Bill Lang
{{Short description|Australian heavyweight boxer and footballer}}
{{about||the British Olympic rower|Bill Lang (rower)|similar names|Bill Lange (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bill Lang
| image = Bill Lang.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = William Lanfranchi
| birth_date = {{birth date|1882|7|6|df=y}}
| birth_place = Carlton, Victoria
| death_date = {{death date and age|1952|9|3|1882|7|6|df=y}}
| death_place = St Kilda East, Victoria
| nationality = Australian
|module={{Infobox boxer
| embed = yes
| realname =
| nickname =
| weight = Heavyweight
| height = 185 cm
| reach = 185 cm
| style = Orthodox
| total = 43
| wins = 27
| KO = 21
| losses = 15
| draws = 1
| no contests = 1
}}
|module2=
{{Infobox AFL biography
| embed = yes
| image =
| originalteam = Collingwood Juniors, North Fremantle
| debutdate = Round 1, 1908
| debutteam = {{AFL Ric}}
| debutopponent = {{AFL Mel}}
| debutstadium = Punt Road Oval
| height = 185 cm
| weight = 89 kgs
| position =
| years1 = 1905–1907
| club1 = Richmond (VFA)
| games_goals1 = 40 (20)
| years2 = 1908–1909
| club2 = {{AFL Ric}} (VFL)
| games_goals2 = 14 {{0}}(7)
| games_goalstotal = 54 (27)
| statsend = 1909
}}
}}
Bill Lang (born William Lanfranchi;{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article182989301 |title=How William Lanfranchi Became Bill Lang |newspaper=Sporting Globe |issue=834 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=23 July 1930 |access-date=30 September 2016 |page=11 (Edition2) |via=National Library of Australia}} 6 July 1882 – 3 September 1952) was an Australian professional boxer who held the national heavyweight title. He was also an Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Family
The son of a Swiss-French father, and an Irish mother — Joseph Victor Lanfranchi (1838–1922),[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205041295 Deaths: Lanfranchi, The Age, (Wednesday, 28 June 1922), p1.] and Mary Ann Lafranchi (1850–1901), née Power,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/192211733 Deaths: Lanfranchi], The Age, (Saturday, 7 December 1901), p.5 — William Lanfranchi was born in Carlton on 6 July 1882.
He married Lydia Hudson (1893–1940) on 13 July 1915;[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1548969 Lanfranchi—Hudson], The Argus, (Saturday, 14 August 1915), p.11[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/204398640 Deaths: Lang], The Age, (Saturday, 31 August 1940), p.13 they had two children.
Football
=North Fremantle (WAFA)=
In 1902, along with Carlton's "Pompey" Elliott, he moved from Victoria and played for North Fremantle Football Club, in the West Australian Football Association (WAFA), for the entire 1902 season.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/227982804 Bill Lang, Heavyweight], The (Fremantle) Empire, (Saturday, 15 August 1908), p.2[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/37537202 Perth v. North Fremantle], The Western Mail, (Saturday, 20 September 1902), p.36
He made his debut for North Fremantle, in round 3 (24 May 1902), against West Perth.The West Australian, (Monday, 26 May 1902), p.8. He was suspended for two weeks following a fiery match between North Fremantle and West Perth on 2 August 1902, in which Lang, his team-mate Joe Corkill, and West Perth's Jack Randell were sent off.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/57217632 West Perth v. N. Fremantle], The (Perth) Sunday Times, (Sunday, 3 August 1902), p.8Joe Corkill was suspended for the remainder of the season: [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/24752048 'Half-Back', "Football: Today's Matches and Umpires"] (Saturday, 9 August 1902), p.8
During the season's Grand Final on 13 September 1902, in which North Fremantle played Perth (which Perth won, unexpectedly), Lang and Perth's Jack Wells were "sent off" for fighting each other in the third quarter.
::The game between Perth and North Fremantle … at Fremantle on Saturday, very nearly ended abruptly in the third quarter.
During a scrimmage on the Press-box wing, Wells, of Perth, and Lang, of North Fremantle, came to blows.
Fraser, the umpire, did not see the first blow struck, and, therefore, could not tell who was the aggressor, but he saw sufficient of the encounter to warrant him in ordering both players to leave the field.
Wells immediately walked off the ground, but Lang refused, claiming provocation as an excuse for his conduct.
The umpire promptly stopped the game, and a heated controversy ensued between the players.
As Lang persisted in remaining on the ground, Fraser decided to end the match, and, calling both teams off the field, he walked towards the pavilion with the ball.
