newsletter vol 7 no1

[robert.snell1]

The Boxing Biographies Newsletter
Volume 7 – No 1 6th Jan, 2011
www.boxingbiographies.com

If you wish to sign up for the newsletters ( which includes the images ) please email the message “NEWS LETTER” [email protected]

All the contents of this edition has been provided by Mr Tony Triem

Boxing Historian
Member, IBRO
Publicist, Int'l Ring 101
Former Director - WBHOF
Indian Springs, NV

Jack “Doc” Kearns
Maker of Champions
1882 - 1963
By Jack Kearns II



Jack Kearns was born John Leo McKernan in Iron Mountain, Michigan. At the age of one, he, along with his mother and father, traveled by wagon train to Seattle Washington, via the legendary Oregon Trail where they settled in 1886. His father, Phillip Leo, a political writer, former Scout for the Union Army, Civil war veteran at age 15 and a member of Cox’s army, was the Wagon Master on the trail.

In 1896, young Jack traveled to Alaska, where he met the celebrated author, Jack London, whom he discovered was also an oyster pirate in San Francisco Bay. This, and many others of London’s adventures, influenced Jack’s approach to life.

London renamed Johnny McKernan, Jack Kearns, after a character he wanted to eventually write about. He thought that person might be the type of character Johnny would emulate and since the now newly named Jack Kearns’s aspirations were to be a boxer, London thought of Kearns as a tougher sounding name.

Young Kearns thought the name selection was providential since he had heard from his father that their first family member emigrating from Ireland in the early 1700’s, named John Dennis McKernan also had an alias, name of John Kearns. In later years as he researched through the family members, he discovered that Dennis was actually thrown out of England along with all the other Irish rabble-rousers that fought and hated the English for what they had done to Ireland in the past.

While in the Klondike, he discovered that there were so many different kinds of colorful characters and they all seemed bent upon making a name for themselves in many different ways and fashions. But most had one thing in mind, becoming famous and wealthy with little concern for their own and others health and welfare. The fight game was where he belonged. That’s where the real money, excitement and action were.

Kearns managed over eighty fighters in his sixty-five year career in the boxing game. Jack Dempsey, Mickey Walker, Joe Maxim, Archie Moore, Jackie Fields and Abe Attell were the

world champions he managed. He also managed, promoted and guided Benny Leonard, Battling Nelson, Harry Wills, Kenny Lane, Billy Murray, Bob Satterfield, Jimmy Clabby, Red Watson, Roscoe Toles, Soldier Bartfield, Hank Bass, Jack Dorval, Oakland Jimmy Duffy, Dick Hyland and many other ranked fighters and former champions, while usually a silent partner with many other managers and promoters.

Maxim and Walker were his favorite fighters. Walker, because he, his wife and family became close friends with Doc’s own family. Plus, he was Doc’s drinking buddy. Maxim, because he always said, “the powder puff punching Maxim was the toughest guy I have ever seen. Imagine going to a gunfight with a ping-pong paddle in each hand. Especially against the murderous punchers he faced. Maxim and Dempsey had great chins, Joey needed it.”

The good Doctor was the consummate hustler and promoter, while maintaining his reputation as a standup guy in the fight game. He was the main figure responsible for the

Dempsey - Carpentier fight that became the first million-dollar gate in sports history. He also broke four banks in Montana and made over $300,000 when the local real estate promoter tried to hustle him for free publicity by claiming he wanted to promote a Jack Dempsey – Tommy Gibbons match in the town of Shelby that was probably the first sports event where the hustler got hustled. Kearns was a wonder when it came to making money, and spending it.

The Shelby story should have been made into a movie years ago.
Joe Berks
1801-1804

Berks is considered by some to be a pioneer bare knuckle boxer. Three times (once unofficially) Jem Belcher dealt with Joe Berks (sometimes written Bourke or Burkes), who was a truculent, tough, sometimes drunken butcher from Shropshire and had a violent temper. Berks struck Belcher at a prizefight at Wimbledon in 1801, to which the champion had been specially invited. The outraged Belcher demanded honor be served there and then in the available ring. When he took almost 20 minutes to overcome Berks, the watching Lord Camelford considered it a worthy proposition to set them at each other again, in formal conditions, with Berks sober and well-prepared. Berks was considered one of the most resilient, and probably one of the craziest of championship contenders.

