Armstrong's streak of 27 knockout wins in a row qualifies as one of the longest knockout win streaks in the history of boxing, according to The Ring magazine. [16] He returned to settle again in St. Louis, Missouri where, apart from the ceremonies and galas that he attended afterward, he led a quiet retirement. 23 Feb. 2023 . 60% MARRIED 60% of these people are married, and 40% are single. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. He became an ordained Baptist minister in 1951. DISCLAIMER: Data may be outdated or incorrect, use at your own discretion. Higginbottom believes Davis can be among the best of the best. Al Silvani. navathletesover.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_athletes_over.gif"; Armstrong fought as an amateur from 1929 to 1932. He died on October 24, 1988 at the age of 75 years. Henry Armstrong, original name Henry Jackson, (born December 12, 1912, Columbus, Mississippi, U.S.died October 24, 1988, Los Angeles, California), American boxer, the only professional boxer to hold world championship titles in three weight divisions simultaneously. He quit his job working for the Missouri-Pacific Railroad, figuring he could make his fortune fighting for pay. var navathletesover = new Image(); . Encyclopedia.com. the beginning to the end of every round; His goal was to knock his man On November 25, 1938 Henry Armstrong defeated Filipino boxer Ceferino Garcia via 15 round unanimous decision. Lightweight, Featherweight - in a period when only eight weight divisions [12], Armstrong's two nicknames were Hurricane Henry and Homicide' Hank. Garcia was 32 years old with a record of 101-24-12 (60 KOs). Professional boxer edited by David Crystal, Second edition. PEARL, Miss. Corrections? Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. Im defending my belt, I think this is about my fourth time to defend this title, and it just means so much for me, Sims said. Fleischer ranked him as the #8 All-Time Welterweight; Armstrong starred in the feature film Keep Punching (1939) in 1939. Armstrong's attempt to win a world title in a fourth division was frustrated. He was elected class president and selected poet laureate of his class, which provided him the opportunity to read a valedictory poem at his graduation ceremony. After retiring from boxing in 1946, Armstrong briefly opened a Harlem nightclub, the Melody Room (named after his first nickname). . Mead was suspended 13 months after accusing commissioner Bill Brown of favoring Ambers. He is the only boxer to this day who simultaneously held three world boxing titles - in Featherweight, Lightweight, and welterweight champion in 1938. Boxing. It is a testament to Sugar Ray Robinsons greatness as a boxer that when people discuss who was the, Sugar Ray Robinson var navclassiccold = new Image(); Gale Research, 1989. http://www.galenet.com(December 13, 2000). Having competed as a featherweight at 126 pounds, Armstrong had to increase his weight to 138 pounds in order to qualify to fight in the welterweight division. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results Henry Armstrong (1861 - 1870) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. By the time Armstrong graduated from high school at the age of 17, the Great Depression had arrived. Returning to St. Louis, he founded the Henry Armstrong Youth Foundation and directed the Herbert Hoover Boys Club. . He defeated Sarron via 6th round KO to become the featherweight champion of the world. Ill prepared and undernourished, Armstrong lost his first professional fight by a knockout. The current phone number is (214) 444-3246. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. Armstrong's mother died of consumption in 1918, leaving the six-year-old under the care of his paternal grandmother. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results Henry Irwin Armstrong (1850 - 1935) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. In 1936, entertainer Al Jolson and actor George Raft underwrote the purchase of Armstrong's managerial contract from Edward Mead.Armstrong knocked out Petey Sarron in six rounds in 1937 to win the World Featherweight Championship, and was named "The Ring Fighter of the Year in 1937. He graduated as an honor student from Vashon High School in St. Louis[9] Later he took the surname Armstrong as his fighting name. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. On October 4, 1940, he lost the championship when Fritzie Zivic outpointed him in 15 rounds. Despite losing three rounds on fouls, having both eyes cut and swollen, and needing 37 stitches later to close the wound inside his mouth, Armstrong won a split decision. Henry Armstrong is a boxer from Mississippi and a world phenomenon in boxing. It was no contest, with Armstrong's rapid-fire attack overwhelming Ross to gain the 15-round decision. He was among the very best of his generation and is one of the pound-for-pound best boxers of all time. He first set his sights on the lightweight division, but his challenge to a title fight was declined by lightweight titleholder Lou Ambers. Its my first time in front of all my friends and family, so Im excited, he said. