LES DARCY book by Raymond Swanwick- Excerpts

[McGoorty]

LES DARCY by Raymond Swanwick THREAD----- I will post some Excerpts on this thread for your enjoyment and discussion,.. feel free to comment.--------------' The words I use will be directly from the pen of Raymond Swanwick,, A Briiliant Boxing Historian and Researcher. 'I will post what I can,.. ENJOY

[McGoorty]

Chapter one

Les Darcy by Raymond Swanwick THREAD----- I will post some Excerpts on this thread for your enjoyment and discussion,.. feel free to comment.--------------' The words I use will be directly from the pen of Raymond Swanwick,, A Briiliant Boxing Historian and Researcher. 'I will post what I can,.. ENJOY

The Boy Bread Winner - Excerpt------------------------------------------------------James Leslie Darcy was born at Stradbroke, near the township of Wooddvile, on the Patterson river in New South Wales, on Thursday 31st October, 1895, it was afine sunny day, as weather records show. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt - Les Darcy's father, who was known as "Ned Dorsey", was born at Dagworth, near West Maitland, in the Hunter River Valley, on 6th Jan, 1861. He was the 4th child of James Darcy, labourer, born in Tipperary, Ireland, in 1821, and Mary Begley, born at Ballylanders, Limerick, Ireland, in 1835.------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt - On his mothers side, also, Les Darcy was an Australian of the 2nd generation. His mothers name was Margaret O'Rourke. She was born in the Hunter R.V., in 1873. Her father, Terence O'Rourke, born in the Parish of Bud Hill, Tipperary, Ireland, came to Australia as a boy of 12, he married Jane Hough. They had 5 sons and 5 Daughters.----------------------------------------Maggie O'Rourke and Edward (Ned) Dorsey were married at St. Bede's Church, Morpeth,------------, on 4th, July, 1893,--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt - Les was born in a hut on the Stradbroke Property-----------, at a very early age Leslearned to ride a pony; and helped his father by rounding up the cows for milking and by turning the handle of the cream-seperator. When Les was 4 the family moved to a small dairy farm at Oakhampton, 5 miles from Maitland. There Les attended school, ater the morning,---------------,The hard work hardened his muscles. Simple food, with plenty of maizemeal, milk, meat and potatoes, built his constitution. Though he had little schooling, he was so naturally bright and intelligent that he learned to read and write well. His teacher at.. Oakhampton was a Mr. Ridley. When he was 12 years of age, in 1907, Les left school and went to work, doing odd jobs for farmers,----------------------------------------------------------------, those hard early years of his life toughened him. He became an expert horseman, and at 13 years of age, in 1908, he got his first permanent job as "groom and useful" to Arthur Bray in the town of East Maitland.--------------------------------------------------------------------------His wages were 2 shillings 6 pence a week, plus meals,---------------, he worked from daylight to dark, feeding horses ---, there were now 7 children,--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt -- The keynote of his life story was in the poverty that he suffered in his childhood-- the ever pressing need and duty, as an elder brother, to help his parents to provide for his younger siblings in a family that continued to increase.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter Two snippets very soon---- Welcome to the world of les Darcy,........ and hold on to your hats,

[JAB5239]

Post me a link where I can buy this. I finally finished the Gans biography and am going to check amazon.com for some new reading material.

[IronDanHamza]

I look forward to this.

I have read many Biographies but Les Darcy is one I never have personally read. So I will make sure I read every post you make in this thread regarding the book very closely.

Like I said in one of the other threads; Les Darcy and alot of the excellent fighters from his era have become forgotten in recent years, even to well schooled guys.

I will make sure I get hold of this piece and give it a thorough read.

[McGoorty]

Cheers

LES DARCY by Raymond Swanwick THREAD----- I will post some Excerpts on this thread for your enjoyment and discussion,.. feel free to comment.--------------' The words I use will be directly from the pen of Raymond Swanwick,, A Briiliant Boxing Historian and Researcher. 'I will post what I can,.. ENJOY

I look forward to this.

I have read many Biographies but Les Darcy is one I never have personally read. So I will make sure I read every post you make in this thread regarding the book very closely.

