Ben "Darb" McKingley

From The Great Outdoor Fight

Ben McKingley (b. 1896, d. 1964) grew tall and wide in the suburbs of early 20th century Chicago. He learned to fight while tending the bar, especially as he worked during the height of the prohibition. Despite, or perhaps because of his profession, he never drank alcohol himself. The nickname "Darb", slang for "nice/good guy", stuck so well in part because of McKingley's generous nature. After each of his 3 fights, he invited the members of his army to his bar for drinks, a generous invitation indeed while alcohol was outlawed.

[edit] 1932

During his first Fight in 1932, McKingley earned the nickname "Darb" when, during Day 2, he gave his turkey and brandy dinner to his 6-man army. When asked about it later, Darb revealed that even back then, the turkey was decidedly low quality, and without anything to wash the taste out of his mouth, it would only slow him down. In any event, the name stuck, and Darb McKingley and his gang were one of only two armies left in the final showdown on the third day. Darb himself placed fourth, knocked out by a kick to the back of the head from that year's champion, Cleo Stroble.

[edit] 1933

In 1933, Darb again started forming his own army, gaining 77 members in just a few hours. Just after nightfall on Day 1, however, his army turned on him in what they considered a preemptive strike. Rather than get mad, Darb welcomed the opportunity to clear the field, even if he had to start another army from scratch. In the brawl that ensued, 52 men were killed or rendered unable to fight by McKingley, while the rest ran in terror. Darb was hurt only superficially.

Soon after the mutiny had settled down, Young Jude Surrency was attracted to the area by the unusually great crane activity. Jude looked at the bartender, seated on a pile of bodies and body parts, and asked "You kill all these here men?" and without pausing for a reply, invited Darb to join what would become the Twenty-Three Skidoos. Darb accepted, as it was getting too late to start recruiting for a new army.

On Day 3, during Surrency's famous set of 22 duels, Darb was 6th to fight. He opened with a right hook to Jude's head, but when it was sidestepped, Darb moved left and caught Surrency in a stranglehold, and began punching and kicking the old man. He was defeated when, using only one arm, Jude flipped Darb over his head and landed him on his back. He followed up with a rare recumbent Jibblies Punch. It was months before Darb fully recovered.

[edit] 1934

True to form, Darb was once again taking control of the field as an army leader. Late into Day 2, though, crazy democrat Gilberto Stough attacked out of nowhere, demanding a one-on-one fight with Darb. Apparently, Stough was offended that Darb refused to drink the alcohol which his beloved Roosevelt had recently made legal. The fact that Darb was a bartender was, apparently, completely lost on him. Stough began with a flurry of New Deal punches which were easily countered. Darb picked Stough up by the legs and, after whirling him above his head, hurled him against the fence. At this point, Stough's army mobbed Darb, and threw him over the fence. The Ruling Body lated judged that leaving the enclosure counted as disqualification, in any case, there was no way for Darb to get back in.

[edit] Record

• 1932 - Eliminated on Day 3, 4th man standing.
• 1933 - Eliminated on Day 3, 18th man standing.
• 1934 - Eliminated on Day 2, 791st man standing.