Watson Finch
Watson Finch. Augusta Chronicle, March 12, 1928.
Watson Finch was a Camden, New Jersey welterweight boxer who competed throughout the 1920s, fighting in South Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. He is known to have fought fellow Camden boxers Tip Gorman (Frank Guetherman) and Young O’Connor (Cesar Campana Sr.).
Watson Finch died on July 9, 1931, from injuries received when he was struck by an ice truck at Magnolia, New Jersey. He was approximately 30 years old. His brother Walter served as a blood donor in a transfusion performed the night before his death in an effort to save his life.
Watson Finch Known Boxing Record
Boxing Record
Watson Finch's known boxing record. Summary: W 3 (KO 2) * L 7 (KO 7) * D 0. Division: welterweight. Hometown: Camden, New Jersey.
Bouts
| Title ↕ | Date ↕ | Weight ↕ | Result ↕ | Method ↕ | Round ↕ | Scheduled ↕ | Location ↕ | Notes ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connie George | 1928-03-16 | W | PTS | New Baseball Stadium, Augusta, Georgia | ||||
| Billy Angelo | 1927-07-13 | L | KO | 2 | 6 | Milford, Delaware | ||
| Young Ketchell | 1927-04-12 | L | KO | 1 | 4 | Shellpot Park, Wilmington, Delaware | ||
| Eddie Adams | 1927-04-05 | W | KO | 2 | 4 | Shellpot Park, Wilmington, Delaware | ||
| Young Ketchell | 1927-03-01 | L | KO | 3 | 4 | Shellpot Park, Wilmington, Delaware | ||
| Joe Martin | 1927-01-04 | W | NWS | 4 | 4 | Shellpot Park, Wilmington, Delaware | Newspaper decision from the Chester Times | |
| Vic Righter | 1926-09-03 | 149 | W | KO | 1 | 6 | Public Service Ball Park, Camden, New Jersey | Opponent weighed 153 lbs |
| Tip Gorman (Frank Guetherman) | 1926-07-23 | L | NWS | 6 | 6 | Public Service Ball Park, Camden, New Jersey | Newspaper decision from the Chester Times | |
| Jimmy McNulty | 1926-01-08 | L | KO | 1 | 6 | Cambria A.C., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | ||
| Joe Libby | 1925-06-04 | 149 | L | TKO | 2 | 8 | Public Service Ball Park, Camden, New Jersey | Opponent weighed 152 lbs |
| Soldier Freeman | Before 1925-10-25 | L | KO | Reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer (Jack Kincaid) | ||||
| Pat Haley | 1924-12-08 | L | KO | 1 | 6 | Waltz Dream Arena, Atlantic City, New Jersey |
Brennan to Face Stiff Opposition
Trenton Sunday Times Advertiser —
Local Flyweight Boxes Kid Harvey In Arena Windup Tomorrow Night
Trenton boxing fans will watch two local ring rivals come to grips tomorrow night at the Arena, when Willie (Kid) Harvey, of Chambersburg, and Johnny Brennan, South Trenton flyweight, box the eight-round windup. The contest is probably the hardest test Brennan has thus far had, as Harvey is a hard puncher for his weight. This was proven a few weeks ago, when he battered Johnny Fone, of East Trenton.
Brennan’s chances of beating Harvey rest in his speed. He proved by his victory over Emil Paluso that he is entitled to be rated among the best, and his supporters are of the opinion that he will baffle Harvey with his speed and boxing skill. Harvey will likely stalk Brennan from beginning to end, in the hope of landing a haymaker, and his backers believe that he will be certain to connect.
The match is at 118 pounds at 8 o’clock. Brennan, being a natural flyweight, did not even have to reduce. Harvey, in his recent match with Fone, weighed only 118½ pounds, and inasmuch as he was not compelled to make weight, it is reasonable to assume that 118 pounds will not trouble him in the least.
In the semi-final bout, two new boxers will be introduced. Enrique Savardo, a Filipino, and Young Eddy, of Providence, R. I., are scheduled to clash. Both are said to be aggressive, stiff punchers.
Mickey Mitchell, local Greek welterweight, and Soldier Freeman, of Camp Dix, are down to clash in another eight-rounder. Freeman is somewhat of a knockerout [sic], having flattened Bob McClellan, of Mount Holly, in three, Georgie Abner, of Riverside, in five, and Watson Finch, of Camden, in three. Freeman stands out as the strongest opponent Mitchell has boxed since taking up the game.
The show will open with Tony Mason, of Chambersburg, tangling with Ray Selby. This will mark the return to the ring for Mason after a long lay-off. Mason has the reputation of being a puncher. The show will start at 8:30 o’clock.
