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"...He is a familiar figure from coast to coast and is headed for international fame as Uncle Sam's representative at the Olympics...."
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| After 3 consecutive years of
collecting every award & title available to him, Billy was
set to go to Finland for the 1940 Olympics. His widow,
Dorothy Speary, remembers the excitement of his
"Olympic" uniform, trunks & robes being made &
ready to go. However, it was not meant to be.
The 1940 Olympic
Games, were originally awarded to Tokyo. After the Japanese invasion
of China the Games were taken from them. The Winter Games, were
rescheduled for Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany) but were cancelled when
Germany invaded Poland. The Summer Games (which Billy would have
participated in), were rescheduled for
Helsinki but were cancelled when Soviet troops invaded Finland.
Nobody realized it at the time but the Olympic games would not
be held again until 1948.
As much as I would have loved to include pictures of these
uniforms here, Dorothy Speary is not quite sure what
ever happened to them. She believes they may have been
stored at his parents home - which still stands & is still
in the Speary family. With any luck I may find them yet.
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| A FUN FACT: While many people believe Esther Williams was an
Olympic medallist (she was actually billed as such on many occasions)
the truth is that she never did win an Olympic medal for swimming or for diving.
As a member of the 1940 Olympic team, she also never made it to
Helsinki.
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Strictly Sports
Little But Lethal Speary, Ring Champ Looks to Olympics Ignoring Pro
Career
--By Cy Peterman--
Feb 1939
The calmest fellow in the room was Billy Speary, when by rights he
should have been excited. For in the babble and clamor the winner of his
third straight Middle Atlantic A. A. U. and Diamond Belt championship
remained characteristically cool.
Full
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SPEARY NOT INTERESTED IN PRO RING
Nanticoke Boy Turns down Offer of Babe Cullen for Olympic Chance
TO KEEP THOMAS
1938)
New York, March 1 (-Babe Cullen's offer to have Bill Speary, Nanticoke, Pa., national A.A.U. and defending Golden Gloves flyweight champ, desert amateur ranks and turn pro, will not interest the battler in the least, it
was learned last night at the Park Central Hotel, New York City, where Speary, under the supervision of Golden Gloves Coach Art Thomas, is priming himself for his semi-final scrap with Basil Jones, New York, at the Hippodrome tonight.
Speary intends to remain amateur until the 1940 Olympics, which team he hopes to become eligible for. Said Speary: |
SPEARY TO REMAIN AMATEUR UNTIL AFTER OLYMPICS
by Jerry McCormack
1938
Billy Speary, Nanticoke entry in the Golden Gloves tournament at New York tonight, sends word from the metropolis he intends to remain an amateur until after the 1940 Olympics. Speary also states that if he does turn pro, he will retain his present manager, Art Thomas. The announcement from Speary is splendid.
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Speary's Objective Is to Make Olympic Team for 1940 Games
4-13-39
Upon his arrival in this city yesterday afternoon from San Francisco where he won his third A.A.U. title last week, Billy Speary, 20-year-old Nanticoke 118-pound
amateur boxing titleholder of this country, said that he would not
turn professional, despite many enticing offers, but
continue in the amateur ranks with hopes of making the U.S. team which will compete in the Olympics at Finland next year. |
Speary Will Try Pro Boxing If War Blacks Out Games
Billy Speary, national amateur boxing
flyweight and bantamweight champion for the last three years and
holder of practically every amateur title available in the
United States, is headed for the professional ring.
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Speary Plans to Turn "Pro"
Will Quit Amateur Ranks If 1940 Olympics Are Called off
9-7-39
Nanticoke, Pa., September 7th (AP) - The war may send Bill Speary, Nanticoke amateur flyweight and bantamweight boxing champion, into the professional ring.
It all depends on whether the 1940 Olympic Games are called off.
"I have remained in the amateur ranks until now for the sole purpose of making a place on the Olympic team," Speary said tonight, adding that if the games are called off he would turn professional.
The coal regions fighter, who in the last three years has won close to 200 doubts, said his decision was in no way influenced by the controversy over the amateur boxing situation in the Middle-Atlantic district A.A.U.
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To Join Money Fighters
They say that Billy Speary, sensational little Nanticoke boxer will desert the amateur ranks and join the money fighters after his appearance in Allentown next Monday night. If he doesn't change his mind amateur boxing circles will lose one of the most colorful and successful Simon-pures ever to don the mitts.
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SPEARY TO TURN PRO ALLENTOWN FANS HEAR
Announces Intentions After Winning Amateur Bout from
Reading Fighter.
Bill Speary is giving up his topflight amateur boxing standing for
a professional fistic career.
The popular National A.A.U. champion announced last night he would
forsake the ranks of the Simon-pures at Scranton January 31 against an
opponent yet to be selected.
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INSIDE STUFF
... When Billy Speary turns professional the latter part
of this month it will be for Promoter Latzo in Scranton... Asked
why he didn't go into New York for his professional debut,
Speary said he wanted to stay as far away from New York as
possible...
"That's a fine crowd over there; they'll pat you on the
shoulder with their left hand, and cut your heart out with their
right hand"... Speary never fails to pack in the spectators
here, and last night was no exception... He drew probably the
biggest indoor gate for an amateur card ever seen here... It
would be interesting to know how he would draw as a
professional, in a ten-round bout with a fellow like Billy Davis
or Johnny Gall... It's a fact, though, that he is a popular
little fighting machine, a classy boxer with a punch in either
hand... And one thing we like about Speary; he never gets hit
any more than is absolutely necessary.
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