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ayaghmour2 · 02-14-2025, 07:42 PM

FEBRUARY 18, 1963

FEBRUARY 9, 1963 – GALLASHAW WON BUT UNEVEN VALENTINE’S EFFORT IN 12-ROUND TKO OVER FLOWERS

George Gallashaw, the current and past Heavyweight Champion, is back in the saddle and his first title defense of his second reign atop the division was a February matchup on the banks of Lake Erie against Will Flowers. Flowers was not expected to be a serious foil for Gallashaw, but he did boast a 26-4-1 record with 19 of those 26 wins coming by knockout.

Gallashaw first won the heavyweight title belt in 1960 at Lake Erie Arena against Dave Courtney and that was not lost on Gallashaw in the lead-up to this bout. His love affair with Cleveland in this fight, which takes place less than a week before Valentine’s Day, is apparent. The fans have always responded to Gallashaw’s love in kind.

The champion got off to a fast start in the first round. Just 28 seconds into the match, Gallashaw landed a big hook to start the festivities. Flowers looked shaken. After a combination in the middle of the round, the crowd roared its approval. Before the end of the round an uppercut and a hook sent Flowers reeling. Flowers was mostly missing his spots and he took his lumps in the opening stanza.

The domination displayed by Gallashaw in the first round made the first few seconds of the second round all the more surprising. Flowers caught Gallashaw with an uppercut in a few seconds into Round Two, which stunned Gallashaw more than hurt him. Nevertheless, it was a knockdown. Gallashaw jumped to his feet after the count of two from referee Frank Santore. Flowers capitalized on a stunned champion adding a right hand, a combination, and an uppercut to his arsenal.
Flowers had another big round in the third which resulted in another knockdown. Once again, a hard shot that landed flush caused Gallashaw to drop to a knee. Referee Santore started counting at Gallashaw stood up before the count began. The decidedly pro-Gallashaw fans at Lake Erie Arena took notice that this could be a rough night. No fewer than eight Big Boppers were landed by Flowers in Rounds Two and Three combined.

With a couple of knockdowns to his ledger, the confidence of Flowers rose by the minute. Gallashaw had his fans behind him, and he started to put together the building blocks of a comeback. He worked quickly in the fourth round with a hook that put Flowers back on his heels. A right cross from Gallashaw caught Flowers in the face, but Flowers’s reaction was to go on the offensive, making for a spirited back and forth. Gallashaw got the better of the action and took Round Four.

The fifth round was similar, both in Gallashaw’s better run of play and in Flowers’s spirited response. Through eight rounds, the bout was relatively even and neither fighter looked like they had a single mark on them, which is exceedingly rare for a heavyweight tilt.

If this fight was a play the first three rounds represented the challenger’s tough test for the champion. Act Two would be the return to form for Gallashaw, righting the ship in equalizing the match. The third and final act would contain wild swings of emotion and a sudden ending.
Each of the final four rounds in this bout was lopsided and three of those rounds belonged to Gallashaw. In Rounds Nine, Eleven, and Twelve, Gallashaw was clearly the aggressor. Flowers was cornered, staggered, stunned, and on his last legs. Before the end of the ninth round, Flowers’s right eye started to experience some swelling. Round 10 was Flowers's last gasp, although Gallashaw started strong with a three punch combination.

Flowers surprised Gallashaw with a cross that almost dropped the champion. Flowers switched hands and connected with the left, then began to work the body. Gallashaw's legs buckled, but he managed to stay upright. He showed in the tenth round that he can take several punches and maintain his balance.
Gallashaw was relentless in the eleventh round, firing on all cylinders. In fact, he was punching anything that he could possibly reach, hitting high and hitting low. Referee Santore cautioned him about a potential low blow, but that did not deter the champion. The swelling in Flowers's right eye was starting to caused him to miss punches that were coming in from the side. After this round, it looked like it was only a matter of time before Gallashaw would hold on to the belt, unless Flowers changed the course of the bout.

Flowers did try to go on the offensive to start the twelfth round, but that lasted about 20 seconds. Gallashaw tried to corner Flowers and landed punches while he had him trapped. Midway through the round, an uppercut by Gallashaw snapped Flowers’s head straight back an uppercut a few seconds later caused Flowers's head to bob. Gallashaw was targeting Flowers's head and the swelling looked much worse than it did only a few minutes before. With a couple of seconds left in the round, Referee Santore paused the match to have the ringside physician examine Flowers. It seemed that Santore was intent on stopping the fight and just wanted the physician to give his okay because after a very quick deliberation, Santore signaled a technical knockout for Gallashaw.
On the judges’ cards, the fight was scored dead even by all three judges ten rounds. The momentum was clearly on Gallashaw’s side from that point until the fight was called, but if the fight was not called, Flowers still would have had a chance. The swollen eye played as much of a part as anything.

