LES DARCY book by Raymond Swanwick- Excerpts

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Rose Tattoo's Rockin' stlye,..... Theme Song For DARCY'S Power Punching on display, Cos' Darcy Was Rockin' tattoo's on Clabby,.......... How do guys like the SONG ????

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The MAITLAND Surprise Packet --- Chapter 3-- Part 2

The Maitland Surprise packet. - Chapter 3--Part 2-Excerpt :-On the following Saturday night (21st Sept. 1912), a large crowd of miners went to Newcastle to see the Semi-Finals, in which Darcy was matched against H. Devon, the local Lightweight champion from Abermain, a mining town ten miles to the south-ward of Maitland.------------------------------------------------------------------ ...........This was a ten round bout, but in the sixth round, Devon's seconds threw in the towel, and Darcy was crowned winner on a technical knockout.----Again the sporting reporter of the Herald was enthusiastic :-----"Darcy showed the boxing ability of a matured born fighter, that excited the onlookers. It was said by the local boxing men that for a lad of Darcy's height he is a terrific hitter, and whatever he lands on must yield".----------------------------------- -----"Darcy will now fight J. Barnes in the final next Saturday".--------------------------The Maitland Mercury announced :, "The main bout will be between Darcy, 'The Maitland Surprise Packet', as he has been dubbed, a little battler of wonderful merit with both hands, and a worthy foe in Barnes the 'Fighting Wheeler'.---------------------------------------

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CHAPTER 4 - The Maitland surprise Packet Part 3

PART THREE

The Final :- Les Darcy Vs J. BARNES

;- Les O'Donnell refereed the the final, on 28th September 1912. And the Maitland Mercury proudly reported the result :---------------------------------------------------- "Young Darcy, of Maitland, belted Barnes, of Minmi, so cleverly in the final of the 10-stoners, that Barnes's seconds threw in the towel when the ninth round had not long been in progress".-----------------------------------------------"Darcy is only about sventeen years of age, and is generally acknowledged to be the most promising lad of his weight that has been dug-up in the north for many a long day".----------------------------------------------------------LES DARCY Vs DAVE DUPENA :-- Darcy's first International Match :---------:-- A little more than a month later, on 4th November 1912 --- Four days after his Seventeenth birthday --- Les was matched for a fight at Summer Park, Newcastle, which was his first international match.-------------------------------------At this time the leading Australian promoters Hugh D. McIntosh, of Sydney, John Wren, of Melbourne, and George Lawrence, of Brisbane, were acting together to arrange visits to Australia by leading American boxers, especially Heavyweights, who fought matches against one another, or against local Heavyweights, not only in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, but also in stadiums at Adelaide and Perth. The fact that big fights were held every Saturday night in five Australian capital cities shows the extent of the "Boxing Boom" and the keen search for local talent to match against the imported stars.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Among the American boxers in Australia in 1912 the most famous was Sam Langford, A.K.A. "The Boston Tar Baby", who had begun fighting as a Lightweight in 1902, and had fought with sucess in every class and up to and including Heavyweight, in many states in America, and also in England.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------In Sam Langford's retinue was an African-American lad named Dave DUPENA, a lightweight (9 stone 9 pounds) who trained and sparred with Langford, and was the Boston Tar baby's pupil.-----------------------------------------------------Sam Langford himself went to Newcastle to act as second to his pupil. As an experienced tactician he managed to have an interview with young Darcy a few hours before the fight, and tried to scare him............... " Dave is a terrible hard hitter", he told Les. "He'll belt the hell out of you. It would be better for you sonny, if I went into the ring against you".-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Maitland boy's reaction astonished the Boston Tar Baby. "I'd love to box a few rounds withyou," he said with boyish enthusiasm and admiration of the famous fighter. ----------- "By Golly", said Sam. "You would, eh ? You would like to fight me ?", He stared at the youngster, puzzled, and walked away without another word--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------:THE FIGHT !!:-- Darcy's cornermen for this first "Big Fight" were Mick Hawkins and Les Fletcher.--------------------------------------------------------------------The fight was held at 11 am to avoid clashing with other sporting features. An advertisement for it read :--- GREAT GLOVE CONTEST between LES DARCY : Coming Lightweight Champion,--- and,-- DAVE DEPENA :-- Sam Langford's Pupil, For a Purse put up by Mr. J. Rowan, and a side bet of 50 Pounds.----------------Referee , Mr. ARTHUR SCOTT....... Prices :- 5 s. (stage seats), 3 s., 2 s., and 1 s. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The first five rounds saw Darcy carefully measuring his opponent and fighting on the defensive, but in the sixth round the Maitland Boy took the offensive, but with a flurry of lefts and rights to the body, sent Dupena down for a count of nine.-------------------------------------------------------------In the next thre rounds, Darcy continued punishing Depena severely. Depena was practically out on his feet in the ninth. Police at the ringside indicated that they would intervene to stop the fight. The referee thereupon crowned Darcy the winner on a T.K.O..--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In repoting the fight the Newcastle Herald stated :---- "the Battle was full of fight. The sturdy little Maitlander lost no time in getting to work, and Depena soon discovered that he had an awkward contract. Darcy went at his man with a will, and Depena fought back just as fiercely. The Maitland boy ducked so cleverly to Depenas leads, and smothered up so effectively before every attack, that Depena seemed at a losss to bring out the right class of punch to suit the circumstances.-------------------------------------------"Darcy gave a splendid exhibition of the art of avoiding punishment by his clever footwork, timing, and judgement of distance. The more effective blows were delivered by Darcy, whose collection of hits and stops came as a surprise to those who had not previously seen him in action. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"Darcy is a remarkably neat, clean limbed young fellow of 17 years, powerfully framed, for his size, and is as hard as pin wire. Depena gave a good account of himself, but the boy opposed to him proved a veritable surprise packet not only to Depena, but to Sam Langford and the other members of his party".------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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PART THREE