Watson Finch
Augusta Chronicle —
Finch will battle Connie George in the semi-final to the Stribling-Joyce fight here Friday night. Finch hails from Camden, N. J., and [sic] said to be a clever mitt-handler.
Gorman Meets Test Against Joe Bashara
Camden Courier-Post —
GORMAN MEETS TEST AGAINST JOE BASHARA
Hard-Hitting Middleweights Meet in Prelim to Forgione-McGorgary Bout Tuesday
ALLEN FIGHTS MURPHY
Successful so far in a comeback campaign launched recently, Joe Bashara, hard-hitting middleweight from Baltimore, will stack up against a tough customer in one of the preliminary bouts at the all-star show arranged by the Matthew Purnell Post, 518, Veterans of Foreign Wars, at the Camden Convention Hall next Tuesday.
Bashara opposes Tip Gorman, Camden’s fighting cop, himself in the midst of a comeback.
The Marylander was brought to Philadelphia by “Boo Boo” Hoff two years ago and he became one of the most popular club fighters then performing in this section.
He was inactive for some months, but has started fighting again and hopes to reach former heights.
Gorman, after a string of victories up North Jersey, gained favor here with triumphs over Watson Finch and Tony Gildo. He then joined the police force and retired temporarily. Now he is back in harness again, and rarin’ to go.
There should be plenty of action when the hard-hitting Tip tackles the tough Bashara.
The windup Tuesday brings together Vincent Forgione, Atlantic City speedster who is also a member of the Hoff stable, and Babe McGorgary, the rugged Oklahoma cowboy. McGorgary is a slugger but Forgione is a better boxer, and hits hard, besides.
The semi-windup presents two South Jersey Italians who rank among the leading lightweights in the state. Roxie Allen, fresh from a victory over Mickey Blair and a draw with Emery Cabana, opposes Tommy “Kid” Murphy, the Trenton flash.
Two terrific punchers mingle in the main preliminary. Al Gordon, Hoff’s southpaw lightweight, fights Jesse Goss, Trenton colored sensation. Goss is the boy who ended Jackie Hindle’s career with a knockout victory, during which he almost blinded the Camdenite.
Jess also boasts a win over Murphy. It was after this bout that Murphy attacked a Trenton sports writer and was suspended by Commissioner Bugbee. He has been restored to good graces since.
The opening bout on the program shows Leon Lucas, former amateur champion who fought in the recent Olympics, making his professional debut. The Camden heavyweight meets Mushy Brown, formerly of Chicago, who has been under the care of the veteran Adam Ryan. Ryan thinks he has a comer in the 180-pound Brown, and Lucas is sure to be tested in his pro start.
In addition to these five star bouts, a novice scrap will be staged between Jimmy Russell, of Beverly, and George Jackson, of Camden.
Watson Finch Dies; Camden Ex-Fighter
Trenton Evening Times —
CAMDEN, N. J., July 9 (AP).—Watson Finch, 30, former local boxer, died today from injuries received when he was struck by an ice truck at Magnolia on Sunday. A blood transfusion, with his brother, Walter, as the donor, was performed last night in an effort to save his life.
Finch is widely known in Trenton. He boxed at the Arena some years ago.
Life Hereabouts
Camden Courier-Post —
DOWN MEMORY LANE with that Old Gang of Yours . . . in a few of the years when Our Town was as good a sport town as any in the land . . . from the time that Taylor and Gunnis promoted fights through the years to Roxey Allen . . . Mickey Blair . . . Eddie Chaney . . . Shamus Maguire . . . Pee Wee Ross . . . Jackie Hindle . . . Watson Finch . . . Georgie Abner . . . Nick Nicholas . . . Dixie Allen . . .
The days when Camden was the Mecca for Philly fight fans . . . with champions like Mike O’Dowd . . . Benny Leonard . . . Pete Herman . . . Jimmy Wilde . . . Gene Tunney . . . fighting in the Armory on Haddon avenue . . . for One, Two and Three . . . tax included . . . the days of John Smith . . . whose son, Lee, became one of our great friends . . . the days when Philly came to Camden to see the best fighters in the land . . .
AND THEN DOWN through the years with Lou McFarland . . . Higgins and Kaplan . . . Tommy James . . . the man named Doyle who always gave us a smile when we called him “Mister” because he was so kind . . . When Sergeant Ray Smith became a referee . . . “Pose” Robinson . . . the days of Willie Davis . . . Harry Smith . . . Jim Kelly . . .