Like I said in one of the other threads; Les Darcy and alot of the excellent fighters from his era have become forgotten in recent years, even to well schooled guys.

I will make sure I get hold of this piece and give it a thorough read.

Cheers, this will bring all the Smiths, Clabby's and co to the limelight and show how good and tough they were. Some of the fight descriptions are incredible. This thread is off to a great start, 2 replies in 3 minutes. History in the flesh.

[McGoorty]

Chapter Two - "Bud" Darcy's first fight

LES DARCY by Raymond Swanwick THREAD----- I will post some Excerpts on this thread for your enjoyment and discussion,.. feel free to comment.--------------' The words I use will be directly from the pen of Raymond Swanwick,, A Briiliant Boxing Historian and Researcher. 'I will post what I can,.. ENJOY

Two - "Bud Darcy's First Fight - Sample Excerpts -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------, Maitland was the Birthplacein 1862 of Frank Patrick Slavin, one of the greatest of the old time Bare-Knuckle pugilists, known as "The Maitland Boy". Paddy Slavin stood 6 feet 1 and a half inches high. He took lessons in Sydney from Larry Foley. After winning many fights in Australia, he went to England in 1889, where he wom the Heavyweight Championship Title*. He crossed the Atlantic to America in 1896, attempting to arrange a match with John L. Sullivan for the world Heavyweight Title ( NOTE: I think it must have been Earlier, ED. ), but Sullivan and his successor, Jim Corbett, both dodged a contest with "The Sydney Slasher" - or so Slavins supporters declared.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------, Paddy Slavins last big fight was at Victoria, B.C., in 1907 when he was 45, In 20 years from 1887 to 1907 this famous old-timer had 37 challenge fights, of which he won of which he won 16 by K.O. and nine on pts. Of 6 that he lost, 2 were on pts and he was stopped twice by fellow Australian named Jim Hall, and once by Peter Jackson, a pupil of Larry Foley.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Describes The Boxing in the Hunter Valley and "Geordies",--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------,Excerpt -- There is a tradition that when "Bub" (Darcy) was 11, he aws sent home from school one day for fighting. His Mother, seeing that he had a few scratches on his face, sent him to Billy Hannan-- the local boxing champion of Maitland--to learn "how to look after himself", as she said.--------------- If that is correct, his first lessons were from a professional of 1st-Class ability,------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ray Swanwick goes on to describe Hugh "Huge Deal" McIntosh and the legendary Burns vs Johnson belt-up at Sydney,---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt -- In that Golden Age of Australian Boxing, almost every town and district had boxing instructors and Saturday Night Contests, which were talent quests for the big opportunities in the stadiums of the big cities.------------------- "Bub" Darcy with other boys and youths of East Maitland, attended a gymnasium in the old Fire Station at Lorn. There he sparred with the local lads, including Mick Hawkins, who was later to become his faithful freind and trainer, and Les Fletcher, who also became his freind and second.--------- Les buys 1st gloves,------------------------------------------------------Wherever he went he carried the gloves slung over his shoulder, and was always ready for a friendly spar with anybody who challenged him, irrespective of size or age.---------------------------------------------------------Every Sunday morning, he had bouts with the stableboys and others at Fred Cush's Stables, where horses were trained for local races. In these fights there were no beg-pardons. and the only trophies were "Shiners" and bloody noses. Fred Cush, Pipe in mouth, acted as referee and adviser. He was one of the first to predict that "Bub" Darcy would be a world beater.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Les gets a new job.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt -- Jack Donohue , who had some experience as a professional boxer gave the boy some lessons, and immediately saw that "Bub" Darcy had remarkable ability. After sparring with him, he said, " He fights me all the time. I can't keep him off ".-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Part one, Chapter Two.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Stay tuned for Darcy's First Professional at just 14 Y.o.

