Shadow Maber

One of the cleverest boxers of the 1890s.
http://boxrec.com/boxer/57875

1890-05-14 The Referee (Sydney, NSW, Australia) (page 6)
Maber turned out all I had stated he was--a first-class fighter, cool as cow-heel jelly, a consummate general and a game man; and all who saw him fight admit that no living human being could be fairer than he. Fuller himself said to me on Monday last that Maber was as fair a foe as he ever met or wished to meet.


1891-09-01 Daily Evening Bulletin (San Francisco, CA) (page 1)
The event of the evening was a contest to a finish between Billy Maber, "the shadow" of Australia, and Frank Kelly, a local pugilist. In this match the local man had no show at all, Maber proving himself to be a decided master of the art of self defense, and simply used Kelly as a chopping block.


1891-09-01 The Morning Call (San Francisco, CA) (page 7)
The first round was amusing from the fact that Maber easily ducked and got away from vicious swings and jabs. He showed wonderful cleverness and proved himself to be a decided master of the art of self-defense.

In the second round Maber got down to business. After receiving a few smashes at long range on the face and neck he fiddled around Kelly until he got the measure of the latter's chin, which he reached a few times just before the gong sounded.

During the third round Maber did some beautiful hitting and stopping, landing some swift lefts and rights on Kelly's mouth and left eye. The latter followed up after a rally, and got home some good left swings on Maber's jaw, which only caused the Australian to fight back all the harder.

In the fourth and fifth rounds Maber fairly smothered Kelly with straight right and left drives. Before the gong sounded the men to corners Kelly's nose had a high-tide appearance, and the claret was flowing down his chest.

The commencement of the sixth proved that Maber could land on his opponent whenever he felt so disposed. He opened the bout by dropping his left glove six times in succession on Kelly's disfigured proboscis. The latter fought back gamely, but he was clearly overmatched.

Maber had the fight in his pocket after this. Kelly was gradually growing weak, but he remained on deck in the face of a heavy fire until the end of the ninth round, when Referee Jordan was notified by a police Sergeant that the contest had gone far enough, and stepping into the ring he gave his decision in favor of "Shadow" Maber.


1892-03-04 Los Angeles Herald (Los Angeles, CA) (page 5)
A fair sized crowd assembled at the Pastime Athletic club last evening to witness the light-weight fight between Billy Maber of Australia and Johnny Lawson, the colored pugilist, also from Australia. The principals entered the ring at 9:30. Lawson, solid and chunky, was the first to step through the ropes. Maber soon followed, his slender shape being hidden from the inquisitive gaze of the spectators by a night shirt. Shannon and Childs were in Lawson's corner while Purcell and Manning were behind Maber. Mort Curran officiated as referee and Tim Rodman and Joe Manning were the time-keepers.

At precisely 9:45 p.m. time was called. Maber would never take first prize at a show for his shape. He is as thin as a match and his legs might be mistaken for broom handles on a dark night. He towered over his dusky opponent, as the colored man is rather thick set. No time was lost in getting to work. Sampson opened the hostilities by rushing Maber. He led frequently, the white man avoiding punishment by his shiftiness and not making much effort to reach his opponent until the latter part of the round, when he shot them into Lawson as if from a cannon. There was considerable applause at the call of time.

The second round was the best of the fight. Lawson came up full of ginger and there was plenty of hot fighting from the start. The colored man tried hard to land. He swung both his right and left and tried hard to land on a vulnerable spot, but Maber was too clever and easily eluded his antagonist. Maber contented himself with an occasional jab, and they counted, judging by the lack of ginger displayed by the colored man. There was plenty of rapid fighting near the end of the round, which was clearly in Maber's favor. The third round was a decisive one for Maber. The fact that Lawson could not reach Maber discouraged him. A right-hander on the neck sent Lawson down. He stayed down until nine seconds had been counted and time was called just afterwards. Lawson, who looked distressed a few seconds before, walked to his corner full of vigor. The fourth round was a peculiar one. Maber kept jabbing Lawson on the heart and the colored man must have gone down at least five times, and as he generally stayed down nine seconds, he managed to pass away at least a third of the round. He was groggy when he went to his corner at the end of the round.

Lawson got a hard smash on the neck in the fifth, but prevented Maber getting in effective blows by clinching.