Gallashaw (36-2-1) came away with the victory and he looked very good at times. However, he was not supposed to have this much trouble with Flowers (26-5-1) and many questioned if Gallashaw’s best days were behind him. He is only 27 years old, but the two-time champion needs to protect himself better and not allow himself to be dominated for rounds at a time. Rounds Two and Three may haunt Gallashaw until his next fight, maybe until he wins again.

BOLOGNA’S BIG BOPPERS
Round 1: Gallashaw, 3-0 (0:28 hook, 1:13 right, 2:21 uppercut)
Round 2: Flowers, 5-0 (0:16 uppercut/knockdown #1, 0:33 right/chin, 1:06 combo, 1:19 uppercut, 1:53 hook)
Round 3: Flowers, 3-0 (1:21 right/knockdown #2, 2:27 uppercut, 2:51 cross/midsection)
Round 4: Gallashaw, 3-0 (0:17 hook/head, 1:04 cross/face, 2:57 left hook/body)
Round 5: Gallashaw, 2-1 (G: 0:48 hook, 1:56 combo; F: 1:38 right/body)
Round 6: None
Round 7: None
Round 8: Flowers, 1-0 (1:05 cross)
Round 9: Gallashaw, 3-0 (1:18 hook/head, 1:34 hook/jaw, 2:50 combo)
Round 10: Flowers, 5-1 (G: 0:12 combo; F: 1:03 cross, 1:21 left, 1:43 cross, 2:11 cross, 2:24 right/head)
Round 11: Gallashaw, 4-0 (0:37 hook, 0:51 hook, 1:53 hook/midsection, 2:07 hook)
Round 12: Gallashaw, 5-1 (G: 1:08 hook/ribs, 1:21 cross, 1:46 uppercut/head, 2:25 hook/head, 2:58 right/head/TKO; F: 0:13 right/ribs)
TOTAL: Gallashaw 21, Flowers 16

Lake Erie Arena, Cleveland, Ohio – George Gallashaw (35-2-1, 27 KO) vs. Will Flowers (26-4-1, 19 KO) – Referee: Frank Santore

RECENT KEY RESULTS

Imposing French heavyweight Jean-Marc Durand improved to 41-3 with a second round knockout of Brit Dwayne Channing in a bout in London last week. Durand, widely considered the top European heavyweight this side of Steve Leivers, has repeatedly said he has no interest in coming to North America to fight.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

Feb 27- The highly anticipated rematch between World Middleweight champion Lyman King and former champ George Quinsenberry is set for February 27 at New York's Bigsby Garden. The pair met in Los Angeles in early December and fought to a majority draw, prompting the call for a rematch. King, a 26 year old Oakland, CA., native is unbeaten with a 41-0-1 record and has held the title since he took it from Quisenberry in January of last year in a bout also held at Bigsby Garden. Quisenberry, a 28-year-old Toronto native, has held the world title twice previously and now will look to gain it a third time in his third meeting with King. Quisenberry is 39-2-4 entering the bout.

Separation Building in NAHC

While most of the season the hasn't been too much separation between 2nd and 5th, as we continue in February there appears to be three distinct chunks in the NAHC. The first is the top dogs, as Detroit, Montreal, and Chicago are all within four points of first. The Motors hold the lead, 69 points in 54 games, while both the Valiants and Packers have 65 in 56. Detroit appears to have the inside lane into a conference crown, though they have started to slow down some.

What separates these three from the rest is that each of these teams has at least one star player. For the leaders, it's 21-year-old winger Hobie Barrell, who's been one of the most productive players since his debut in 1960. In 51 games this year he has 33 goals and 32 assists, with his goals and 65 points. Hobie is the only skater with more then 25 goals on the season, and the only player with more then 30 assists to score more then 20 goals. Doing all of this at a young age can only make you wonder just how good he can get, and for a team that's more deep then off-the-charts talented, a phenom like Hobie has been and will continue to be a difference maker. Losing star defensemen Anthony Beauchemin (7, 25, 32) is a tough blow, and these next few weeks are crucial if they want to stay on top.

Montreal is best when it comes to defense, as their goalie duo of Nathan Bannister (20-14, 2.78, .914) and Tom Burrows (7-4, 2.01, .936) is best on the ice, and they have star defensemen in veterans Gil Thibault (3, 9, 12) and Jean Tremblay (8, 22, 30), and the youngster Mark Moggy (7, 34, 41). Like Hobie, Moggy debuted in 1960, and is still just 21. Unlike your average defensemen, Moggy is a skilled offensive player too, equipped with expert passing, a hard shot, and elite puck-handling. In 70 games last season he had 15 goals and 31 assists, and he leads all defensemen in both assists and points (41). The offense isn't too shabby either, as center Scott Dueck (16, 36, 52) is having an excellent sophomore season leading the top line.

