I am an avid genealogist. The past is very important to me. I spend a lot of time in cemeteries photographing tombstones to upload on the website FindAGrave.
I enjoy recognizing long dead people by putting memorials to them online. However, every once and a while something grabs me about a specific grave. It could be the name, or the dates or a ceramic photo. In those cases, I feel compelled to dig a little deeper. That's what this series of blogs is about: The tales behind those graves. Some of my subjects will be heroes. Some will be villains. Some will be victims. And some will linger in between, like most of us. However, don't be surprised if the tales are inherently tragic. These are grave tales. They all end in death.
I have visited Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery hundreds of times. This lovely Catholic cemetery is the final resting place of all of my maternal immigrant ancestors. In fact, I expect to move into a one room condominium there myself after I breathe my last. I would like to buried among family. However, in addition to my family, the cemetery is also the final resting place of Louis "Kid" Dorbert.
Although I had been to Holy Redeemer many times, I only spotted his grave on my most recent visit. I was checking out a possible cemetery location for a book signing for my novel Chapel Street when I spied Dorbert's grave near the road in the front alongside Belair Road. I was immediately fascinated. Who puts the nickname Kid -- in quotes -- on their tombstone? I decided he had to be either an Old West gunfighter or a boxer. He proved to be the latter. Dorbert was a professional featherweight boxer. Sadly, although there were numerous stories about Dorbert in various newspapers, I couldn't find a photograph of the man himself. Below you will find a taste of his life -- with the kind of trash talking one might find familiar today:
The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Maryland), 01 January 1909, Friday:
KID DORBERT CONFIDENT
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Will Swap Punches Tonight With Jack Monroe at Pollock's
Kid Dorbert and Young Jack Monroe, two rugged local boxers, will appear in the star bout of 15 rounds before the Nonparell Athletic Club, tonight at Pollock's Casino, Highlandtown. This will mark the first appearence of Dorbert in Highlandtown, and as he has many admirers there, he will have a large delegation on hand to root for him. Dorbert is now at his best, and should he defeat Monroe he will make an effort to secure matches with the best men in his class. Monroe has held his own with such clever little men as Kid Lenny, Benny Riley and Benny Franklin and others, and expects to win before the limit is reached. The bout will be at catchweights and the weight will favor Monroe. The semi-windup will bring two big men into action. Con Lauterbach and George Adkins. Lauterbach, who is known in boxing circles as the "Fighting Dutchman," will have his hands full with Adkins, who is a clever youngster and recently knocked out Sailer Rowe in a hard bout.Dorbert would beat Monroe by knockout.
Buffalo Courier (Buffalo, New York), 10 August 1910, Wednesday:
DORBERT WANTS TO BOX.
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Kid Dorbert complains that he can get no reply to repeated challenges hurled at Gus Wilson. The Baltimore featherweight is anxious for a scrap with Wilson and wants to know what inducements will be necessary to get the Buffalo lad into the ring with him. Dorbert is willing to meet any other featherweight.Buffalo Courier (Buffalo, New York), 03 October 1910, Monday:
GUS WILSON REPLIES TO KID DORBERT'S MANAGER
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Buffalo, Oct. 3, 1910
Sporting Editor, Buffalo Courier:
Dear Sir--I have seen repeated challenges issued lately by B.F. Bliven in behalf of Kid Dorbert whom I lost to in Baltimore two years ago. I want to state to the public that I lost that night by breaking my right hand in the second round and was unable to lift that member to defend myself. My chief second, who at the time was Mr. Bliven, let the bout go on until the fourth round when he saw that I could not do justice to myself, then tossed up the sponge, not because I was in danger of being knocked out, but because it was no use to continue when helpless.
Just now it is impossible for me to box anybody as I have two large bolts on my left arm, but as soon as they are healed (which will take about three or four weeks) will state that nothing would suit me better than to wipe out the defeat he has against me.
