Ring Magazine Jan 1940
In the New Faces section, Ring spotlighted a very young new heavyweight from Endicott, New York, Charley Ketchuck. At the time of this spot light he'd been fighting professionally only about 4 months but was already creating waves in the paper headlines around New Jersey and eastern PA. His career turned to be a case of expectations for him were entirely too high too early and then one big slip and he pretty much gets burned by that same media. This may read like a mini book but I found it interesting how his short career rose and fell so quickly.
Career Record: W17(KO 8) / L2(KO 1) / D1
Unknown information is left blank.
DOB listed from article mentioned below from The Daily Record.
BoxerList.com notes DOB as 07/20/1020 and DOD as 07/21/2001.
On a website
www.findgrave.com found a posting for Charles Ketchuck, birth unknown, death, 21 Jul 2001 burial at Riverhurst Cemetery, Endicott, Broome County, NY.
14 Sep 1940 Sat, The Bennington Evening Banner, Vermont - Found this article talking through the highlites of Ketchuck's career up to that time and it mentions him being a native of Moscow, PA, near Scranton but living the last eight years in Endicott, NY.
Some newspaper articles in early months of 1939 Ketchuck was fighting some amateur boxing and was referenced to be from Binghamton, NY, high school.
The January 1940 Ring Magazine hilited Ketchuck in their "New Faces" section that month of "up and coming" fighters. It mentions he'd turned pro lst July (The articles in a certain published month of Ring would usually covering boxing events up to 2 even 3 month previous to the published month. So the time in Ketchuck's career is probably around the time of his November 1939 fight with Joey Brandon. The article mentions his "questionable" loss to Dan Merritt that September before the Brandon fight. It tells of him being of Russian parentage and an outstanding football player and declined six offers of college scholarships to try his luck in professional boxing.
03 Mar 1939, Fri Star-Gazette, Elmira, NY - Short piece puts Ketchuck winning his 24th straight fight winning a decision over an Eddie Kowalski. Amateur fight.
23 Mar 1939, Thu The Ithaca Journal, NY - mentions Charley Ketchuck of Endicott going in a fight.
14 April 1939, Fri Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY - Article talking about a fight CharleyKetchuck had against a Bob Albaino in another amateur bout. Article mentions Ketchuck being from Union-Endicott High Shool. That school is in Endicott which is a little burb outside Binghamton, NY. Union is in between Binghamton and Endicott. Another article in the same paper on May 4th mentions Ketchuck had worked out with Max Baer the previous weekend.
27 May 1939, Sat The Brooklyn Citizen, NY - Article talks a bit about Charley Ketchuck, part of a group of 4 fighters Max Baer has been using as sparring partners. Mentions Ketchuck is only 18 in high school. So that would put his DOB around 1920-21? The article mentions he is fast and agile, very aggressive in his boxing, and has a fast left hand.
14 Jul 1939, Fri The Daily Standard, Red Bank, NJ - Piece mentions Charley Ketchuck, who is managed by Jersey Jones, meets George Clark of Newark. Lists Ketchuck as from Binghamton which the article says Ketchuck is from the home town of Jack Sharkey.
15 Jul 1939, Sat The Daily Standard, REd Bank, NJ - Charley Ketchuck, Binghamton, KO'd George Clark, Newark with a hard punch to the jaw in the final round of thier six rounder. Clark took the count on one knee with Arthur Donavan counting. The time was 1 min 49 seconds.
16 Jul 1939, Sun Scranton Tribune, PA - Short piece on Ketchuck mentions his parents from a farm at Moscow and graduated recently from Union-Endicott High School.
21 July 1939, The Daily Record, Long Beach, NJ - Mentions Charley Ketchuck, Binghamton who will be 19 today will take on Richie Bennett, Wycoff. So this would appear to place Ketchuck's DOB at July 21, 1920
22 Jul 1939, The Daily Record, Long Beach, NJ - Charley Ketchuck pounded out a 2 minute, 40 second KO over Richie Bennett of Wycoff. A "smashing right to the solar plexus" shortly after the opening bell dropped Bennett for a 9 count. Again Bennett went down under Ketchuck's "sledge-hammer" fists and the referee halted the fight as Bennett stumbled groggily around the ring.
25 Jul 1939, The Courier-News, Bidgewater, NJ - Beans Palmer of Ben Cantor's stable lost in 2:49 of the second round to Charley Ketchuck when referee Al Goldie stopped the bout as Ketchuck belted Palmer on the ropes. Palmer gave Ketchuck a rought time in the first round before Ketchuck took over in the second.