Though it might be Chicago who has the most talent, as they have elite players all across the board. Center Pete Bernier (19, 42, 61) leads all skaters in assists while his 61 points are second only to Hobie in Detroit. Plenty of those assists are feeding star winger Ken York (25, 29, 53), who's 4th in points and 2nd to Hobie in goals scored. The 25-year-old York puts up the most shots too, and when he's in front of the goal he's automatic. Scoring threats parade up and down the lineup, with Matt McGrath (15, 12, 27), J.P. Morissette (12, 26, 38), and two-way defender Guy Bernier (11, 20, 31) all legitimate point producers. Bernier, Danny Connaughton (10, 13, 23), and John Lucas (5, 16, 21) anchor an excellent defense, and with some improvement between the sticks, the Pack can take over the top spot.

Toronto and Boston form the next group, as with a 51 point tie they'll be fighting for the fourth and final playoff spot. Boston has an extra game, but at this point, it's anyone's spot. For the Dukes to make it theirs, they'll need star center Quinton Pollack (20, 39, 59) to continue his dominance, as while it's no 92 point season like last year, he is not looking 40 when he laces up his skates. An elite netminder like Mike Connelly (13-15, 2.92, .910) is usually a plus, but 31-year-old missed a lot of time this year and hasn't matched his dominant 1960 season (33-20, 2.71, .911). Similar to Detroit, they live and die by their star, but they don't have the same level of depth the Motors boast. Boston meanwhile has two top offensive players, the now healthy Neil Wilson (9, 21, 30) and Jimmy Rucks (22, 26, 48), but they let in too many goals and would be further back had it not been for an eight game win streak in January.

In the cellar is the Shamrocks, who only have the first pick of the draft to look forward to. Still winless in 1963, their 33 points are almost exactly half of the Valiants and Packers total. Their only non-loss in February is a 4-4 tie to the Packers, and their star goalie Alex Sorrell (9-30, 3.39, .910) is dealing with nausea -- unrelated to the team's disgusting play as of late. Not a single player has topped 30 points on the season, less then Hobie's goals, and Ken York has more goals then all but two Shamrocks have points. The roster needs a lot of work, but injured winger Johnny Hawker (1, 6, 7) and rookie winger Alex Kalamakoff (8, 16, 24) are the first two building blocks. The defense is a mess, though you can rely on captain Fred Gallatin (7, 14, 21) and I like the offense Chris LaFontaine (9, 8, 17) can provide, but an overhaul is needed as they're set for three consecutive last place finishes.

Dukes Tied For Final Post Season Spot

As the regular season winds down the Toronto Dukes continue the to struggle in the NAHC. After showing signs of life early in '63 the team has had poor performance after poor performance over the last month. The team has 14 games to play currently sit tied with Boston for fourth spot with 51 points. The only bright spot for Toronto fans is that they have a game in hand on the Bs. The last two weeks has been a replay of the Dukes play for the entire season.

After five days off to work on something new the team was swept in two games over the weekend. Starting at home against the Vals the fans saw their team keep it close, for the first period. Amesbury, who is now gone for the season with a broken leg, opened the scoring at 9:44. Montreal replied with two of their own by Tremblay, Drury before Brochu tied the game at 2 in the last minute of the first twenty. In the first each netminder, Bannister for Montreal, Connelly in Dukes net made 9 saves on 11 shots. The second period was quick with no goals or any penalties called by referee. It almost put the fans to sleep with only 11 total shots on goal with Montreal getting six. The third period was all downhill for the Dukes, they were outplayed in every facet by Montreal. The skaters left Connelly undefended time after time. Matt Mercier scored the eventual winner at 3:04 while Jim Drury added salt to the wound scoring two in the final five minutes to make the final 5-2 Montreal. Dukes left the ice surface to loud boos from the remainder of the 13349 who paid to gain admission to the Gardens.

Down Highway 401 to Detroit for a Sunday game with the Motors. Both teams played a run and gun game with both getting 39 shots for the game. The difference in the game was Goulet had a better game than MacPhee. Detroit scored the only two in the first then went up three before Knackstedt gave Toronto a glimmer of hope when he beat Goulet with 10 seconds left before the second intermission. Zack Roy made it 4-1 while Detroit had a 2 man advantage just before the 6 minute mark of the third. When Lou Turner then Poulin scored 36 seconds apart in the ninth minute fans listening on the radio began to think comeback. All hopes of the comeback were quashed 19 seconds after Poulin had made it 4-3. Jake Clark beat MacPhee with a floater to finish the scoring in a 5-3 Motors win before almost 14000.

Riding another three game losing streak the Motors came to the Gardens on Wednesday for a mid-week game. Toronto took a 2-0 lead to the dressing room after a penalty filled first on goals by Brooks then Jamieson on the power play. Hobie Barrell, who is now the scoring leader in the NAHC, notched his 33rd of the year while Jamieson was serving time for roughing. Knackstedt's 18th restored the two goal lead before the end of the second. Andrew William's made it 4-1 with 13:21 to play leaving the fans thinking that the team would escape the night with two points. Charlie Brown's hooking penalty gave the Motors power play a chance, they took full advantage of the situation with Guindon making 4-2 at 10:08. The stands got noticeably quieter after Jake Clark made 4-3 at 12:56 on another defensive breakdown by the Dukes in their own zone.

