Description
It was in the mid-1960’s that I came upon a short, one-page story about the life of Stanley Ketchel whose full Polish/American name was Stanislaus Kaicel or Keical. For over 40 years, I have been intrigued and fascinated by this man’s struggle to gain some measure of recognition, and attain the “American Dream” of success from his meager beginnings. From the early 1880’s to his death in 1910, life was a continuous struggle for Stanley since in some strange way, it mirrored America’s struggle for recognition, identity, and fame. For many Americans, a true rags-to-riches story emerged at the turn of the 20th Century. One of those success stories belongs to Stanley Ketchel, “The Michigan Assassin,” possibly the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of his time.