29 Jul 1939, Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY - Charley Ketchuck, Endicott, scored his 4th straight KO stopping Gail Thomas, Newark in a minute and Nine seconds of the 3rd round. A right to the body and a left hook to the chin put Thomas down.
02 Aug 1939, Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY - Ketchuck's manager, Jersey Jones, who piloted Bingo Joe Banovic to a high ranking in the light heavyweights, talks about his young new rising star, former football star at Union-Endicott High. Ketchuck first came to fame when he won the 175 pound open class in The Binghamton Prss AA Golden Gloves in 1938. Article mentions Ketchuck as an amatuer piled up victories via a speedy pair of legs and a flicking Left hand which he really didn't use for power. He seldom used his right except to hold. Under Jone's learning, Ketchuck has become an agressive , two handed puncher and has learned to roll and weave with his opponent's leads and counters more.
07 Aug 1939, Mon The Herald-News, Passaic, NJ - In "The Sportsman's Corner" by Art McMahon he discusses an interview with Jersey Jones about Charley Ketchuck. This article says he is a "Russian" from Binghamton? The article later talks of Ketchuck being unique in he's the first Russian heavyweight of any promise and then discusses outher European countries that some of the well know heavyweight fighters came from. Jersey Jones describes Ketchuks punching as wolloping from both first and from all angles comparing to Pat Comiskey's style relying exclusively upon his looping right hand.
09 Aug 1939, Wed The News, Paterson, NJ - Charley Ketchuck scored a victory against Johnny Tuck, Paterson who was a former News-PBA Diamond Gloves champion. For six rounds Ketchuck wore Tuck down with body blows. Tuck missed an opportunity in the third round when he landed a terrific right hand punch which staggared Ketchuck, but he failed to follow through and Ketchuck recovered to carry on and carry the win.
16 Aug 1939, Wed The Morning Call, Paterson, NJ - Charley Ketchuck made it two in a row against Johnny Tuck. Charley took advantage of regular superior infighting and scored some long range shots.
12 Sept 1939, Tue Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY - Announcement that Ketchuck was to fight Detroit heavyweight,m Bill Bommer on Sept 20th. The two days later the Detroit Free Press reported that after watching him in the gym, Commissioner Hettche ordered him off the card believing he was not in shape having not fought in 15 months!
19 Sept 1939, Tue Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY - editorial bit that talks about Charley Ketchuck singing praises him being young yet and much to learn but under the coaching of Jersey Jones, the boxing community is talking more about him and saying in a year or two should be headlining some top fights. "Ketchuck should develop into a dangerous contender for Louis' laurels."
21 Sept 1939, Thu, The Morning Call, Paterson, NJ - Fighting a 4 round preliminary bout on the Joe Lous / Bob Pastor championship bout card, Dan Merritt, 195 pound Cleveland heavyweight won a close decision over Charley Ketchuck, giving Ketchuck his first defeat after winning his first six professional bouts.
01 Oct 1939, Sun, Scranton Triburn, PA - Short note that Jersey Jones was in town for a few hours with Charley Ketchuck and here its noted that Ketchuck was born in Moscow.
16 Nov 1939, Thu Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY - Charley Ketchuck outpointed Joey Brandon, Pittsburgh in six rounds. Brandon was subbing for scheduled opponent, Joe Orlosky, Herrick Center, PA, who thought Ketchuck carried too much weight for him. A crowd of 1422 attended to see the card wound up by Billy Soose, Middleweight defeating Johnny Duca. Ketchuck bombed the shorter Brandon for two rounds but failed to floor the game opponent.
14 Dec 1939, Thu The Tribune, Scranton, PA - Joe Louis saw the Charley Ketchuck / Jack Downey fight apparently impressed. Ketchuck simply used Downey as a "guinea pig". Ketchuck outboxed Downey for a couple then switched to slugging. At the height of the slugfest in the fifth, Ketchuck sent Downey down twice. A collection of blows, finished off with a straight right dropped Downey the first time and then dropped him the second time with a left hook. Downey took nine each time but survived to finish the fight.
BoxRec notes Ketchuks' 6 round decision win over Charley Wright on 12/18/39 a Newspaper decision from the Ashbury Park Press. Did not find that on line.
