Wright and Carpentier
Wright and Carpentier
Can anyone tell me why Ron Wright is called 'Winky' (I have heard it before but it's gone) and why Georges Carpentier was called 'The Orchid Man'?
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MightyWarrior
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 13283
- Joined: 23 Jan 2003, 14:01
YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT WINKY, re carpentier it was down to his looks.
he was a good looking dapper fella by all accounts who liked to wear a flower in his buttonhole allegedly, hence the likening to an orchid.
bit light on the loafers if you ask me but apparently thats why it is.
quote
Titles: Light-heavyweight champion from 1920-1922
Record: 88-14-6 (51 K.O's)
Born: January 12, 1894 in Lens, France
Years active: 1907-1927
Nickname: The Orchid Man
This French fighter fought almost exclusively in France during his ring
career and amazingly fought in every weight class from flyweight all the
way to heavyweight. He was idolized because of his good looks and personal
flair in both France and the United States. Starting his career as a 13
year old flyweight in 1908 he improved rapidly and held his first French
title at the age of 15 at lightweight. At the age of 17 won the European
welterweight title with a 16th round knockout of Robert Eustache. His
combination of stylish boxing and heavy punching forged wins over Jim
Sullivan, George Gunther and Billy Wells for various titles. A tough
lesson was given to him by African American Joe Jeanette who handed
Carpentier his first loss over 15 rounds. Carpentier rebounded however
and his first world title won at light heavyweight when he knocked out
Battling Levingsky in four rounds. A ill advised attempted saw Carpentier
out of his league as a heavyweight and he was destroyed by Jack Dempsey in
front of 80,000 people. A attempted fix was ruined when Battling Siki was
upset by Carpentier hitting him to hard! The enraged Siki knocked
Carpentier out in the sixth round and took his light heavyweight title.
After this Carpentier faded from the world boxing scene and only saw a
big fight with Gene Tunney who knocked him out in the 15th round.
another excerpt
• My innocent little item last week about the derivation of the late George Carman's nickname has become the subject of fierce controversy. I suggested that he was called Gorgeous George after the American wrestler of that name. Not so, according to an avalanche of letters, emails and phone calls, unanimous in claiming that the source was more likely to be the elegant French boxer of the first world war period, Georges Carpentier, whose memorable fight in 1921 against Jack Dempsey for the world heavyweight championship produced the first million-dollar gate. I watched a film of it recently. Carpentier, really a light-heavyweight, giving away 25lb, nearly knocked out the champion in the second round, probably broke his hand in the attempt and was then knocked out in the fourth.
Yes, he was sometimes called Gorgeous Georges (with that final "s", which, of course, Carman didn't have) though he was more often described as the Orchid Kid (or Orchid Man) from his habit of wearing the flower in his buttonhole. But, quite apart from the evidence of the extra "s", who, a decade ago, could possibly have remembered Carpentier and decided to saddle Carman with the same label? Apart, of course, from me and my angry correspondents.
unquote
Seems to me and I can only glean form what Ive read while searching that he may well have derived the name due to the fact he was a handsome fellow as the orchind man insinuates that he was was a beautiful as an orchid. if thats your thing. Could be utter bollocks though but I havent found another explanation
he was a good looking dapper fella by all accounts who liked to wear a flower in his buttonhole allegedly, hence the likening to an orchid.
bit light on the loafers if you ask me but apparently thats why it is.
quote
Titles: Light-heavyweight champion from 1920-1922
Record: 88-14-6 (51 K.O's)
Born: January 12, 1894 in Lens, France
Years active: 1907-1927
Nickname: The Orchid Man
This French fighter fought almost exclusively in France during his ring
career and amazingly fought in every weight class from flyweight all the
way to heavyweight. He was idolized because of his good looks and personal
flair in both France and the United States. Starting his career as a 13
year old flyweight in 1908 he improved rapidly and held his first French
title at the age of 15 at lightweight. At the age of 17 won the European
welterweight title with a 16th round knockout of Robert Eustache. His
combination of stylish boxing and heavy punching forged wins over Jim
Sullivan, George Gunther and Billy Wells for various titles. A tough
lesson was given to him by African American Joe Jeanette who handed
Carpentier his first loss over 15 rounds. Carpentier rebounded however
and his first world title won at light heavyweight when he knocked out
Battling Levingsky in four rounds. A ill advised attempted saw Carpentier
out of his league as a heavyweight and he was destroyed by Jack Dempsey in
front of 80,000 people. A attempted fix was ruined when Battling Siki was
upset by Carpentier hitting him to hard! The enraged Siki knocked
Carpentier out in the sixth round and took his light heavyweight title.
After this Carpentier faded from the world boxing scene and only saw a
big fight with Gene Tunney who knocked him out in the 15th round.
another excerpt
• My innocent little item last week about the derivation of the late George Carman's nickname has become the subject of fierce controversy. I suggested that he was called Gorgeous George after the American wrestler of that name. Not so, according to an avalanche of letters, emails and phone calls, unanimous in claiming that the source was more likely to be the elegant French boxer of the first world war period, Georges Carpentier, whose memorable fight in 1921 against Jack Dempsey for the world heavyweight championship produced the first million-dollar gate. I watched a film of it recently. Carpentier, really a light-heavyweight, giving away 25lb, nearly knocked out the champion in the second round, probably broke his hand in the attempt and was then knocked out in the fourth.
Yes, he was sometimes called Gorgeous Georges (with that final "s", which, of course, Carman didn't have) though he was more often described as the Orchid Kid (or Orchid Man) from his habit of wearing the flower in his buttonhole. But, quite apart from the evidence of the extra "s", who, a decade ago, could possibly have remembered Carpentier and decided to saddle Carman with the same label? Apart, of course, from me and my angry correspondents.
unquote
Seems to me and I can only glean form what Ive read while searching that he may well have derived the name due to the fact he was a handsome fellow as the orchind man insinuates that he was was a beautiful as an orchid. if thats your thing. Could be utter bollocks though but I havent found another explanation
FFS!Coconut wrote:Carpentier was originally from Glasgow, but left his family as a young man to ply his trade elsewhere. Rumour has it his elder brother, who ahadn't seen him for several years, saw him boxing once and commented to a journalist, "That's oor kid", and the name stuck.
Sooooooooooo sorry.
Cheers J - had a search myself but couldn't find anything. Carpentier must be up there in the top few European fighters of all time.
Nice help with the Winky stuff lads...thought I'd heard that but wasn't sure.