Patterson Recalls 1957 Frightful Fight In Seattle -- Ex-Champ Admits Taking Rademacher Too Lightly

FORT LEWIS - Nearly 37 years later, former heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson admits he underestimated Pete Rademacher in their curious 1957 Seattle title fight.

Patterson, who was in the Northwest yesterday, won the bout considered the biggest in Northwest history, but only after Rademacher knocked him down in the second round in front of 16,961 ecstatic fans at Sicks Stadium in Seattle.

"When I climbed into the ring, there was no fear because I figured he was only an amateur," recalled Patterson, referring to the fact Rademacher was the reigning world amateur champ as 1956 Olympic Games gold medalist. "I figured all I would have to do is dance around for five or six rounds and he'd be so tired he wouldn't be able to stand up. . . . "

"But I got knocked down. I was shocked. I was more surprised than anything. I didn't know he could hit that hard."

The famous 4-second knockdown - with three rights to the head - served as a wake-up call for Patterson, who began dominating the bout in the next round.

The 22-year-old champion knocked down Rademacher, 28, once in the third round, four times in the fifth and twice in the sixth, the last time for a 10 count.

The fight was the first in boxing history between the world's heavyweight professional and amateur champions and it was promoted by legendary Northwest promoter Jack Hurley. Rademacher, trained by George Chemeres, was a former Washington State University football

tackle from Grandview in the Yakima Valley.

Patterson's manager, Cus d`Amato, had demanded and received $250,000 for the Patterson camp to fight Rademacher. The money was raised by businessmen Rademacher had become friends with while serving in the Army in Georgia.

"For what they offered me, I couldn't refuse," Patterson said.

Patterson was at Fort Lewis yesterday as part of a tour to promote the the Army boxing championships. Remarkably fit at age 59, he demonstrated some punches, shook hands and fielded questions. He seemed pleasantly surprised that reporters and fans considered the Rademacher bout such a big event.

Nationally, Patterson is remembered for other things. He won the 1952 Olympic gold medal, then became the first boxer to win the world heavyweight title at age 21. He was the first fighter to regain the heavyweight title (he knocked out Ingemar Johansson in 1960) and also is remembered for his two first-round defeats to Sonny Liston and his two losses to Muhammad Ali.

The Aug. 22, 1957 fight against Rademacher attracted celebrities such as Bing Crosby and Art Linkletter and was covered by national writers such Red Smith, John Lardner and Jimmy Cannon.

The fight loomed as such a mismatch that the New York Boxing Association had demanded that the sanctioning Washington state body be expelled from the national association. Rep. Hugh Scott of Pennsylvania sent Washington Gov. Albert Rosellini a telegram beseeching him to halt "this preplanned slaughter."

The fight wound up being voted the 1957 sports oddity of the year by sportswriters and broadcasters.

The fight launched Rademacher on a five-year, 23-bout career which ended with a 17-6 record. He later decisioned tough George Chuvalo, was knocked out by ex-champ Archie Moore and closed his career by winning a 10-round decision over Bobo Olson in 1962.

Rademacher went on to become president of manufacturing company in a suburb of Akron, Ohio. Now 65, he is retired from business and coordinates more than 90 golf tournaments in Ohio for the American Cancer Society. One of his current passions: Riding a vehicle he describes as a "one-wheel motorcycle" in parades. He said he designed the vehicle when he was 13 and living in Grandview.

Interviewed by telephone yesterday, Rademacher said he thinks he could have defeated Patterson if he had fought some 10-round tune-ups.

"I hadn't been in a fight that had gone past three rounds," he said.

Rademacher said he only had about a month to train hard for Patterson because the contract wasn't finalized until late July.

Although Rademacher and Patterson haven't seen each other for years, their paths have crossed occasionally and they are quick to praise each other.

"I'm really proud of having known Floyd," said Rademacher, who considers himself indebted to Patterson for fighting him.

Patterson has operated a gym in New Paltz, N.Y., for several years. He is making boxing history as the manager of his adopted son, Tracy, the World Boxing Council super-bantamweight champion. The Pattersons are the only father-son team to win boxing titles.

That's impressive, but it won't change Patterson's claim to fame in these parts. He still is best remembered for that August night in Sicks Stadium.