The Final :- Les Darcy Vs J. BARNES

;- Les O'Donnell refereed the the final, on 28th September 1912. And the Maitland Mercury proudly reported the result :---------------------------------------------------- "Young Darcy, of Maitland, belted Barnes, of Minmi, so cleverly in the final of the 10-stoners, that Barnes's seconds threw in the towel when the ninth round had not long been in progress".-----------------------------------------------"Darcy is only about sventeen years of age, and is generally acknowledged to be the most promising lad of his weight that has been dug-up in the north for many a long day".----------------------------------------------------------LES DARCY Vs DAVE DUPENA :-- Darcy's first International Match :---------:-- A little more than a month later, on 4th November 1912 --- Four days after his Seventeenth birthday --- Les was matched for a fight at Summer Park, Newcastle, which was his first international match.-------------------------------------At this time the leading Australian promoters Hugh D. McIntosh, of Sydney, John Wren, of Melbourne, and George Lawrence, of Brisbane, were acting together to arrange visits to Australia by leading American boxers, especially Heavyweights, who fought matches against one another, or against local Heavyweights, not only in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, but also in stadiums at Adelaide and Perth. The fact that big fights were held every Saturday night in five Australian capital cities shows the extent of the "Boxing Boom" and the keen search for local talent to match against the imported stars.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Among the American boxers in Australia in 1912 the most famous was Sam Langford, A.K.A. "The Boston Tar Baby", who had begun fighting as a Lightweight in 1902, and had fought with sucess in every class and up to and including Heavyweight, in many states in America, and also in England.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------In Sam Langford's retinue was an African-American lad named Dave DUPENA, a lightweight (9 stone 9 pounds) who trained and sparred with Langford, and was the Boston Tar baby's pupil.-----------------------------------------------------Sam Langford himself went to Newcastle to act as second to his pupil. As an experienced tactician he managed to have an interview with young Darcy a few hours before the fight, and tried to scare him............... " Dave is a terrible hard hitter", he told Les. "He'll belt the hell out of you. It would be better for you sonny, if I went into the ring against you".-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Maitland boy's reaction astonished the Boston Tar Baby. "I'd love to box a few rounds withyou," he said with boyish enthusiasm and admiration of the famous fighter. ----------- "By Golly", said Sam. "You would, eh ? You would like to fight me ?", He stared at the youngster, puzzled, and walked away without another word--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------:THE FIGHT !!:-- Darcy's cornermen for this first "Big Fight" were Mick Hawkins and Les Fletcher.--------------------------------------------------------------------The fight was held at 11 am to avoid clashing with other sporting features. An advertisement for it read :--- GREAT GLOVE CONTEST between LES DARCY : Coming Lightweight Champion,--- and,-- DAVE DEPENA :-- Sam Langford's Pupil, For a Purse put up by Mr. J. Rowan, and a side bet of 50 Pounds.----------------Referee , Mr. ARTHUR SCOTT....... Prices :- 5 s. (stage seats), 3 s., 2 s., and 1 s. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The first five rounds saw Darcy carefully measuring his opponent and fighting on the defensive, but in the sixth round the Maitland Boy took the offensive, but with a flurry of lefts and rights to the body, sent Dupena down for a count of nine.-------------------------------------------------------------In the next thre rounds, Darcy continued punishing Depena severely. Depena was practically out on his feet in the ninth. Police at the ringside indicated that they would intervene to stop the fight. The referee thereupon crowned Darcy the winner on a T.K.O..--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In repoting the fight the Newcastle Herald stated :---- "the Battle was full of fight. The sturdy little Maitlander lost no time in getting to work, and Depena soon discovered that he had an awkward contract. Darcy went at his man with a will, and Depena fought back just as fiercely. The Maitland boy ducked so cleverly to Depenas leads, and smothered up so effectively before every attack, that Depena seemed at a losss to bring out the right class of punch to suit the circumstances.-------------------------------------------"Darcy gave a splendid exhibition of the art of avoiding punishment by his clever footwork, timing, and judgement of distance. The more effective blows were delivered by Darcy, whose collection of hits and stops came as a surprise to those who had not previously seen him in action. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"Darcy is a remarkably neat, clean limbed young fellow of 17 years, powerfully framed, for his size, and is as hard as pin wire. Depena gave a good account of himself, but the boy opposed to him proved a veritable surprise packet not only to Depena, but to Sam Langford and the other members of his party".------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Some Dude Talking about LES DARCY----------------------------------------