[McGoorty]

Part 2 Chapter 2

LES DARCY by Raymond Swanwick THREAD----- I will post some Excerpts on this thread for your enjoyment and discussion,.. feel free to comment.--------------' The words I use will be directly from the pen of Raymond Swanwick,, A Briiliant Boxing Historian and Researcher. 'I will post what I can,.. ENJOY

Pt. 2 -Ch. 2 :Bud Darcy's First Fight. -------------------------------------------------------------, Although only 14,Les was so well developed that he seemed to be at least 17 or 18. Even as a schoolboy he was of stocky build, broad shouldered, thick in the neck, and with long arms and big hands.-------------------------------, Excerpt -- Among the men working there was a jockey named 'Guv'nor Balsa, 28 yo, who had a local reputation as a boxer. Jack Donohue expressed the opinion that "Bud" Darcy could beat Guv'nor Balsa.---------------------------Blsa's backers accept the challenge, for a contest of Ten Rounds,--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt -- A big crowd of spectators, mainly "Navvies from the construction camp, and some visitors from Maitland -- saw the fight. After 10 rounds the referee was unable to give a decision on points, so by mutual agreement another round was fought. This was won by Darcy, who was thereupon declared the winner. ----------------------------------------------------------Les's share of the stake, win, lose or draw, was fifteen shillings, which he proudly .gave to his mother.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt -- It was the grinding poverty of that home life that urged Les to dream of making money more quickly as a professional Boxer, to help his mother. His success against Balsa encouraged him to that boxing would become a profitable career, but some of his wise friends and advisors urged him to build up his physique further for a few years.---------------------------------------Soon after his fight with Balsa, Les signed on for 5 years as an apprentice to Billy Ford, a blacksmith at East Maitland. His work in the smithy was to wield the heavy hammer as a "striker",--------------------------, This was hard work for Les, but it developed the muscles on his arms and chest to a remarkable extent In course of time that development contributed to , but was not the only explanation of his astonishing feats in the years of his triumphs that lay ahead.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- END Of CHAPTER TWO : see you again soon.

[McGoorty]

Chapter Three -- "A good and game lad"

Chapter 3. -- "A good and game lad"------------------------------------------ -------Chapter starts with young Les working hard at the Smithy. His employer Billy Ford is much against the idea that the young lad stay away from boxing.-----, describes how this worked hardened his body further, and states that the work shoeing horses and that a Farrier learns how to avoid kicks and is good for developing reflexes----------------------------------------------------------------, Despite his boss's disaproval, Les decides to try and get more fights------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Exerpt :--With that intention, after hurrying home for a meal, Les would go in the evenings to the gymnasium in the old fire station at Lorn. There he began systematic training under the direction of Michael Angelo Hawkins -- Better known as 'Mick' -- whohad picked up the elements of the game from observing Billy Hannan and other local fighters at work.---------------------------------------------------------------------In the training bouts, Les Darcy's sparring partners were Les Fletcher-- who was also a blacksmiths apprentice--and Arthur Howarth, and an Aboriginal boy, Matt Ross. There was no electric light at Maitland, and no gas lights in the deserted Fire Station, or in an old shed that they sometimes used. The boys sparred by candlelight. Someone wrote in chalk on the door of the gym : "Les Darcy will fight all-comers here any night".---------------------------------- This was not intended as a boast but as a friendly invitation to anyone to have a spar.--------------------------------------------------------------- Les took his training seriously with the routines of skipping, shadow sparring, boxing and body building exercises. His Weight, 9 stone, classed him as a Featherweight, but his reputation after his defeat of Balsa, made most of the local lads cautious about being matched with him.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A local cricketer, Con Irwin discovers Darcy's talent, and suggests Les take up dancing to improve footwork,----------------------------------------Among the dance pupils was Sid Pascoe, a lad from West Maitland, a few years Les's senior and a boxer, Pascoe's dad arranges a fight. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------, Excerpt : DARCY vs PASCOE, -- A big crowd saw Les Darcy enter the ring, wearing swimming trunks and sandshoes, with his seconds, Mick Hawkins and Arthur Howarth. There was a special cheer from the East Maitlanders among the spectators, For this was an East Maitland versus West Maitland contest.--------------------------------------------------------------------Good humoured "Chayaking" (jesting) gave way to a silence of astonishment at the perfectly proportioned compact physique and large muscular development of the blacksmith's apprentice, and his phenomenally long reach, broad shoulders, and thick neck, which made his taller opponent seem lanky and awkward. Then came roars of applause as the "little fellow" ----for so the crowd nick-named him there and then -- moved in with skillful footwork and lightning movements of his head body and arms, to land punches on his opponent at will, and dodging the counter-attacks with perfect ease.------------ "Dance Pascoe, dance" the West Maitlander's father roared from his corner, urging his son to speedier work to avoid Darcy's skillfull exebition of every punch and counter in the repertiore; but all that Sid Pascoe could to get a moments respite was to clinch and clinch again.---------------------------------- When the gong -- an empty kerosine tin -- aws struck at the end of the first round, Darcy was so far ahead on points (?) that the result, barring a knpockout was a forgone conclusion. Pascoe senior advised his son to go for a knockout. Darcy was treating the match as a sparring exhibition, pulling his punches as he did in the gymnasium workouts.---------------------------------Pascoe Jnr. rushed in at the sound of the gong like a bull at a gate, taking a vicious two-handed swing at Darcy's jaw, and leaving himself wide open to a right uppercut that lifted him off his feet and stretched him on the matting for the full count of ten and more, two minutes from the end of the round.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hope you enjoyed Darcy's second fight, any thoughts on this ???---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part Two -- NEXT>

