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New book by John Cuthbertson of Saginaw recalls area boxers. Joe David referees match between Kid Lavigne, left, and Ed Sheltraw of Bay City at the Saginaw Union Park in 1897.

LOCAL BOXERS RECALLED: Brawling Lumberjacks Top Early 1900s Entertainment

George "Kid" Lavigne, Others Who "Came to Scratch" Recalled by Cuthbertson

February 21, 2013       1 Comments
By: Dave Rogers

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Lightweight Champion of the World!

That was the title held by George Henry "Kid" Lavigne, born in Banks, West Bay City Dec. 6, 1869.

When he matured, Kid had a part-time job to keep lumberjacks under control by wielding a billy bat at the Michigan House saloon, located on West Side Saginaw Road in Bay City.


George "Kid" Lavigne of Banks,
West Bay City, in his fighting prime.
Fighting out of Saginaw, the fearless rusher Kid Lavigne held the lightweight (135 pounds) title 1893-1899.

The Kid has been inducted in the Bay County and Michigan sports halls of fame.

The exploits of Lavigne and other long-forgotten area boxers are recounted by Saginaw writer John E. Cuthbertson in a book, "Coming To Scratch or Down For The Count." The book is available at the Castle Museum in Saginaw.

The book features turn of the century and early 20th century boxers, including Saginaw boxers George Henry "Kid" Lavigne and Harold "Butch" Otto, and fighters from Bay City to Grayling and lumber camps in between.

The book, in the making for over three years, was published by the Montmorency County Tribune, Atlanta, Michigan.

Although Kid had been given the title by Jack McAuliffe when he retired based on a no decision scrap they had fought, the West Bay City born brawler wanted to prove in the ring he was the best.

It took three years to set up a fight with the other main contender, Dick Burge of England. In the world title fight at Covent Garden, London, the 27-year-old Kid stopped Burge with a TKO in the 17th round.

Saginaw gamblers had put $15,000 on the Kid and the payoff was surprising: the Englishmen had bet in British pounds, a terrific bonus for the local risk-takers since a dollar brought 1,238 pounds sterling. They nonetheless fretted: what would have happened had the Kid lost? They might never have gotten out of London alive.

The Kid beat black Barbados-born boxer Joe Walcott (not Jersey Joe) twice, in 1895 and 1897, but the bloody bouts nearly ended the careers of both of them. The first fight was in Queens, New York, and the last at the Occidental Club in San Francisco. Walcott went on to win the World Welterweight crown.

Visiting Joe, who had become his friend, in Chicago, Lavigne was introduced by Walcott to his wife: "Here is de man who almost made a widow out of you." Walcott said the fight had been forced on him by promoters even though the two were pals.

Over 240 pages are dedicated to recounting the lifestyle of local boxers and their impact on Cuthbertson, who comes from a family of boxers and promoters, which include his uncle, father and grandfather.

His father was a boxer, whose last fight was in Paris, France, and who later became a trainer and then a promoter.

His father had a steamer trunk, along with an inherited trunk from William St. Mary, another boxer, which contained many of the vintage photographs that Cuthbertson used in the book.

"I realized that I had a time capsule," he said. "I realized if I don't write this book, it would all be lost."

Over 300 pictures are included in the publication.

"Nobody has pictures like that," he said.

Cuthbertson said that the biggest thing he noticed while writing the book was how times have changed, noting that it would cost $11.00 back then, but now a ticket would cost hundreds of dollars for a close seat during a boxing match.

Some other Saginaw boxers included in the book, are William St. Mary, Patsy Crawford, Walter Majeski, Sam Gillette, Marty Simmons, Ben & Bud McArthur, Eddie & Fritz Heinz, Le Senski, Julius Piazza, Jerry "Pete" Armstrong, Mickey Crawford, Robert "Bobby" Thomas, Felton Woods and Lorenzo Reynolds.

A lot of boxers started their careers as early as 17 years old, but their careers typically ended when they were 25 or 30.

Among the most popular boxing venues in the area were Bordwell's Opera House on Washington Street, Saginaw, the Bay City and Owosso armories, Atwood Stadium and the IMA in Flint, the Carrollton Open Air Arena, the old Winter Garden, north of the Saginaw News, and Billy Johnson's Gym in Bay City.

