Billy Miske

Billy Miske, alias The Saint Paul Thunderbolt (April 12, 1894 – January 1, 1924), was a professional boxer from Saint Paul, Minnesota. During his tenure as a pugilist he had multiple-bout series with a plethora of all-time greats including Harry Greb, Jack Dempsey, Jack Dillon, Tommy Gibbons, Bill Brennan and Battling Levinsky, among others. Despite a career shortened by illness and an early death, statistical website BoxRec still lists Miske as the No. 26 ranked heavyweight of all time.

Professional boxing career


An American of German descent, Miske stood at 6'0" and over the course of his career weighed between 158 and 190 lbs. He was managed by John Pearl "J.P" Smith (1913–18) and Jack Reddy (1918–23).

Miske was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. He began his career as a middleweight. During his career, he competed successfully as a light-heavyweight and heavyweight, defeating many well-known fighters. On September 6, 1920, Miske lost to Jack Dempsey in the third round of a fight to decide the World Heavyweight Boxing title. It was the first heavyweight title match to be broadcast on radio, and it was the only time Billy Miske was ever knocked out.

Illness and death
Miske fought his last bout against Bill Brennan, whom he met on November 7, 1923. At this point in his life, Miske knew he did not have much time left before his kidneys gave out (doctors had told him he had only months to live because of his Bright's Disease). Due to his family's economic situation, however, Miske decided he had to step into the ring one more time. His health prevented him from training for the fight. Amazingly, though, Miske knocked Brennan out in the fourth round. Miske died in St. Paul, Minnesota of kidney failure less than 2 months later on January 1, 1924.

Legacy
Miske's enduring legacy is that of an underappreciated fighter. It is argued that Miske deserved, but never received, title matches against Jack Dillon, Battling Levinsky and Georges Carpentier. His three recorded losses are against Hall of Famers Jack Dempsey, Kid Norfolk and Tommy Gibbons, while his list of defeated opponents boasts some of the most storied names in boxing history. Miske's final professional record was 72-15-14 with 33 wins by knockout. On December 8, 2009, it was announced that Miske would be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2010. On September 28, 2012 Miske was inducted into the Minnesota Boxing Hall of Fame.

Notable bouts

 * style="text-align:center;" colspan="7"|
 * - style="text-align:center; background:#e3e3e3;"
 * style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Result
 * style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Opponent
 * style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Type
 * style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Rd., Time
 * style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Date
 * style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Location
 * style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Notes 
 * - align=center
 * Loss
 * align=left| Tommy Gibbons
 * UD
 * 10
 * 1922-12-15
 * align=left|Saint Paul Auditorium, Saint Paul, Minnesota
 * align=left|
 * - align=center
 * Win
 * align=left| Tommy Gibbons
 * DQ
 * 10 (15)
 * 1922-10-13
 * align=left|Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
 * align=left|
 * - align=center
 * Loss
 * align=left| Jack Dempsey
 * KO
 * 3 (10)
 * 1920-09-06
 * align=left|Floyd Fitzsimmons Arena, Benton Harbor, Michigan
 * align=left|For World Heavyweight Title.
 * - align=center
 * Loss
 * align=left| Battling Levinsky
 * NWS
 * 12
 * 1919-07-03
 * align=left|Rossford Arena, Rossford, Ohio
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * style="background:#abcdef;"|Draw
 * align=left| Tommy Gibbons
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1919-06-19
 * align=left|Nicollet Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Loss
 * align=left| Kid Norfolk
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1919-06-09
 * align=left|Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Loss
 * align=left| Harry Greb
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1919-03-31
 * align=left|Duquesne Gardens, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Loss
 * align=left| Jack Dempsey
 * NWS
 * 6
 * 1918-11-28
 * align=left|Olympia A.C., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Loss
 * align=left| Harry Greb
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1918-09-21
 * align=left|Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Win
 * align=left| Gunboat Smith
 * NWS
 * 8
 * 1918-07-12
 * align=left|International League Ballpark, Jersey City, New Jersey
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * style="background:#abcdef;"|Draw
 * align=left| Jack Dempsey
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1918-05-03
 * align=left|Saint Paul Auditorium, Saint Paul, Minnesota
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Win
 * align=left| Gunboat Smith
 * PTS
 * 10
 * 1918-04-12
 * align=left|Atlanta Auditorium, Atlanta, Georgia
 * align=left|
 * - align=center
 * Win
 * align=left| Jack Dillon
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1917-11-13
 * align=left|Broadway Auditorium, Brooklyn, New York
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Loss
 * align=left| Kid Norfolk
 * PTS
 * 12
 * 1917-10-16
 * align=left|Arena (Armory A.A.), Boston, Massachusetts
 * align=left|
 * - align=center
 * Loss
 * align=left| Battling Levinsky
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1917-02-27
 * align=left|Saint Paul Auditorium, Saint Paul, Minnesota
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Win
 * align=left| Jack Dillon
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1917-01-16
 * align=left|Broadway Auditorium, Brooklyn, New York
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Win
 * align=left| Jack Dillon
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1916-12-19
 * align=left|Broadway Auditorium, Brooklyn, New York
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Win
 * align=left| Battling Levinsky
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1916-10-30
 * align=left|Clermont Avenue Rink, Brooklyn, New York
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Win
 * align=left| Battling Levinsky
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1916-10-12
 * align=left|Clermont Avenue Rink, Brooklyn, New York
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Loss
 * align=left| Jack Dillon
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1916-04-14
 * align=left|Saint Paul Auditorium, Saint Paul, Minnesota
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Win
 * align=left| Jack Dillon
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1916-01-28
 * align=left|Opera House, Superior, Wisconsin
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Loss
 * align=left| Tommy Gibbons
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1915-07-12
 * align=left|Saint Paul Auditorium, Saint Paul, Minnesota
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Win
 * align=left| Mike O'Dowd
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1915-04-06
 * align=left|Hudson Arena, Superior, Wisconsin
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * style="background:#abcdef;"|Draw
 * align=left| Harry Greb
 * NWS
 * 6
 * 1915-01-12
 * align=left|Fairmont A.C., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * Loss
 * align=left| Tommy Gibbons
 * NWS
 * 10
 * 1914-03-24
 * align=left|Hudson Arena, Superior, Wisconsin
 * align=left|Newspaper Decision
 * - align=center
 * style="background:#ddd;"|NC
 * align=left| Mike O'Dowd
 * ND
 * 10
 * 1913-07-06
 * align=left|Saint Paul, Minnesota
 * align=left|