Beau Jack
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Beau Jack (born Sidney Walker; April 1, 1921 – February 9, 2000) was an American
lightweight Lightweight is a weight class in combat sports and rowing. Boxing Professional boxing The lightweight division is over 130 pounds (59 kilograms) and up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms) weight class in the sport of boxing. Notable lightweight boxe ...
boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: * Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing *Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab * Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans * Boxer snipe ee ...
and two-time world lightweight champion in the 1940s. One of the most popular fighters during the War Years, he headlined at
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
on twenty one occasions, a record that still stands.


Early years

Sidney Walker was born in
Waynesboro, Georgia Waynesboro is a city in Burke County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,766 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Burke County. It is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area. Waynesboro is known as "The Bird Dog Ca ...
on April 1, 1921. After the death of his mother he moved to Augusta, and stayed with his grandmother, Evie Mixom, who affectionately called him "Beau Jack". He grew up during the Depression on a ragged farm where he worked the fields, and in the evening would work as a shoe-shine boy. A few days a week he would arise early, walk three miles into town and shine shoes till dusk. To make extra money, he would engage in battle royales, which consisted of five to ten boys, usually Black, fighting each other, often blindfolded, until only one remained standing. The winner was given a purse by the white organizers. Following his first battle royale at the
Augusta National Golf Club Augusta National Golf Club, sometimes referred to as Augusta or the National, is a golf club in Augusta, Georgia, United States. Unlike most private clubs which operate as non-profits, Augusta National is a for-profit corporation, and it does n ...
, Jack accepted a position as a caddie there. He quickly befriended some of the club's members, including golfing legend Bobby Jones, who helped fund his boxing training.


Boxing career

Jack turned professional in 1940, and began his career fighting in
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
where he established an impressive record of 27-4-2. During this period, he earned his reputation as a relentless and powerful fighter, essential traits that endeared him to his fans and won over admirers.


First taking the NYSAC World Lightweight Championship, December 1942

He moved to
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
in August 1941, where he continued to impress under the management of Chick Wergeles. In November 1942, he found himself in a fight against Allie Stolz at Madison Square Garden to determine who would challenge for the New York version of the world lightweight title. Going into the fight, Stolz was the clear favorite, with 3-1 odds. Before an enthusiastic crowd, Jack staged an upset, winning the match with a technical knockout of Stolz in the seventh round. Stoltz had cuts on his left eyelid and eyebrow that led the referee to end the bout. In his first NYSAC Lightweight Title bout against
Tippy Larkin Tippy Larkin (November 11, 1917 – December 10, 1991), born Antonio Pilliteri, was an American boxer from New Jersey who took the world light-welterweight boxing championship on April 29, 1946 in a twelve-round unanimous decision against Willie J ...
on December 18, 1942, Jack surprised again by knocking out the champion in the third round with a right uppercut to the chin. He floored Larkin with a left hook for a count of one in the first minute of the first round. The bout was furious and both boxers landed constant blows, though Jack seemed to withstand the onslaught of Larkin and deliver an equal or greater number of counterpunches. Larkin was carried to his corner from a blow by Jack, 1:19 into the third, that rendered him unconscious for the ten count. It was only the third KO of Larkin's career. Both boxers were within a pound of 133.


Victories over Fritzie Zivic, February – March 1943

Jack twice defeated Fritzie Zivic at Madison Square Garden on February 5, and March 5, 1943, in ten and twelve round unanimous decisions, though their second meeting was rather close. One source wrote Zivic was known for "dirty tactics", and that he fought like "a back ally brawler." The crowd of more than 20,000 in the Garden on February 5, were displeased when Jack was called for a low blow in the eighth round, and the point's scoring became closer when Jack lost the round as a result of the foul. Nonetheless, the referee and judges gave the bout to Jack by at least a two-round margin.


Losing the NYSAC World Lightweight Championship to Bob Montgomery, May 1943

Jack held the World Lightweight Title for only six months before dropping it to fellow hall-of-famer Bob Montgomery on May 21, 1943, before 18,343 in a fifteen-round unanimous points decision at the Garden. Jack won the first round by a wide margin with a flurry of uppercuts and his signature free-wheeling, constant punching from many angles. But Montgomery quickly settled down and scored frequently with a strong straight right that at times had Jack close to a knockout and against which he could find no adequate defense. Jack's eyes were virtually closed during much of the bout, but Montgomery's injuries were restricted to a cut above one eye. A right to the chin briefly knocked Jack to his knees in the eleventh round and he struggled in the remaining rounds. One ringside reporter gave Montgomery eleven rounds to only four for Jack.