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Statistics for all 21 Henry Armstrong results: 61 yrs AVERAGE AGE 40% are in their 40s, while the average age is 61. One of the first inductees when the Boxing Hall of Fame opened in 1954, Henry Armstrong is considered one of the top three boxers of all time. Research genealogy for Henry Armstrong of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England, as well as other members of the Armstrong family, on Ancestry. He defeated sixteen world champions. Professional boxer In the days when there were only 8 weight classes, Henry Armstrong held championship belts in three of them at the same time. Armstrong had 22 losses. Intelligent and articulate, he turned to preaching and was ordained a Baptist minister in 1951. What makes a Guinness World Records title? Ambers opened a cut on Armstrong's lower lip, and Armstrong, afraid the referee would stop the fight, swallowed the blood throughout the fight and succeeded in winning on points. Floyd Patterson was born on January 4, 1935 in Waco, North Carolinathe third of 11 children. Armstrong knocked Sarron out in six rounds, becoming the World Featherweight Champion. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. In 1954 he became a charter member of the Boxing Hall of Fame, inducted in its opening year along with Joe Louis and Jack Dempsey. On August 22, 1939, he lost his lightweight title in a rematch with Ambers, and in 1940 he defended his welterweight crown six times before losing the title to Fritzie Zivic on October 4, 1940. Armstrong made his debut against Al Lovino at the age of 18 on July 27, 1931, losing to Lovino via 3rd round KO. His mother, America (Armstrong) Jackson was an Iroquois Indian. Soon after his fight with Ambers, Armstrong, unable to meet the 126-pound limit, relinquished his featherweight title. On October 29, 1937, Armstrong returned to the featherweight division and challenged Petey Sarron for the . Henry died on October 23, 1988 . He lost by knockout only two times in his 15 years of boxing. Henry Armstrong (1912-1988) became the first boxer in history to hold world titles in three separate weight classes at the same time. The streak finally ended when Arizmendi lasted ten rounds before losing a decision to Armstrong in their fourth fight. Desiring to help at-risk youth, he created the Henry Armstrong Youth Foundation and funded the organization from the profits of two books he wrote: Twenty Years of Poem, Moods, and Mediations (1954) and his autobiography, Gloves, Glory, and God (1956). Because the fight was scheduled for just ten rounds, the fight was recognized as a title fight only by California. October 30, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Bobby Pacho, winning the fight via 4th round TKO. Henry Armstrong, original name Henry Jackson, (born December 12, 1912, Columbus, Mississippi, U.S.died October 24, 1988, Los Angeles, California), American boxer, the only professional boxer to hold world championship titles in three weight divisions simultaneously. He also continued his ministry as an assistant pastor of the First Baptist Church. His 1905 song "Nellie Dean" became the signature song of the British music hall singer Gertie Gitana , and a popular British pub song. He grew up in, Frazier, Joe 1944 A Who's Who of Sports Champions: Their Stories and Records. The fight lasted 15 rounds. He met the minimum weight by upping his calorie intake, drinking beer the days before the bout and a lot of water on the day of weigh-in. Henry Irwin Armstrong. function inact(imgName) { Henry Armstrong, the only boxer ever to hold three world titles simultaneously, died of heart failure yesterday in Los Angeles after a lengthy series of illnesses. He is considered to be one of the greatest boxers who lived on Earth. Henry lived in Norwich, Connecticut 06360, USA. He was the son of Henry Jackson Sr., a sharecropper of African American descent and America Jackson, said to be a "full-blooded" Iroquois. compiled a 59-1-1 record (51 KOs) competing against the best in the } In his 2006 book "Boxing's Greatest Fighters," historian Bert Sugar ranked Armstrong as the second greatest fighter of all-time. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Armstrong made his professional boxing debut at the age of 18 on July 27, 1931. His official record was 152 wins, 21 losses and 9 draws, with 101 knockout wins.[10]. Armstrong was in many ways the complete prototype of a pressure. Davis, who has been training at the Pearl Boxing Club, is undefeated so far in his professional career at 4-0, with four knockouts. Skip Ancestry main menu Main Menu. "Latsios spent most of the time retreating before Henry." (Lethbridge Herald) "Nick fought a remarkable fight with his flicking left, back-stepping, hit and run method.Henry was disgusted with his inability to catch the elusive Latsios.In the final frame Armstrong almost scored a knockdown but the wily Nick regained his balance after landing against the ropes." Henry Armstrong is recognized by boxing historians as one of the greatest fighters. 26 of those wins came via knockouts. Ambers had Armstrong spitting blood from a torn bottom lip, and he cut the challenger's eyes as well. Twenty-six of the bouts were ended by a knockout, including that of Sarron in their 126-pound fight. He was the first champion, Im going to be the next champion, Davis said. Henry held three world titles - Welterweight , Lightweight . The most consecutive boxing world welterweight title defences is 18 by Henry Armstrong (USA) from 25 November 1938 to 23 September 1940. Boxing as a featherweight, he gained quite a bit of experience from 1933 to 1935, fighting 46 times, mostly in California and Mexico. Alternate titles: Henry Jackson, Melody Jackson. ." navclassiccold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_classic_cold.gif"; Armstrong was a busy welterweight champion, successfully defending the title 19 times in less than three years. After several more amateur fights, Armstrong moved to Pittsburgh to pursue a professional career. