disorder, and announced that unless the spectators kept better order the bout would be stopped. After that there was but little trouble.
Mahoney landed more clean blows than Smith, but they seemed to be very light and had little effect. He paid all his attention to Smith's head, while the latter worked for the body entirely. Mahoney when on the defensive assumed a crouching attitude, which made it difficult for Smith to land. Toward the close of the first round Smith rushed Mahoney through the ropes, and, holding him off, sent in a shower of blows. The crowd did not like this sort of boxing and hissed Smith, whereupon the referee sent the men to their corners.
Mahoney did some clever work in the second, landing left and right on Smith's face a number of times without a return. Smith's failure to land on Mahoney seemed to anger him, and when they came to a clinch Billy would chop down on Mahoney's kidneys as hard as he could drive. In the third Mahoney landed a hard right-hand swing on Smith's left eye, but Smith came back with a heavy right on the wind. Mahoney landed at least a half-dozen light blows in succession without a return in this round, and Smith, as usual, waited until Mahoney clinched and then got back at him with heavy blows on the kidneys. The spot was getting very red, and Mahoney evidently was feeling the effects of the blows, as he tried to protect the spot as much as possible after the third rond. On the whole, the bout was unsatisfactory from the spectators' point of view.

 

1899-09-29 Billy Stift D6 (Chicago, IL, USA)
1899-09-30 The Chicago Daily Tribune (Chicago, IL) (page 6)
Mysterious Billy Smith of Boston and Billy Stift of Chicago fought six rounds to a draw at the Star Theater last night.
The bout was one of the tamest seen in Chicago for a long time and the majority of the crowd went away convinced that the result was prearranged. Only once in the six rounds did there seem any semblance of earnestness. This was in the beginning of the sixth, when Smith, after landing a light left on the jaw, swung his right across to the point of the jaw and staggered the North-Sider.
Smith's forte is infighting, but he insisted on a clean break. His left leads were almost invariably short, and Stift blocked nine out of ten so easily it appeared as if the men were boxing by signal. Stift, on the other hand, did not make one of his customary windmill swings until the last round. In the clinches the men frequently whispered to each other as if apologizing or giving further instructions. It did not take the crowd long to size up the situation and before the first round was over the fighters were urged to get together. As the tame work continued the crowd grew more demonstrative and the sound of the gong at the end of the second round was the signal for a wave of discontent.
A rather hot exchange of body blows in the fourth round led to an exchange of whispers, and the crowd exhorted them to quit talking and fight. Smith found his opponent's back unprotected in the fifth round, and landed a hard slap on the middle of it. The intent was palpable, and a derisive shout filled the theater. By the end of the fifth round there was a general shout for everybody to leave, and numbers filed out.
Stift had done most of the leading in the first five rounds, but Smith weakened up in the first part of the sixth, and Referee Hogan announced a draw.

1899-09-30 The Chicago Record (Chicago, IL) (page 6)
For some unknown reason "Mysterious Billy" Smith refused to fight Billy Stift for five rounds in their six-round contest at the Star theater last night. Until the last round Stift had done all the fighting, which, by the way, was not very much, while Smith had paid strict attention to getting out of the way of his opponent. In the sixth and last round Smith fought fast enough to get a draw from Referee Hogan amid cat calls and cries of "fake" from the crowd.

1899-09-30 The Daily Inter Ocean (Chicago, IL) (page 8)
"Mysterious" Billy Smith and Billy Stift fought six rather tame rounds at a North Side club last night, Referee Malachy Hogan calling the contest a draw.
Referee Hogan finally got the men into the center of the ring, and a few seconds later the bout began. Stift was the aggressor from the start, and his friends were surprised at the cool manner in which he went at Smith, and the fact that most of his blows were straight-arm ones and not the wild swings with which he generally favors the spectators. The fight was anything but interesting, and cries of "Fake!" "Take them off!" etc., could be heard on all sides. Little or no work was done and the crowd began to leave the building.