Black History Moment in Boxing

**kayjay** · 02-16-2007, 12:24 PM

Thanks bro, I have to be in Cincy next Saturday and I'm going to look this up.

**The Surgeon** · 02-16-2007, 12:28 PM

Aaron "The Cincinati Hawk" Pryor = THE DADDY!

**titoi** · 02-16-2007, 12:29 PM

I remember watching the first Pryor Arguello fight on tv with my dad. There is positively no way that Pryor wasn't doping during that fight. Arguello hit him with shots that should have clean removed his head. Seriously unnatural recovery. Not trying to flame or anything, but Pryor was seriously tainted in my view by those fights, great as they were.

**jabsRstiff** · 02-16-2007, 12:31 PM

I loved Pryor when he was active......but he's become a bit overrated over the years.

**ROSEWOOD** · 02-16-2007, 12:31 PM

Black History Moment in Boxing

BOXING
Boxing has a long history as an athletic event showing contestants defending themselves by using hand-to-hand combat. The Egyptians left behind objects of art and inscriptions on the walls of renowned pharaohs' tombs using scenes of boxing events. The Greeks incorporated a form of boxing into their Pancratium during the Olympic games around 776 BC. The Romans also used boxing in their sports arenas or coliseums as a spectator sport using several gladiators fighting it out until only one would become the victorious champion.
The English used boxing as a necessary embodiment for the completeness of a titled Englishman of aristocracy. It became part of the self defense process in their total education. By 1719, James Figgs, an English athlete and boxer, set up a formal school for boxing with the style of gloveless fighting using only the bare fists. He called his school the School of Arms and Self Defense. Later, a Figgs student named Jack Broughton formalized a set of rules in 1743 called the Broughton's Rules which included a thirty second knock down, ending the usual non-stop continuous fighting until one man conceded to a loss. Thus, the beginning of Boxing as a full-fledged sport took roots on English soil.

The English's manner of boxing and its formal rules were carried over to America around 1860. But it was the addition of the Queensberry Rules, starting in 1872, which required all boxers to wear gloves with a one minute rest period allowed between each three minute round. American Boxing took off as a spectator sport with these regulations in place.

The first African American to engage in boxing was William Richmond of Staten Island, New York, a free black (b. Aug. 5, 1763 - d. Dec. 28, 1829). Richmond was noticed one day on the docks having a bout with a dock sailor by a British commander named Hugh Percy. Percy was able to convince Richmond's parents to let him travel to England where he could establish a better life. Richmond became an established cabinet maker, and he later took up boxing as a self-defense tactic. By 1800, Richmond had become a recognized semi-professional boxer. On October 8, 1805, William Richmond had gained enough wins to fight the English champion named Tom Cribb. The Richmond versus Cribb fight brought in thousands of English folk, including dukes and nobles. The hype of the Cribb-Richmond fight of October 8, 1805 was immediately publicized as Cribb and Richmond (The Black). Race became an issue for the first time as boxing became the major focus in the sports arena. William Richmond lost his fight to Cribb, and "the crowd was pleased that a black man had been put in his place."

Cribb, the British boxing champion was again challenged by another African American boxer named Tom Molineaux of Georgetown, ******ia - now a part of Washington, DC (b. March 23, 1784 - d. August 14, 1818). Molineaux was born a slave and came from a family skilled in boxing. His master, Algernon Molineaux, used his ****** as competitive boxers by scheduling bouts with wagers set up to earn money for his own self coffer. Tom Molineaux earned his freedom by winning large wagers for his master, Algernon, and by 1809, he too had left America for London, England where he was trained by William Richmond for the London sports arena. Molineaux won a series of boxing bouts and finally met the champion, Tom Cribb. Molineaux was able to knock down Cribb in the 28th Round but did not win the fight due to an alleged infraction of the rules. Molineaux later became a heavy drinker, and his chance at becoming a world champion was never achieved. He died on August 14, 1818 in Galway, Ireland and was never reunited with his African American family in New York.