With 3 and half minutes to play MacDonald got whistled for tripping allowing Zack Roy to salvage a point with 7th of year at 17:53. Toronto fans again expressed their displeasure with the result when the game ended 4-4.

The Dukes finished the last two weeks with a home and home series with NY. In Toronto on Saturday Mike Connelly again basically stole a win for his mates in a 3-2 victory. The highlight for the Dukes was Pollack's 20th early in the first which is another milestone for the 40 year old. The teams met less than 24 hours later in another wide open game in which the Dukes played a little better although taking penalties allowed the Shamrocks to score twice on five man advantages. Dukes gladly accepted the two points in a 5-3 win that extended the Shamrocks winless streak to 20. NY's last win was 5-3 in Montreal on December 30th, Since then they have gone 0-16-4 for 4 points of a possible 36.

Coach Bear- "I guess being tied for 4th is better than being in 5th. I have challenged the team to get get 19 points in the last 14 games. A tough but not impossible task for this group, We will see if they are up to the challenge, the fans are understandably upset with our results this year. We have to get them back on our side."

Full Court Press: February 4-17, 1963

While the view has not changed for any teams in either division, the Mustangs must be frustrated. Detroit is 7-3 in its last 10 games, making a midseason push towards the top of the standings. Toronto has matched the Mustangs, game for game, and Detroit has not gained any ground. Detroit lost one game against each of the teams in the division and none sting as much as the 91-82 loss in Chicago two weeks ago. Chicago outscored Detroit, 25-15 in the final period, to open up a deadlocked game and turn it the Panthers way.
Philadelphia and New York split their recent four-game set to keep the standings exactly as they were before those games were played. The Phantoms are 10-1/2 games out and the Knights are a game farther behind. Each game served up a different hero on both sides. New York’s Tim Jacobus scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Ken Robinson dropped 23 points in the Knights 80-72 win to kick off the series. Another eight point win (79-71) as the scene shifted to Philadelphia. Center Rankin Egbert was the player of the game (12 points, 11 rebounds), but Simon Fausey had 12 points to go with four steals in a game where the Knights won the turnover battle, 24-14. Philadelphia got their revenge in New York, where Dave Woods led the way with 21 points and it was the Phantoms turning the ball over only 14 times, compared to 28 for New York in the 86-78 Philadelphia win. Dan Holland spoiled Howie Farrell’s return, as Holland’s 22 points and Mel Turcotte’s 18 points and 19 boards helped justify a 54-40 rebounding advantage for Philadelphia in the only comfortable win of the series, 88-71.
Detroit and St. Louis will meet four times in the next two-and-a-half weeks, so there will be ample opportunity for one team to take advantage of the other. Detroit has an extra game against division-leading Toronto, which could mean one of two things: either Detroit controls its own destiny a bit more than St. Louis or Detroit has a better chance of losing and falling into third place.

Del Gaines didn't have to spend too much time in free agency, as he was picked up on a minor league deal by the New York Gothams. 26 not long after he signed the contract, he'll get $31,200 if he makes the 40-man roster, and will have the option to opt out after 30 days if he does not get placed. Gaines will be in camp when spring training starts in March, looking to replace 25-year-old incumbent Walt Bantle, who hit .306/.332/.376 (88 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, and 32 RBIs in his debut year.
A chance to start for the Imperials may have been enough for Gaines to choose New York as his new home, as the Chicago Cougars were reported to have offered a fully-guaranteed deal, though the value fell short of $30,000. Third base is an area of weakness in Chicago, but replacing a two-time Diamond Defense winner in Mooney Vetter (.272, 12, 64) is a more difficult task.
The Chicago Chiefs continue to look for trading partners, placing multiple players on the trade block. This includes some of their more notable players, but also new Rule-5 additions as they look to trim their roster prior to camp starting. Most teams have had quiet offseasons, but this is an opportunity for one of the newer expansion teams to upgrade their 25-man roster.

The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 2/17/1963

Russia has affirmed ties with Red China. President Khrushchev declared that when the time comes for communism to bury capitalism, the Soviet Union and Communist China together will throw in the last spadeful of earth.
The United States has issued a trade embargo against Cuba, further tightening economic restrictions on Fidel Castro’s government.
The House Investigators Committee was told that Communist violence in Latin America may well be stepped up in the months ahead and that the Castro regime has shifted its emphasis to one of open encouragement of terror as a principle weapon.
U.S. officials report that Vietnam is becoming a growing concern, with increasing American military advisors stationed in the region.
The Kennedy administration proposes the Civil Rights Act of 1963, aiming to end segregation and racial discrimination in public places.
The Soviet Union announces that it will reduce troop numbers in East Germany, seen as a small but significant move in Cold War diplomacy.
Five persons were arrested in Paris after a plot to shoot French President Charles de Gaulle in broad daylight Friday was uncovered. The plot was linked to the outlawed European Secret Army.

