Joe Walcott, the Barbados Deamon

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by BitPlayerVesti, Dec 26, 2018.


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  1. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    Vs Tom Tracey
    The evening herald., April 20, 1894, THIRD EDITION, Image 4
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...acey&y=13&x=9&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

    The Wilmington daily Republican., April 20, 1894, Image 1
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...acey&y=13&x=9&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

    Vs Dick O'Brien
    The daily morning journal and courier., July 07, 1894, Image 1
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...brien&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

    Vs Mysterious Billy Smith
    Pre-fight
    The citizen., March 08, 1895, Page 7, Image 7
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...smith&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

    The Indianapolis journal., March 02, 1895, Image 1
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...smith&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

    The daily morning journal and courier., March 02, 1895, Image 1
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...smith&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

    Delaware gazette and state journal., January 10, 1895, Page 2, Image 2
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...smith&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=2
     
    BitPlayerVesti, Dec 26, 2018
    BitPlayerVesti, Dec 26, 2018
    #1
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  2. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    Vs O'Brien II
    The record-union. [volume], August 29, 1895, Image 1
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...ien&y=17&x=12&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

    The San Francisco call., August 29, 1895, Page 2, Image 2
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...ien&y=17&x=12&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

    Vs Kid Lavigne
    The sun., December 03, 1895, Page 4, Image 4
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/.../seq-4/#words=lavigne+walcott+Lavigne+walcott

    Vs Tommy West
    The sun., December 10, 1896, Page 4, Image 4
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...#words=Walcott+west+walcott+west+walcott+west
     
    BitPlayerVesti, Dec 26, 2018
    BitPlayerVesti, Dec 26, 2018
    #2
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  3. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    Vs Tommy West II
    The sun., March 04, 1897, Page 4, Image 4
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...cott+&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

    Vs George Green (Young Corbett)
    The San Francisco call., August 27, 1897, Page 12, Image 12
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...d-1/seq-12/#words=walcott+green+Walcott+green

    Vs Lavigne II
    The San Francisco call., October 30, 1897, Page 8, Image 8
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/.../seq-8/#words=lavigne+walcott+Lavigne+walcott

    Vs Tom Tracey
    Semi-weekly Express,Terre Haute, Vigo County, 28 December 1897
    https://newspapers.library.in.gov/cgi-bin/indiana?a=d&d=SWE18971228.1.1&txq=walcott+west
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2019
    BitPlayerVesti, Dec 26, 2018
    BitPlayerVesti, Dec 26, 2018
    #3
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  4. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    Having trouble finding the 25 round Smith draw.

    Just remembered to check Senya's site

    1894-04-19 Joe Walcott W-KO16 Tom Tracey
    http://senya13.blogspot.com/2011/04/1894-04-19-joe-walcott-w-ko16-tom.html

    1894-06-22 Joe Walcott W-KO6 Mike Harris
    http://senya13.blogspot.com/2018/06/1894-06-22-joe-walcott-w-ko6-mike.html

    1895-12-02 George (Kid) Lavigne W-PTS15 Joe Walcott (Maspeth, NY, USA)
    http://senya13.blogspot.com/2010/08/1895-12-02-george-kid-lavigne-w-pts15.html

    1899-06-23 Joe Walcott W-PTS20 Dan Creedon
    http://senya13.blogspot.com/2012/06/1899-06-23-joe-walcott-w-pts20-dan.html

    1902-03-13 Joe Walcott D-PTS10 Young Peter Jackson
    http://senya13.blogspot.com/2011/03/1902-03-13-joe-walcott-d-pts10-young.html
     
    BitPlayerVesti, Dec 28, 2018
    BitPlayerVesti, Dec 28, 2018
    #4
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  5. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    There was talk about a film towards the end of his life.

    In the end he got hit by a car, and ended up in an unmarked grave!
     
    janitor, Dec 28, 2018
    janitor, Dec 28, 2018
    #5
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  6. PhillyPhan69

    PhillyPhan69 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Good stuff! Just read 2 and will check the rest out later. Appreciate the way you organize these threads!
     