30 Jan 1940, Tue Press and Sun-Bulletin (Binghamton, NY) - Just notes that Charley Ketchuck stopped Steve Colucci in three rounds.
07 Feb 1940, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA - Reviews Charley Ketchuck and his upcoming bout with Jackie Hiller. "He is strong and rugged, moved around exceptionally fast for a big fellow. Knows how to box and can hit with either hand."
08 Feb 1940, Thu The Times-Tribune, Scranton, NJ - Philadelphia towering heavyweight, Jackie Hiller stayed with Charley Ketchuck for four rounds before Charley put Jackie down in the fifth with a looping right to the jaw.Hiller got up on his feet groggy after referee Walton counted to nine. Realizing his opportunity, Ketchuck tore into Hiller punishing him about the face and body and him hopeless up against the ropes when referee Walton stepped in and stopped it at 2 min-58secs in the fifth.
12 Mar 1940, Tue Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NJ - Charley Ketchuck in his 13th professional bout was held to an eight round draw with Eddie "Chief Red Bull" Collins., the decision being given by Referee Andy Brown. After being knocked down by a left hook for a count of eight in the fourth, Ketchuck didn't regain the aggressive form he showed in the first three rounds when he floored Collins in the first and third rounds taking a count each time.
19 Mar 1940, Tue The Morning Call, Paterson, NJ - Meeting in a return eight rounder following thier eight round draw a week before, Johnny Ketchuck got the decision over Eddie "Chief Red Bull" Collins from Referee Paul Cavalier. Ketchuck wins by virtue of a spirited last round rally that had the "Chief" hanging on during the closing minute. Collins was down by a short count in the fifth, but climbed back to tak the sixth and seventh rounds setting up Ketchuck rally fight in the eight.
28 May 1940, Tue Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NJ- Charley Ketchuck knocked out Nick Rabin, Allentown, PA in one minute and 20 seconds of the second round. Rabin had several extra pounds around his midsection. Ketchuck scored hits to that midsection with both hands. When he brought Rabin's guard down, Charley hooked his left to Rabin's head.
21 Jun 1940 Fri, Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NJ - Reports that Charley Ketchuck is to fight tonight, Joe O'Gatty of Newark in an eight rounder.
22 Jun 1940 Sat, The Record, Hackensack, NJ - Charley Ketchuck flattened Paul Pross, Jersey City, after 2:04 of the second session of a scheduled 8. No mention found of what happened to the fight with Joe O'Gatty.
02 Jul 1940 Tue, Asbury Park Press, NJ - More accolades for young Charley Ketchuck. "One of the many young heavyweights now attracting attention as possible future opponents of Joe Louis in a championship match, the two most often mentioned are Pat Comiskey and Charley Ketchuck." "The youngster has made rapid strides in his first year. Exceptionally fast for a heavyweight, Ketchuck is a clever boxer and a thunderous puncher with either hand." This article mentions that Ketchuck was to have fought Joe O'Gatty recently and the reason that didn't happen and he fought Paul Pross, was O'Gatty appeared with a badly swollen arm, the result of an injury suffered while training with Joe Louis.
10 Jul 1940 Wed, The Daily Record, Long Beach, NJ - Charley Ketchuck is to arrive in Long Branch the next day to complete workouts in preperation for making his first appearance in a feature bout since he opened his pro career when he battles 10 rounds with Wally Sears. Promoter Jerry Casale said that "Ketchuck is undoubtedly on the road to the challenger's post for the crown now worn by Joe Louis."
11 Jul 1940 Thu, Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY - Promoter E.P. Deitrick of the Seven Acres Sporting Club, today completed the supporting card for the Ken Overlin-Billy Soose featured bout at the Scranton Stadium on July 24th. Ketchuck is becoming a hot, wanted fighter for promoters.
13 Jul 1940, Sat, The Daily Record, Long Beach, NJ - Heavy rains necessitated a postponment of the entire boxing programm planned planned at Atlantic Stadium in which Charley Ketchuck and Wally Sears were to headline with a 10 round bout.
19 Jul 1940 Thu, Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY - Because of his poor one round knockout loss, Ralph Costosky will not meet Charley Ketchuck next Wednesday at Scranton. State Athletic Commissioner George J. Jones, Jr. has ordered Promoter E.P. Diedrick to obatin new opponent for Ketchuck. Another newspaper article in the Philadelphia Inquirer on this same day mentions this.
20 Jul 1940 Sat, Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY - Pete Tamalonis, Buffalo is announced as the replacement to fight Charley Ketchuck at Scranton on the Overlin-Soose card.
