Fighters have been calling out one another for decades, a practice that reached its hey day, or at least most vociferous level, during the glory years of Muhammad Ali, a master at taunting, ridiculing and demeaning opponents.

In days of yore, it sometimes had a more genteel side to it, such as the open letter directed at Minneapolis promoter Tony Stecher sometime in the 1940s.

“Give Howard Bleyhl the break he deserves in a main event against the world’s top welterweights,’’ the statement read in part. “He fights and wins main events in Omaha, Kansas City, Denver, Sioux City, Fargo, Sioux Falls...

WHY NOT MINNEAPOLIS ?

The letter was distributed by Les Johnson, who was the manager of Blehyl, and invited Stecher and others to reply in care of Potts Gym, at 613 Hennepin Avenue.

The letter went on to inform readers that Bleyhl had outdrawn champion Tony Zale in Omaha and could do the same in Minneapolis and identified Bleyhl as a Minneapolis taxpayer and homeowner.

“Write, Phone, Trap Stecher and demand that he give Bleyhl a main event...’’

Maybe the good old days aren’t always as won- derful as they sometimes seem. Such pleas today would reach their audience within in moments via Facebook, Twitter or text. During Bleyhl’s days,

it must have seemed as if they were delivered by carrier pigeon.

Nonetheless, Johnson had found a way to attract attention for his fighter, with flyers widely distributed and designed to light a fire under Stecher.

Bleyhl was viewed, at least early in his career, as not more than a club fighter, but he does have one outstanding victory on his record:

He gave former world welterweight champion Fritzie Zivic what was described as a beating by the Omaha World Herald.

Yes, Zivic was in decline. He had lost 13 of 15 fights starting in June of 1945 before taking on Blehyl on April 29, 1946 in Omaha’s City Auditorium.

Nonetheless, the victory enhanced Bleyhl’s reputation and served as a springboard to other bouts, especially in Minnesota, his home state. He started getting regular fights in St. Paul and Minneapolis and took on Buzz Brown for the state welterweight championship in the St. Paul Auditorium on April 11, 1947, winning by technical knockout in the 10th and final round.

The two fought again with the title on the line in June that year and that time Bleyhl won by TKO in the seventh round. Opportunity, perhaps because of his manager’s campaign alongside his victory over Zivic, had put Bleyhl in position to demonstrate he was the best fighter in Minnesota in the welterweight division.

The first bout between Bleyhl and Brown was characterized as a thriller according to newspaper accounts. The headline to a story about the fight said, simply: Bleyhl, Brown Thrill ‘Em.

Contrast that with the headline on their rematch: Bleyhl Whips Brown by TKO in Seventh Round.

Still, the second fight had its exciting moments, according to Hall of Fame writer George Barton: “The sixth and terminating round was the most furious session of the battle. Brown staggered Bleyhl with a terrific right to the chin early in the canto. This was the hardest blow of the bout up to that time. Bleyhl, however, recovered quickly and ripped into Brown with a two-fisted attack that put Buzz on the defensive.’’

Not unlike numerous professional fighters at the time, Bleyhl got his start in the carnivals, taking
on all comers, often regardless of weight. It was undoubtedly in that setting that he developed his aggressive, attacking style at the expense of the finer points of the art. Yet, it was this very attribute that endeared him to fans at that time. They always knew they would see something thrilling when Blehyl was in the ring.

Richard Bleyhl never saw his father fight. He was born after his boxing career ended and said his father never talked about it. He did, however, watch boxing on television, the only sport in which he had an interest.

Unless we consider fishing a sport. It was Bleyhl’s passion in his later years. He loved nothing better.

On June 24, 1972, Bleyhl was fishing on a lake outside Backus. “He loved being on the lake,’’ Richard said.

Something went wrong that day, an accident, and Bleyhl, all alone in his boat, drowned at age 54. “He couldn’t swim a stroke,’’Richard added.

Yet Howard Bleyhl could fight and for what he accomplished has earned a spot in the Minnesota Boxing Hall of Fame.