02-14-2025, 07:42 PM	#1079
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,019	February 18th, 1963 FEBRUARY 18, 1963 FEBRUARY 9, 1963 – GALLASHAW WON BUT UNEVEN VALENTINE’S EFFORT IN 12-ROUND TKO OVER FLOWERS George Gallashaw, the current and past Heavyweight Champion, is back in the saddle and his first title defense of his second reign atop the division was a February matchup on the banks of Lake Erie against Will Flowers. Flowers was not expected to be a serious foil for Gallashaw, but he did boast a 26-4-1 record with 19 of those 26 wins coming by knockout. Gallashaw first won the heavyweight title belt in 1960 at Lake Erie Arena against Dave Courtney and that was not lost on Gallashaw in the lead-up to this bout. His love affair with Cleveland in this fight, which takes place less than a week before Valentine’s Day, is apparent. The fans have always responded to Gallashaw’s love in kind. The champion got off to a fast start in the first round. Just 28 seconds into the match, Gallashaw landed a big hook to start the festivities. Flowers looked shaken. After a combination in the middle of the round, the crowd roared its approval. Before the end of the round an uppercut and a hook sent Flowers reeling. Flowers was mostly missing his spots and he took his lumps in the opening stanza. The domination displayed by Gallashaw in the first round made the first few seconds of the second round all the more surprising. Flowers caught Gallashaw with an uppercut in a few seconds into Round Two, which stunned Gallashaw more than hurt him. Nevertheless, it was a knockdown. Gallashaw jumped to his feet after the count of two from referee Frank Santore. Flowers capitalized on a stunned champion adding a right hand, a combination, and an uppercut to his arsenal. Flowers had another big round in the third which resulted in another knockdown. Once again, a hard shot that landed flush caused Gallashaw to drop to a knee. Referee Santore started counting at Gallashaw stood up before the count began. The decidedly pro-Gallashaw fans at Lake Erie Arena took notice that this could be a rough night. No fewer than eight Big Boppers were landed by Flowers in Rounds Two and Three combined. With a couple of knockdowns to his ledger, the confidence of Flowers rose by the minute. Gallashaw had his fans behind him, and he started to put together the building blocks of a comeback. He worked quickly in the fourth round with a hook that put Flowers back on his heels. A right cross from Gallashaw caught Flowers in the face, but Flowers’s reaction was to go on the offensive, making for a spirited back and forth. Gallashaw got the better of the action and took Round Four. The fifth round was similar, both in Gallashaw’s better run of play and in Flowers’s spirited response. Through eight rounds, the bout was relatively even and neither fighter looked like they had a single mark on them, which is exceedingly rare for a heavyweight tilt. If this fight was a play the first three rounds represented the challenger’s tough test for the champion. Act Two would be the return to form for Gallashaw, righting the ship in equalizing the match. The third and final act would contain wild swings of emotion and a sudden ending. Each of the final four rounds in this bout was lopsided and three of those rounds belonged to Gallashaw. In Rounds Nine, Eleven, and Twelve, Gallashaw was clearly the aggressor. Flowers was cornered, staggered, stunned, and on his last legs. Before the end of the ninth round, Flowers’s right eye started to experience some swelling. Round 10 was Flowers's last gasp, although Gallashaw started strong with a three punch combination. Flowers surprised Gallashaw with a cross that almost dropped the champion. Flowers switched hands and connected with the left, then began to work the body. Gallashaw's legs buckled, but he managed to stay upright. He showed in the tenth round that he can take several punches and maintain his balance. Gallashaw was relentless in the eleventh round, firing on all cylinders. In fact, he was punching anything that he could possibly reach, hitting high and hitting low. Referee Santore cautioned him about a potential low blow, but that did not deter the champion. The swelling in Flowers's right eye was starting to caused him to miss punches that were coming in from the side. After this round, it looked like it was only a matter of time before Gallashaw would hold on to the belt, unless Flowers changed the course of the bout. Flowers did try to go on the offensive to start the twelfth round, but that lasted about 20 seconds. Gallashaw tried to corner Flowers and landed punches while he had him trapped. Midway through the round, an uppercut by Gallashaw snapped Flowers’s head straight back an uppercut a few seconds later caused Flowers's head to bob. Gallashaw was targeting Flowers's head and the swelling looked much worse than it did only a few minutes before. With a couple of seconds left in the round, Referee Santore paused the match to have the ringside physician examine Flowers. It seemed that Santore was intent on stopping the fight and just wanted the physician to give his okay because after a very quick deliberation, Santore signaled a technical knockout for Gallashaw. On the judges’ cards, the fight was scored dead even by all three judges ten rounds. The momentum was clearly on Gallashaw’s side from that point until the fight was called, but if the fight was not called, Flowers