[McGoorty]

Chapter Three -- "A good and game lad" -- PART 2

Chapter3 PT.2

,

:-Excerpt--

,Several months after his fight with Sid Pascoe, Darcy was given another chance of fighting in a preliminary bout at Maitland. This bout was of 4 rounds against a lad named Dan Donohue, as preliminary to the main fight between Billy Hannan and Charlie Raff, at the Maitland Town hall on Tuesday, 26th July 1911.

LES DARCY vs DAN DONOHUE

A terse report in the "Newcastle Herald" stated : " The prelim was provided by two lads, Donohue and Darcy, who gave a lively four rounds, in which Darcy, showing to best advantage, was awarded the verdict by the referee, Mr. Chapman. A more vividly written report was printed in the "Mitland Mercury" on wednesday, 27th July 1911 and this was the first report of a fight by Les Darcy ever to appear in print :--- Two lads, Donohue and Darcy, provided a four round preliminary, and did it well too, for they 'had all their goods in the window' as the saying goes, and they hustled and slugged gallantly.

'Darcy was the smaller, but he has a good straight left and a persistant rib-seeking right, and he recieved the decision, though Donahue was the stronger

at the finish.

---------His boss try's to forbid Darcy to fight................... After much argument Darcy's freinds get Ford to agree to let Les Enter a Newcastle Tournament,.....................

Exerpt :-

Reports of these contests were printed breifly in the "Newcastle Morning Herald". On Saturday, 30th March 1912, Les Darcy was matched against a lad named R. Fairburn from Islington. The newspaper reported :-----"The fight went to the fourth round, at the close of which Fairburn gave the token of surrender.--Darcy is atough hardy little chap who possesses a rare punching ability for a lad of his inches, while his defence-works are very difficult to penetrate.". -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the following Saturday night, 6th April 1912,Darcy was matched against a lad named Rhymer for a bout of Eight rounds, which was refereed by the holder of the Australian Heavyweight Championship, Les O'Donnell. At the end of the sixth round, the referee stoppedthe fight and declared Darcy the winner. This time the 'Herald' stated that Darcy was "a miniature Squires'. This was a referance to Bill Squires, a stockily built Heavyweight who fought Tommy Burns Three times in 1907 and 1908 for the Heavyweight Championship and was knocked out each time by Burns.The Herald writer made a keen estimate of Darcy's ability : ---"He is a remarkably neat clean limbed, muscular young fellow, possessed of wonderful hitting power and stamina for a lad of his inches. He always had Rhymer in trouble, and it was a treat to watch him when they came to close quarters. Darcy will have to be reckoned with before the final stages are reached".Asthere were other bouts to be fought in the quarter finals, Les had Three weeks to wait before his turn would come for the semi-final bout on 27th April.

[GJC]

Keep typing McGoorty you are saving me a few quid here
Good chapter on Darcy and indeed Sands in They Could've Been Contenders. Keep plugging this book people must definately think i'm on commission