Pete Rademacher

The bit about athletes I have met. Didn't throw in Al Hostack. Jim and Don's Uncle who was Middleweight Champion of the world in 1938. A neat old guy still tough into his eighties. He used to teach us to box in his gym. I still remember, "If you are going to fight throw the first punch don't stand and argue about it." He is Seattle's only professional worlds champion that I know of. But this is not about him. I have been lucky enough to meet some world class athletes in one manner or another. I was snuck in by a friend standing room only to see the U of Dub Kansas basketball team. We had no seats. We were standing in the tunnel trying to figure out where to go. Suddenly a hand reached from behind grabbed me by the waist and hoisted me up two steps, "Sorry son but they are introducing me." It was Wilt Chamberlain. This is about Pete Rademacher. The only amateur fighter to as an amateur fight for the heavyweight championship of the world. If you goggle his name you can find him on web.

This is how I know him. We were going to Corvallis Oregon to watch the Huskies play Oregon States. Ironically we were to meet my good friend from Franklin Mike Roe at the bowling alley on Rainier alley. He did not show up. I can only verify as a surmissal as to what happened it is eerie. Only as I write this am I putting some of it together. It never occurred to me this may have been how it happened. Roe had two loves boxing and theater. We met because I had to have an English credit if I was to graduate at Highline. Franklin did not have Senior English. So my advisor put me in Creative speaking class. Roe and I met doing a three man play. It was just for members of the class not a big thing. I was Mr Roberts. We rehearsed and became friends. He took me to the gym where he worked out and I met some of his friends. Important to what happened next. Roe never met us at the bowling alley. Earlier he had met some friends. To kill time they walked next door and shared some beers. Someone insulted one of the girls and it went outside. Roe won the fight and returned to drinking. With his back turned the guy rushed across the barroom and hit him in the head with a beer pitcher. He died instantly. We knew none of this until after the weekend.

Not at the alley at the prescribed time and behind we had to go. It was a long ride to Oregon and getting late. My friend Larry had a classic "56" Chevy convertible. It had loud Hollywood mufflers. There was always someone wanting to drag race. Larry would put them on. He had automatic. He would play like he was going to shift. They would beat us off the line and we would pretend disappointment. A car pulled up beside us the standard, "Dudes, hot car want a drag?" Light changed they were gone and we eased off. This time wasn't the usual drive off into the sunset. They dropped in and followed us. We pulled in front of my house I had forgotten my jacket. As I got out of the car a giant of a man jumped from the other car. None of my friends were wimps they too piled out. Someone yelled from the other car, "Don't worry boys he doesn't need us."
The bid dude said, "If you want to get something out of the trunk or something to make it even." Then I heard laughter. Someone calling my name, "Donlan you were frightened to death!" It was some of the guys from the boxing club. My friends were flipping a coin to see who would fight the giant. We weren't doing the four on one bit, "You don't want this guy and he wouldn't fight you. He is just teasing. Can't afford to hurt his hands. This is Pete Rademacher. In two weeks he is going to fight for the Heavyweight championship of the world.

Two weeks later I had a hundred bucks on Rademacher with big odds. He knocked Patterson down in the second round. In the sixth round Patterson knocked him out the only time an amutuer fought first fight for the championship. I never saw these guys again. But now I am thinking of the irony. Were they the buddies Roe was drinking with and left before he got into his fatal fight. They were friends of his not mine. Roe never lived to graduate. I didn't have many friends at Franklin he was my best friend.