"Kid" Lavigne, although born in Bay City, claimed Saginaw as his hometown and was known as the "Saginaw Kid."

Cuthbertson said that his uncle John took him to visit Jimmy Lavigne, the youngest member of the Lavigne family, who talked about his brother George. The Kid died in 1928, and had worked for the infamous Harry Bennett, head of the Ford Motor Security Division. Henry Ford hired many boxers to control the unions at his plants.

Harold Fredrick Otto, known by the boxing world as "Butch," was one of Saginaw's most colorful welterweights of the late 1920's, according to Cuthbertson. He fought at the Moonlight Garden in Carrollton and the Saginaw Auditorium.

"Even their families don't know," Cuthbertson said. "And it's great to let them in on something new about their family history."

Cuthbertson has written one other book, The Mighty Rifle River, which looks at logging camps in Michigan.

One of the Brown City's native sons put Brown City on the map with his fast fists and decisive punches during the early part of the 20th century.

Whitey Gorsline, father of Brown City's Gary Gorsline, held the USA Michigan State heavyweight boxing title in 1930 after beating Kid Hans during a 10-round bout in Detroit.

Cuthbertson, 78, whose father was a boxing promoter, said he has spent three years researching the book which features boxers from communities across the state and beyond.

He said the book's name is taken from the Irish roots of boxing when a circle or "ring" would be drawn in the dirt along with a "scratch" line in the center. A fighter who was downed by a punch had a certain amount of time to "come to scratch" or be declared the loser.

According to www.boxrec.com, Gorsline boxed 50 rounds during more than a dozen bouts, going on to win nine with seven knockouts, lose three with three knockouts, and one draw.

Cuthbertson said much of the information about Whitey comes from his son's scrapbook.

"He was a southpaw," he said. "He was a country boy, so what did he know about boxing? He got together with Hap Palmer (former Brown City mayor and boxing promoter), and he was knocking them down left and right."

He said Whitey's first boxing win in North Branch earned him $25.

"He was tough," Cuthbertson said. "He was left-handed, so you had to go at him the other way and not a lot of guys knew that."

"When he had a fight in Port Huron, it was bumper to bumper," he continued. "They really expected him to be the champion of the world, but it didn't really happen that way."

Gorsline, 69, who still has his father's bronzed boxing gloves and scrapbook, said he doesn't remember a lot about his father since Whitey was killed when he was just 7 years old. His dad died after being hit by a train at the former old M-21 cutoff to M-53 (Van Dyke). His father and mother, Helen (Graham), had two daughters, Betty and Pat, as well.

Gorsline said the scrapbook kept by his grandmother is full of stories about Whitey, who was under contract once at Madison Square Garden and Jack Dempsey Stadium in Chicago.

Gorsline recalled stories of the former boxing ring set up on the east end of town at M-90 and Maple Street. He heard Brown City resident Bud Welch was just 9 years old when he would climb atop his father's milk truck to get a good view. He also heard how late businessman Lloyd Burger would sell popcorn for the fights.

"It's something that people of Brown City can be proud of that we did have a heavyweight boxer here," added Gorsline. "I'm just glad to get the book and start reading."

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jskirch Says:       On February 06, 2015 at 11:17 PM
I've finally found "the" picture. Years ago (sometime in the 60's)this picture appeared in a Bay City Times or Saginaw News in an article highlighting George Kid Lavigne induction into Michigan Boxing Hall of Fame. My Great-Grandfather is Joe David, pictured in the ring. My grandfather, Bryan David had the article, but I never knew what happened to it. I've tried a few times over the years to find this, I just purchased Muscle and Mayhem a book by Lauren Chouinard and he has this picture in the book and states it's the only picture of Kid Lavigne in the ring. Finally I had my clue, Chouinard does not identify Joe David in his book, but I was almost certain this was the picture I saw as a child as I remembered with certainty they were standing in the ring.
Joe David died in 1907 when his son, Bryan was only 10 years old. This is the only picture I can ever remember seeing of my Great-Grandfather. Is there any way to obtain a copy????
Agree? or Disagree?


Dave Rogers

Dave Rogers is a former editorial writer for the Bay City Times and a widely read,
respected journalist/writer in and around Bay City.
(Contact Dave Via Email at carraroe@aol.com)

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