still would have had a chance. The swollen eye played as much of a part as anything. Gallashaw (36-2-1) came away with the victory and he looked very good at times. However, he was not supposed to have this much trouble with Flowers (26-5-1) and many questioned if Gallashaw’s best days were behind him. He is only 27 years old, but the two-time champion needs to protect himself better and not allow himself to be dominated for rounds at a time. Rounds Two and Three may haunt Gallashaw until his next fight, maybe until he wins again. BOLOGNA’S BIG BOPPERS Round 1: Gallashaw, 3-0 (0:28 hook, 1:13 right, 2:21 uppercut) Round 2: Flowers, 5-0 (0:16 uppercut/knockdown #1, 0:33 right/chin, 1:06 combo, 1:19 uppercut, 1:53 hook) Round 3: Flowers, 3-0 (1:21 right/knockdown #2, 2:27 uppercut, 2:51 cross/midsection) Round 4: Gallashaw, 3-0 (0:17 hook/head, 1:04 cross/face, 2:57 left hook/body) Round 5: Gallashaw, 2-1 (G: 0:48 hook, 1:56 combo; F: 1:38 right/body) Round 6: None Round 7: None Round 8: Flowers, 1-0 (1:05 cross) Round 9: Gallashaw, 3-0 (1:18 hook/head, 1:34 hook/jaw, 2:50 combo) Round 10: Flowers, 5-1 (G: 0:12 combo; F: 1:03 cross, 1:21 left, 1:43 cross, 2:11 cross, 2:24 right/head) Round 11: Gallashaw, 4-0 (0:37 hook, 0:51 hook, 1:53 hook/midsection, 2:07 hook) Round 12: Gallashaw, 5-1 (G: 1:08 hook/ribs, 1:21 cross, 1:46 uppercut/head, 2:25 hook/head, 2:58 right/head/TKO; F: 0:13 right/ribs) TOTAL: Gallashaw 21, Flowers 16 Lake Erie Arena, Cleveland, Ohio – George Gallashaw (35-2-1, 27 KO) vs. Will Flowers (26-4-1, 19 KO) – Referee: Frank Santore RECENT KEY RESULTS Imposing French heavyweight Jean-Marc Durand improved to 41-3 with a second round knockout of Brit Dwayne Channing in a bout in London last week. Durand, widely considered the top European heavyweight this side of Steve Leivers, has repeatedly said he has no interest in coming to North America to fight. UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS Feb 27- The highly anticipated rematch between World Middleweight champion Lyman King and former champ George Quinsenberry is set for February 27 at New York's Bigsby Garden. The pair met in Los Angeles in early December and fought to a majority draw, prompting the call for a rematch. King, a 26 year old Oakland, CA., native is unbeaten with a 41-0-1 record and has held the title since he took it from Quisenberry in January of last year in a bout also held at Bigsby Garden. Quisenberry, a 28-year-old Toronto native, has held the world title twice previously and now will look to gain it a third time in his third meeting with King. Quisenberry is 39-2-4 entering the bout. Separation Building in NAHC While most of the season the hasn't been too much separation between 2nd and 5th, as we continue in February there appears to be three distinct chunks in the NAHC. The first is the top dogs, as Detroit, Montreal, and Chicago are all within four points of first. The Motors hold the lead, 69 points in 54 games, while both the Valiants and Packers have 65 in 56. Detroit appears to have the inside lane into a conference crown, though they have started to slow down some. What separates these three from the rest is that each of these teams has at least one star player. For the leaders, it's 21-year-old winger Hobie Barrell, who's been one of the most productive players since his debut in 1960. In 51 games this year he has 33 goals and 32 assists, with his goals and 65 points. Hobie is the only skater with more then 25 goals on the season, and the only player with more then 30 assists to score more then 20 goals. Doing all of this at a young age can only make you wonder just how good he can get, and for a team that's more deep then off-the-charts talented, a phenom like Hobie has been and will continue to be a difference maker. Losing star defensemen Anthony Beauchemin (7, 25, 32) is a tough blow, and these next few weeks are crucial if they want to stay on top. Montreal is best when it comes to defense, as their goalie duo of Nathan Bannister (20-14, 2.78, .914) and Tom Burrows (7-4, 2.01, .936) is best on the ice, and they have star defensemen in veterans Gil Thibault (3, 9, 12) and Jean Tremblay (8, 22, 30), and the youngster Mark Moggy (7, 34, 41). Like Hobie, Moggy debuted in 1960, and is still just 21. Unlike your average defensemen, Moggy is a skilled offensive player too, equipped with expert passing, a hard shot, and elite puck-handling. In 70 games last season he had 15 goals and 31 assists, and he leads all defensemen in both assists and points (41). The offense isn't too shabby either, as center Scott Dueck (16, 36, 52) is having an excellent sophomore season leading the top line. Though it might be Chicago who has the most talent, as they have elite players all across the board. Center Pete Bernier (19, 42, 61) leads all skaters in assists while his 61 points are second only to Hobie in Detroit. Plenty of those assists are feeding star winger Ken York (25, 29, 53), who's 4th in points and 2nd to Hobie in goals scored. The 25-year-old York puts up the most shots too, and when he's in front of the goal he's automatic. Scoring threats parade up and down the lineup, with Matt McGrath (15, 12, 27), J.P. Morissette (12, 26, 38), and two-way defender Guy Bernier (11, 20, 31) all legitimate point producers. Bernier, Danny Connaughton (10, 13, 23), and John Lucas (5, 16, 21) anchor an excellent defense, and with some improvement between the sticks, the Pack can take