Regaining the World Lightweight Championship from Montgomery, November 1943

Jack would go on to regain the title from Montgomery on November 19, 1943, in a fifteen-round unanimous decision at New York's Madison Square Garden before a crowd of 17,866. Beau carefully followed the advice of his trainer Larry Amadee, who told him to stay close to Montgomery, fight fiercely when separated from clinches, and generally use his strength in infighting. He coasted on the advice of Amadee in several rounds. He stayed with Amadee's advice when Montgomery finished strong in the last five rounds. The Associated Press gave Jack seven rounds, six to Montgomery, and two even, though both judges gave Jack an impressive ten rounds. In the ninth round, Jack scored one of his strongest blows after coming out of a clinch, and it helped him to take the offensive and win the ninth and tenth rounds. In the final five and particularly the last two rounds, Montgomery seemed strongest, nearly taking the bout in the opinion of some ringside. Jack was battered and required great conditioning and willpower to hold on through the final rounds. Jack met Sammy Angott in a non-title match on January 28, 1944, drawing in ten rounds at Madison Square Garden before an impressive crowd of 19,113, the largest of the year. The match was an important contest between Jack, the New York State World Lightweight Champion, and Angott, the National Boxing Association World Lightweight Champion. Who led the battle see-sawed from boxer to boxer so frequently, it was a difficult contest to score. There were no knockdowns in the bout. The United Press gave each boxer four rounds with two even. Angott had a problem from a thigh injury he had received in training and was limping as he was led from the ring at the end of the bout. Jack finally lost the Lightweight Championship for the second time to Montgomery on March 3, 1944, in a fifteen-round split decision before 19,066 fans in Madison Square Garden. Jack had led in the early betting. The fighting was fierce and close throughout and Montgomery was given no more than a two-round advantage by the judges or referee, though the Associated Press scored the bout 8 for Montgomery, 4 for Jack, and three even. It would be Jack's last lightweight title match until meeting Ike Williams in July 1948. On March 17, 1944, he defeated Al "Bummy" Davis, the "Brooklyn Bomber", at Madison Square Garden before a crowd of nearly 20,000, in a ten-round unanimous decision. The referees and judges gave him no less than nine of the rounds, with two scoring all ten rounds for Jack. Jack, who was a slight favorite in the betting, brought crowds to the Garden in 1943–44. The Georgia boot-black got out of his crouching style and slugged it out in close quarters with Davis in several rounds.


Win over NBA Lightweight Champion Juan Zurita, March 31, 1944

On March 31, 1944, Jack defeated Mexican-born boxer
Juan Zurita Juan Zurita (2 May 1917 – 24 March 2000) was a Mexican professional boxer in the lightweight division and a 1944 National Boxing Association Lightweight world champion. Zurita was a southpaw or left handed boxer, who often fought with his righ ...
in a ten-round points decision at New York's Madison Square Garden. Zurita had taken the NBA Lightweight Title only three weeks earlier from Sammy Angott in Los Angeles. Zurita faded after the fifth round, and was given only three rounds to seven for Jack by the United Press. The Mexican champion looked strong in the tenth, and took the round. The capacity crowd of 17,593 were hoping for more action in the early rounds, but both boxers, knowing the skills of their opponent fought cautiously.