21 Jul 1940 Sun Daily News, NY, NY - Records that Charley Ketchuck spent eighteen months as an amateur winning forty of his forty-four bouts. This article reports that Charley was born of Russian parentage in Binghamton. Other reports of course have him growing up on a farm in Moscow, PA assuming it was PA.
25 Jul 1940, Thu Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY - Charley Ketchuck outpointed Frank Donforio who substituted for Pete Tomalonis who had agreed to substitute for Ralph Coslosky in a 6 round preliminary of the Soose-Overlin middleweight main event in Scranton. Ketchuck built up a steady lead crashing rights. He sent Donforio through the ropes in the fifth and had him on the canvas in the sixth, just before the final bell.
30 Jul 1940, Tue Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY - Charley Ketchuck received the referee's decision over Joe O'Gatty . Neither fighter was down in the six rounder, shortened from eight because of rain in the fifth. Ketchuck worked mainly on the midriff of O'Gatty to gain the nod by referee Joe Mangold.
02 Aug 1940, Fri The Daily Record, Long Beach, NJ - Reports that Mike Jacobs, Twentieth Century Sporting Club head and "the leading fistic impressario of the country," will be at the Atlantic Stadium ringside tonight for the Charley Ketchuck / Wally Sears bout.
03 Aug 1940, Sat The Daily Record, Long Beach, NJ - "Ketchuck Decisions Sears In Stadium Feature Ten-Rounder" reads across the top of the sporting page. A first top head line for Ketchuck. Referee Paul Cavalier gave 5 rounds to Ketchuck and 4 to Sears and one even. A large crowd including Jack Dempsey watched. Sears opned up quick with two fisted attack to the head and body in the opening round leaving Ketchuck with a puzzled, reddened face. AFter that, Ketchuck got the better of the in-fighting and scored repeatedly to the head and body. The 3rd was scored even, the first, fourth, fifth and eight to slight margins to Sears. It is Ketchuck's 3rd fight in nine days.
08 Aug 1940, Thu, Asbury Park Press, Asbury Park, NJ - A fairly lengthly talking article from Jersey Jones, Charley Ketchuck manager and one of Promoter Mike Jacob's "tub-thumpers". It starts out with Jones explaning his three part development plan for Ketchuck. He's just completed year one, Practical Experience I", first part of the three year "How to Become Heavyweight Champion of the World". Right now Jones has no immediate plan to place him into the "fistic sun". His second year is to be for some "advanced opposition" and then the third year will be for "the drive for the championship". The article talks about Ketchup's opponents thus far not being a Who's Who of heavyweight boxing, but, thats fine to Jersey Jones plans handling his young prospect. The article mentions Charley is the youngest of eight children of Russian parents and native of Pennsylvania but lived the last eight years in Endicott, NY.
14 Aug 1940, Wed Asbry Park Press, Asbury Park, NJ - Lattimore (Jersey) Jones, convinced he has a coming heavyweight title challenger in Charley Ketchuck has given his young "Binghamtonian a well-earned vacation after his 3 fights in 9 days. So we see a 3 month break before Kerchuck will next fight in November 1940. It turns out to be his last fight!
26 Sep 1940, Thu The Tribune, Scranton, PA - During his break from the ring, Ketchuck spent some time sparring for Maxie Baer but a short piece here says he was "fired for belting Maxie too hard in training"!
28 Oct 1940, Mon The Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA - Reported that Abe Adell, long associated with professional boxing enterprises in Scranton and holds fights at the Watres Armory, announced that contracted were received by him from Charley Ketchuck and Finnish heavyweight Gunnar Barlund, to battle in a 10 rounder at the Armory on November 8th.
31 Oct 1940, Thu The Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA - Notes that Promoter Mike Jacobs, believing that Charley Ketchuck hs a bright future, offered to buy the ten round Ketchuck-Barlund fight from Promoter Abe Adell. Adell "politely said no".
01 Nov 1940, Fri The Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA - Gunnar Barlund will be by far Charley Ketchuck's toughest oppenant yet in his early career. Barland was noted here to not be quite the fighter he was a year or two ago when he knocked out Buddy Baer at Madison Square Garden, but he has the strength, ruggedness and hitting power to really test Ketchuck. NOTE: as late as early 1940, Barlund was listed in Ring Magazine's top 10 heavyweights. By the time of this fight he no longer was.
