Dave Shade

Well done!!

 

As it turned out, Dave Shade proved to be the best fighter from California during the early 1920s. But as a four-round fighter during the early part of his career, Shade didn't seem to stand out. The Howard Street Gang scandal involving two four-round boxers, Spud Murphy and K.O. Kruvosky, led to many of the California boxing venues being shut down during late 1920 and early 1921.

During much of 1921, Shade was fighting in the Northwest. If this was due to the shutdown of many California boxing clubs, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise because Shade proved to be far better in bouts scheduled for ten or more rounds than he was in the scheduled four-rounders. In fact, he quickly went on to be one of the best welterweights afterwards.

- Chuck Johnston

 

According to the 1925 New York State Census and the 1930 U.S. Census, one David Shade was living with his wife, Irene, and his son at 2870 Grand Concourse Blvd. in Bronx, New York. One Leo Flynn and his wife, Catherine, lived at 2866 Grand Concourse Blvd. during both 1925 and 1930.

Shade was listed as a "Pugilist" in 1925 and a "boxer" during 1930. Flynn was listed as a "Fight Promoter" in 1925 and a "Promoter" in the "atheletic" category during 1930. According to the 1930 U.S. Census, both David Shade and Leo Flynn owned their homes, each of them valued at $25,000. Shade's son was listed as "Billy" during 1925 and "William" during 1930.

- Chuck Johnston

 

“Sure I beat Mickey. All the newspapermen thought so, but those gamblers took care of that”—Dave Shade

Loved that line from the article. Sad as it probably is.

 

Take a look at Google Earth photographs of the exterior of Dave Shade's former home at 2870
Grand Concourse Blvd. in the Bronx. He lived on an extremely wide boulevard.

- Chuck Johnston

 

Dave Shade's best years were as a welterweight from 1921 to 1925, a time when he was one of the top two or three fighters in his weight division. Despite being a middleweight contender during the late 1920s and early 1930s, he wasn't nearly as good during that period of time.

Shade got two shots at the world welterweight title and came very close to winning it both times, first with the then-champion, Jack Britton, in a fifteen-round bout which ended in a draw at Madison Square Garden in New York City during 1922 and then in a fifteen-round bout with the then-champion, Mickey Walker, who won a highly controversial decision at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx during 1925. But Shade never got a shot at the world middleweight title. It should be pointed out that Walker was the world welterweight champion from 1922 to 1926 as well as the world middleweight champion from 1926 to 1929.

- Chuck Johnston

 

According to U.S. Census records, one David C. Shade; his wife, Irene; and his son, William, were living Pittsfield, Massachusetts during 1940. David was a "Merchant" who was working on his own account in the "restaurant" business. His total income for the entire year of 1939 was $2,600. William worked as a doorman in a public theater, earning a total of $320. for 52 weeks of work during 1939.

David and his family lived at 23 Massachusetts Avenue, renting the home for $32. a month. During 1935, David was living in Pittsfield while Irene and William were living in New York City.

- Chuck Johnston

 

When Dave Shade passed away in Florida during 1983, there wasn't anything in American boxing publications about his death at the time as far as I know. Bob Soderman told me that he read about Shade's death in a South African boxing publication.

About twenty years ago, I learned from my mother, who did a lot of genealogical research, that I could find the death dates of people by using Social Security Death Index Records which were available on CD disks at the time. Sure enough, I found information about Shade's death on the disks which I had purchased and sent for his death certificate.

Later on, I learned that Shade and his wife, Irene, were interviewed a number of times about his boxing career after he retired. During the early 1950s, an article based on a recent interview of Shade appeared in Ring Magazine. At the time, Shade and his wife were operating a motel in Florida not too long after moving from Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Over the years, there were a number of articles based on interviews of Shade and his wife in the Berkshire County Eagle, the local newspaper of Pittsfield. Shade and his wife had lived in Pittsfield from the middle 1930s to about 1950. During that time, Shade had an ownership interest in a local cafe which he later sold about the time he and his wife moved to Florida. Shade's son, William, continued to live in Pittsfield with his family.

- Chuck Johnston

 

As awesome as Shade was, a middleweight title shot wouldn't have ended well for him. Greb, though past his best by the time Shade fought at mw, was still the champ and was still too fast and too tireless to be beaten by any middleweight. Though I do think his crouch could have created a few problems for Harry along the way, as it seems crouchers usually did. Jeff Smith(whom Greb called his toughest opponent), Lou Bogash and Soldier Bartfield were all crouchers.

 

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Dave Shade and Harry Greb

 

Surf, Yes Soldier Bartfield was a "croucher". In a previous post I wrote that
as a youngster in 1945-6,my dad and I were introduced to a former
fighter named Soldier Bartfield, then about 55 years old, by my uncle in
his restaurant in Canarsie, Bklyn. After shaking my hand, Soldier Bartfield
buried his head in my chest and proceeded to pummel my ribs playfully
[to him]. He sure hurt my sides, and my dad pulled him away from me
pronto.
Yes he fought from a crouch, short and powerful as he was. Later on I
studied his record, and learned that he fought the immortal Harry Greb
several times...I can never forget I was slapped around by a man who
fought the greatest fighter ever, Harry Greb...

 

I don't know how Dave Shade would have fared in a bout with Harry Greb during 1926. That same year not long after becoming a middleweight, Shade sustained two straight losses to an up-and-coming Maxie Rosenbloom. As a welterweight, Shade usually did better in rematches, something that obviously didn't happen in his bouts with Rosenbloom. Was Shade going through an adjustment period as a middleweight or simply wasn't quite as good when fighting as a welterweight?

The late Bob Soderman pointed out to me that Shade had only a few bouts in the New York area during the next few years after losing two consecutive bouts to Rosenbloom. Soderman thought that New York promoters generally soured on Shade for a few years. Of course, Shade made a very good living while fighting in other parts of the United States during the late 1920s.

- Chuck Johnston