THE IRISH DANCER: What follows is another one of those in inadvertent - serendipituous stories which - in pursuit of other subjects I am inclined to find myself stumbling upon time and time again. (i.e. I find that I probably know very little about anything in detail but quite a great deal about many things in passing.) But whatever the case this is a great story.
John "Johnny" Kilbane was born on West 28th Street near River Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio on April 9, 1889. The area was called "the Angle" - a heavily ethnic part of town. He attended St. Malachi School on Washington Avenue, but had to drop out after sixth grade to help support his family. His mother had passed on when he was 3, and his dad became legally blind when Johnny was but 10 years old.
The skinny Irish kid with no mother and a blind father was forever the brunt of jokes during his school years. The boy's slight build led him early to develop a passion for for gymnastics, dancing, and the stage. But after experiencing an exhibition fight between fighters Tom Sharkey and Otto Craig at the La Salle Club on West 25th Street and Division Avenue in the winter of 1906-07 he was determined to become a boxer. Sharkey was a man who had fought the best; Corbett, Jefferies, Fitzsimmons and other great fighters of the times - and the experience - amidst the crowd of prominent Clevelanders; the air heavy with cigar smoke - was, in a word, electric.
From a good friend and boyhood advisor, Perk Gibbons, who ran an elevator in the old City Hall Johnny heard about a fighter named Jimmy Dunn who was training for a fight at Crystal Beach in Vermilion, Ohio. Gibbons, who knew Dunn, gave Johnny a note, lent him 30 cents to take the interurban, and sent him to Crystal Beach to meet with the boxer.
When Johnny got to Vermilion he found that the boxer, George Frazier of Lorain, who was supposed have an exhibition fight with Dunn had hurt his hand and was unable to fight. While Kilbane had never done any boxing as a sport - but had had his share of run-ins, and had held his own, on the ore docks where he worked to help support his family - he volunteered to work out with the pro.
Dunn was so impressed with the kid who'd never before had a pair of gloves on his hands that he invited him to come back to his camp any time. It was an offer Johnny readily accepted. And it was also a friendship and partnership that never ended.
Johnny Kilbane had over 140 fights in his career beginning in 1907 and lost only four of them. He held the Featherweight title (uninterrupted) longer than anyone in the history of boxing in any weight class. He finally lost the title to Eugene Criqui on June 2, 1923.
Johnny and his wife Irene (McDonnell) were married for 47 years. The family lived on the west side of Cleveland their entire lives. They had two daughters, Mary (Kilbane) O'Toole and Helen who passed at the age of six years. Irene refused to watch her husband fight, but always prepared his meals.
Johnny did, however, have a training camp on the east side of Vermilion. Some folks recognize the place as Camp Hakoah (a camp for Jewish children - something I know nothing about). It was located north of East Lake Road along what is today Helen Drive that runs north to south, and Edgewater Drive (east to west) to the north along Lake Erie.
Johnny Kilbane carries his buddies on the beach
at Camp Kilbane in Vermilion, O.
After his boxing career Johnny became a referee in Ohio, operated a gym, taught physical education at local schools, and worked in real estate. In 1941 he was elected to the Ohio State Senate. Later he was a member of the Ohio State House of Representatives, but resigned the post to become the Cleveland Municipal Court Clerk in 1951.
Six years later Johnny Kilbane, the skinny Irish kid who dreamt of becoming a dancer - went down for the final count, succumbing to cancer in Cleveland, Ohio. It was Memorial Day 1957.
Reference: Cleveland Boxing History, Dan Taylor (1952); Special Thanks to Dennis Lamont, Birmingham, Ohio.
THE SUPER: George R. Snyder was the Superintendent of the Vermilion School System during the 1920's and 1930's. (I've not checked yet - but I believe Cletus K. Dewitt eventually succeeded him.) And I must confess that I know absolutely nothing about Mr. Snyder other than that which my older siblings have mentioned through the years. Moreover; I've not be able to find any other information on him (i.e. U.S. Census data etc.).
The reason this is truly puzzles me.
But my-o-my, what a great photograph. And I'm not entirely certain but the signature may be authentic. This thought is based on the fact that several more autographs were contained in the issue of Vermilion's "Hi-Times" from which this was scanned.
Many of these yearbooks were, by the way, printed by my father and grandfather at The Vermilion News Printshop. And I must confess that I am positively impressed by, not only the quality of the booklet, but also by the ability of these books to withstand the ravages of time.