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------ SOME DARCY POETRY --- For POET,.... By a Funny little Chap

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------ SOME DARCY POETRY --- For POET,.... By a Funny little Chap

A Hairy AUSSIES song For LES. by a bad singer

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------------------- Images of LES DARCY -------------------------

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Chapter 4 - The Maitland surprise Packet Part 4

Part 4

-- Excerpt :-- Even more significant was the report ---not published but privately circulated ---of a Newcastle doctor who attended all fights at the Summer Park Stadium and checked the boxers before and after each contest.--------------------------------------The doctor was quoted as stating his opinion that it would be impossible for anyone to knock Les Darcy out by a blow to the jaw. The extraordinary thickness and strength of his neck muscles would absorb the shock of any blow on the point of the chin. His neck muscles, the doctor said, protected his spinal cord from the shock that knocks boxers out when the head is forced back by a blow. --------------------------------------------------------------------Whether that doctor's explanation was scientifically correct or not, the fact remains that Les Darcy was never knocked out. --------------------------------- EXCERPT :--- The Maitland Mercury annonced :- "Supporters of the ring will doubtless be delighted to learn that negotiations to arrange a match between those two sturdy and talented young Maitland boxers, Les Darcy of the east, who's Newcastle admirers believe him to be invincible at his weight, and the lad from the west who prefers to be known as Jimmy Burns, instead of using his rightful appellation, have been successful".---------------------"The principals and some of their backers met last evening, when there was not the slightest hitch in the business: indeed everything was delightfully amicable. It was agreed the pair should box the best of TWENTY Rounds in West Maitland on the evening of December 14 at 10 stone for 25pounds a side, and a percentage of the house

LES DARCY Versus JIMMY BURNS II

---- In Darcy's corner were Mick Hawkins, Frank Darcy, Matt Ross and Peter Hodgins.---------- Burn's cornermen were J. York, S. Brannigan, and T. Cuddigan. The referee was Watty Brien.-------------------- For the first three rounds, points were fairly evenly scored, but then Darcy began to forge ahead. In the Sixth round he knocked Burns down for the count of 9. Burns could not fully recover from the effects of that punch. Darcy could hit him when and where he pleased. In the tenth round Burns was again knocked down for a count of nine, and in the 11th round the end came, as described in the Maitland Mercury :--- "Darcy suddenly swung a right heavily to the body, instantly followed up with a left to the jaw, and Burns went down in a sitting attitude. Then his head fell back and he was out for good. He had put up a plucky fight, and his courage was superior stamina and class. Indeed the winner is a wonder, for he is not yet Eighteen years of age".

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