FRANKIE SCHOELL
WELTERWEIGHT and MIDDLEWEIGHT

Old timers who saw Frankie Schoell box all agreed that the "East Side Dutchman", as he was known, was one of the best. Although he was never a champion, he fought and beat many of the champs of those days, while usually conceding his opponents considerable poundage.

Frankie was born on Buffalo's East Side in 1901, and lived his entire life in this city. He attended St. Mary's school where he completed the 9th grade, and started fighting as a lightweight in 1918 in an era of no-decision bouts. Managed by Bert Finch, he quickly became a crowd favorite, and moved into 10-round main events by the following year, fighting such veterans as Joe (Kid) Kansas, Jake Schiffer, Willie Jackson, and Lockport Jimmy Duffy. In 1922 and 1923, Schoell was matched against top-notchers such as Dave Shade, Soldier Bartfield and future champion Pete Latzo. Frankie beat Jack Britton in 1923, a year after Britton lost his welterweight title. By this time, Schoell was a full-fledged welterweight.

By 1924, Frankie was ranked in the top 10 of the welterweight division by Ring Magazine, and started taking on the best of his division, and even such good middleweights such as Tiger Flowers, in which Schoell was outweighed by 11 pounds. (Frankie got a draw)

None of the ranked contenders or champions cared to meet Frankie in the ring, so he was forced to box men who outwighed him. In 1926, Frankie fought the first of a 7 bout series with future light .. . heavyweight champion Maxie Rosenbloom, and Maxie always had a 10 pound or more advantage.

Although Frankie Schoell fought 7 different world champions, either before or after they won titles, he never got a title fight himself. The closest he came to landing a championship fight was when promoter Charley Murray signed Mickey Walker to defend his welterweight championship in a 15 round bout against Schoell, to be held in Buffalo's Broadway Auditorium in 1926. But Walker decided to take a tune-up bout against Pete Latzo in Scranton prior to the Schoell fight, and to increase the gate it was decided to make it a championship affair. Latzo won a 10-round decision and the world's welterweight crown. Although Latzo had fought Frankie 4 previous times, he refused to give Schoell a title shot. Latzo lost his championship a year later to Joe Dundee.

Frankie Schoell was only knocked out once in over 150 fights, when he disregarded his corner's advice to box and decided to slug it out with the heavier (by 13% pounds) Jimmy Slattery. Slats KO'd Schoell in the 3rd round.

Schoell continued to fight until the end of 1930, when he hung up his gloves and took a job as a maintenance employee with the Buffalo Parks Department. He later took a similar position at Memorial Auditorium, retiring in 1958. He also continued to give advice to aspiring young boxers, based on his wide experience. Frankie died in Buffalo in 1981, at the age of 80.

Tonight Ring #44 is very proud to honor one of the greatest of all-time Buffalo fighters, Frankie Schoell, by inducted him into its Hall of Fame.