In 1806, Berks was charged with two accomplices, including an Irish prizefighter named Jack O’Donnell, with stealing a £5 note and a guinea from a man named William Gee. They were found guilty and sentenced to be transported. Only the intervention of Gentleman Jackson saved Berks from a new life in Botany Bay or some even worse place, and he was last heard of as a non-commissioned officer in the Grenadiers serving under Wellington in Spain.

Bob Gregson
1807-1808

Nicknamed “the Lancashire Giant.” Eccleston was the home of one of the best-known pugilists of his generation, Bob Gregson. Just after the turn of the 19th-century, he twice had memorable title battles against the legendary John Gully, champion prizefighter of All-England.

He fought Tom Cribb for the championship and 1,000 guineas in a 30 ft ring at Moulsey Hurst on 25 October 1808, only five months after Gregson had lost for a second time to John Gully (both fights were to determine the successor to Hen Pearce’s crown). Gentleman Jackson refereed the fight. They brawled head-to-head for round after slow, grueling round. Cribb was so exhausted by the start of round 21 that he only just made it to the scratch-line, yet from somewhere he found the inner resolve to press on and in round 23 he tossed Gregson to the ground. Gregson landed with his legs buckled beneath his l6st bulk and was unable to stand, let alone fight. Gregson retired to his pub, the Castle in Holborn, otherwise to be known as Bob's Chop-House, but Gregson was a bad businessman and was forced to relinquish the pub in 1814. He attempted to start a sparring school, but that did not take off, and instead left to try his luck in Dublin, where he made a better living. In 1819 he embarked on a sparring tour of Ireland along with Dan Donnelly and George Cooper, but later was landlord of a pub named the Punch House in Moor Street, Dublin. That failed too and he was virtually penniless when he returned to live out his last days in Liverpool, where he died in November 1824. Two of Gregson's major prizefights were in 1807 when he beat Six-Mile Bottom in 36 rounds, and in 1808 when he beat Woburn in 8 rounds.

Fred Henning, in his classic book about the bare knuckle days of boxing, "Fights for the Championship", tells us that on the evening of July 12, 1807 a new heavyweight Bob Gregson, was presented at the Fives Court, St Martin's Street, Leicester Square, in an exhibition bout against Isaac Bitton, in which Bob acquitted himself very well. The fancy that night included Major Morgan, Captain Mellish, and Lt. Wedderburne Webster of the 11th Dragoons [this should be the 10th Hussars], nephew of Fletcher Reid. Webster became one of Gregson's backers in the championship fight near Newmarket on October 14, against John Gully. Gregson lost.

The fearsome Gregson also made quite a name for himself later, owning a London pub, setting up as a bookmaker and fight promoter and earning something of a reputation as a poet! A poem of his “British Lads and Black Millers” was published in a book, “Perfect in Their Art: Poems on Boxing from Homer to Ali” by Robert Hedin and Michael Waters.

A bust of Gregson is located in the Royal Academy.

Dutch Sam
1801-1810
BIRTH NAME: Samuel Elias
BORN: April 4, 1775, Petticoat La., England (Whitechapel area)
DIED: July 3, 1816

HEIGHT: 5'6"
WEIGHT: 130-134 pounds

This phenomenal little battler was a prominent Jewish boxer and known for his "iron fists." He had unbelievable strength for a man who stood 5'6" and never weighed more than 135 pounds. His physical power and long arms enabled him to fight men up to 168 pounds.

Sam's first fight was recorded on Oct. 12, 1801 by Harry Lee. On that day, Sam defeated a boxer named Baker, a man much larger than he, on the roadside outside of Ensfield and won a prize of five guineas. Success soon followed as Sam defeated a heavyweight named Bill Shipley (called the Champion of Broadway) in 1803 in only 15-minutes, becoming Daniel Mendoza's successor as hero of England's Jewish community. Egan wrote, "among his own persuasion (the Jews) he is an object of great notoriety; and no money is ever wanting to back him upon any pugilistic occasion."

His power is legendary and is considered one of the hardest hitters of all time. Some have credited Sam with the invention of the uppercut. His frequent use of, and success with the punch, popularized it.