Fortunately, however, better counsels prevailed with Lang, and before the players had reached the gate he expressed his willingness to obey the umpire's ruling.
The game was then resumed, Lang and Wells taking no further part in the contest.
The West Australian, 15 September 1902.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/24843470 Football: Perth v. North Fremantle; An Unfortunate Episode], The West Australian, (Monday, 15 September 1902), p.6
Both players were later found guilty of fighting and were each disqualified for the first two matches of the 1903 season.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/24845119 The Lang-Wells Dispute], The West Australian, (Saturday, 4 October 1902), p.8
=Richmond (VFA)=
He played for Richmond in the VFA for three seasons.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/225182560 The Richmond Team, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 7 October 1905), p.12.] He played at centre half-back in Richmond's 1905 VFA premiership team.At this early stage of his sporting career, some press reports still identified him as Lanfranchi (e.g. [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/149117685 Association Premiership, The Geelong Advertiser, (Monday, 2 October 1905), p.4], [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/228725795 Football, The Australian Star, (Monday, 9 October 1905), p.6], etc.).
=Richmond (VFL)=
He played 14 games for Richmond in the VFL, primarily as a follower, over two seasons, 1908,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/198104411 The Richmond Football Team], The Leader, (Saturday, 13 June 1908), p.26 and 1909. He played in Richmond's first-ever match in the VFL, on 2 May 1908, in which Richmond defeated Melbourne 8.14 (62) to 7.9 (51). He retired halfway through the 1909 season in order to concentrate on his boxing career.
=Carlton District (MAFA)=
In 1913 he was cleared from Richmond to the Carlton District Football Club in the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association (MAFA).[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/199446110 Football], The Age, (Saturday, 21 June 1913), p16
Boxing
{{External media
| width = 300px
| float = right
| headerimage=
| image1 = [http://collectionsearch.nma.gov.au/object/153660 Postcard: Victoria's Champion Bill Lang], Collection of the National Museum of Australia.Retrieved 15 May 2019.
| image2 = [https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-148539409/view Photograph: Bill Lang, Jack Johnson, and handlers, 1907], Collection of the National Library of Australia.
| image3 = [https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/PRG+280/1/10/57 Photograph: Bill Lang, ready to deliver a left hook; c.1908], Collection of the State Library of South Australia.
| image4 = [https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-148538301/view Poster: Heavyweight championship of Australia, Bill Lang v. Bill Squires on Monday 25th October 1909 at Melbourne Athletic Pavilion], Collection of the National Library of Australia.
| image5 = [https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-148555056/view Photograph: Bill Lang and Bill Squires fight for the heavyweight championship of Australia at Brisbane Stadium, 9 August 1911], Collection of the National Library of Australia.
| image6 = [http://collectionsearch.nma.gov.au/object/154133 Advertising card for Bill Lang vs. Arthur Pelkey, 4 April 1914 (recto)], Collection of the National Museum of Australia.
| image7 = [http://collectionsearch.nma.gov.au/object/154133 Advertising card for Bill Lang vs. Arthur Pelkey, 4 April 1914 (verso)], Collection of the National Museum of Australia.
| image8 = [https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-148532399/view Mounted photograph]: Jack Johnson, Light Heavy & Heavyweight Champion of Australia (left); Bill Lang, Heavyweight Champion of Australia, 1909–1914 (centre); Jack Dempsey, Heavyweight Champion of the World, 1919–1926 (right), c.1945, Collection of the National Library of Australia.
| video1 = [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Q39mJP20M Bill Lang vs Bob Fitzsimmons]: Sydney Stadium, 27 December 1909, Collection of The Boxing Hall of Fame, Las Vegas.
| video2 = [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SvbTck039Y Sam Langford vs. Bill Lang]: Olympia, West Kensington, London: 21 February 1911.}}
He fought 43 times over a twelve-year career (1905 to 1916) for 27 wins, 14 losses, and 1 draw.[https://boxerlist.com/boxer/bill-lang/9141 Bill Lang]: Boxer List. He was the first Australian to fight for a world heavyweight title.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23213182 |title=Bill Lang dies, at 70 |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=33,074 |location=Melbourne|date=4 September 1952 |access-date=30 September 2016 |page=14 |via=National Library of Australia}}
::"Lang was the type who looked for advice from his second, round by round.
He never failed to listen attentively, and usually put the advice into practice."
Joe Stokesberry, Lang's former trainer, 21 May 1941.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/180299111 Joe Stokesberry (as told to J.M. Rohan, "Where are the Big Men today?"],The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 21 May 1941), p.12
::"For the full ten years of his ring career, Bill Lang fought with his feet in the wrong position and his hands held out the wrong way.
