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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Black Dynamite

Joe Butler
(the "King of the Middleweights")

BORN   May 18 1866; Paoli, Pennsylvania (near Philadelphia)
HEIGHT 6-0 1/2
WEIGHT 156-175 lbs
MANAGERS   Tom O'Rourke, Jack Fogarty, Howie Hodgkins,
Billy Madden

Butler was a quick, clever, and slippery fighter who could box or punch; He had fast hands and fast feet
 

During his career he defeated such men as John Banks, C.A.C. Smith, Ed Binney, Jim Daly, Frank Craig, Henry Baker, Frank "Paddy" Slavin, and Al Weinig

1883
       John Fredericks             Philadelphia, Pa                ND  4

1883-1888
       John Banks                  New York, NY                     W  4
Sep 26 George Reading              Philadelphia, Pa                ND  3
       George Reading              Philadelphia, Pa                TK  2
       Abe Harris                  in New Jersey                   TK 18
       William White               Pittsburgh, Pa                  TK  9

1891
Nov  7 Jimmy Clark                 Philadelphia, Pa                 W  4
Nov 15 Jack Houghey                Philadelphia, Pa                KO  4

1892
Feb 20 Fred Woods                  Philadelphia, Pa               SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Feb 27 Joe Godfrey                 Philadelphia, Pa                ND  4
Mar 26 Jack Houghey                Philadelphia, Pa                TK  2
Sep 21 Joe Goddard                 Philadelphia, Pa                ND  3
          -Some sources report "TK 3"; Police intervened;
           Some sources report 9/22/92
       C.A.C. Smith                Washington, DC                  KO  3
Oct 15 Fred Woods                  Philadelphia, Pa               SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Oct 24 Ed Binney                   Philadelphia, Pa                KO  2
          -Colored Middleweight Championship of the World;
           Some sources report 9/14/92; Some report 11/13/92
Nov 26 Joe Choynski                Philadelphia, Pa                EX  3
Dec  3 Peter Jackson               Philadelphia, Pa                EX  4

1893
Jan 14 Alec Greggains              Philadelphia, Pa                ND  4
Feb  6 -Phila (Pa) Item reported that Butler and Pat Cahill had fought              
          three times in the past; Each had one win and there was a draw;
          But, it appears it was Jim Butler who fought Cahill
Mar 18 Frank Craig                 Philadelphia, Pa                TK  2
          -Colored Middleweight Championship of the World
Jun 22 Jim Daly                    Brooklyn, NY                    KO  6
          -Some sources report "W 6"
Sep  4 Bob Baker                   New York, NY                    TK  1
Nov 25 Joe Stafford                Brooklyn, NY                     W  6
       Jack Glynn                                                  TK  1
       George Williams             Philadelphia, Pa                ND  4
Dec 15 George Godfrey                                               D  4
       Jack Wildey                                                 KO  2

1894
Jan 25 Peter Maher                 Philadelphia, Pa               SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Feb 19 Frank Craig                 Philadelphia, Pa                LT  1
          -Colored Middleweight Championship of the World
Apr 21 Fred Woods                  Philadelphia, Pa               SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
May 14 Fred Woods                  Philadelphia, Pa               SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jun 11 Fred Woods                  Philadelphia, Pa               SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jun 18 Fred Woods                  Philadelphia, Pa               SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jul    Peter Maher                 Philadelphia, Pa                ND  4
Sep 22 Fred Woods                  Philadelphia, Pa               SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Sep 29 Fred Woods                  Philadelphia, Pa               SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Oct    Pat Cleary                  Mt. Carmel, Pa                  KO  3
Dec 12 Jim McCabe                  Philadelphia, Pa                ND  8
Dec 29 Billy Hennessey             Philadelphia, Pa                ND  4
          -Some sources report 12/28/94

1895
Mar 20 Dick Baker                  Philadelphia, Pa                KO  2
May    Bobby Dobbs                 Philadelphia, Pa                ND  4
Jul 20 Dick Burns                  Sea Isle City, NJ               KO  2

1896
Jun 27 Henry Baker                 Brooklyn, NY                    LK  1
Apr 11 Billy McLean                Philadelphia, Pa                EX  3
Jul 13 Frank "Paddy" Slavin        Philadelphia, Pa                LK  1
Aug 18 Walter Johnson              Trenton, NJ                     NC 10
          -The men were accused of "faking"
           Some sources report 8/17/96
Aug 31 Ben Coleman                 Philadelphia, Pa                KO  5
Oct 15 Charles Strong              Buffalo, NY                     LK  1
Nov 23 Jim McCabe                  Baltimore, Md                    L  6
Dec 11 Jim McCabe                  Baltimore, Md                   ND  6