For the African American, boxing had its ups and downs. The money purses grew, and the status of being in the spotlight of the world made race and extremely "hot" issue for the African American boxer. The Black vs. the White fighter was there to test who would be the strongest or superior person to win the championship crown and the title of America's greatest sports hero.

The first African American to win a world title was Joe Gans [the shorter version for Gaines] (b. Nov. 25, 1874 - d. Aug. 13, 1910) of Baltimore, Maryland. He won the lightweight crown in 1902 from Frank Erne in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. Gans took on a weight gain and also fought in the welterweight division and won the championship from Jimmy Britt in 1904. Gans later fought Oscar "Battling Nelson" Nielson of Denmark after a weight loss, for the world lightweight division championship and won the titled fight again on September 3, 1906. By July 4, 1908, in a rematch with Nelson, Gans, "The Old Master," went down in defeat in the 17th Round. He died at his home in Baltimore, Maryland on August 13, 1910. Despite the racial implications, Joe Gans had opened the door of opportunity for future African American boxers seeking a chance at titled American boxing bouts in all categories except the coveted Heavyweight Championship of the World.

This, the Heavyweight Championship, was an exclusive title and was to be represented only by the White American boxer. It was known in the world of boxing as the last "bastion of white supremacy" to be broken by the African American boxers. White heavyweight champions drew the color line and refused to fight black contenders within this division. It was the controversial and uninhibited spirit of John Arthur Johnson of Galvaston, Texas (b. Mar. 31, 1878 - d. June 10 1946) and better known as Jack Johnson who undertook this task. Johnson, by the age of sixteen, had traveled from Galvaston to Brooklyn, then to Boston, back to Galvaston, and down to Dallas. It was in Dallas that Johnson met Walter Lewis, an ex-boxer who introduced him to his money making traveling troupe of boxers. Johnson's skills as a heavyweight earned him his first important victory on February 25, 1901 against Joe Choynsky, a noted Polish-***ish heavyweight. Johnson ko'd Choynsky in the third round. From 1901 to 1903, Johnson had twenty-three winning fights with only one loss. In 1903, he defeated Ed Martin Denver for the Negro Heavyweight Crown, and Jack Johnson became "the best boxer alive." Johnson wanted a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship title held by Jim Jeffries. Jeffries response in 1903 was "I will not fight a negro! If the public demands that I should fight Johnson, I will surely have to decline."

Jim Jeffries retired from boxing in May of 1905 "citing a lack of competition - white competition, that is." Marvin Hart took Jeffries' place, but he lost the title to the Canadian champion, Tommy Burns. Burns refused to fight Johnson, but, after a long debate, the first heavyweight title bout between a White and a Black man was scheduled for December 26, 1908 in Sydney, Australia. Jack Johnson was 30 years old, and Tommy Burns was 27 years old. The record crowd numbered 26,000 people, including reporters and fans. Burns was badly beaten and ko'd in the 14th round by Johnson, and Jack Johnson had won the World Heavyweight Title. Jim Jeffries, the retired Heavyweight champion, was therefore asked to come out of retirement, and his task was to become the "Great White Hope" by saving his race. Although Jeffries was ko'd in the 15th round by Johnson in Reno, Nevada, July 4, 1910, the hype, money, and ******** on this white vs. black brought forth the issue of race and athletic superiority which became a major focus of the Heavyweight Titled Fight in years to come. Boxing, at this point, became a symbol of triumph or failure of a whole people. Jack Johnson had become that symbol, and he now held the undisputed World Heavyweight Championship title. Johnson earned a record $110,600 and Jeffries $90,400 for that solitary fight.

Jack Johnson's life outside the boxing ring was filled with the glitz of a high profile social life. Johnson's career carried him through four marriages, including three white wives. His flamboyant character kept him at the edge of what he felt was his choice of free living as a person of color in America of the 1920's. He died in a car accident on June 10, 1946 outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. Jack Johnson's greatest accomplishment was the doors he opened for all other African American boxers.