over the top spot. Toronto and Boston form the next group, as with a 51 point tie they'll be fighting for the fourth and final playoff spot. Boston has an extra game, but at this point, it's anyone's spot. For the Dukes to make it theirs, they'll need star center Quinton Pollack (20, 39, 59) to continue his dominance, as while it's no 92 point season like last year, he is not looking 40 when he laces up his skates. An elite netminder like Mike Connelly (13-15, 2.92, .910) is usually a plus, but 31-year-old missed a lot of time this year and hasn't matched his dominant 1960 season (33-20, 2.71, .911). Similar to Detroit, they live and die by their star, but they don't have the same level of depth the Motors boast. Boston meanwhile has two top offensive players, the now healthy Neil Wilson (9, 21, 30) and Jimmy Rucks (22, 26, 48), but they let in too many goals and would be further back had it not been for an eight game win streak in January. In the cellar is the Shamrocks, who only have the first pick of the draft to look forward to. Still winless in 1963, their 33 points are almost exactly half of the Valiants and Packers total. Their only non-loss in February is a 4-4 tie to the Packers, and their star goalie Alex Sorrell (9-30, 3.39, .910) is dealing with nausea -- unrelated to the team's disgusting play as of late. Not a single player has topped 30 points on the season, less then Hobie's goals, and Ken York has more goals then all but two Shamrocks have points. The roster needs a lot of work, but injured winger Johnny Hawker (1, 6, 7) and rookie winger Alex Kalamakoff (8, 16, 24) are the first two building blocks. The defense is a mess, though you can rely on captain Fred Gallatin (7, 14, 21) and I like the offense Chris LaFontaine (9, 8, 17) can provide, but an overhaul is needed as they're set for three consecutive last place finishes. Dukes Tied For Final Post Season Spot As the regular season winds down the Toronto Dukes continue the to struggle in the NAHC. After showing signs of life early in '63 the team has had poor performance after poor performance over the last month. The team has 14 games to play currently sit tied with Boston for fourth spot with 51 points. The only bright spot for Toronto fans is that they have a game in hand on the Bs. The last two weeks has been a replay of the Dukes play for the entire season. After five days off to work on something new the team was swept in two games over the weekend. Starting at home against the Vals the fans saw their team keep it close, for the first period. Amesbury, who is now gone for the season with a broken leg, opened the scoring at 9:44. Montreal replied with two of their own by Tremblay, Drury before Brochu tied the game at 2 in the last minute of the first twenty. In the first each netminder, Bannister for Montreal, Connelly in Dukes net made 9 saves on 11 shots. The second period was quick with no goals or any penalties called by referee. It almost put the fans to sleep with only 11 total shots on goal with Montreal getting six. The third period was all downhill for the Dukes, they were outplayed in every facet by Montreal. The skaters left Connelly undefended time after time. Matt Mercier scored the eventual winner at 3:04 while Jim Drury added salt to the wound scoring two in the final five minutes to make the final 5-2 Montreal. Dukes left the ice surface to loud boos from the remainder of the 13349 who paid to gain admission to the Gardens. Down Highway 401 to Detroit for a Sunday game with the Motors. Both teams played a run and gun game with both getting 39 shots for the game. The difference in the game was Goulet had a better game than MacPhee. Detroit scored the only two in the first then went up three before Knackstedt gave Toronto a glimmer of hope when he beat Goulet with 10 seconds left before the second intermission. Zack Roy made it 4-1 while Detroit had a 2 man advantage just before the 6 minute mark of the third. When Lou Turner then Poulin scored 36 seconds apart in the ninth minute fans listening on the radio began to think comeback. All hopes of the comeback were quashed 19 seconds after Poulin had made it 4-3. Jake Clark beat MacPhee with a floater to finish the scoring in a 5-3 Motors win before almost 14000. Riding another three game losing streak the Motors came to the Gardens on Wednesday for a mid-week game. Toronto took a 2-0 lead to the dressing room after a penalty filled first on goals by Brooks then Jamieson on the power play. Hobie Barrell, who is now the scoring leader in the NAHC, notched his 33rd of the year while Jamieson was serving time for roughing. Knackstedt's 18th restored the two goal lead before the end of the second. Andrew William's made it 4-1 with 13:21 to play leaving the fans thinking that the team would escape the night with two points. Charlie Brown's hooking penalty gave the Motors power play a chance, they took full advantage of the situation with Guindon making 4-2 at 10:08. The stands got noticeably quieter after Jake Clark made 4-3 at 12:56 on another defensive breakdown by the Dukes in their own zone. With 3 and half minutes to play MacDonald got whistled for tripping allowing Zack Roy to salvage a point with 7th of year at 17:53. Toronto fans again expressed their displeasure with the result when the game ended 4-4. The Dukes finished the last two weeks with a home and home series with NY. In Toronto on Saturday Mike Connelly again basically stole a win