His tremendous courage, amazing endurance and iron hands made him a crowd favorite. Pierce Egan, the most famous historian of his time said, "terrific is the only way to describe him."

Two of Sam's more noteworthy opponents were Caleb Baldwin and Tom Belcher, who was the brother of Jem Belcher. Both Baldwin and Belcher were undefeated at the time he fought them. Sam knocked out Baldwin and decisioned Belcher.

At age 35 he was worn out by his career and hard-drinking. He retired May 31, 1810, nine years after his first fight, at 35. Six years later he returned to the ring but was beaten by William Nosworthy.

Despite his final defeat to Nosworthy, Dutch Sam's reputation and place in history as one of the two greatest Jewish fighters of the "pioneer" era -- along with Daniel Mendoza -- remains intact. Many historians believe that Sam was the first fighter to use the uppercut, and he is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame (inducted 1997), and the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Sam's son was also a boxer known as Young Dutch Sam, and they are credited with being the first professional father-son team active in the ring. Young Dutch Sam was eight-years old when Dutch Sam died. According to the Edinburgh Advertiser, dated July 23, 1816, Dutch Sam’s death was “occasioned by having his ribs broke in one of the elegant Pugilist Amusements.”

Buckhorse Smith
1732-1746
BIRTH NAME: John Smith

Buckhorse Smith was another famous fighting man, whose ugliness was probably a result of some form of infantile encephalitis. Whatever the reason, his head was big and bulbous at the top and his face pinched and narrow. He was born, according to Eccentric Magazine, “in the house of a sinner” in the notorious Lewkner’s

Lane near Drury Lane, where rogues, thieves and ne’er-do-wells gathered to eke out their grimy, violent and precarious existences. Buckhorse learned to steal, and then to fight, with equal mastery and through his appearances at Figg’s Academy and then under Broughton, he became something of a cult celebrity. He ranked high for courage and strength among the boxers of his day and displayed great muscular powers in the battles he had contested. “As ugly as Buckhorse” became a cliché of the time. Buckhorse was never a champion, but apparently his strange looks belied his talents. He was sought after by ladies, who it was said regarded him as enthusiastic and energetic in the arts of love. He died in a ditch one wintry night, cuddling his last bottle of gin.

The earliest known autobiography of an English boxer, Memoirs of the Noted Buckhorse, is printed in London. He was never much of a boxer, and reportedly earned his living picking pockets and singing in the streets (it is said that he "sucked in the love of gin" from his first nurse). In 1767 Buckhorse was also the subject of an ode by Christopher Anstey; this too celebrated the man about town rather than the pugilist.

The 1745 rebellion brought the heads of fresh victims to the Bar, and this was the last triumph of barbarous justice. Colonel Francis Townley's was the sixth head. Townley was hanged on Kennington Common. Before the carts drove away, the men flung their prayer-books, written speeches, and gold-laced hats gaily to the crowd. As soon as they were dead the hangman cut down the bodies, disemboweled, beheaded, and quartered them, throwing the hearts into the fire. A monster—a fighting-man of the day, named Buckhorse—is said to have actually eaten a piece of Townley's flesh, to show his loyalty.

Ever Hammer
Lightweight
1913 – 1930
W 46 (KO 22) + L 35 (KO 2) + D 14 + NC 6 = 101

BORN: October 30, 1894, Chicago, IL
DIED: September 13, 1969, Anaheim, Orange, CA

While many believe Hammer was born in Sweden, according to the US Census reports for 1900, 1910 & 1920, along with the California Death Index, he was born in Chicago, Illinois to Swedish-born parents. This is also substantiated by his World War I Draft Card Registration. He started his career fighting out of Chicago, IL in 1913. Most of his fights were in Midwest/Eastern states before moving out to California around 1919. His career included bouts with Eddie Moha, Jack Redmond, Ad Wolgast, Freddie Welsh, Bitter Root Kid, Johnny Dundee, Benny Leonard, Lew Tendler, Gene Delmont, Dave Shade, Bud Christiano and Jack Zivic.

He married Edith Bernice Whisenand in 1918 and they lived in Chicago, IL and Federal & Anaheim, CA.



George Nichols
Light Heavyweight
1921 – 1939

W 88 (KO 31) + L 29 (KO 9) + D 11 + NC 1 = 129

BIRTH NAME: Philip John Nicolosi
BORN: July 9, 1908, Sandusky, Erie, OH
DIED: May 9, 1992

Manager: Jack Singer

Nichols fought Dave Maier on March 18, 1932 to win the vacant NBA World Light Heavyweight title via a split decision in 10 Rds, only to have the title stripped from him in December 1932.

During his career, he had bouts with Jack McVey, Dixie Kid, Osk Till, Charley Belanger, Gorilla Jones, Al Gainer, John Henry Lewis, Alabama Kid and Fred Apostoli to name a few.

For more information on George, follow link to an article written and published by staff of the Sandusky Library and Follett House Museum, using materials from their local history collections at the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center.

Charley Retzlaff
Heavyweight
1929 – 1940

BIRTH NAME: Charles William Retzlaff
BORN: October 28, 1904, Leonard, Cass, ND
DIED: June 4, 1970, Detroit Lakes, Becker, MN
BURIED: Leonard Cemetery, Leonard, Cass, ND

aka Comeback Big Charley R./The Duluth Bomber/The Duluth Ripper/The Duluth Dynamiter

Manager: Jack Hurley

Charley grew up on a farm. He started his boxing career in small bouts in Fargo and Grand Forks, ND, but quickly rose through the ranks as a heavyweight. He moved to Duluth as his career continued to develop. On May 12, 1933, Retzlaff won the Minnesota State Heavyweight title in a bout with Art Lasky by a 6th Rd TKO. In his bout against Joe Louis on January 17, 1936, Retzlaff was knocked out in one minute and twenty-five seconds in the first round. Following his loss to Louis, Retzlaff had three more fights before retiring. During his boxing career, he had bouts against: Johnny Risko, Tom Heeney, Jack Gagnon, James J. Braddock, Les Kennedy, Jack Roper, King Levinsky, Art Lasky, Al Ettore, and Stanley Poreda.

After his boxing career ended, he returned to farming. In 1950 he moved to Detroit Lakes, MN where he operated an automobile agency.

Vince DeSantis
Lightweight
1929 – 1931
W 5 (KO 1) + L 3 (KO 1) + D 0 = 8
BIRTH NAME: Vincent Leo DeSantis
BORN: July 2, 1911, Bristol, PA
DIED: September, 1987

TRAINER: Reds Bottlemace, Andy Blondheim

De Santis is considered by some to be one of Baltimore’s tough Lightweights of the 1930’s. He credits Bob Garcia, the old "Mexican Wildcat," as the person responsible for introducing him to boxing. DeSantis used to watch Garcia train which eventually lead to sparring with him.

As an amateur, De Santis was headlining shows 3-4 time a week. After losing 79 of about 80 bouts, he was suspended by the Athletic Commissioner and reduced to one fight per week. So, in 1929, Vince turned professional under the leadership of John DeLuca. DeSantis was serious about training. Besides running and going to the professional gym, he had his own gym on the 2nd floor of his home. At least one of Vince’s opponents attests to his excellent condition. Hall of Famer Angelo Meola was once quoted as saying, “You just can’t hit the guy. He was like greased lightning!” Nicknamed “Jimmy,” DeSantis admits that he couldn’t hit like his idol Jack Dempsey, but his great speed and good left hook kept him out of harms way.

In 1931, Vince defeated Pete DeAngelis in a bout billed for the Lightweight Championship of Highlandtown. While his biggest “thrill” was defeating Frank Rappa, DeSantis felt his toughest fight was against Bobby Burns. He broke his left hand in the first round. Vince continued on in the fight, but his corner stopped it in the 4th. This was DeSantis’s last fight.

After retiring from boxing, Vince worked as a chauffeur for the American Brewery Company. He served in the Army during World War II, stationed at Fort Knox, KY. After spending 42 years with the brewery, he retired and opened the Venice Tavern in Baltimore with his brother Frank.

DeSantis also served on the Maryland Nominating and Maryland Boxing Hall of Fame Committees. He was inducted into the Maryland Boxing Hall of Fame in 1978.


Harry Thomas
Heavyweight
1931-1939

W 40 (KO 34) + L 14 (KO 3) + D 2 = 56

BIRTH NAME: Henry Anthony Pontius
BORN: April 14, 1906, Eagle Bend, Todd, MN
DIED: February 15, 1971, Hennepin County, MN
BURIED: Long Prairie Cemetery, Long Prairie, MN



Harry fought the likes of Joe Louis, Max Schmeling, Tony Galento, Pal Silvers, Charley Belanger and Unknown Winston to name a few. Joe Louis commented that he was a tough fighter. In 1939, when possible boxing fixes were being investigated, it was reported that Thomas supposedly admitted to faking his fights with Max Schmeling and Tony Galento. The day after his bout against Galento, the Pennsylvania State Commission banned him from their state rings for life.

Aside from boxing, Thomas also played football at Trinity College in Morningside, Iowa and spent time as a cowboy in the Intake, Montana area.

Some controversy exist regarding Harry’s birth name. BoxRec currently lists it as Herman William Pontius. Some close family friends state it is Harry Pontius and he had a brother, Henry Anthony Pontius. Research is on-going to try to resolve this issue.

Jimmy Martinez
Middleweight
1950 – 1959
W 98 (KO 23) + L 35 (KO 4) + D 10 = 143
Birth Name: James Manuel Martinez
Born: February 14, 1929, Glendale, AZ
Died: April 13, 2007, Glendale, AZ
Buried: Resthaven Park West Cemetery, Glendale, AZ

Manager: Bobby O’Dowd

Jimmy was raised in Glendale. He left home at an early age to work on a farm owned by a Russian family who taught him to speak Russian, making him multilingual, Spanish, Russian, German and English. Hard work on the farm prepared him physically to become a fierce contender on the road to becoming a Golden Glove champion. As an amateur he was called "a wild right handed knockout swinger", which won him the title of Golden Glove champion. Jimmy's professional boxing career was from 1950 to 1959. He was a Phoenix ring fan favorite, dubbed the Arizona Middleweight King. He was described in the many sports articles as "clever Jimmy", "knockout artist", "a classy, durable boxer", "formidable foe", "handsome", "hard to hit", "elusive", "fast & sharp, virtually unmarked and in demand." His style of boxing was compared to that of Rocky Castellani, he was billed as one of the busiest middleweights in the business which earned him the "have gloves, will travel" reputation. The "globe girdling" and "Globetrotter" names were earned from his extensive travels during his career. He fought in Australia, Spain, Germany, France, Jamaica, Africa and all across the United States. He was the only American in that time to fight in North and South Africa. Six of his fights were nationally televised. His last professional fight took place in Kingston, Jamaica. Due to the worsening bursitis in both shoulders, he retired shortly after. At the end of his boxing career he was described as "quick talking, good looking, happy, likable guy". That reputation followed him in the many career paths he took. His magnetic, charming personality made him many friends. People were always attracted to his quick wit and humor. He will be deeply missed. Services were held April 20, 2007 at Sts. Simon and Jude Cathedral, 6351 N. 27th Ave., Phoenix, AZ.

Jimmy was good friends with the late country-western singer/songwriter, Marty Robbins. Marty wrote and recorded a song in 1966 entitled “Jimmy Martinez” in honor of their friendship. The song was published on Marty’s “Saddle Tramp” album. Jimmy was so proud of the song, he used to carry his 45rpm copy of it with him. After Jimmy retired from boxing, he was a bartender at the 307 Club in Phoenix, AZ. Every time you went to the jukebox to play a song, Jimmy would request “his” song and laugh. He was very proud of his close relationship with Marty. I knew Jimmy very well and played this song for him at the club more times than I can remember.

Some of Jimmy’s opponents include Eddie Williams, Al Hernandez, Hank Davis, Kid Zacaratas, Earl Turner, Spider Webb, Willie Pastrano, Joe Miceli, Phil Moyer, Tony Dupas, Tony Montano, Milo Savage, and Jimmy Beecham.

[BoxBuzz]

interesting read! Thanks!

[wsbuf]

Robert, where is link to more information on george Nichols?

[robert.snell1]

http://boxrec.com/media/index.php?title=Human:30117

[robert.snell1]

thank you