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(AUGUST 19, 2024) Yesterday, I received news that 1940-1950's pioneer
female boxer, Pat Emerick passed away yesterday at the age of 93 years old.
In 2019, I had the pleasure of meeting Pat and her family at our International
Women's Boxing Hall of Fame that was held in Brisbane, California, where Pat was
inducted into the class of 2019. I would like to re-share a great article
that was written about Emerick in a tribute to her trailblazing efforts in the
sport of women's boxing, when women's boxing was not cool.
The
article that was written by Ken Beck of the Wilson
Post who allowed WBAN to publish this comprehensive biography of
Pat Emerick, a top pioneer boxers from the late 1940s-1950s.
HARTSVILLE--"Put one foot in front of the other. Be prepared," says Pat
Lancaster Landreth, if you want to succeed in the boxing ring.
Landreth, [now 88 years old], who was known as Pat Emerick in 1949 when she won the Ladies World
Boxing Association championship title, might offer the same advice when it comes
to facing the adversities of life.
The woman, who gave birth to 11 children and inherited four stepchildren (she
considers them all her children), is a true survivor. Not only as a pioneer
female pugilist. She dealt tenaciously with a car crash at the age of 20 that
nearly put out her lights. She grieved over the death of her husband of 39 years
and repeated the process with the loss of her second mate. And these days, she
often wears pink, a visible statement that she's given breast cancer her best
one-two punch.
"I've never lost my faith. People ask me, 'Don't you get lonesome?' I'm never
really alone," said the true believer, who lives by herself a few miles outside
of Hartsville. "I have faith, and God has been with me so many times."
Born Arvilla Emerick on Feb. 26, 1931, in Mishawaka, Indiana, the girl nicknamed
"Pat" grew up in South Bend, Indiana, with five brothers and three sisters. Her
dad drove a truck, and her mom taught English and music and played the piano.
Recruited to box while a ticket taker
As a youth she skipped out on organized sports but enjoyed softball, roller
skating, snow sledding and bowling with her siblings and friends. Later, she
took her first job as a ticket taker at The Strand movie theater in South Bend.
"That's where I was approached by a promoter. He didn't know me from Adam. He
had a gym," Landreth recollected. "He asked me if I would like to be a lady
boxer? I thought, 'Hey, I was raised with five brothers. I know how to take care
of myself.'"
And so the 17-year-old lass, who stood 5-foot-4 and weighed 123 pounds, said
yes.
"I started training during the day and worked at a bakery at night. I did a lot
of running at Notre Dame. I ran five miles a day on the railroad tracks. I hit
the punching bag, jumped rope and was sparring in the ring.
"I had man sparring partners. This was back in 1949 when women had voting rights
and that was about it. To be a lady boxer, we thought this would open the door
for other women. We did. The men treated us fair. They accepted us and were
willing to help us."
18-0 after first bout loss
She turned 18.
"I had my first fight and lost it," Landreth remembers of that bout held in
South Bend's Palais Royale Auditorium.
She wore Notre Dame blue and gold Everlast trunks, a white turtleneck sleeveless
blouse, white tennis shoes and socks and an invisible hairnet during her maiden
match.
"I was prepared. Being the first fight, I was young and had a case of nerves and
the jitters. I like to blame it on that. After that 18 more--all wins."
The majority of her fights were held in her hometown, but she also boxed in
Indiana, Nebraska and Iowa. She reckons she made $200 to $250 per match. And one
night before a bout, she met male boxing champions Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano,
a nice perk.
"We did a lot of benefits for widows and children of firefighters and policemen.
There were tremendous crowds. It was something new," she recalled.
'Hit harder than any man'
"I was fighting a bout. I had a cousin who said, 'You don't know how to box
oranges.' I told him, 'In what round would you like her in your lap?' The
opponent had bitten me, and as I got ready to hit her and knock her through the
ropes into his lap, the referee stepped in between, so I hit him. I'm sorry but
he did not have the right to stop me. He said later that I hit him harder than
any man," she smiled.
In November 1949 she fought JoAnn Hagan (Verhaegen)
for the Ladies World Boxing Association championship in Council Bluffs, Iowa,
before a crowd of 4,000.