But back to Mr. Snyder. I have no idea as to where he came from; where he lived when he lived in Vermilion; if he was married; nor if he had children. Perhaples some "Viewer" can fill in those details.
SNIFFING OUT HISTORY: Brownhelm historian Bill Cutcher e-mailed these pix to me during the week and I find them terribly exciting (if exciting can, indeed, be terrible).
Here is text that accompanied the pix:
Surprise at Lake Road Cemetery
Rich
On Tues., May 20 we (Brownhelm Historical Association) were fortunate enough to have the service of two cadaver dogs and their handlers search the Lake Road Cemetery grounds for human burials. The dogs started at 9:30 and worked 1 1/2 hours before tiring.
The dogs had located 76 burials in that time. The search was not complete and the handlers feel there are more graves there to be located and plan two more trips to the site. At the completion they will give us a map, measurements and the number of burials that the dogs have located. The dogs have had previous experience in locating older burials and are certified. They have helped Monroe County, MI survey their many cemeteries.
Bill Cutcher
Having visited the site I was under the impression that the cemetery was much smaller than it apparently is. And I am stunned. How could such a thing happen?
I could see - under the circumstance that one might miss perhaps as many as one dozen burial sites. But dozens more? This cemetery, on the very outside, might be 175 years old. There are other cemeteries in the area of similar age. So why would this one have been forgot for so long?
This revelation, historically and otherwise, is amazing. All of these years have passed and the place was very nearly forgot until now. How exciting and how fitting all of this should come about so near Memorial Day.
Podcasts - "forever under construction..."
"A snippet from the clippet..."
PODCAST #77: This week the Vermilion Views Podcast #77 offers further readings from Betty Trinter's book "The Way It Was" beginning in 1913 along with some historical pix. I'm not real familiar with the software I'm using. The following words are missing at the very end of the podcast:"...William Showalter, Fleet Captain; A.J. Copeland, Measurer..."
Also note that this is an "MP4" podcast done in the "Quicktime" format.
Stay with me on this project. Things will get better. (I pro-mize.)
NOTE NOTE:Past podcasts are no longer available in the on-line archive. They just take up too much disk space. But if one really, really, really wants to acquire a copy of a past cast it can be had by contacting moi - and I will place it on a disc and send it to ye for a minimal fee.
LOCAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: Looking for the latest information about VHS Class Reunions, The Vermilion Area Archival Society, Eden Valley Enterprises events, and Hope Home in Kenya. Follow the link to the Vermilion Locals page. Something new (mit a few new pix added) for your enjoyment. Always
Incidentally, "Viewer" Larry Hohler who is a big part of the Hope Home in Kenya wants folks to know that the children they are assisting are safe - midst the turmoil raging around them in that country. Methinks all "Viewers" should take a good look (go to the links section of "Views" for a virtual tour) at how the project really, really helps underprivileged children in this 3rd world nation. It is sincerely a worthwhile effort. And if ye can spare a few bucks it can certainly go a long way.
They 'bin lookin' for the SOB in all the wrong places.
The Beat Goes On: The page is generated by the dreaded Macintosh Computer and is written and designed by (me) Rich Tarrant. It will change weekly ~ usually on Saturday. Bookmark the URL (Universal Resource Locater) and come back at your own leisure. Send the page to your friends (and enemies if you wish). If you have something to share with those who visit this page, pass it on. And if you see something that
is in need of correction do the same. My sister, Nancy, is a great help in that respect. It only takes me a week to get things right. And follow the links. You might find something you like. If you experience a problem with them let me know. Also, if you want to see past editions of this eZine check the new archives links below.
If you're looking for my old links section (pictured) I've replaced it with a pull-down menu (visible in the small box next to the word "Go"). If you're looking for links to more Vermilion history check that menu.
How the old links menu looked
For Persons who would like to donate to the cause (to keep these "Views" on-line you can send whatever you would like to me at the following address. And THANKS to everybody who has already donated to the cause. I doth certainly appreciate it):
Rich Tarrant
1041 Oakwood Drive
Vermilion, Ohio
44089
Telephone: 440-967-0988 - Cell: 440-522-4459
"My life is going by too fast... My only hope is that we go into overtime."-Snoopy
Vol.6, Issue 10, May 24, 2008
© 2008 Rich Tarrant