Click here to subscribe to our newsletter. As a youngster, he got into neighborhood street fights. It was no contest, with Armstrong's rapid-fire attack overwhelming Ross to gain the 15-round decision. After school, he worked as a pinboy at After several more amateur fights, Armstrong moved to Pittsburgh to pursue a professional career. But 1938 was an even better year for Armstrong, as he took the two more championships. 26 of those wins came via knockouts. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. ", Ten weeks later, Armstrong's fight with Ambers was a war. Armstrong and his managers realized that they needed to attract attention away from the rising fame of boxer Joe Louis. Professional boxer Twenty-six of the bouts were ended by a knockout, including that of Sarron in their 126-pound fight. Armstrong lost weight in order to compete in the lower weight division, and beat World Lightweight Champion Lou Ambers by split decision. Garcia was recognized as champion only by New York and California. Armstrong's mother died of consumption in 1918, leaving the six-year-old under the care of his paternal grandmother. On March 1, 1940, in Los Angeles, Armstrong sought to become the first-ever four-division champion when he attempted to wrest the middleweight crown from Ceferino Garcia, whom he had decisioned in a welterweight defense in 1938. GET IN TOUCH WITH A RECORD SPECIALIST (Opens in a new window), How to set or break a Guinness World Records title. Well aware that his meager pay would never be sufficient to attend college, Armstrong's life changed one day when the sports section of a discarded newspaper landed at his feet. Armstrong defended his Lightweight belt in a rematch with Ambers, which he lost on a 15-round decision. Aldo Spoldi was the only opponent to take him the full 10 rounds. navathletescold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_athletes_cold.gif"; He became an ordained Baptist minister in 1951. Securing a contract with Cox for three dollars, he had almost 100 amateur fights, in which he won more than half by knockout and lost none. When Armstrong was four years old, his father moved the family to St. Louis, where he and Armstrong's older brothers found work at the Independent Packing Company. He won 14 fights before bypassing the lightweight title and challenging welterweight champion Barney Ross for his crown on May 31, 1938. 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 Jackson was born in Columbus, MS. navclassicover.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_classic_over.gif"; His professio, Hopkins, Bernard 1965 His 1905 song "Nellie Dean" became the signature song of the British music hall singer Gertie Gitana , and a popular British pub song. As an amateur Armstrong fought under the name of Melody Jackson. He was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1990.He was born Henry Jackson, Jr. on December 12, 1912, in Columbus, Mississippi. Armstrong knocked down the champ in the fifth and sixth rounds, but Ambers cut him severely. A few notable opponents of that year include Ritchie Fontaine, Baby Arizmendi, former world champion Juan Zurita, and Mike Belloise. For United States nationwide collections, go to the United States Online Genealogy Records page. Through 1937 Armstrong entered the ring 27 times, winning every fight and knocking out all but one of his opponents. [13], In 1938, Armstrong started his season with seven more knockouts in a row, including one over Chalky Wright, a future world champion. Henry Armstrong - Part One - Top Rank Boxing He is currently ranked by BoxRec as the 12th greatest pound-for-pound fighter of all time. 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. For more details about these defeats, refer to "All of Henry Armstrong's losses". "Henry Armstrong," Notable Black American Men, Gale Research, 1998. http://www.galenet.com(December 13, 2000). Armstrong made his debut against Al Lovino at the age of 18 on July 27, 1931, losing to Lovino via 3rd round KO. He officially turned pro a year later after failing to make the 1932 Olympic team, and he lost his first two fights, both four-round decisions in Los Angeles in 1932. Armstrong was the only boxer to hold world titles in three different weight divisions simultaneously, and all three titles were . Armstrong retired from professional boxing with a record of 151-22-10, which included 100 knockout wins and two losses via knockout, and three title wins. Armstrong was inducted into Ring magazines Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954. ." 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. October 29, 1937: Armstrong wins his first world titles by defeating Petey Sarron via 6th round KO. Henry Armstrong. He had fought 26 world title fights and from 1931 to 1945 had fought 175 bouts, winning 97 by knockouts. In the same year, he fought for an unprecedented fourth title in the middleweight division, but lost to Ceferina Garcia in a controversial decision. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Fleischer ranked him as the #8 All-Time Welterweight; navpostcardcold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_postcard_cold.gif"; he had 72 victories on his ring record. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Birth 10 December 1850 - Detroit City, . Armstrong was in many ways the complete prototype of a pressure. Its a possibility that the heavyweight champion of the world will be from Mississippi one day, he said. Armstrong defended the World Welterweight Championship a division record 19 times. Armstrong was knocked out in the 12-round fight. He gained fame in 1938 when he reigned as featherweight, lightweight and welterweight champion. The Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) named him Fighter of the Year in 1940. Upon his return, he became a boxing manager for a time, but his increasing use of alcohol led to his arrest in Los Angeles. He was stopped two times and lost 20 times via decision. Henry Jackson Jr. (December 12, 1912 - October 24, 1988) was an American professional boxer and a world boxing champion who fought under the name Henry Armstrong . Henry Armstrong, who moved to St. Louis with his family as a youngster, was the only boxer ever to hold three world titles simultaneously. Armstrong was penalized five rounds for low punches, and that cost him the fight as two officials had Ambers winning by only an 8-7 margin. His attempt to regain the welterweight championship on January 17, 1941, resulted in his knockout in the 12th round by Zivic. He and Willa Mae Shony had one daughter, Lanetta. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. Death 9 Feb 1870 - null. That was the last time Armstrong would fight for a championship. He made $35 for his pro debut, and was knocked out in three rounds. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. Mother Ellen Lawrance. the beginning to the end of every round; His goal was to knock his man Star Info Other Info There are 1 person related to this person in our records. In 2007, The Ring ranked Armstrong as the second-greatest fighter of the last 80 years. worldCharley Rose ranked Armstrong as the #6 All-Time Welterweight; Nat Professional Boxer. "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." Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. His biggest hit was "Sweet Adeline", written in 1903 with Richard Gerard . After retiring from boxing, Armstrong became an ordained Baptist minister, working with disadvantaged youth. He was the son of Henry Jackson Sr., a sharecropper of African American descent and America Jackson, said to be a "full-blooded" Iroquois. The Greatest Boxer of All Time - Henry Armstrong, Says Teddy Atlas He was managed by Wirt Ross, Eddie Mead, jazz singer Al Jolson and Hollywood actor George Raft. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1995. Armstrong was a busy welterweight champion, successfully defending the title 19 times in less than three years. Research our Records The National Archives holds records relating to military service during the Revolutionary War, including both Continental troops and state troops that served as Continental troops. So, its just a coincidence that all this is coming together like that.. But there was a sensitive side, too, as he showed at his high school graduation when he read an original poem. By his last professional fight on February 14, 1945, Armstrong's boxing record stood at 151-22-10 (100 KO wins, 2 KO losses). Armstrong had a 151-21-9 record in his 15-year professional career. Born Henry Jackson on Dec. 12, 1912, in Columbus, Miss., he was the 11th of 15 children. (February 23, 2023). Armstrong was 25 years old with a record of 92-12-7 (60 KOs). Henry Armstrong: Record and Stats - MartialBot He also wrote the autobiographical God, Gloves, and Glory (1956). Boxing as a featherweight, he gained quite a bit of experience from 1933 to 1935, fighting 46 times, mostly in California and Mexico. (You will need to register / login for access). Armstrong, at 133+12 pounds, beat Ross, at 142 pounds, by unanimous decision, adding the World Welterweight Championship to his belt. He became known for his whirlwind combination of constant movement and knockout punches, earning him numerous new nicknames, including Homicide Hank, Perpetual Motion, and Hurricane Henry. ESPN.com: He was 'Homicide Hank' for a reason After losing at the trials, he returned to the professional ranks. Armstrong sought to become the first boxer to win world titles in four different categories in a rematch with Garcia, already the World Middleweight Champion, but the fight ended in a ten-round draw. Henry Armstrong Found! - See Phones, Email, Addresses, and More Other honors include his being ranked 2nd on "The Ring's 2002 list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years." var navpostcardcold = new Image(); American boxer and television commentator. During his final years, Armstrong suffered from numerous illnesses, including cataracts and dementia, commonly attributed to the punishment he took as a boxer. Ill prepared and undernourished, Armstrong lost his first professional fight by a knockout. But he was learning how to harness his natural physical gifts; strength, quickness, stamina, and the ability to take a punch. In January 1935 he lost to Arizmendi for a second time. Birth 22 Sep 1768 . $57k AVERAGE INCOME Our wealth data indicates income average is $57k. To this day, he is the only boxer to . He tried for a fourth world title in middleweight but drew with champion Ceferino Garcia. With no money for college and the need to care for his family weighing heavily, Armstrong lied about his age, claiming he was 21 years old, in order to gain employment as a section hand on the Missouri Pacific Railroad. During the final years of the 1940s he traveled to China, Burma, and India with Raft as part of a group sent to entertain soldiers. He kayoed Baby Casanova in three rounds, Belloise in four, Joe Rivers in three, former world champion Frankie Klick in four, and former world champion Benny Bass in four. var navathletescold = new Image(); Armstrong worked on his athletic abilities, often running the eight miles to school. His father, Henry Jackson, Sr., was a sharecropper and a butcher. Cambridge University Press, 1998. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. Because the purses were small, Armstrong fought often, usually at least 12 times a year, and supplemented his income by operating a shoe shine stand from 1931 to 1934. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Higginbottom believes Davis can be among the best of the best. Armstrong fought his first major bout in November 1934, losing the world featherweight championship in a close decision to Baby Arizmendi. October 9, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Al Manfredo, winning the fight via 4th round TKO. 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. His mother, America (Armstrong) Jackson was an Iroquois Indian. Armstrong's attempt to win a world title in a fourth division was frustrated. Henry Armstrong, Boxing Champion, Dead at 75 - The New York Times He defended his welterweight title a total of nineteen times.The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1937. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. Chester Slider, John Thomas, Sugar Ray Robinson, Beau Jack, and Willie Joyce are some of the boxers who have beaten Armstrong. In 1938 with 14 consecutive wins, 10 by knockout, Armstrong achieved his goal, becoming the first boxer to Henry Armstrong, born Henry Jackson, decided to become a boxer after reading in a St. Louis newspaper that Kid Chocolate had beaten Al Singer at the Polo Grounds in New York, and was paid a purse of $75,000.At the "colored" YMCA on Pine Street in St. Louis, he met an older fighter named Harry Armstrong, who became his friend, mentor, and trainer. While he was certainly a formidable boxer, he hadn't yet established himself as one of the all-time greats. Henry Armstrong (1912-1988) became the first boxer in history to hold world titles in three separate weight classes at the same time. Al Silvani. He finally did beat Zivic, by decision in 1942, but Zivic was no longer champ. ." Two years later he was ordained as a Baptist minister at Morning Star Baptist Church. Seven months later, a fading Armstrong finally lost his welterweight title after the 19 successful defenses, including six in 1940. By his last fight, his KO ratio was at 54.6%. Henry Armstrong. Its kind of special saying that Im from Columbus, hes from Columbus. existed; At the beginning, his performance was rather good but not He grew up in, Frazier, Joe 1944 His preaching drew significant crowds to revivals and other meetings. Henry lived in Norwich, Connecticut 06360, USA. It is a testament to Sugar Ray Robinsons greatness as a boxer that when people discuss who was the, Sugar Ray Robinson Like his mother, his grandmother hoped that he would pursue a career in the ministry. edited by David Crystal, Second edition. 149-21-9 (100 KO) Armstrong was dynamite in a small package; He was a high pressure, non-stop fighter who threw punches from the beginning to the end of every round; His goal was to knock his man out - if he didn't manage that, he certainly battered him thoroughly. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. The former fighter, who for. ." . Henry Armstrong - BoxRec Background. A Who's Who of Sports Champions: Their Stories and Records. But not for long. He voluntarily relinquished his featherweight crown, and the next August he lost the lightweight title back to Ambers on a unanimous decision. Born Henry Jackson, Jr., on December 12, 1912, in Columbus, Mississippi, Armstrong was the eleventh of the family's 15 children. Early in his career, he boxed under Melody Jackson. // He played a boxer named Henry "Little Dynamite" Jackson.In 1940, Armstrong challenged Ceferino Garca for a portion of the World Middleweight Championship. In a publicity stunt, Jolson and Mead falsely advertised the buy-out price as $10,000. PEARL, Miss. Therefore, its best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publications requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results Henry Armstrong (1768 - 1868) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. Henry Armstrong - Historical records and family trees - MyHeritage Henry Armstrong | Discography | Discogs . For all the details about Armstrong's world title wins and defenses refer to "Henry Armstrong World Titles". His biggest hit was "Sweet Adeline", written in 1903 with Richard H. Gerard. To pursue his third title, Armstrong dropped back a weight class to compete as a lightweight. in the mid 1930s, Armstrong was as good as anyone has ever Henry Armstrong is a boxer from Mississippi and a world phenomenon in boxing. Velma Tartt was a former girlfriend from his high school days. Henry Armstrong 1861-1870 - Ancestry In his 2006 book "Boxing's Greatest Fighters," historian Bert Sugar ranked Armstrong as the second greatest fighter of all-time. During the fight Armstrong suffered an eye injury that required surgery. BoxRec: Henry Armstrong March 16, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring lightweight titles against Lew Feldman, winning the fight via 1st round KO. With his aggressive attitude and incessant windmill style, he was all over opponents, as evidenced by his 101 knockouts and his nickname of Homicide Hank. Updates? //]]>. Mead was suspended 13 months after accusing commissioner Bill Brown of favoring Ambers. Henry "Hurricane Hank" Armstrong (1912-1988) - Find a Grave 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 did manage to win his second fight on points; however, he decided to return to St. Louis. He graduated as an honor student from Vashon High School in St. Louis[9] Later he took the surname Armstrong as his fighting name. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. Armstrong fared even worse in their rematch in 1941, suffering a 12th-round TKO.