Kaukauna Times – May
1941
By Lyle Hansen
Kaukauna boxer competes
for the worlds boxing championship.
Phil Zwick - Kaukauna
May 16, 1941
Kaukauna native Phil Zwick, 36 years of age, will
have a crack at the world boxing title and has been working hard. He will have
no problem meeting the weight requirements as he scaled between 126 and 127.
His opponent the featherweight champion Petey Scalzo, 26 years of age, from New
York has been working hard to stay within the weight requirements. About 500
fans from Kaukauna and vicinity will travel to Milwaukee Monday to see the
featherweight championship fight.
May 21, 1941
The public is invited to be at the depot this
afternoon to welcome Phil Zwick home. A banquet and program are planned to
honor or hometown hero. Phil fought in the featherweight championship fight
before a crowd of 7500 fight fans at Milwaukee Monday evening in which Petey
Scalzo of New York won the 15-round decision to retain his world featherweight
title.
Phil had the best of the fight in the opening
rounds. Phil was the guy the experts said could never go 15 rounds as he was
too old to go the distance. The old man gave them their money’s worth through
the 15 rounds. Phil took some hits in the 6th but came back
fighting. In the 15th round he belted Scalzo through the ropes. It
was all Zwick the remainder of the round knocking Petey into the ropes again
and again. Petey held on to avoid a technical KO and Phil was cheered on by the
thousands of fans. When referee Barney Ross awarded the fight to Scalzo the
crowd yelled and booed their disagreement.
May 23, 1941
A crowd of 1000 people and the Kaukauna high
school band met Phil Zwick and his wife at the north side Chicago and
Northwestern depot Wednesday as he returned to his hometown two days after his
championship battle with Petey Scalzo. The band played “There’s no place like
Home” and a floral horseshoe was placed around Phil’s neck as the crowd
cheered. Mr. and Mrs. Zwick took seats atop the Kaukauna fire truck and
followed the band and a caravan of cars a mile long through the streets of
Kaukauna. Wednesday evening Phil was honored at a testimonial dinner at the Hotel
Kaukauna with 125 people jammed into the main dining area.
May 28, 1941
During a lively session which lasted more than
two hours the state athletic commission Sunday unanimously ruled the world’s
featherweight championship fight between champion Petey Scalzo and Phil Zwick
of Kaukauna a draw. Referee Barney Ross had awarded Scalzo the decision
contrary to the numbers on the judge’s score cards. The commission rules
prohibit alterations on a score card at any time and the decision by referee
Barney Ross was not consistent with the numbers on his card.
May 30, 1941
Promoter Billy Mitchell proposed a rematch bout
between Phil Zwick and Petey Scalzo for another featherweight championship
fight. Pete Reilly, manager of Scalzo declined the idea for a rematch.
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