The Prize Fight the Gates Boys Missed

Major Disappointment for the Gates Boys

On the evening of June 22, 1938, Edmund, Jr., age 19, along with his brothers, Jess, age 14, Herbert, age 9, and Jim, age 7, hopped onto Old Bertie, a gentle mare. They were headed to Glen and Fern Anson’s home to listen to the rematch between the famed boxers, Max Schmeling of Germany and Joe Lewis of the United States. Of course, the radio was the most advanced method of communication, but the Gates family had none. The Gates boys were thrilled to have been invited to the Anson home for the sports event of the summer. They had been looking forward to hearing this boxing match from New York City for many days.           Max Schmeling had defeated Lewis two years earlier. This had fueled the fire of Nazism in Germany. All America was interested in this rematch. The four Gates brothers had anticipated hearing the fight with their neighbors. For Edmund, Jr. getting to listen to the boxing match with one of his close friends, Arthur Wulf just made the evening that much better.  Arthur and Dorothy, his sister, had come to live with the Anson family. Edmund, Jr. and Arthur both enjoyed being active and became best friends when Arthur moved to the Bend.          That evening as Old Bertie carried Edmund, Jr., Jess, Herbert, and Jim over the dirt road east of their house, they met Nat Abington, the grandfather of Sam Abington, at the bridge about one mile northeast of their farm with unbelievable news.  The boys couldn't believe their ears when they heard Mr. Abington say, “Boys, the fight is over. Lewis won.”          Edmund, Jr. reluctantly turned the mare around and headed back home. The boys with their crushed hopes of a fun night trudged into the bunk house after reporting to their parents of missing the whole prize fight. In the early 20th century, there was no NBA Championship series, no Super Bowl, no NCAA March Madness in college basketball, and only five bowl games played by the top college football teams. In the 21st century, when some major sporting event can be viewed almost every night, it is hard to understand how much their excitement must have built in anticipation of this rematch, and in turn, how dejected and disappointed the four boys must have been that night as they drifted off to sleep to awaken at dawn for another day of summer work in the field.        History revealed Lewis knocked out Schmeling in just over two minutes. In the Great Depression of the 1930s, this victory instantly gave Americans a real-live hero in Joe Lewis when the decade had been permeated by bleakness and the despair of the economic collapse and the Dust Bowl. Jim, Herbert, Jess, and Edmund Gates at the first Gates Reunion at Lake Ponca in the early 1970s

Fredrick Daniel Gates - born
June 16, 1921, died June 16, 
1935.

      This past week prompted thoughts of the Gates brother who remained a teen in the hearts and memories of the Gates family. Earlier this week on June 16th, Mother and I discussed how that day marked the 101st birthday of Fredrick Daniel. Ironically, we recalled 87 years ago on Freddie’s 14th birthday on Sunday, June 16th, he was struck and killed by lightning.
      I reread Dad’s closing thoughts about his younger brother’s death and posted them below. I realized and am reminded goodness can emerge from a devastating event.

Papa seldom worked on Sunday after that Sunday that Fredrick was killed. (Prior to Fredrick's death, the Gates family worked seven days a week.) He and Mama became Christians as a result of our family’s tragedy.  Even though we had no car they* tried to attend the Pentecost Holiness Church that was located on the northwest corner of what is now Carl Goad’s property. 

*Usually, Grandma attended with the children because Grandpa’s profound hearing impairment made church services, funerals, etc. frustrating. Every time I view a worship service being interpreted for the deaf by a sign language interpreter, I think how much Grandpa would have benefited from it.