Not until his fighting days were nearly over did he make a discovery that might have given him the world's heavyweight championship, had he realised his error when he was in his prime."
The Adelaide Chronicle, 27 February 1936.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92336993 ] The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 27 February 1936), p.48
=1905=
Lang began his professional boxing career in 1905 — when he fought Edward "Starlight" Rollins, at Melbourne's Queen's Hall in Bourke Street, on 9 January 1905,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/192235254 Boxing], The Age, (Monday, 9 January 1905), p.8[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/180289786 Eddie Williams (as told to J. M. Rohan), "Bill Lang was . . . Quick on the Uptake"], The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 25 January 1941), p.5 — the same year that he was centre half-back in the Richmond VFA premiership team.Hogan (1996), p.284.
=1907=
He fought future world champion Jack Johnson at Richmond Race Course on 4 March 1907 for a purse of £500,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10619117 Boxing], The Argus, (Friday, 1 March 1907), p.6]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/26263726 Championship Contest: International Boxing], The Herald, (Saturday, 2 March 1907), p.2 and lost on a TKO.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/196151219 Boxing: The Heavy Weight Contest: Johnson Beats Lang], The Age, (Tuesday, 5 March 1907), p.11[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/71775280 Buggy, H., "Knockout for Wren's Boxing Idol"], The Argus (Wednesday, 9 January), p.6[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/178172921 Williams, Merv, "Bill Lang met Jack Johnson after Ten Contests"],The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 16 April 1952), p.16
On 3 October 1907 — six bouts later (all of which Lang won) — he defeated Peter Felix at the Broken Hill Hippodrome to claim the vacant Australian heavyweight title when Felix, whose leg was badly injured, was unable to rise from the ring before the count of ten.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/120352495 The Heavy-Weight Championship], The Referee, (Wednesday, 9 October 1907), p.7
Lang also fought a title re-match against Felix in Melbourne on 17 February 1908. The boxers, despite Lang's protests, were forced to wear six-ounce gloves, rather than the customary four.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/222773858 Lang defeats Felix, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 22 February 1908), p.21.] Lang won; with a seventh-round TKO (Felix's corner threw in the towel before the eighth round started).[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/120339769 Heavy-Weight Championship: Lang Defeats Felix: A Disappointing Contest], The Referee, (Wednesday, 19 February 1908), p.7
=1908=
After defending his title five successive times, Lang earned a title bout with reigning world champion Tommy Burns at a specially built stadium on City Road South Melbourne on 3 September 1908.[Boxing in Australia Grantlee Keiza page 39] He knocked Burns to the floor with a left hook in the second round, however Burns got up before the end of the count. The Canadian went on to win with a KO in the sixth round.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10166845 Two Rounds in Court], The Argus, (Saturday, 31 October 1908), p.17
=1909=
On 27 December 1909, Lang (aged 26) had a notable knockout win over Bob Fitzsimmons — aged 51,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/49973899 Physical Freak Flattened Men "Like Texas Cyclone"], The Barrier Miner, (Thursday, 25 November 1954), p.7 and a former world middleweight champion (1891), a former world light heavyweight champion (1903), and a former world heavyweight champion (1897) — at Sydney Stadium.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/221814639 Boxing: Lang v. Fitzsimmons], The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 1 January 1910, p.21[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/183386519 McIntosh, Hugh D., "Bob Fitzsimmons' Tragic Comeback], The (Brisbane) Telegraph, (Saturday, 18 April 1936), p.40; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/216426593 Millard, Harry, "Bob Fitzsimmons Bites the Dust!", The Brisbane Telegraph, (Saturday, 19 November 1949), p.4]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/201438012 Driscoll, Frank, "The day 'Old Bob' took the count"], The (Brisbane) Truth, (Sunday, 18 February 1951), p.21
=1910–1911 (overseas)=
Lang went overseas in 1910 and fought Al Kaufman in the US, on 5 September 1910, at the Baker Bowl in Philadelphia. Moving to the United Kingdom,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/198157907 William Lang, Australian Champion], The Leader, (Saturday, 7 January 1911), p.22 he fought three times at the Olympia, West Kensington, London:
- 26 December 1910: against US boxer "Salinas" Jack Burns,[https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=LAH19090814.2.93.35.5&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1 Among the Boxers, The Los Angeles Herald, (Saturday, 14 August, 1909), p.4.] which Lang won on a TKO.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241967556 Boxing], The Herald, (Tuesday, 27 December 1910), p.2
- 18 January 1911: against Petty Officer Matthew "Nutty" Curran for the vacant British Empire Heavyweight title. Lang lost the title bout due to an (alleged) foul, due to a mistaken judgement that he had punched his opponent after his opponent's knee had hit the canvas.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/198163164 The Lang v. Curran Fiasco], The Leader, (Saturday, 25 February 1911), p.22 Lang won both of their (1913) return bouts on points.