In the sixth and last round, a speedy right-hander sent Lawson down. He twisted over on his belly, but did not get up nntil he was counted out.

Lawson made a plucky, uphill fight for the other rounds, but he saw it was a hopeless battle, and he quit some near the end, going down once or twice without being hit very hard. At the conclusion of the fight Maber announced that he had broken his left hand early in the fight, which accounts for his using one hand during the last three rounds. Maber is extremely clever--undoubtedly the cleverest man ever seen in the local ring. He is an artist at avoiding punishment, and when he jabs there is plenty of steam at the back of it. All his blows count, as he invariably makes connection and rarely lets go without landing.

 

1892-05-12 Los Angeles Herald (Los Angeles, CA) (page 5)
Several hundred of the admirers of the manly art witnessed the Maber-Purcell mill at the Pastime club last evening. The result was exactly as predicted by those who knew anything of pugilism. The only element of uncertainty about the battle was whether Maber's left hand would go bank on him. This left has given the antipodean some trouble and extra precautions were taken to have it in good condition, especially as Maber, like the majority of the Australian pugilists, is a left-handed jabber. Maber trained at Newhall under Butler, and La Blanche's ex-trainer deserves credit for bringing his man into the ring in the pink of condition. Purcell also showed up in fine form, but he was a trifle outclassed. He did the best he could and tried hard to land effectively, but the man from Australia was too clever for his opponent.

The fight last night was a very scientific one. Maber is one of the cleverest men in the world and has a marvelous knack of avoiding punishment. Purcell rushed and tried hard enough but he never could make connections. He tried the La Blanche swing a number of times but it did not avail him anything. Once only did he reach Maber with it, and then it was a glancing blow that did little damage. Maber kept on jabbing Purcell. He exhibited extreme caution throughout and occasionally got in a right-hand swing on Purcell's neck.


1893-03-01 The Anaconda Standard (Anaconda, MT) (page 4)
Butte, Feb. 28.--The Butte Athletic club fully redeemed itself to-night in the great finish contest between "Shadow" Maber of Australia and Danny Needham of St. Paul. It was the most scientific and hardest fought battle that has ever been seen in Montana, and it gave the greatest degree of satisfaction to the immense gathering of sports who witnessed it. The Australian proved himself a wonderful fighter and won the contest with comparative ease. Needham, however, proved himself to be the gamiest kind of a gamy man and fought with a nervy desperation that would have defeated any other man in the welterweight class outside the man he was fighting against.

...

For the first 25 rounds it was a clever and pretty contest with the honors about even. Needham started in to forcing the round, but soon after that he seemed to realize that he had an uphill game and became more wary and fought rather on the defensive. He met Maber half way, however, and kept continually jabbing him in the ribs, while the Australian devoted most of his punches to Danny's face and neck. Needham showed the most science, but Maber had the advantage of a longer reach and was remarkably quick and shifty. He avoided punishment like a snake, was as quick as a cat on his feet all the way through. He fought on the Corbett style from start to finish.

...

The fight was fairly won and lost, and while nearly everyone in the house wanted to see the St. Paul boy land on top there is no one who will not share in the opinion that the best man won. Maber is a wonder and there is no doubt in the minds of the sporting men that he can whip any man in the welterweight class. He is remarkably quick and a hard and strong fighter. He finished almost as fresh as when he stepped into the ring, and left at the close with a hop, skip and jump. He received but little punishment and was perfectly cool during the entire 35 rounds, with two momentary exceptions.


1893-05-26 St. Paul Daily Globe (St. Paul, MN) (page 5)
The contest itself was not entirely satisfactory to the best judges of the sport. Poor Griffin is merely a ghost of his former self. He had no strength nor steam, and he was forced to succumb to the superior prowess of the shifty kangaroo in the seventeenth round. Griffin was clever enough, but he was too weak to be of any benefit to himself, and the concensus of opinion is that, had he chosen, Maber could have mastered his antagonist in short order. As it was, he toyed with the plucky little fellow at will. Still, it must be conceded that Griffin landed about as often as his tall and lank opponent managed to find the mark.

...

