Tommy Spiegal
Name: Tommy Speigal
Alias: Tommy Swift
Birth Name: Thomas Edward Speigal
Hometown: Uniontown, Pennsylvania, USA
Birthplace: Uniontown, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: 1945-11-09 (Age:32)
Height: 173cm
Pro Boxer: Record
Photo #2, Photo #3
Because of a childhood football injury, Tommy Speigal had one leg shorter than the other, but despite this handicap, he had a very credible boxing career, eventually becoming ranked as high as the #5 lightweight in the world, according to the January 1940 issue of The Ring magazine. (The correct spelling of this boxer's name is "Speigal." Incorrect spellings by newspaper reports of his day include "Spiegel," "Spiegal," and "Speigel.") He was the younger brother of boxer Joey Speigal. Spiegal fought World Champions Tippy Larkin, Freddie Cochrane, Sammy Angott, Benny Bass, Chalky Wright, Jackie Wilson, Beau Jack and Bobby Montgomery. He fought Angott three times, winning twice, Cochrane three times, losing twice, but drawing once. He fought Wright, Jack and Wilson twice losing both times to Wright, Beau and Wilson. Besides defeating Angott, he also defeated Bass and Montgomery. Won the Southern Lightweight Title in September 1937 defeating Normant Quarles over ten rds. Unclear at this time if Spiegal ever defended the Southern Lightweight Title. Won the Pennsylvania State Lightweight Tile in November 1939 and preceded to hold the LW title on and off for the next 3 years.
Tommy Speigal died at the age of 32, on November 9, 1945; his leg injury had eventually led to tuberculosis of the bone, causing his death.
The Daily News Standard of Uniontown, PA, has a number of fights that are not in Speigal's linked record. They took place in the South and there are no dates or locations. These fights are: Felix Gonzales W4, Harry Pierce KO-4, Bobby Bartell KO-3, Earl Newby KO-3, and Harry Sanchez KO-2.
It is likely that most of these fights took place in the Miami area. Speigal also had a number of fights in the Cleveland and Akron area in late 1934 into mid-1935; these fights have yet to be documented. For example, the Daily News Standard had an article on Speigal dated July 6th, 1935, having Speigal winning a fight in Cleveland. But it gives no location, and does not provide the name of Speigal's opponent or an exact location. It does go on to state that Speigal is home with his parents and fighting out of the Cleveland area. It appears that Speigal was never knocked out in a career that likely spanned close to one hundred and forty fights.