"It was a six-round match, and she wouldn't come out for the fourth round. She
said, 'I'm not going back out there.' I won by a TKO. It was wonderful," said
Landreth, who received a trophy and a swell boxing sweater from the Indiana
Golden Gloves Boxing Association.
'He was covered in blood'
Less than a year later, tragedy struck. While riding one evening with some
girlfriends, their car crashed and piece of the roof cut her face and body and
sliced arteries in her wrist and head.
"The Lord was with me. The Indiana State Police were there within minutes," she
remembered. "I would have bled to death if the patrolman had not put pressure on
my wrist and face. He rode to the hospital and never let go. He was covered in
blood.
"Later, he stood outside the door, and I asked the nurse why he was still there.
I found out later, he was waiting to write in his report that I had died. The
doctor didn't know I was a boxer. That was what kept me alive. I was in good
shape."
A week later gangrene set in, and the doctors wanted to amputate a leg. Her
mother would not let them take it.
"I stayed nine weeks, four days and one hour in the hospital and went home,"
Landreth said. "But the leg was not healing. I went back into the hospital. I
has seven surgeries. It took me 13 months to learn to walk again. They fused the
left leg. I cannot bend it."
Her boxing days were finished.
"I retired with the championship. I went back to work and never stopped
working," said the champ.
'All 15 children graduated from Gordonsville High'
In 1955, she made the acquaintance of Robert "Bob" Lancaster, a native of
Lancaster in Smith County, who was operating a bulldozer, helping construct a
toll road.
"We met at birthday party. I didn't even like him," she grinned. "He got my
telephone number, and we went on a date. He said, 'Yes, ma'am. No ma'am.' Such
good manners."
They married Oct. 22, 1955, and had four children in Indiana.
"In 1959, we moved to Lancaster, Tennessee. I think we put them on the map," she
kidded.
In Tennessee they produced seven more children.
"I have six sons, five daughters and four stepchildren," Landreth tallied, "and
22 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. And I'm proud of the fact that all
15 children graduated from Gordonsville High School."
Survived two husbands
In 1977 she and Bob bought a farm on Pea Ridge in Chestnut Mound. They were
married for 39 years, until his death in 1994.
Seven years later she went on a blind date with Bill "Big D" Landreth, who
coached the girls' basketball team at Smith County High School for years. They
married and made their home in New Middleton for three years. Then Coach
Landreth died on Feb. 28, 2003, two weeks to the day after the
After Mr. Lancaster's death, Pat had sold their farm and moved into her home
near Hartsville. She returned to this place after Coach Landreth's passing and
has resided here since.
"I take care of grand babies and mostly great-grandchildren. The grandchildren
are old enough to take care of themselves. I clean house. Anything I can do to
help my family," said Landreth.
"I'm over 85 and in good shape. My children and grandchildren keep me in shape.
They keep on picking on me."
Nine of her 11 birth children live in Smith County. One lives nearby and the
other in LaVergne.
Gardener and 'Ellen' fan
For years she has enjoyed flowers. "I planted all the rose bushes and flowers in
this yard, mulched, did everything. This year the children said, 'Mom, we're
gonna do it for you.' I said, 'OK.'"
While retaining her membership with Lancaster Methodist Church, Landreth said
she was no longer driving. "I can drive but only to the mailbox."
When not babysitting or house cleaning or cooking, she watches "The Bold and the
Beautiful," westerns and Dick Van Dyke in "Diagnosis Murder" on TV. She's got a
bucket list: to meet the Pope, be on "The Price Is Right" and meet Ellen
DeGeneres.
"I was a Catholic and a Yankee. When I came to Tennessee, I became a Southern
lady and a Methodist, but I'm still a Notre Dame fan," said the lady, who is
still a champ.
Ken Beck may be contacted at kbtag2@gmail.com.
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WBAN would like to say "Thank You" to Ken Beck of the Wilson Post for allowing
WBAN to publish this comprehensive biography of Pat Emerick, a top pioneer
boxers from the late 1940s-1950s.
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