**ROSEWOOD** · 02-16-2007, 02:38 PM

Black History Moment in Boxing

Smithsonian receives Joe Louis' boxing gloves from 1936 fight

Associated Press

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WASHINGTON -- Joe Louis' boxing gloves, worn in his first historic fight with German Max Schmeling in 1936, were donated Wednesday to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History by a family that has owned the gloves for 70 years.

Ken Milburn of Windsor, Ontario, donated the gloves and accompanying photographs to the museum. He had received the items from his aunt and uncle, who was a business partner of Louis' lifelong manager, John Roxborough.

The gloves join items already in the Smithsonian's collection related to the June 1938 rematch between Louis and Schmeling, including the towel thrown in to end the fight after only two minutes. Louis was declared the decisive victor in that comeback fight, two years after the black boxer was knocked out by Schmeling, the ****s' star athlete, in the 12th round of the 1936 fight.

That second meeting of rivals Louis and Schmeling is often considered one of the greatest sporting events of the 20th century. Louis, who was born in Alabama and grew up in Detroit, held the world heavyweight boxing title from 1937 to 1948.

Museum officials said the gloves symbolize the rapid changes in society leading up to World War II.

The gloves and photographs will be displayed this summer in the "Treasures of American History" exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum. The American history museum closed last September for nearly two years of renovations.

"Despite the museum being closed for renovation, the active collection of artifacts is ongoing," said Brent D. Glass, director of the museum. "These gloves represent a very special chapter in American sports and social history."

**ROSEWOOD** · 02-16-2007, 02:43 PM

Black History Moment in Boxing

A Brief History of Boxing
by Monte D. Cox
From it's origins in ancient and often brutal hand-to-hand combat,
through the modern era of padded boxing gloves and mouthguards,
the sweet science of boxing has undergone many changes.

It would be sufficient to say that the sport of boxing has its origins in the forms of hand to hand combat derived from the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The earliest forms of pugilism arrived on the British Isles when the Romans conquered them in the first century. The first recorded history of boxing as a public spectacle began in 18th century England. The typical early boxing matches were fought bare knuckles and were no holds barred contests that included wrestling. A circle of spectators formed the "ring". There was no referee, no rounds, and no time limit. It was a brutal affair with the object to fight until one man was finished, unable to continue he would give up. Bouts routinely lasted for hours and NO tactic was forbidden including, gouging, choking, throwing, and kicking. For many decades no consideration was given to the weight of opponents and there was no official recognition of champions or challengers.
Fisticuffs as a sport began primarily amongst the working class in the British Isles sometimes as a way to settle a dispute. But as the bare knuckle fights gained in popularity the upper classes and even royalty took notice. Wealthy patrons sponsored fighters with cash prizes, built small arenas, and opened schools were the "noble art of self defense" was taught. The ring soon became a square permanently enclosed with wooden rails or a heavy rope.

Boxing's first recognized champion was James Figg who built his Amphitheatre and became the first recognized "boxing champion" in 1719. Figg is largely responsible for the popularity of the sport, as he traveled around England giving sparring exhibitions. Figg died in 1740 and George Taylor one of his pupils succeeded his championship. Jack Broughton, who is the father of �boxing rules�, succeeded Taylor. In 1734 he formed the first boxing code, which forbid eye gouging and hitting a fallen opponent when he was down, but left wide latitude for wrestling and rough and tumble fighting. "Broughton's Rules" governed boxing from 1734 until 1838, under the reformed named "London Prize Ring Rules", which stated that a round ended when one fighter went down or his knee touched the ground. Broughton also introduced the idea of blocking and some defense to the sport.

When Broughton passed out of the picture, boxing suffered because it had lost the man who was recognized as "The Father of the English School of Boxing." Shortly after the death of Broughton "crookedness" crept into the sport. It became known as "The Period of the Double Crosses." The popularity of the sport waned until the appearance of Daniel Mendoza.