Will also accommodate Mr. Bliven with the $100 side bet and a few hundred more.
Dorbert is a good boy, but if we ever meet in the ring again he will find that I am not the same boy I was two years ago. Thanks you for the space I am
Very truly yours,
GUS WILSON,
Buffalo featherweight champion.
Gus Wilson and Kid Dorbert apparently did indeed fight again. The result is currently unknown. It is listed on the record as a "lost fight." I could not find a reference to it in the newspaper.
Buffalo Courier (Buffalo, New York), 02 June 1911, Friday:
JOE CLARK WINS POPULAR VERDICT OVER KID DORBERT
Salamanca, June 1. -- Joe Clark, the Pittsburgh featherweight, won the popular verdict over Kid Dorbert of Baltimore in a red-hot ten-round bout here tonight. Clark was a little puzzled by Dorbert's awkward stye, but solved it, and as both were willing to mix, it was a corking bout. Clark won the verdict by two knockdowns, one in the eighth and one in the tenth, although Dorbert was up and fighting strong in both rounds. Clark did most of the forcing. The boys weighted in at 124 pounds at 6 o'clock.Buffalo Courier (Buffalo, New York), 03 June 1911, Saturday:
Bliven's Side of It.
Ben Bliven, who took Kid Dorbert to Salamanca, denies the report sent out from there that Joe Clark beat Dorbert Thursday night. He says Clark did excel in the "rough stuff" and that the referee allowed him to backheel, elbow and mug Dorbert with the heel of his glove in clinches, while when Dorbert attempt to retaliate the official threatened to disqualify him. Clark, he says, rushed Dorbert off the platform several times and the referee refused to make him quit, a practice that might have ended in serious injury. Bliven declares Dorbert beat Clark in clean punching and cleverness and is willing to rematch with Clark any place but in Salamanca and bet something on the side.The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Maryland), 09 September 1912, Monday:
DORBERT-DALY BOUT TONIGHT
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Will Feature Card of Matches At Monumental Theatre.
Kid Dorbert, the East Baltimore boxer, will make his reappearance in the ring tonight after an absence of a year, when he will tackle Johnny Daly in a 10-round bout before the Bridge Athletic Club at the Monumental Theater.
Both Dorbert and Daly can hit hard, and if either connects with his haymaker the recipient is doomed to take a nap.
Dorbert has fought but once since he returned from Buffalo, where was successful under the management of Ben Bliven, and the battle was fought with Al Schumacker, of New York, with whom he went 15 fierce rounds with honors even. At one time Dorbert was regarded as a comer in local boxing circles. His best achievement in the roped arena was when he fought Patsy Kline 15 rounds to a draw.
The setto tomorrow evening between Kid Whitten and Willie Mack, too, has excited considerable attention, as a match between the pair has been long talked of. Mack showed his best form last week, when he defeated Jimmy Carroll, of New York, in 10 rounds, and will probably be the favorite to win over Whitten.Farmer (Kid) Dorbett's [sic] boxing record can be found at
BoxRec, Boxing's Official Record Keeper. They (incorrectly) list only 38 bouts. His debut bout, a loss to Jimmy Farren in Baltimore, Maryland, took place on 10 October 1906 and his final recorded fight, a loss by knockout against Leo Maher in Buffalo, New York, took place on 14 June 1910. He had 15 wins, 7 by knockout, 11 loses, 3 by knockout, and 12 draws. He later worked as a trainer and referee.
