Rico Petelli

From The Great Outdoor Fight

Rico Petelli {b. 1908, d. 1996, Trenton, New Jersey) often smuggled a pack of cards into the fight. Upon entering the fight, he would head for a corner and play solitaire with his back to his fence to kill time. Eventually, some fool or other would come up to him and try to pick a fight on the assumption that he was some kind of coward or weakling. Petelli would move just far enough away from the body to set up the same trap again. Some historians have dubbed him The Spider as a result, but he eschewed nicknames during his life outside of "Ricky" as several of the other Skidoos called him.

In one of his more famous capers from 1929, he snuck into the Snack Tent before the lunch and appropriated a newspaper that had been requested in lieu of food by one of the army leaders who was interested in the stock market. Petelli folded the newspaper into a makeshift stiletto and went on a rampage before being eliminated by Curt Beck.

One of the sneakiest contestants to ever participate in the Fight. Petelli wasn't strong physically, but had a knack when it came to anything with an edge. In fact, his actions during the 1932 Fight led to a serious discussion by the Ruling Body about removing any and all grass from The Acres.

[edit] The Twenty-Three Skidoos

After watching Young Jude Surrency for quite a while during the first day, Petelli decided to make his move slightly before dusk. Having decided that his best chances were with Surrency, he walked right up to Young Jude and stuck out his hand to friendship. Surrency punched him right in the face in response. Petelli stood right back up and Surrency simply said "you'll do." Surrency walked off and Petelli followed him for the rest of the fight.

[edit] Record

• 1928 - Eliminated on Day 3, 76th man standing.
• 1929 - Eliminated on Day 3, 99th man standing.
• 1930 - Eliminated on Day 3, 105th man standing.
• 1931 - Eliminated on Day 3, 89th man standing
• 1932 - Eliminated on Day 3, 62nd man standing.
• 1933 - Eliminated on Day 3, 22nd man standing.

[edit] Quotes

"Hell, even I won't turn my back on Ricky and I've been friends with him for forty years now." - "Iron" Jack McFee; told to Wilton Rowley during 1974.

"Don Jude, now he was a classy dude. Ever so often, something would come up that embarrass the Fight. Somebody'd try to cheat or something. Me and Bigger Bill, we'd take care of it. Mr. Surrency never asked me to, but hell, I'd do anything for that old man. He didn't even have to ask." Rico Petelli; interview with Bob Raffles for Forever "Young": A Loving Tribute To Jude Surrency, 1995.

"If it's got an edge, I'll cut somebody with it. Don't believe me? I'll prove it." Told to a newspaper prior to his 1932 entry into the Fight.