for his mates in a 3-2 victory. The highlight for the Dukes was Pollack's 20th early in the first which is another milestone for the 40 year old. The teams met less than 24 hours later in another wide open game in which the Dukes played a little better although taking penalties allowed the Shamrocks to score twice on five man advantages. Dukes gladly accepted the two points in a 5-3 win that extended the Shamrocks winless streak to 20. NY's last win was 5-3 in Montreal on December 30th, Since then they have gone 0-16-4 for 4 points of a possible 36. Coach Bear- "I guess being tied for 4th is better than being in 5th. I have challenged the team to get get 19 points in the last 14 games. A tough but not impossible task for this group, We will see if they are up to the challenge, the fans are understandably upset with our results this year. We have to get them back on our side." Full Court Press: February 4-17, 1963 While the view has not changed for any teams in either division, the Mustangs must be frustrated. Detroit is 7-3 in its last 10 games, making a midseason push towards the top of the standings. Toronto has matched the Mustangs, game for game, and Detroit has not gained any ground. Detroit lost one game against each of the teams in the division and none sting as much as the 91-82 loss in Chicago two weeks ago. Chicago outscored Detroit, 25-15 in the final period, to open up a deadlocked game and turn it the Panthers way. Philadelphia and New York split their recent four-game set to keep the standings exactly as they were before those games were played. The Phantoms are 10-1/2 games out and the Knights are a game farther behind. Each game served up a different hero on both sides. New York’s Tim Jacobus scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Ken Robinson dropped 23 points in the Knights 80-72 win to kick off the series. Another eight point win (79-71) as the scene shifted to Philadelphia. Center Rankin Egbert was the player of the game (12 points, 11 rebounds), but Simon Fausey had 12 points to go with four steals in a game where the Knights won the turnover battle, 24-14. Philadelphia got their revenge in New York, where Dave Woods led the way with 21 points and it was the Phantoms turning the ball over only 14 times, compared to 28 for New York in the 86-78 Philadelphia win. Dan Holland spoiled Howie Farrell’s return, as Holland’s 22 points and Mel Turcotte’s 18 points and 19 boards helped justify a 54-40 rebounding advantage for Philadelphia in the only comfortable win of the series, 88-71. Detroit and St. Louis will meet four times in the next two-and-a-half weeks, so there will be ample opportunity for one team to take advantage of the other. Detroit has an extra game against division-leading Toronto, which could mean one of two things: either Detroit controls its own destiny a bit more than St. Louis or Detroit has a better chance of losing and falling into third place. Del Gaines didn't have to spend too much time in free agency, as he was picked up on a minor league deal by the New York Gothams. 26 not long after he signed the contract, he'll get $31,200 if he makes the 40-man roster, and will have the option to opt out after 30 days if he does not get placed. Gaines will be in camp when spring training starts in March, looking to replace 25-year-old incumbent Walt Bantle, who hit .306/.332/.376 (88 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, and 32 RBIs in his debut year. A chance to start for the Imperials may have been enough for Gaines to choose New York as his new home, as the Chicago Cougars were reported to have offered a fully-guaranteed deal, though the value fell short of $30,000. Third base is an area of weakness in Chicago, but replacing a two-time Diamond Defense winner in Mooney Vetter (.272, 12, 64) is a more difficult task. The Chicago Chiefs continue to look for trading partners, placing multiple players on the trade block. This includes some of their more notable players, but also new Rule-5 additions as they look to trim their roster prior to camp starting. Most teams have had quiet offseasons, but this is an opportunity for one of the newer expansion teams to upgrade their 25-man roster. The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 2/17/1963 Russia has affirmed ties with Red China. President Khrushchev declared that when the time comes for communism to bury capitalism, the Soviet Union and Communist China together will throw in the last spadeful of earth. The United States has issued a trade embargo against Cuba, further tightening economic restrictions on Fidel Castro’s government. The House Investigators Committee was told that Communist violence in Latin America may well be stepped up in the months ahead and that the Castro regime has shifted its emphasis to one of open encouragement of terror as a principle weapon. U.S. officials report that Vietnam is becoming a growing concern, with increasing American military advisors stationed in the region. The Kennedy administration proposes the Civil Rights Act of 1963, aiming to end segregation and racial discrimination in public places. The Soviet Union announces that it will reduce troop numbers in East Germany, seen as a small but significant move in Cold War diplomacy. Five persons were arrested in Paris after a plot to shoot French President Charles de Gaulle in broad daylight Friday was uncovered. The plot was linked to the outlawed European Secret Army.