Fights in the ball park at Twelfth and Federal streets . . . at the Fairview Ball Park . . . in the Temple Theatre . . . the Star Theatre . . . Newt Blanchard, the only promoter who gave us MORE money than we asked for . . . The Broadway Theatre . . . the early days of Convention Hall . . .
THE TIME they opened the Plaza Hotel Gym and all the fine lads on the program . . . with the late Mayor Stewart in the audience . . . and many other dignitaries . . . and being “dared” into a match with Ray Smith, because his opponent failed to show . . . the same guy who fought Tunney . . . Mike Brennan . . . Gibbons . . . Martin . . . Dempsey . . . Loughran . . . and seeing the Sergeant’s body covered with blood in the second round . . . our very own blood . . .
THE YEARS when Gloucester city was the fightenest town in the nation . . .
The days of K. O. Joey O’Donnell . . . who fought them all. . . Of Frankie Conway . . . who never took a backward step . . . and still has the same courage today. . . . Of Willie Spencer . . . who headlined show after show. . . . Charlie Daggert . . . now a referee in Philly. . . . Jimmy Rafferty . . . Eddie (Kid) Wagner . . . Young Sherlock . . . Abe Wustbond, later an instructor of boxing at Herman’s gym in Philly . . . Eddie Forrest . . . and his brother, who fought Battling Nelson . . . the crowd-pleasing Willie Fuller . . . Joey O’Connor.
Back when “Chick” Hunt fought under the name of Eddie Melson . . . and later, in professional ranks, the night he fought Joe “Kid” Fisher at the Apollo theatre in Gloucester. . . . Chick is our friend today . . . but we don’t believe he ever will forgive us for that night when we yelled at Joe to . . . well, we yelled at Joe . . . The days of Harry “Dick” Donohue, trainer and manager of Nick Nichols.
AND THE BEST, learning the business under the incomparable Eddie Prince . . . who knows how to condition fighters . . . then and now . . . with the best in the nation. . . . The days when they called Mister Georgano “Lemons” . . . but affectionately . . . not because he was ever sour.
When Johnny Sapio . . . who only days ago was honored at a banquet at Weber’s Hof Brau by so many people the walls bulged . . . fought under the name of Young Joe Grim.
HOW MANY will remember when our own Eddie Garrity, now the sedate deputy director of public safety in Our Town, was a boxer . . . with plenty on the ball? . . . When George Murphy boxed around here . . . and the Tighe brothers, Eddie and Jimmy . . . Remember Richie Hoehner? . . . Jimmie Jordan? . . . Eddie Douglas? . . . Bobby Graham, then a soldier stationed in Gloucester? . . . Steve Jackson? . . . Frankie McLaughlin (whose brother Neil WAS on Retreat with us, Mrs. McLaughlin, and gave us much of this information)?
Recall Johnny “Homo” Bryan? . . . Duncan Carswell, Jimmy and Jack Dean, referees, all three? . . . Theo Ellick, the matchmaker. . . . And who could forget Joe Spearing, afraid of nobody then and now . . . he fought our boy Fisher three times to our knowledge . . . once in Atlantic City . . . another at one of the ball parks here and the third (the windup, no less) in Gloucester. . . . Who won . . . who cares?
THE DAYS when a Cook was a promoter . . . and a Politician(?) got the gravy. . . . The time “Red” Haines fought Roxey Allen over top the old Standard movies at Second and Vine streets . . . amateur against a near-champ . . . and what a battle . . . when Everett Joslin and Johnny Taylor were on the First district wagon and backed it up to the door leading to the second floor, and all the people gathering around because they thought it was a raid . . . and all they came to see was a round or two of the fights.
Back when Joey Powell had an iron fist . . . and Soldier Freedman an iron jaw. . . . When Mayor Victor King was always in the front row at the bouts . . . when Augie Oswald “worked” the river in his boat for shad and other fish . . . when a dollar was a dollar and not 27 cents . . . when the downtown fight gym was operated by Charley Mack . . . whose brother Battling Mack was a great drawing card and a great fighter . . . and Charley was no softie, either.
THE SUMMER BOUTS in the ball park when you could get a swell bleacher seat for half a buck—and be closer to the bouts than $50 seats at some of the big clubs now . . . and see better fights, too.
When Camden had growing pains . . . and its people started moving to the suburbs . . . when a guy who made 40 slugs a week was a “big executive.” . . . When copy boys on the papers got $4 a week . . . and had enough left over from their salary to lend money to reporters who made the tremendous sum of $25 a week. . . . Great days, say you . . . great days, say us. . . . Nostalgia.