BILLY MISKE:
THE ST. PAUL THUNDERBOLT
Prominent boxing author Clay Moyle’s first book was an excellent biography of Sam Langford, the Canadian-born heavyweight contender who is considered to be the greatest fighter never to win a world title. Moyle’s biography on Langford, also known as The Boston Tar Baby, proved to be very popular with boxing fans worldwide.
Moyle has followed up his initial success with another literary masterpiece about former heavyweight title contender Billy Miske, a.k.a. The St. Paul Thunderbolt. Miske was a superb heavyweight fighter from the early teens and 1920’s whose life was tragically cut short by Bright’s Disease, which forced Miske’s kidneys to fail over time, causing him unspeakable daily pain and eventually costing him his life at the young age of thirty, leaving behind three young children and a grieving widow.
Moyle masterfully chronicles Miske’s daily superhuman displays of perseverance, as he regularly battled through his excruciating kidney pain, in order to enter the ring to fight. Boxing was the only way Miske, a native of St. Paul, Minnesota, knew how to put money on the table for his wife and three kids.
Near the end of his career, Miske was in such dire agony that he was no longer able to train for any of his fights. Miske’s sickness affected many in the boxing world due to his overall popularity in the sport.
Heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey, whom Miske fought three times, once said, “I really liked Billy Miske a lot. Hell, everybody in boxing loved Billy Miske!” Dempsey beat Miske three times. In their final encounter, Dempsey knocked out a very ill Miske in three rounds in Benton Harbor, Michigan, to defend his world heavyweight title.
Moyle expertly peels back the false myths of history that have built up around Miske throughout the years, in order to reveal the truth, which is that Miske is an honest to goodness American hero. The fact that Miske continued to fight on in the midst of personal illness makes him a truly heroic character for any era.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Miske is that he forced himself to fight through his constant agony. He did this for the most simple yet human of reasons. He had a family to provide for and, as the head of the family, it was his job to put a roof over their heads and food on their table.
Moyle has us rooting for Miske to recover even though we already know what his unfortunate outcome will be. Moyle skillfully puts the reader right there beside Miske from his first pro fight to the very last punch of his illustrious career.
Bright’s Disease was the name given to a variety of serious kidney ailments at the beginning of the last century. There was no known cure for Bright’s Disease in the 1920’s.
As the disease began to overcome him, Miske begged his manager to find him more fights even though he was too ill to train anymore in the gym. Miske wanted to make as much money as possible before he died so his family would not be in terrible shape financially after his death.
In the end, death comes over Miske almost as a relief, like a rainstorm on parched soil. Only in death is Miske’s suffering eased.
Moyle’s writing is vivid and gripping. Although Miske’s life ended in tragedy, Moyle skillfully shows us that Miske, while seriously debilitated by his disease, still managed to live a very full and rich life filled with much success and personal happiness.
Miske’s dedication to the welfare of his family through his darkest days is incredibly admirable. It is also triumphant. Billy Miske may never have won the world heavyweight title but he displayed throughout his life the intangible qualities that boxing champions must possess in order to succeed. Miske was tough, determined, strong and courageous. Miske’s sense of dignity emanated from the very core of his soul.
On his very last day on earth, Miske valiantly but unsuccessfully tries to catch his breath, just like the reader will do after absorbing this exceptional boxing biography
Billy Miske: The St. Paul Thunderbolt is published by Win by KO Publications. You can also purchase this book on Clay Moyle’s Facebook page. You will be glad you did as it is a welcome addition to any boxing fan’s library.
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