Billy Shade

- the following was part of an article in the May 1922 Ring Magazine--

That boxing often runs in families once again is brought to the attention of the lovers of things pugilistic by the splendid showing of California's trio of brothers--Dave, Billy, and George Shade--all members of the "Fighting Shade Family."

Recently when the three brothers came East from california and placed themselves into the hands of Leo Flynn, owner of the greatest string of boxers in America, Leo sent broadcast reams and reams of publicity praising the achievements of this trio in coast battles and promising New Yorkers a little suprise once the boys got a start in the East. Like all press agent stories, the tales of prowess failed to raise much enthusiasm among the sporting fans-like the man from Missouri, they wanted to be shown.

Well, shown they were, and in a manner so convincing that none will in the future sneer at the mention of the members of the "Fighting Shade Family".

Through some clever managerial strategy Leo Flynn was able to match young Dave Shade, supposedly the most inexperienced of the three brothers, with Jack Britton, world's welterweight champion, and their meeting is history. It need not be retold. Suffice it to say Dave made such a wonderful impression upon the fans by holding the champion to a draw that in five week's time he became the biggest drawing card in America.

Fighting twenty-one battles in a period of forty days, or at an average of a contest every two days, young Dave has been able, as a result of his great battle with Britton, to earn himself $42,000 in less than two months. Quite a nifty sum for a boxer who, ten months ago, was practically unknown in the East. Only a few days ago the writer was discussing the present crop of welterweights and middleweights with those of a decade ago, when Flynn's secretary entered the room with a pack of letters and a handful of telegrams.

"Let me see the telegrams," said Flynn.

"See what a boy like Dave Shade is worth," remarked Leo, as he placed the telegrams into the hands of the writer.

"Convince yourself. Look at 'em."

We obliged and, much to the astonishment of yours truly, there were eleven telegrams from all parts of the country, East, West, North and South, offering engagements to dave, and most of the offers with a guarantee, the average of which was about $3,000.

While the other members of the famous Shade family have not been quite so successful, they are not having any difficulty obtaining matches and plenty of them.

The work of the boys in their Eastern debut gained them a horde of followers, and with their popularity established, the boys have paved a way for the most successful engagements a fighting family has had in the last twenty years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RING RECORD AS OF 1924: 43 wins - 13 losses - 88 ND's -27 draw - (112 total bouts)

 selected bouts

unknown	1921	Fay   Keiser		unknown			W 15
unknown	1921	Jimmy Clabbey		unknown			W 13
unknown	1921	Chuck  Wiggins		unknown			L 15
Nov 11	1921	Harry   Greb		unknown			ND 10

1922
unknown	1922	Fay   Keiser		unknown			W 12
unknown	1922	Billy  Miske		unknown			KO by 2
Mar 27	1922	Marty  burke		NewOrl.			W 15
unknown	1922	Fay   Keiser		unknown			ND 10

1923
Jan 22	1923	Harry   Greb		NewJer.			ND 12
unknown	1923	Fay   Keiser		unknown			L 12
unknown	1923	Fay   Keiser		unknown			W 10

1924
Jan 29	1924	Young Stribling		Atlanta			ND 10


19??
unknown	19??	Bill  Brennan		unknown			Exh. 4
unknown	19??	Mike  McTigue		unknown			Exh. 4



IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON BILLY SHADE
PLEASE E-MAIL ME 
Some of the Billy Shade photo's and article were supplied by Scott and Mike Shade


www.harrygreb.com