Griffin did the leading at the outset, but the Australian generally countered, and evened things up. Maber did a great deal of clinching throughout, but there was no evident intention of unfairness. He was in a playful mood, and compliments were frequently exchanged as the contest progressed. This incident aroused a suspicion that there was no element of earnestness in the struggle for supremacy, and it is apparent from the comments that were frequently heard after the event that this opinion will abide with a certain contingent, despite the fact that the victory was decisive. As stated, ten uninteresting rounds were chronicled before sincere work was exhibited. Then Maber warmed up to his task, and demonstrated that he is entitled to the fame that he brings to Minnesota as a pugilist. The elevent and twelfth rounds were of no especial moment, but the thirteenth opened up warm. Maber used both dukes with effect, but Griffin made a plucky rally just at the close, and in all fairness, it must be allowed that the round was his for points. The fourteenth was still warmer, and it ended with honors easy so far as that round was concerned, but the struggle as a whole was in favor of the foreigner.

The next two rounds were spirited, and it was clear that Maber was having a picnic at Griffin's expense. Griffin went to his corner at the conclusion of the sixteenth round, wearing an exceedingly tired expression. He looked sorry that he had made the undertaking, and then in the seventeenth round Referee Seelye awarded the contest to Maber.


1893-09-22 St. Paul Daily Globe (St. Paul, MN) (page 5)
When the men entered the ring the wide difference in weight caused much remark, and it was commonly asserted that La Blanche would win in a walk. Maber's friends, however, stuck to it that their man would win, and were hooted at for their pains. They changed their tune when Maber defeated the Marine in the shortest time in which the heavy man was ever defeated since he began his career in the ring. Maber fought beautifully. He stopped every one of La Blanche's fierce rushes, and fairly rained blows on his body and face. Maber's right arm worked like a piston rod and found the outside of La Blanche's heart every time in a manner that made the people groan. Maber seized hold of every little advantage thrown open, and in the first round had the Marine staggered and very badly surprised. Never once did La Blanche stand the ghost of a chance to win, and he never got in a single blow on Maber that counted.

 

1894-01-17 The Daily Inter Ocean (Chicago, IL) (page 8 )
Neal was twenty pounds heavier than the Australian, and set the pace from call of time. Maber was by far the cleverer of the two, and has forgotten more about the rudiments of the game than Neal will ever learn, but lacks steam. The latter started off like a quarter horse in the first round, but couldn't find the "Shadow" in his fierce swings. Maber half slipped and went down at call of time.

The succeeding rounds were a repetition of the first. Neal led repeatedly and fought foully continually.


1894-12-07 The Daily Item (New Orleans, LA) (page 2)
The men met each other and there was a hugging match for twenty-five rounds. At any stage of the game Maber was clever enough to put Johnson out, but he did not do so. He hit Johnson when and where he pleased but all the blows were landed in a manner that showed a fear that a hard blow might do some damage.


1894-12-07 The Times-Democrat (New Orleans, LA) (page 10)
Maber evinced more than ordinary skill, but his blows were lacking in force from first to last.


1895-01-23 The Cincinnati Enquirer (Cincinnati, OH) (page 2)
By long odds the best and most scientific contest ever seen in Cincinnati occurred at the People's Theater last night.

"Shadow" Maber, of Australia, and Dannie Needham, of Minneapolis, in their ten-round assault at arms showed the enthusiasts of this city the possibilities of the manly art of self-defense.

There was not many idle seconds in the 40 minutes of milling. All the slips, ducks, counters, leads, jabs and other delicate intricacies of the fistic game were displayed by these two gloved gladiators to their best advantage.

...

The Australian is the cleverest of the two. He fights cleaner and more scientific than the American, but the latter is the more powerful and the hardest puncher. Maber had the advantage in height and reach, and in this way managed to get home with his blows more frequently than the American. The contest throughout was marked by clean fighting.

 

1895-04-23 The Evening Journal (Jersey City, NJ) (page 3)
Maber outpointed him easily, and it is lucky for Hanlon that the Australian was not a hard puncher, or he would have been badly marked. Maber was as nimble as a cat, and twice as quick. In the second round, he smashed Hanlon right and left, almost at will. Hanlon was wild, and Maber showed remarkable cleverness in stopping and getting away. Maber met Hanlon's rushes in the third round with several upper cuts, that made the latter's teeth rattle. Hanlon saw his only chance was in rushing in the fourth round, but Maber managed to evade him, and where Hanlon landed two blows, he received ten in return. He was clearly outclassed, and the referee decided Maber the winner.