1897
Jan 23 Henry Baker                 Philadelphia, Pa                KO  1
          -Reports vary - "ND 1" - "W 1"
Jan    Henry Baker                 Philadelphia, Pa                ND  6
          -Reports vary - 3/19/97 - 3/23/97;
           Butler claimed a win; Baker denied this
Mar  6 Bob Armstrong               Brooklyn, NY                    LT  6
          -Some sources report "L 6" in "New York, NY"
Mar 29 Jack Cattanach              New York, NY                    KO  1
May  3 George Williams             San Francisco, Ca               KO  1
May 21 Frank "Paddy" Slavin        San Francisco, Ca               TK  1
          -Some sources report 5/31/97
Sep  5 Frank Purcell                                              SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled; Purcell backed out
Sep  5 Tom "Jabber" Carey          Philadelphia, Pa                KO  5
       Jack "Bubbles" Davis        Philadelphia, Pa                KO  1
          -Police intervened
Oct 21 Harry Peppers               Philadelphia, Pa                EX  4
Nov  1 Jack Bonner                 Philadelphia, Pa                LT  2
          -Butler claimed he had Bonner almost out in the
           first round when the referee stepped in and gave
           him a chance to recover; In the second round, 
           Bonner had knocked Butler down for three seconds
           when the referee stopped the bout
Nov 13 Jack Bonner                 Philadelphia, Pa                LF  2
          -Butler claimed that he had knocked Bonner down
           three times when the referee stepped in and gave
           him a chance to recover; The police subsequently
           stopped the bout; Bonner was taken to a hospital

1898
Feb 28 Mike Brennan                Athens, Pa                      NC  2
          -Butler knocked Brennan down; The cornermen entered
           the ring and the bout was declared a "NC 2"; Some sources
           report "TK 2" ? Police intervened
May 27 Bob Armstrong               Philadelphia, Pa                LK  3
       Joe Wahlder                 Hazleton, Pa                    ND  4
Aug  5 Harry Peppers               Philadelphia, Pa                KO  1
Sep 26 James F. "Doc" Payne        Philadelphia, Pa                KO  2

1899
Jan 21 Frank Childs                Chicago, Il                     LF  2
May 22 Ed Dunkhorst                Athens, Pa                      KO  6
Jun 29 Kid Moore                   Columbus, Oh                     D  7
          -Police intervened
       the "Buffalo Giant"                                         KO  2
Nov  8 Harry Marks                 Wilmington, De                  KO  1
          -Some sources report "KO 2"

1894-1900
       Levi Thomas                                                 KO  1
       Jack McCormick                                              KO  1
       Jack McCormick                                              KO  5
       Denny Kelliher                                               D  4

1900
Mar 15 Jack Stelzner               San Francisco, Ca               LF  2
          -Butler claimed that he had knocked Stelzner down
           five times in two rounds but the referee would not
           count him out; Then, Butler was disqualified;
           Some sources report 3/14/00
Apr 25 Lon Beckwith                Phillipsburg, NJ                TK  1
Dec 15 Frank Childs                Chicago, Il                     LK  6

1902
Feb  6 George Cole                 Mahonoy City, Pa                ND  6
          -Some sources report "EX 6"

1903
Apr 21 Jack Butler                 Philadelphia, Pa                ND  6
May 11 Jack Johnson                Philadelphia, Pa                LK  3
Jun  8 Edward "Kid" Carter         Philadelphia, Pa                LK  1
Jun 27 Al Weinig                   Philadelphia, Pa                TK  2
Oct  2 Fred Cooley                 Philadelphia, Pa                LF  1

1904
Apr  7 "Young" Peter Jackson       Philadelphia, Pa                LT  5
Sep 29 "Philadelphia" Jack O'Brien Philadelphia, Pa                LK  1

1905
Jan  6 Jim Jeffords                Philadelphia, Pa                LK  2
Mar  2 Ed Gross                    Philadelphia, Pa                KO  1
Apr 27 Peter Maher                 Philadelphia, Pa                LK  1
Oct 27 Charles Stevenson           Philadelphia, Pa                LF  1

1909
Mar 26 Jack Weldon                 Philadelphia, Pa                EX  3
May 10 Jack Fitzgerald             Philadelphia, Pa                LF  3
          -Police intervened;
           Some sources report "KO 3"
Sep 13 J. Robinson                 Rochester, NY                  SCH   
Sep 13 Cleve Hawkins               Rochester, NY                  SCH   
          -The previous 2 bouts were scheduled for the same date;
           The outcomes are not known

1911
Nov  2 Mike Donovan                Rochester, NY                   ND 10

*** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed ***

Undated
       Joe Choynski                                                 D  4

1892
Apr  1 Denny Kelliher                                               D  4
          -Some sources report 4/01/94

1893 
       Frank Craig                                                 KO  1
Nov 30 Billy Yeager                                                 W  4

1897
       "Big Six" (Albert Walker)                                   KO  1
       Joe Goddard                 Philadelphia, Pa                 W  3
          -Perhaps, this is the 9/21/92 bout;
          Butler once wrote that he beat Goddard in 3 rounds;
          Some sources report "D 3"; Police intervened

1897-1898 
       Bob Armstrong               Philadelphia, Pa                KO  2

1899
       Jim McCabe                  Philadelphia, Pa                ND  6

*** Some Data Was Provided By Kevin Smith ***

*** Click Here To See Book Review For THE SUNDOWNERS ***

Review courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization