The Legend of "The Joplin Ghost" Jeff Clark
The Legend of "The Joplin Ghost" Jeff Clark
I would like to know what kind of fighter is Jeff Clark, does he have the same style as his famous nephew the former heavyweight champion Jersey Joe Walcott. How did Clark was related to Jersey Joe Walcott (Arnold Cream) as his uncle? Was he a brother of Walcott's mother? In his career, Clark fought many great fighters of his day including a series of battle with the legendary Sam Langford. I looked at the cyberboxingzone.com and it said that Clark was born in 1886 and died on 1952 the same year that his nephew lost his world heavyweight title to Rocky Marciano. When I count all of Clark's bouts, he has an impressive record of 74 wins, 32 losses, 13 draws, 2 no contests, and 46 no decisions with 51 wins by way of knockouts. I read and it said that Clark was fast, clever, and capable. Have anyone had any idea?
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RowanSmith
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 74
- Joined: 17 Sep 2003, 16:39
I will have a biography of Clarke in my upcoming volume of The Caramel Colored Kings: The History of the Black Prizefighter 1870-1930 Part 1.
Clarke was a very, very good fighter, championship class in fact. He fought in his prime at 158--so those heavyweight fights of his were out of his class. He beat some very good men including Langford, Jeanette, Luther McCarty, Bat Levinsky, Kid Cotton, Dave Holly, Nat Dewey, Peter Maher and Jack Twin Sullivan. A truly un-appreciated fighter. Consider that from the beginning of his career through his prime, or about 1908 to 1915 his record was 69(46KO)-4-9 with 33 no decisions. His four losses where to Langford, Dixie Kid twice and Sam McVey--who at the time outweighed him by some 30 pounds. The Ghost was a great fighter. IMO he was the cream of the middleweight crop in 1912-1914 and had he been given a shot at the championship--would have been a good bet to win against Papke, Klaus, McGrooty or anyone else who happened to have been claiming the title.
Clarke was a very, very good fighter, championship class in fact. He fought in his prime at 158--so those heavyweight fights of his were out of his class. He beat some very good men including Langford, Jeanette, Luther McCarty, Bat Levinsky, Kid Cotton, Dave Holly, Nat Dewey, Peter Maher and Jack Twin Sullivan. A truly un-appreciated fighter. Consider that from the beginning of his career through his prime, or about 1908 to 1915 his record was 69(46KO)-4-9 with 33 no decisions. His four losses where to Langford, Dixie Kid twice and Sam McVey--who at the time outweighed him by some 30 pounds. The Ghost was a great fighter. IMO he was the cream of the middleweight crop in 1912-1914 and had he been given a shot at the championship--would have been a good bet to win against Papke, Klaus, McGrooty or anyone else who happened to have been claiming the title.