- 21 February 1911: against the renowned Canadian, Sam Langford — who, weighing in at 165 lbs (77 kg), was considerably lighter that Lang, who weighed in at 196 lbs (89 kg) — which Lang lost after being (controversially) disqualified.{{cite web|url=http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Bill_Lang| title=Bill Lang - Boxer| publisher=BoxRec}}[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/80346954 Boxing], The Northern Miner, (Thursday, 23 February 1911), p.5; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/168724519 'Mr. R', "'The Man that Couldn't Fight': How Lang beat Langford and Lost"], The (Sydney) Truth, (Sunday, 15 August 1926), p.23
=1911 (Australia)=
On his return to Australia he defended his national title on two occasions, before losing it to Jack Lester, on 9 September 1911, in a points decision.
- 13 May 1911: Against Jack Lester,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/125693860 Jack Lester], The Richmond River Express and Casino Kyogle Advertiser, (Tuesday 25 April 1911), p.3 at the Sydney Stadium. Lester was disqualified.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/178337081 Boxing Championship], The (Hobart) Daily Post, (Monday, 15 May 1911), p.5
- 9 August 1911: Against Bill Squires, at the Sydney Stadium. Lang won on a TKO.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/238864448 Heavyweight Championship: Lang Beats Squires], The Daily Telegraph, (Thursday, 10 August 1911), p.9
=1913–1914=
- 3 May 1913: against P.O. Matthew "Nutty" Curran, at Sydney Stadium. Lang won on points.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126453102 Bill Lang Defeats P.O. Curran], The (Sydney) Sunday Times, (Sunday, 4 May 1913), p.10
- 16 August 1913: against P.O. Matthew "Nutty" Curran, at Sydney Stadium. Lang won on points.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126310229 Heavy-Weight Battle: Bill Lang Again Defeats Matt Curran: Twenty Rounds of Uninteresting Work], The (Sydney) Sunday Times, (Sunday, 17 August 1913), p.10
He fought three more times, against well-credentialed, strong opponents, before retiring from the ring:
- 5 November 1913: in Melbourne, against New Zealander Dave Smith for the vacant Australian Heavyweight title.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/196236740 Boxing: Lang and Smith], The Age, (Wednesday, 5 November 1913), p.9 Lang lost on points.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241529973 Smith beats Lang for Championship; Heavyweight Title Won on Points, The Herald, (Wednesday, 5 November 1913), p.12]; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/7247095 Smith Beats Lang: Fine Fast Battle], The Argus, (Thursday, 6 November 1913), p.9
- 4 April 1914: in Sydney, against Canadian Arthur Pelkey,[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/120282227 Bill Lang v. Arthur Pelkey: Battle of the Big Men], The Referee, (Wednesday, 1 April 1914), p.6 a former White Heavyweight Champion of the World. Lang won the bout when Pelkey's corner threw in the towel before the start of the 20th round.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/229242225 Corbett, W.F., "Lang Outs Pelkey: A Strenuous Battle: Winner's Grim Determination"], The (Sydney) Sun, (Sunday, 5 April 1914), p.4
- 5 October 1914: in Sydney, against South African Fred Storbeck, a former Heavyweight Champion of the British Empire.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/15556978 Today's Boxing Contest], The Sydney Morning Herald, (Monday, 5 October 1914), p.9 Lang lost when he was disqualified in round 18.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10809912 Boxing: Lang v. Storbeck: Victorian Loses in Foul], The Argus, (Tuesday, 6 October 1914), p.10; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/120276927Bill Lang loses to Storbeck on a Foul in the Eighteenth Round: Fine, Stirring Battle at the Sports Ground on Monday], The Referee, (Wednesday, 7 October 1914), p.8
=1916 "comeback"=
- 25 November 1916: a "comeback" bout against the American Tom "Bearcat" McMahon at West Melbourne Stadium.[https://boxerlist.com/boxer/tom-mcmahon/14016 Tom McMahon]: Boxer List. Lang was knocked out in the fifth round.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242449411 Bill Lang Will Re-Enter the Boxing Ring: Victorian to Oppose Tom McMahon Tomorrow Night], The Herald, (Friday, 24 November 1916), p.3[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155070090 Boxing: Ex-Champion's "Come Back": Lang Counted Out in Fifth Round], The Age, (Monday, 27 November 1916), p.10
=Retirement=
He retired after his McMahon fight, and began to advertise boxing classes.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/120290194 Victorian Boxing Gossip], The Referee, (Wednesday, 14 March 1917), p.9; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242484929 Advertising], The Herald, (Wednesday, 5 September 1917), p.2
In the mid-1930s, he wrote an extensive series of autobiographical reminiscences, that were published in sixteen weekly instalments by The Adelaide Chronicle (between 21 November 1935 and 13 February 1936) under the generic title Old Fights Fought Again.