    PhillyPhan69, Dec 28, 2018
    PhillyPhan69, Dec 28, 2018
    #6
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  7. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    I'm just going to move on, please say if anyone finds the 25 round draw with Smith in 1898

    Vs Mysterious Billy Smith 20 round loss
    The sun., December 07, 1898, Page 5, Image 5
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...-1/seq-5/#words=walcott+smith++Walcott+smith+

    KO of Dan Creedon
    The sun., April 26, 1899, Page 9, Image 9
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/.../seq-9/#words=walcott+creedon+Walcott+creedon

    Vs Dick O'Brien
    The sun., May 20, 1899, Page 5, Image 5
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...brien&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
     
    BitPlayerVesti, Dec 28, 2018
    BitPlayerVesti, Dec 28, 2018
    #7
  8. Senya13

    Senya13 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    1898-04-17 Bridgeport Herald (Bridgeport, CT) (page 9)
    "Mysterious" Billy Smith has demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt that he is as fair a boxer as ever scraped the sole of a shoe in the resin of a prize ring. He did this Thursday night when he and Joe Walcott met in a twenty-five round contest in Bridgeport under the auspices of the Horizon Athletic club. Smith has made a great many friends by his ring work on that night. Sporting men had lost confidence in him in a great measure, fearing that he would foul and lose their money bet on him. But by his behavior in the ring Thursday night he has regained their confidence and in the future Billy Smith should have no difficulty in finding plenty of men to back him for any amount.
    The contrast between this contest of Smith's and Walcott's and the fifteen round draw they fought in Boston in 1895 was so great as to be remarked by everyone familiar with the two fights. No more foul boxing contest ever occurred than the one in Boston between Smith and Walcott and yet at the contest in Bridgeport Thursday night there was never a fairer fight. Smith went out of his way to be free from all semblance of doing anything like dirty work. Walcott was clean also, with the exception of one back heel turn he gave Smith and a few butts in the breast.
    There was little money bet on the fight, and what little there was was even. The men began the contest warily for the first minute, each one realizing that there would be a hard fight ahead and each was cautious about making a mistake. Smith got in the first blow, a left on Walcott's wind. The colored man followed him close and Smith was on the defensive much of the time, but he acted wisely in doing this, for every time Walcott made a lead and came close enough Smith would come in close and plant left and right on his stomach and kidneys. At infighting Smith was par excellence. Walcott had no chance to turn an ace at this work with Smith. For fifteen rounds Smith landed two blows to one on Walcott, principally on his wind. They were not taps of affection either, many of them, but hard hooks and swings, for Billy is not much on straight jabs. And right here I want to note something which I think will be found true if ever the time comes to demonstrate it. It is this: Any man with a good stiff straight jab can put Joe Walcott out of business. With such a jab as George Siddons has with his left Walcott would be easy. Smith is more on the style of a full arm, swinging, knockout fighter, effective, and terribly so, if he lands but he misses frequent opportunities for straight leading that would assist him very materially in outpointing his opponent.
    Smith was tired at fifteen rounds and then Walcott was sent in to rush him. He followed his instructions well and for eight rounds had the best of the contest. He landed a ripping right swing on Smith's jaw about the twentieth round that sent Billy groggy and it looked as if he would go out. But Billy showed great head work in this trouble and managed to keep away until the gong sounded and the minute rest brought him around all right, though weak. For two rounds he then danced around Walcott, the colored man being unable to catch him. There were those in the house who urged Smith to "stand up and fight and not run away," but Smith very wisely turned a deaf ear to such foolish advice, although the referee was inclined to push him into the center two or three times. Smith would have been an idiot to have followed such instructions at that time. He showed that he had a good head on him in keeping away from Walcott for the next two rounds, thereby getting his strength back. When the twenty-fourth round came Smith met Walcott half way and this round and the last one were his easily. In the last round Smith went at Walcott with only one idea in his mind, that was to knock the negro out. He landed a right on Walcott's jaw that nearly sent him to the floor and followed up the advantage so swiftly that Walcott clinched hard to avoid further punishment. The negro kept away from Smith after that as well as he could but received some terrific blows in the stomach before the gong sounded. I have not much doubt that Smith would have put Walcott out in about two more rounds if he had kept up the pace he set in the last round, for the negro was very groggy and winded when the gong sounded.
    The decision of Referee Sam Austin, a draw, was the only fair one that could be given. It was received with general approval and not a hiss.
    There was not the slightest trace of brutality about the contest, no blood being drawn except when Walcott backheeled Smith and hit him on the nose as he was recovering.
    The preliminary bout between Billy Needham and Max Roth was short. Roth put Needham out after two minutes and forty seconds with a right hand smash on the jaw.
    Joe Humphries officiated as announcer and Al Russell of Hartford held the watch. Johnny Pollock of the Evening World kept time for Billy Smith and Jim Lavalle acted in the same capacity for Walcott.
    The exhibition was a most meritorious one in every respect and showed the "knockers" of legitimate boxing that boxing contests when properly conducted are as wholesome as football or any other sport. I trust we will have a rest now for a time from "knocker's" row on the terrible brutality and demoralizing effects of sparring exhibitions. People who witnessed the contest formed only one conclusion and that was that it was one of the best exhibitions of boxing ever seen in Bridgeport.
    * * * *
    I want to make mention of the fact here that seconds should be made to keep their mouths shut at the ring side while the men are sparring. This is meant for Tom O'Rourke direct, without any gloves or mittens on, who was in Joe Walcott's corner. During the first half of the contest he could be heard repeatedly calling to his man to do this or that and flinging out remarks intended to make Smith mad so that he would lose his head. I really think that O'Rourke cast those remarks out for the sole purpose of making Smith mad so that he would do something rash. But it failed. Smith was too much of a gentleman this time to give an ear to the remarks. Finally the referee told O'Rourke that it would be as well to stop making remarks. Smith's seconds did not have a word to say except on two or three occasions and they were promptly called to order by the referee. We do not want any partiality shown at these exhibitions. O'Rourke may be more influential in some respects than any of Smith's seconds, but when he is in a corner at the ringside he is on the same level and what governs one second should apply to all. We will not stand for making meat of one and fish of another in this respect, not in Bridgeport. It will be a good idea for referees to take a tip from this in the future for this little thing has caused more or less comment among sporting men and they want to know why O'Rourke was not called to order sooner.
    Diсk Howell.
     