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/henry-armstrong, "Henry Armstrong Switch to interactive mode There he became involved in boxing. His final professional record stood at 174 recorded bouts, 145 wins with 98 by knockout. October 20, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Richie Fontaine, winning the fight via 3rd round TKO. Ross was favored by odds makers three to one over Armstrong; however, when the two met in Long Island City on May 31, 1938, Armstrong won convincingly on points in 15 rounds, earning his second title, Welterweight Champion of the World. How do we create a person's profile? Early in his career, he fought some fights under the ring name Melody Jackson. That was the last time Armstrong would fight for a championship. [14] According to boxing historian Bert Sugar, many commentators of the time said that Armstrong deserved the decision in this fight. He decided not to maintain the required 126-pound weight anymore and left the featherweight crown vacant.[12]. After school, he worked as a pinboy at henry armstrong "homicide hank" 150 Wins 21 Losses 10 Draws 55.8% Stance: Orthodox Age: 113 Date Of Birth: 12 Dec 1909 Height: 5.45 ft (1.66 m) Reach: 66.93 inches (170 cm) Country: United States Universal ID : 8194 edit details henry armstrong opponents PTS Chester Slider (37-18-12) Wed, 14 Feb - 1945 round 10 of 10 . He defeated sixteen world champions.After he quit boxing, he became an ordained minister and devoted himself to underprivileged children. American boxer Following these two losses, however, he started a streak of 11 wins.In 1936, Armstrong split his time among Los Angeles, Mexico City and St. Louis. All rights reserved. var navgallerycold = new Image(); Oxford University Press, 1999. Henry Armstrong (1912-1988) became the first boxer in history to hold world titles in three separate weight classes at the same time. Of 26 title fights, Armstrong won all but four (three losses and a draw). Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Professional boxer, entertainer, businessman Bert Sugar ranks him #2, and I rank him #3 on my list of the greatest boxers of all time. A victory would have given Armstrong a fourth divisional title at a time when there were only eight weight divisions.Armstrong defended the World Welterweight Championship a division record 19 times. package; He His father, suffering from rheumatism, struggled to provide for the family. "Henry Jackson," Contemporary Authors Online, Gale Research, 1999. http://www.galenet.com(December 13, 2000). var navpostcardcold = new Image(); Over the course of his career, Armstrong earned more than $1 million. His mother died a year later, and he was raised by his grandmother. Cambridge University Press, 1998. Armstrong, at 133+12 pounds, beat Ross, at 142 pounds, by unanimous decision, adding the World Welterweight Championship to his belt. ESPN ranked Armstrong as number 3 on their list of the 50 greatest boxers of all time. (You will need to register / login for access). "Henry Armstrong . . Encyclopedia.com. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. In 1932, Armstrong moved to Los Angeles, where he lost two four-round decisions in a row to Eddie Trujillo and Al Greenfield. That didn't surprise anybody in boxing. WHAT MAKES A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TITLE? He did manage to win his second fight on points; however, he decided to return to St. Louis. Guinness World Records Kids (opens in a new window), GWR Merchandise Store (opens in a new window), Corporate Social Responsibility activities & fundraising ideas, Community engagement & tourism marketing activities. He was born in Columbus, Mississippi on December 12, 1912. After winning his second pro fight by decision, he moved to Los Angeles with Harry Armstrong.Once in Los Angeles, he decided to return to the amateur ranks. He had fought 26 world title fights and from 1931 to 1945 had fought 175 bouts, winning 97 by knockouts. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results Henry Armstrong (1887 - Unknown) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. In a publicity stunt, Jolson and Mead falsely advertised the buy-out price as $10,000. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. When Ross demanded the full amount as publicized, entertainer George Raft put up the additional funds and became the third member of Armstrong's management team. Henry W. Armstrong (July 22, 1879 - February 28, 1951) was an American boxer, booking agent, producer, singer, pianist, and Tin Pan Alley composer. A few notable opponents of that year include Ritchie Fontaine, Baby Arizmendi, former world champion Juan Zurita, and Mike Belloise. Early in his career he boxed under the name Melody Jackson. 