After his boxing career, Dorbert ended up in the military. I don't know when he entered the service, but he remained until 20 October 1923. Even in the military, his heart was in boxing. Here's a story about his service:
The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Maryland), 10 May 1920, Monday:
DOUGHBOYS TO ENTER
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Fort McHenry Athletes Will Leave For Elimination Contests In Virginia
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Fort McHenry has great hopes of being represented at the Olympic games in Sweden this year. A number of men, who show promise of developing into champions, have been practicing under Louis Dorbert, a well-known Baltimore fighter and trainer. The army expects to be well represented at these games, and Fort Meyer, Va., will witness the first of the eliminating contests tomorrow. Lieut. Walter L. Vanaman, athletic officer at Fort McHenry will leave with the following men this afternoon to take part in the elimination contestsL Private Jacob Becker, boxer; Private William B. Schwimer, boxer; Private Anthony Gunn, boxer; Private John Christensen, runner; Private John Krislter, boxer; Private J.N. Waitkivich, sprinter, and Private Louis Dorbert, trainer.
Gunn is a lightweight boxer of promise and is developing rapidly. Waitkivich, sprinter, is able to do 100 yards in 10 1-5 seconds. Langdon, a middleweight, expects to make things interesting for his opponents. The best athletes from various army posts will assemble at Fort Meyer for these contests, and will include among other things, boxing, wrestling, running, swimming, tennis, rowing, fencing, pole vaulting, hurdle races, discus throwing, javelin throwing, shot putting, hammer throwing and a number of other events.
The Evening News (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania), 25 April 1929, Thursday:
GAMENESS RECALLED
Kid Dorbert, who is remembered by oldtimers for his battle with Patsy Kline, in which he was knocked down thirty-three times in eight rounds, recently promoted benefit boxing program in Baltimore.
I am not sure which fight with Patsy Kline is referenced in the story above. He fought Kline twice. They brawled to a draw in March of 1908. Kline knocked him out for a loss in May 1909. However, I doubt very much whether a referee would allow a fight to continue nowadays with even half that many knockdowns! That must have been an amazing fight.
The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Maryland), 13 December 1963:
DORBERT
Suddenly, on December 11, 1963, LOUIS (Kid), of 3243 Eastern avenue, beloved son of the late George and Cunigunda Dorbert (nee Geissler). Services from the Charles S. Zeiler Funeral Home, 901 South Conkling street (at Hudson street), on Saturday, at 8:15 A.M. Requiem High Mass at Sacred Heart Church at 9 A.M. Interment in Holy Redeemer Cemetery. Visiting hours 2 to 9 P.M.Note: I later discovered that the blog Dying To Tell Their Stories, by Dick Berglund and Kathi Santora, also did an entry about Dorbert. Interestingly, although there were dozens of stories about Dorbert in the newspapers during the teens, they chose mostly the same stories to highlight. If you like cemeteries and stories of the deceased, I strongly recommend their blog.
Remember, there is a story behind every grave. You never know what you're missing when you walk past one....
Grave Tales:
My novel Chapel Street is now available! You can buy the Kindle and paperback at Amazon and the Nook, paperback and hardcover at Barnes & Noble. Chapel Street is the tale of a young man battling a demonic entity that has driven members of his family to suicide for generations. It was inspired by an actual haunting.
Learn more about the book, click
Here.
Listen to me read some chapters here:
Read about the true haunting that inspired the novel here:
The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 1, An IntroductionThe Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 2, The HouseThe Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 3, This Is UsThe Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 4, ArrivalThe Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 5, MethodologyThe Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 6, Clara's Tale, Pt. 1The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 7, Clara's Tale, Pt. 2The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 8, My Tale, Pt. 1The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 9, My Tale, Pt. 2The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 10, My Tale, Pt. 3The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 11, Natalia's Tale, Pt. 1The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 12, Natalia's Tale, Pt. 2The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 13, John's Tale, Pt. 1 The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 14, John's Tale, Pt. 2The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 15, Come Inside!The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 16, Marion's Tale, Pt. 1The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 17, Marion's Tale, Pt. 2The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 18, Jeanne's Tale, Pt. 1The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 19, Jeanne's Tale, Pt. 2The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 20, Lisa's TaleThe Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 21, Recap, Pt. 1The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 22, Recap, Pt. 2The Haunting of 21 St. Helens Avenue, Part 23, Recap, Pt. 3
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