    Senya13, Dec 28, 2018
    Senya13, Dec 28, 2018
    #8
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  9. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    BitPlayerVesti, Dec 29, 2018
    BitPlayerVesti, Dec 29, 2018
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  10. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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  11. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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  12. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    Vs Kid Carter
    Waterbury Democrat. [volume], January 18, 1901, Page 7, Image 7
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...cott+&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

    Vs Jack Bonner
    Waterbury Democrat. [volume], July 27, 1901, Page 7, Image 7
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...ner&y=17&x=16&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

    Vs George Gardner
    The San Francisco call., September 28, 1901, Image 4
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/.../seq-4/#words=walcott+gardner+Walcott+gardner

    Vs Kid Carter
    The San Francisco call., October 16, 1901, Image 8
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...-1/seq-8/#words=walcott+carter+Walcott+carter
     
    BitPlayerVesti, Dec 29, 2018
    BitPlayerVesti, Dec 29, 2018
    #12
  13. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    Vs Young Peter Jackson
    The Salt Lake herald., November 29, 1901, Image 8
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/.../seq-8/#words=walcott+jackson+Walcott+jackson

    Winning the title Vs Rube Ferns
    The Washington times., December 19, 1901, Page 5, Image 5
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87062245/1901-12-19/ed-1/seq-5/#words=walcott+Walcott

    Vs Fred Russel
    The Wichita daily eagle., April 05, 1902, Image 1
    https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...-1/seq-1/#words=walcott+russel+Walcott+russel

    Vs George Gardner
    San Francisco Call, Volume 87, Number 147, 26 April 1902
    https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a...--en--20--1--txt-txIN-walcott+gardner-------1
     