1895-04-23 The Evening World (New York, NY) (page 7)
Hanlon showed strong and fit and pounds heavier than the Australian, who seemed sadly out of condition. He was far cleverer, however, and had he been strong his opponent would have resembled the man who fell out of the balloon. Hanlon had strength enough, but his knowledge of a scientific use of his hands is as limited as that possessed by a novice. The decision for Maber, though unpopular, was decidedly fair.


1895-04-23 The New York Herald (New York, NY) (page 10)
Maber, satisfied that he had gauged his opponent's pugilistic ability, simply toyed with the Britisher in the second round. He feinted beautifully, and then hit the Englishman when and where he pleased, while Hanlon failed to land an effective blow.

The succeeding rounds were all in Maber's favor, and the referee declared him the winner. The decision was hissed, but for what reason it was not apparent. Maber seemed to be "pulling," so as not to expose his real form, this being his first fight in the East. Hanlon was so easy that Maber made up his mind not to knock him out, but simply try to outpoint him, and this he did successfully.


1895-04-23 The World (New York, NY) (page 6)
Alf Hanlon found in "Shadow" Maber, the Australian boxer, a mighty crafty opponent, who for four rounds exhibited a great deal of science. Maber had no difficulty in landing as he pleased, but he rarely closed gloves, perhaps because he was afraid of hurting the Englishman. Hanlon was willing as possible, but it was not until the fifth round that he began to show his punching ability.

In the clinches from the fourth to the concluding round, the sixth, Hanlon's superior strength told on Maber, who received little simpathy in his kindness for slapping. This contest was not as satisfactory to the spectators as it might have been. When Referee Hurst awarded the bout to Maber there was some hissing. Hanlon was clearly outpointed.

 

P.S. Only posted the positive quotes, I didn't make it my task to give a balanced overview of his career.

 

1892-09-21 Morning Oregonian (Portland, OR) (page 6)
Twenty-six rounds were required to bring victory to the youth from Boston. He worked hard for it, too, and earned every dollar of the $1000 in the purse. When the men weighed in at 1 o'clock yesterday they were a shade below 140 pounds. Maeber's alleged superior cleverness sent him into the ring a favorite in the betting, if not with the multitude, but before the first round was concluded his backers saw that his chances of procuring opportunity to display his science would be slim. Smith carried into the arena a reserve fund of strength that enabled him to rush the antipodean and remain comparatively sound in mind and limb while the latter was breathless and tottering. It was superb physical condition pitted against astute ring generalship, and brawn beat brains. The tactics employed by both men in the first round were adhered to until the finish with monotonous lack of variation. Smith was vicious, quick and aggressive, Maber comparatively slow and wary. The Bostonian would feint and dance until he got his man with back to corner, and then would rush with a left punch for the body, which hardly ever landed, and a right swing for the head, which, as a rule, either fell short or glanced off Maber's bent shoulders. The agile Australian would escape from the pocket by ducking or clinching. Then back to the center of the carpet and repeat. In the earlier stages of the game Maber landed several wicked jabs on Smith's face, but the move was soon looked for and thwarted by quick and clever ducking. The only blood drawn was from Smith's nose, and the current was not strong enough to bother him. Smith scored the three clean knock-downs recorded. Maber was either prostrate or recumbent a great many times, but he purposely went down to escape from tight places and to gain time and breath.

The Australian's light began to fade rapidly in the 23d round, when Smith indulged in his fifth attempt at the pivot swing and got it home for the first time. It was planted high up on Maber's chest, and it seemed to hasten his collapse. He was unable to elude Smith's subsequent rushes, and was chased and hammered with both hands until time was called and found him upon his knees. Smith mercilessly swept his adversary before him in the 25th and landed the LaBlanche swing with precision and effect no less than four times. Maber was wabbling and apparently helpless when the timekeepers gave him another chance. In the 26th it was a repetition of Smith's hurricane work, until Maber made a desparing rally and planted four right and left smacks on his pursuer's head. They lacked force, however, and Smith continued to pummel the tottering fellow until he was unable to respond to the referee's call and was declared out. In that round Maber was down and up again five times before his defeat was announced. The fact that he was able to mount a chair and indulge in rhetoric immediately after the verdict was announced showed that he was far from being a total wreck.