Billy Conn – Still the Pittsburgh Kid

Billy Conn – Still the Pittsburgh Kid

            Too often sports headlines blare out the misfortunes of ex-boxers who lost their hard earned millions made in the ring.

            Well, they’ll never have to hold any benefits for Billy Conn, The Pittsburgh Kid.  Wise investments have enabled Conn to live the life of a Country Squire in his beloved Steel City.  In fact, Billy Conn never had to work a day in his life after the second Joe Louis fight.

            Nestled in the rolling hills of the exclusive Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh is the five bedroom brick home (valued at $250,000) of Billy and Mary Louise Conn.

Still the Same Sharp Billy

            Clad in open necked silk sports shirt and tailored slacks, gin and tonic in hand, the charismatic Conn holds court in his spacious living room, surrounded by fistic mementoes and expensive paintings.  He is a master story teller and loves to relate tales of his ring career and his beloved Pittsburgh.  Now approaching seventy, he is still as sharp of mind and wit as ever.  “Took my money in cash after the 1946 Louis fight, about $360,000 plus $25,000 for the film rights,” he exclaims with a smile on his face.  Then he breaks out in laughter as he tells of bringing the suitcase of money to the bank.  “I had some wise investment counselors – real estate, bonds and oil wells,” he continues.

            These investments have enabled Billy and Mary Lou to have homes in Atlantic City and Vegas, to travel extensively, put three of their four children ( Tim, Billy Jr., Suzanne and Michael) through college and even give up a lucrative $100,000 a year job as a greeter in Vegas because he didn’t like it.  He is much happier with his cronies back in the friendly haunts of Pittsburgh.

 The $2.50 Fight

            Billy Conn loves to talk boxing and when he gets on a roll, its non-stop.  He never had an amateur fight but was carefully schooled by Johnny Ray, who he places on a pedestal as the greatest teacher who ever lived.  His pro career started at age 16.  He recalls his first fight, a four round loss to an experienced 25 year old Dick McPherson.  He received $2.50 and when his manager took his cut, it left only 50 cents for Billy.  “Hey,” he exclaimed, “I thought we were going to split 50-50.”  Johnny Ray replied, “You lost, didn’t you?”

            Billy won 12 and lost five his first pro year but the next 12 months he was sensational climaxing with a win over home town rival Fritzie Zivic.  Billy met and defeated ten world champions, including seven before he was 21 years of age.  Besides Zivic he beat Apostoli, Yarosz, Kreiger, Bettina (twice), Lesnevich (twice), young Corbett, Risko, and Zale.

 Battling Bellhop Apostoli

            In 1939 he was summoned to New York, the then Mecca of the fight game, to meet sensational Fred Apostoli.  A decided underdog in fights, a ten rounder and a fifteen rounder, Billy pounded out two close decision wins in two of the greatest fights ever seen at Madison Square Garden.  He speaks in glowing terms of the Battling Bellhop Apostoli.  “We disliked each other, hurling racial slurs such as dago and mick,” remarks Billy, “but later we became close friends.”  Billy also likes to tell that it was he, the winner, who retreated to the hospital for repairs after the second fight.  “I was in mourning for week when Freddie died.  What a guy!  Apostoli versus Hagler?  No way Hagler is ever going to win against that dynamo,” Conn concluded.

            After winning the light-heavyweight title from Melio Bettina and defending it against Bettina and Gus Lesnevich, Billy Conn entered the heavyweight ranks and ran off a sensational streak climaxing with a stirring 13^th round kayo of number one contender Bob Pastor, giving him a crack at Joe Louis’ coveted heavyweight jewel.

The Brown Bomber

            Reams of print and millions of words have been written about Billy’s fearless and brilliant challenge against the great Brown Bomber, how he led for twelve rounds; how he attempted to slug it out trying for a knockout and was instead knocked out himself.

Conn Picks Louis and Greb

           Next to Apostoli, the two fighters most revered by Conn are Louis, and another Pittsburgh native, Harry Greb, who Billy calls the greatest ever pound for pound.  Louis vs. Ali, and Robinson vs. Greb – Conn picks Louis and Greb.  Without a doubt!

Conn: The Family Man

            Today Billy Conn attends sports functions all over the country.  He travels extensively and spends a great deal of time with his four children and seven grandchildren.  He was in Detroit in October for the unveiling of the controversial Joe Louis Memorial (a severed arm).

A Birthday Celebration

           In May 1987, he will be saluted on his 70^th birthday by the Rochester Boxing Association.  Among the guests will be old foes Melio Bettina and Bob Pastor.  Undoubtedly the stories will be hot and heavy.  And in the middle will be Billy Conn – still the Pittsburgh Kid.