Daniel Mendoza was the first ***ish fighter to gain a championship. He was very intelligent and made many contributions to the development of boxing as an art form. Prior to Mendoza success in pugilism relied primarily on brute strength and endurance, rather than scientific finesse. Mendoza devised a system of guarding, sidestepping, and effective use of a straight left jab. His new tactics were extremely successful and he captured the imagination of the British public with his skill. Relying on superior agility and speed he won the British Championship in 1791. His concentration on defense revolutionized boxing.

The next major figure is Tom Cribb who was one of England�s most celebrated champions and won national prominence from his pugilistic feats. He was born on July 8, 1781. He won the British Championship in 1807 by defeating Jim Belcher in 41 rounds. When he defeated Belcher again in 31 rounds in 1809 he was awarded a championship belt.

For many years after prize fighting flourished in England the white man reigned supreme, and it was seldom that a principal with black skin dare fortune in the ring. The first black pugilist of renown was Bill Richmond, the son of a Georgia born slave who drifted North as the property of John Charlton, and the first to cross the Atlantic and display in British Rings the boxing he had learned while fighting on plantations in the south. During 1777, while New York was held by British troops, Richmond by whipping in succession three British soldiers in a tavern attracted the attention of General Earl Percy, who afterwards became the Duke of Northumberland. The British General took Richmond to his homeland, and under his patronage the Negro, who was only a middleweight, defeated several top heavyweights. With a number of victories under his belt, and receiving fame as "The Black Terror", Richmond challenged top British fighter Tom Cribb but was knocked out by Cribb in 1805.

The next top black fighter of mention is Tom Molineaux, a heavyweight weighing 185 pounds, enjoyed great success in the British prize ring and twice challenged Tom Cribb, losing in consecutive years in 1810 and 1811. In the first match Molineaux was carried out of the ring in the 33rd round and in the second in Cribb knocked him out in 11 rounds. He was the first American to challenge for the British title.

The first "American Champion" was Tom Hyer, whose father Jacob Hyer participated in the first public boxing match under the English prize ring rules in America. The first American championship match was between Tom Hyer and "Yankee" Sullivan for a $5,000 side bet and the championship of America. It took place on Feb 7, 1849, with Hyer the victor in 16 rounds.

The first "World Championship" took place at Farnsborough, England on April 17, 1860 between the British Champion Tom Sayers and the American champion John C. Heenan. It was the first real "sporting event" to attract celebrity from all parts of England and France, there were members of British parliament present at the match, officers from the Navy and Army, and literary giants such as William Thackeray and Charles ****ens. Special correspondents from America such as the Police Gazette, Leslie�s weekly and other American newspapers covered it.

The battle was a grueling encounter that lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. After 37 rounds Sayers began to tire and Heenan rushed Sayers to the ropes. Heenan forced Sayers neck over the top strand of rope and pressed down on his throat with his arms. The partisan of Sayers supporters went wild and stormed the ring and cut the rope. The referee fled the ring and the bout was eventually declared a draw to the dismay of the American Heenan who thought he was winning. Sayers soon retired and Heenan was recognized as "World Boxing Champion."

Britain's 1861 "anti-prize fight" act made it a felony to so much as transport persons to the scene of a projected prizefight. Since this meant that anyone from railroad engineers to men who booked boats on the Thames river could face long jail terms, it ended boxing in the United Kingdom for some time.

Most leading British fighters including Jem Mace, emigrated to the United States or Australia, where Larry Foley became Mace's most successful student. It was Foley who established boxing, first bare-knuckle then Queensbury rules in Australia. Foley's own star pupil was the "Black Prince" Peter Jackson. In the U.S. British fighters such as Mike McCoole, Tom Allen and Joe Goss helped to establish boxing firmly in America.

In England, prize ring devotee John Sholto Douglas, the ninth Marquees of Queensbury, agreed to sponsor a set of rules, written by Arthur Graham Chambers, to cover gloved contests. These new rules were first put into practice in 1867 in the first "Queensbury Amateur Tournament" and since no prize money was involved it was not subject to the "anti-prize fight" statute. Soon after "tournaments" offering cash prizes for contestants sprang up in the 1870's.