1716-1914: New York State Religious Records at Findmypast; images only ($) 1809-1850: 10,000 Vital Records of Western New York at Ancestry; index & images, ($) 1875-1916: New York, Yonkers, Birth and Death Registration and Indexes at FamilySearch . Sims is 9-1 in his professional boxing career, with five knockouts in his nine wins. Armstrong lost weight in order to compete in the lower weight division, and beat World Lightweight Champion Lou Ambers by split decision. Henry Armstrong Record & Stats Last Updated: February 6, 2023 In a career spanning 13 years and 6 months, Henry Armstrong fought 183 times with 151 wins, 22 losses, and 10 draws. He also wrote the autobiographical God, Gloves, and Glory (1956). Up to 1937, Armstrong compiled a record of 52-10. His preaching drew significant crowds to revivals and other meetings. The final title bout of his career was a failed attempt to regain the lightweight title in a rematch with Zivic on January 17, 1941. Although Armstrong was outweighed by at least 15 pounds by Ross, he dominated their fight in Madison Square Garden, pounding the champion unmercifully for 11 rounds. worldCharley Rose ranked Armstrong as the #6 All-Time Welterweight; Nat His first title came in 1937 when he wrested the Featherweight Championship from Petey Sarron via 6th round. edited by Melanie Parry, Larousse Kingfisher Chambers Inc., 1997. was a high pressure, non-stop fighter who threw punches from As a child, Henry Jr. moved with his family to St. Louis, Missouri, during the early period of the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South to industrial cities of the Midwest and North. navathletescold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_athletes_cold.gif"; [15], Returning to the welterweight division, Armstrong successfully defended the title five more times, until Fritzie Zivic beat him to take the world title in a 15-round decision. He made $35 for his pro debut, and was knocked out in three rounds. The event is named after the late Mississippi boxer, Henry Armstrong, who, in 1938, became the first boxer to ever hold three world titles at the same time. . Entertainer Al Jolson, who had witnessed the final bout between Armstrong and Arizmendi, was so impressed with Armstrong that he convinced New York manager Eddie Mead to take on the boxer, and Jolson supplied $5,000 to buy out Ross's contract rights to Armstrong. Armstrong worked on his athletic abilities, often running the eight miles to school. var navpostcardover = new Image(); He defended his welterweight title a total of nineteen times.The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1937. Armstrong, however, displayed no interest in fulfilling these wishes. . Garcia was recognized as champion only by New York and California. Two boxers from the Pearl Boxing Club will be fighting in the event: Chown Chop Chop Sims, and Keshaun Big Baby Davis. After retirement, he became an ordained minister. But not for long. American boxer On May 31, 1938, he took the welterweight (147-pound) championship from Barney Ross by decision, and, on August 17 of that year, he defeated Lou Ambers by decision to win the lightweight (135-pound) title. He became a born-again Christian and an ordained Baptist minister and youth advocate, helping to run the Herbert Hoover Boys Club. His early childhood was spent on a plantation owned by Armstrong's grandfather, an Irishman who had married one of his slaves. Early in his career, he boxed under Melody Jackson. Henry married Lou M Armstrong. Armstrong went on to win his last 12 fights in 1936. Born: December 12, 1912. document[imgName].src = eval(imgName + 'cold.src'); On May 31, 1938, he took the welterweight (147-pound) championship . He is currently ranked by BoxRec as the 12th greatest pound-for-pound fighter of all time. been; During 1937, he was 27-0 with 26 knockouts; In 1938, he was 14-0 Henry Armstrong's professional boxing career spanned more than 13 years from 1931 to 1945. Born Henry Jackson on Dec. 12, 1912, in Columbus, Miss., he was the 11th of 15 children. Definitely one of the goals I had in mind, so itll be a good time, to bring everybody out.. function act(imgName) { After the decision was announced, the second fight started; both managers and the New York State Athletic Commission were the participants. Seven months later, a fading Armstrong finally lost his welterweight title after the 19 successful defenses, including six in 1940. #GreatestOfAllTime#HenryArmstrong#TeddyAtlas In an attempt to gain popularity and therefore more important fights with bigger purses, they set a goal of winning titles in three different weight divisions, an accomplishment no boxer had ever achieved. Fighting true to form, Armstrong applied pressure throughout the bout. (February 23, 2023). First of all, Ive got to thank Pearl Boxing Club, because without them this wouldnt be the possible or without God.. Career record 151-21-9 with 101 knockouts (Third All-Time behind Archie Moore & Sugar Ray Robinson) [13], In 1938, Armstrong started his season with seven more knockouts in a row, including one over Chalky Wright, a future world champion. In January 1935 he lost to Arizmendi for a second time. Armstrong began his professional career on July 28, 1931, in a fight with Al Iovino, in which Armstrong was knocked out in three rounds. Audiobook also available on iTunes here: http://bit.ly/ATLASbook **** THE FIGHT T-SHIRTShttps://teddy-atlas.myshopify.com/TEDDY'S SOCIAL MEDIATwitter - http://twitter.com/teddyatlasrealInstagram - http://instagram.com/teddy_atlasTHE FIGHT WITH TEDDY ATLAS SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram - http://instagram.com/thefightWTATwitter - http://twitter.com/thefightwtaFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheFightwithTeddyAtlasBig thanks to VHS collection for intro music. In 2007, The Ring ranked Armstrong as the second-greatest fighter of the last 80 years.