War bonds fight with Bob Montgomery, August 1944

Some consider the most famous fight of Jack's career, a bout with Montgomery on August 4, 1944. Staged at a critical time in the second World War, it became known as the "War Bonds Fight", and tickets were only made available to purchasers of
war bonds War bonds (sometimes referred to as Victory bonds, particularly in propaganda) are debt securities issued by a government to finance military operations and other expenditure in times of war without raising taxes to an unpopular level. They are a ...
. A ringside seat required purchase of a $100,000 war bond. Although Montgomery's title was not on the line, the gate was a record $36 million with 15,822 war bonds being sold. Many people who purchased bonds charitably left their tickets at the box office to be used by American servicemen. Montgomery and Jack, who were both serving as privates in the
US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
, refused to take purses for the fight. Jack took the fight on points after 10 rounds, however the highlight of the evening was when the lights dimmed and a spotlight shone on Joe Louis was standing in the front row. Louis was received with a standing ovation. Jack met Sammy Angott for the second time on July 8, 1946, at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., where a crowd of 10,353 saw Jack win in a seventh-round technical knockout. Angott was very briefly down in round two, and Jack was down twice briefly in round four. The fighting was close but Jack rallied strongly in rounds five and six, and Angott did not answer the opening bell in round seven. The fighters boxed "as if the world championship was at stake". It was a "wild" and "reckless" fight and injuries suffered by Angott to his hip and back were briefly investigated at the request of the D.C. Boxing Commission after the fight. X-rays determined the aging thirty-one year old Angott had chipped a rib and suffered a torn ligament in his foot.


Last shot at the World Lightweight Title, Ike Williams, July 1948

Jack would not challenge for the title again until July 12, 1948, when he fought hall-of-famer and reigning champion
Ike Williams Isiah "Ike" Williams (August 2, 1923 – September 5, 1994) was a lightweight world boxing champion. He took the World Lightweight Championship in April 1945 and made eight successful defenses of the title against six different fighters prior to ...
in a sixth-round TKO at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. The fighting was fairly close in the first three rounds, as the referee gave one round to each fighter, and declared one even. The fourth was fought cautiously but by the fifth, Williams penetrated Beau's defenses and connected repeatedly. Williams brutally ended the bout with a left hook and flurry of subsequent blows in the sixth which led the referee to end the bout. Williams was managed and on occasion financially exploited by boxing promoter Frank "Blinky" Palermo, who was Mafia-connected and a partner of Murder Inc. button-man
Frankie Carbo Paul John "Frankie" Carbo (born Paolo Giovanni Carbo, ; August 10, 1904Bureau of Narcotics, Sam Giancana, The United States Treasury Department. ''Mafia: The Government’s Secret File on Organized Crime''. 2007(pg. 85)/ref> – November 9, 1976) w ...
. Carbo operated a stable of fighters which would later include heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. The first bout marked the start of a rivalry between Williams and Jack who would go on to fight on three more occasions. With Jack's skills clearly waning, Williams took the first match by a split decision, tied in the second match with a draw, and won the third when his opponent Jack was unable to answer the ninth round bell. Their third fight, on August 12, 1958, in Augusta, Georgia, though memorable, marked the end of Jack's career.


Life after boxing

He retired with a record of 83 wins, with 40 knockouts, 24 losses and five draws. After retirement, he ran a drive-in barbecue stand and operated a small farm in
Augusta, Georgia Augusta ( ), officially Augusta–Richmond County, is a consolidated city-county on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies across the Savannah River from South Carolina at the head of its navig ...
. He refereed wrestling matches in South Carolina during the period. With his boxing earnings, he moved to Miami and returned to shoe shining, working at
Miami Beach Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It was incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on natural and man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter of which sep ...
's
Fontainebleau Hotel The Fontainebleau Miami Beach (also known as Fontainebleau Hotel) is a hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. Designed by Morris Lapidus, the luxury hotel opened in 1954. In 2007, the Fontainebleau Hotel was ranked ninety-third in the American Institute ...
. He trained fighters in Miami's Fifth Street Gym.


Family

Beau Jack had seven children, Ronald, Donald, George, Barbara Ann, Yvonne, Georgiana and Timothy. His wife was named Josephine. None of the sons became boxers.


Last years and death

In his later years he suffered from poverty and Parkinson's disease. He died at 78, in a Miami nursing home, on February 9, 2000, of complications from
Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...
.


Honors

Jack was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1979, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.


Professional boxing record


References


External links

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Georgia Sports Hall of FameBeau Jack
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jack, Beau 1921 births 2000 deaths Lightweight boxers World lightweight boxing champions World boxing champions African-American boxers Sportspeople from Augusta, Georgia International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees American male boxers Boxers from Georgia (U.S. state) Deaths from Parkinson's disease Neurological disease deaths in Florida United States Army personnel of World War II United States Army soldiers African Americans in World War II African-American United States Army personnel