By the time John L. Sullivan rose to prominence boxing was the most popular sport in the free world. Sullivan, "The Boston Strong Boy" won the World Heavyweight Championship, at least in American eyes, on a 9th round knockout of Paddy Ryan on Feb 7, 1882 in Mississippi City, MS. On May 14, 1883 he faced the British champion Charley Mitchell in New York, at Madison Square Garden and stopped him in the third. The police stopped the fight to keep the battered Mitchell from absorbing more punishment. Even though the victory was convincing and earned Sullivan universal recognition as "World Champion" it had surprised Sullivan's followers when Mitchell was able to knock down the powerful American in the first round.

Sullivan reigned as bare knuckle heavyweight champion for ten long years and became America's first true sports hero. Sullivan often remarked, "I can lick any son of a ***** in the house." America was proud of him and a famous saying of the day was, "I shook the hand, that shook the hand of the mighty John L." He reportedly earned over $900,000 in his career as a prizefighter, sparring exhibitions and on stage.

James J. Corbett, know as "Gentleman Jim", upset Sullivan for the World Heavyweight Championship on Sept 7, 1892 in New Orleans, La. The bout was fought under the Marquis of Queensbury Rules which stated that bouts must be fought with gloves, a round was to last 3 minutes in length, and it forbid the use of wrestling. Corbett showed that innovative footwork and boxing skills could overcome the raw power and strength of Sullivan when he knocked out the defending champion in the 21st round. Thus began the modern era of boxing.

Monte D. Cox is a boxing historian and lifetime fight fan. Read more of his articles on boxing history and current events at Cox's Corner.

**ROSEWOOD** · 02-16-2007, 02:47 PM

Black History Moment in Boxing

African American History Vignette:
Henry Armstrong (1912-1988)

Henry Jackson Jr., better known as Henry Armstrong, was born on December 12, 1912, in Columbus, Mississippi to a sharecropper of Black, Indian and Irish descent, and a mother who was a full-blooded Iroquois Indian. At age four his family moved to St. Louis, where he was raised by his grandmother and father after his mother died. It was on the streets of St. Louis that young Henry learned to defend himself from gangs and first displayed a natural affinity for fighting.

While Henry dreamed of going to college to become a doctor he was forced to become the head of the household at the young age of 18 when his father�s health deteriorated and he was no longer able to work. Turning to boxing, Henry failed to qualify for the upcoming Olympics, and began his professional boxing career in 1931 under the name of Melody Jackson. He later adopted the last name of a friend, and changed his last name to Armstrong.

Henry fought a total of 181 bouts during his 14 year career, winning 151, losing 21, drawing 9, and scoring 101 knockouts. Known by a variety of nicknames including Hurricane Henry, Hammering Hank, and Homicide Hank, among others, Armstrong applied constant pressure on his opponents, throwing punches from all angles in a non-stop windmill attacking style, and was recognized for possessing incredible stamina. He is still the only boxer in history to hold three different weight titles simultaneously, as a result of capturing the lightweight crown from Lou Ambers in 1938 and thereby adding that title to the world championships he already held for the featherweight and welterweight weight classes.

At least two sources rank Armstrong as the second greatest fighter of all time behind Sugar Ray Robinson, and numerous other reputable sources include him among their list of top-ten fighters in the history of boxing. After his retirement from the ring he overcame alcoholism, became an ordained Baptist minister and devoted the balance of his life to the assistance of underprivileged youth.

Sources: www.henryarmstrong.net, www.hbhof.com/armstrong.htm, http://coxscorner.tripod.com/armstrong.html; Bert Sugar, 1982 �100 Years of Boxing�, 2002 Ring Magazine Annual (Vol. 2).

Clay Moyle
Independent Historian

**P.B** · 03-01-2008, 05:26 PM

nice work ROSEWOOD defiantly worth reading!

Black History Moment in Boxing

Black History Moment in Boxing

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