09 Nov 1940, Sat Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY- Ketchuck is Badly Beaten by Barlund reads the headline.Suffers TKO in 9th after staying on defense. "armory last night, saw their favorite crawl into a shell early in the first round and remain on teh defensive practically all the way while Barlund did practically all of the aggressive work an rained blows steadily upon his younger opponent." That was the fight pretty much in a nutshell. After 50 seconds of the ninth round, Barlund connected with a right uppercut to the jaw staggering Ketchuck and referee Jack Walton stepped in and stopped the fight. The Press quoted the Times-Tribune, "He was frozen stiff coming out for the first, and still in a state of cautious bewilderment when Walton called a halt."
09 Nov 1940, Sat The Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA - I'll go ahead and quote much of this article as it illustrates just how quickly one event greatly turns media's opinions on subject matter. Happens all the time! And this public opinion apparently just quickly soured on Ketchuck and turned what looked like could have still been a good heavyweight career. Opinion here expressed, Barlund was still one of the more top rated heavyweights of the time, with so much more experience than Ketchuck had in himself or what he had seen in the ring. For all the talk his manager made about his plan to slowly move Ketchuck on with the level of competition that Jersey Jones said he would not rush, did the media fame and $$ starting to flash in front of Jone's eyes rush Ketchuck too quickly into fighting someone like Barlund. From the Tribune article: "Charley Ketchuck perhaps made a very serious mistake in this busy whirl called life when he deserted his farm chores up Moscow way to seek fame and fortune throwing boxing gloves. After a tremendous build-up, Ketchuck waged a pitiful fight in losing by a nine round TKO to Gunnar Barlund, rugged, tireless Finnish heavyweight, in the Watres Armory windup last night. To say that Chuck let his countless Scranton admirers, his boyhood chums from nearby Moscow and his buddies from Binghamton, Endicott and Johnson City down with a sickening thud is putting it mildly. And sports writers, including The Times sporting editor, who gave too liberally of space before the battle, also took a solid smack on the whiskers." My goodness what a total reversal of opinions and talk about Ketchuck on one night's event!
02 Dec 1940, Mon The Courier-News, Bridgewater, NJ - Reported and in some other papers Charley Ketchuck to fight Frank Poreda as part of a card that night at Laurel Garden.
04 Dec 1940, Wed The Times-Tribune, Scranton PA, Short bit about Kerchuck having lost local prestige in his defeat to Gunnar Barlund and then fails to show up for his scheduled fight with Frank Poreda whith no word of explanation of why he didn't fight.
08 Dec 1940, Sun Scrantonian Tribune, Scranton, PA - reports the inside scoop why Charley Ketchuck failed to show up for his frank Poreda fight was that "the former Moscow sell tiller has been through with Jersey Jones since the night of the Armory show, where he fought Gunnar Barlund for virtually nothing except the chance-to get knocked out."
17 Jan 1941, Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY - Short report that the New Jersey Athletic Commission is reported to have suspended Charley Ketchuck for breach of contract.
21 Sep 1941, Sun, Scranton Tribune, Scranton, PA - Piece that reports that Charley Ketchuck is to serve as a boxing instructor at the Boys' Club.
09 Mar 1942, Mon, Rocky Mount Telegram, North Carolina - Charley Ketchuck signed a contract with boxing Manager Chris Dundee. Trying to get back into the ring?
24 Jul 1943, Sat Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY - Reports that a matchup between fellow Binghamton native heavyweights, Joe Matisi and Charley Ketchuck may be in the works for later that summer. The article mentions both are in the armed forces. Matisi was a sergeant in the Army stationed at Camp Mackall at Hoffman, NC. Ketchuck was in the navy at training station at Sampson, NY.
27 Jul 1943, Tue Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY - Three days later reports Kerchuck has decided he's done with boxing and the match with Matisi is off. A report found later in the Marshfield News-Herald, Wisconson mentions Kerchuck took up playing football at the Sampson NY Training Station in the navy.
01 Aug 1943, Hartford Courant, Conn. - Posted and interesting large photo of Charley Ketchuck standing with featherweight Willie Pep and lightweight George Zengaras at the Sampson NY Naval Training Station where Ketchuck acted as referee in a match Pep and Zengaras put on for the salors at Sampson.
Some later various newspapers Ketchuck stayed in the news reporting on him eventually stationing to Pearl Harbor where he servedd as a navy physical training instructor and played football on the service team.