    BitPlayerVesti, Jan 1, 2019
    BitPlayerVesti, Jan 1, 2019
    #13
  14. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    Sporting Life - Tuesday 24 June 1902
    WELTER WEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD
    JOE WALCOT (America) defeated TOMMY WEST (America),
    ROUND 1.—There was no nonsense about the opening meeting, the men going at it at once. Walcot drove his opponent a terrific blow in the stomach, while West got one to the face, but little harm was done.
    ROUND 2.—Walcot got so dangerous with his body punching, that several expected West to collapse. The plucky American, however, stuck to his guns in dogged style, and although there was a lot of clinching, yet he was by not means the culprit.
    ROUND 3 and 4.—The black did most of the leading, and was successful in reaching the other's face several times, only being countered at times. The boxing at this stage was of no class, but it improved as time went on, West having in the mean time been cautioned for holding.
    ROUND 5 was somewhat laughable owing to the funny remarks made by the ebonised gentlema. He landed heavily on the other's faace, but had not all his own way, for West drove in both hands with effect on face and body. The n****r didn't take kindly to it at all, and was only too pleased to clinch in order to escape punishment.
    ROUND 6.—Walcot led off with a banging left on the face, which rather upset West for a while. The white man, however, retaliated with interest, and the n****r held on to him like an octopus. The cuddling was so palpable that at last Mr. Scott, the referee, took off his coat and went in to separate the men.
    ROUND 7.—West had, perhaps, the best of the first minute, his guard being safe, while he kept off the tricky darkey witha straight left. The dusky-coloured man tried to get on West's jaw, but failed, and the only damage he did was to reach West's eye, which showed signs of swelling before the round was out.
    ROUND 8.—West drove his right in the region of the stomach, and made the negro wince. The latter was busy with a swinging right soon after, and for a moment or so West had a rather unenviable time of it. The ****** kept talking as he went along, and invited his opponent to "come along and show what he could do." West smiled good humouredly, and replied with a fine drive on the other's face.
    ROUND 9.—Both were looking determined when they came together, and a hot round ensued, either man coming in for a deal of facial punishment. West showed signs of having received another smart blow on the nose, but the n****r looked blacker than ever, and went hard on his opponent's body.
    ROUND 10.—Walcot held on to his opponent directly after West had landed on the face, West had to use defensive tactics, but he left his face open rather too much. Once when they were in hlds, and Mr. Scott ordered them to break away. West dropped his hands. The n****r promptly brought round his glove hard on the jaw, and was immediately hissed from all parts of the building.
    ROUND 11.—West got the better of the exchange at the start, and drove the dusky coloured warrior to the ring, but in a moment he was antagonistic, and sending in two powerful blows on the body drove West to the other side. A good deal of "devil" was part in the contest, the black getting the best of it.
    ROUND 12 was particularly hot for either. Walcot pressed very hard and drove his rival to various parts of the ring, but West made good use of the left, meeting the n****r on the face time after time, to receive and paste away at the other boxer.
    ROUND 13.—West made a most determined attempt to gain points, but found it little good to land out at the other's hard face and head. It was just like hitting a post, and made not the slightest difference to the black, who again and again went to the combat with renewed vigour. West got in his left on the face, but the other often brought his right round and landing smartly on the back of the neck.
    ROUND 14.—Walcot was the first to make a dash, and he was particularly smart on the face, West again showing a decided lack of defence for the time being.
    ROUND 15 was smartly contested and well fought out, but after a succession of body blows and clunches the end came, and there was no doubt Walcot was entitled to the veridct, which went his way. The contest was by no means so good as the previous one, but in fairness to West, it must be stated he was not to blame for most of the hugging cleverly accomplished by Walcot.

    Ugh, I feel like I need a shower after writing that out
     
    BitPlayerVesti, Jan 1, 2019
    BitPlayerVesti, Jan 1, 2019
    #14
  15. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    BitPlayerVesti, Jan 1, 2019
    BitPlayerVesti, Jan 1, 2019
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