=Hall of Fame=
Lang was inducted into the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.[http://www.anbhof.com/oldtimers.html Old Timers, Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame].
Later life
For more than fifteen years, he was the owner-licensee of the Victoria Hotel, on the corner of Victoria and Raleigh Streets, in Footscray, Victoria.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/182988765 When Lang was Dropped 15 Time in First Round], The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 16 July 1930), p.11[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/234543879 What's Become of Bill Lang], Smith's Weekly, (Saturday, 19 February 1938)< p.13[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/8155217 Footscray Hotel Sold], The Argus, (Tuesday, 8 April 1941), p.3
Death
He died at his East St Kilda residence on 3 September 1952. Lang was buried at the Melbourne General Cemetery.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/23214777 Deaths: Lang], The Argus, (Friday, 5 September 1952), p.11: the death notice appears under the family name Lang, with no mention of Lanfranchi.[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/23213183 Balfe, Harold, "Lang was one of the Great"], The Argus, (Thursday, 4 September 1952), p.8; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/178178602 Williams, Merv "Bill Lang Passes On], The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 6 September 1952), p.7; [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/156123718 Unique era in Ring History recalled: Passing of Ex-Champion Bill Lang], The Murrumbidgee Irrigator, (Friday, 12 September 1952), p.6
Footnotes
{{Reflist|30em}}
References
=Bill Lang's ''Old Fights Fought Again'' series of articles=
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92333007 "How Johnson Battered Me—To Friendship"], The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 21 November 1935), p. 47
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92327269/8649541 "Tommy Burns Deserved All He Got"], The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 28 November 1935), p. 47
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92329368 "I Say I Beat Burns"], The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 5 December 1935), p. 26
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92330081/8649721 "The One Man Who Scared Me", The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 12 December 1935), p. 47]
- "Hardest Punch I Ever Took", The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 19 December 1936), [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92332610 p.47], and [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92332610/8649792 p. 50
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92331070 "How I Won the Title"], The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 26 December 1936), p. 40
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92336274 "I Might Have Been in Gaol"], The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 2 January 1936), p. 40
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92338782 "A Silent Crowd Unnerves Johnson"], The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 9 January 1936), p. 48
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92335304 "Tragic Story of Stanley Ketchel"], The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 16 January 1936), p. 47
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92335690 "The One Knockout I Hated Giving"], The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 23 January 1936), p. 47
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92333444 "How I Fought Peter Felix—and The Timekeeper", The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 30 January 1936), p. 48]
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92334866 "How I Became 'A White Hope'"], The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 6 February 1936), p. 49
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92334458 "How I Got Into The Fight Game"], The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 13 February 1936), p. 51
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92337905 "Bill Lang Becomes a Social 'Lion' in London"], The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 20 February 1936), p. 49.]
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92336993 "I Might Have Been World Champion"], The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 27 February 1936), p. 48
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92338313 "How I Got Into The Fight Game", The Adelaide Chronicle, (Thursday, 13 February 1936), p. 48]
{{div col end}}
=Other references=
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/229245332 On Ball-Punching: Bill Lang's Advice, The (Sydney) Sun, Wednesday, 1 April 1914), p.12.]
- Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old, Richmond FC, (Melbourne), 1996. {{ISBN|0-646-18748-1}}
- Kieza, Grantlee, Boxing in Australia, National Library of Australia, (Canberra), 2015. {{ISBN|978-0-6422-7874-6}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{AFL Tables | B/Bill_Lang.html }}
- {{AustralianFootball|ref=bill%2Blang/2400}}
- [https://www.tigerlandarchive.org/tiki-index.php?page=Bill+Lang Tigerland Archive: Bill Lang.]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lang, Bill}}
Category:North Fremantle Football Club players
Category:Richmond Football Club (VFA) players
Category:Richmond Football Club players
Category:Australian rules footballers from Melbourne
Category:Boxers from Melbourne
Category:Australian male boxers