Sunday, July 28, 2013
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Jack Johnson
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 5 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. CON. RES. 5
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Whereas John Arthur ``Jack'' Johnson was a flamboyant, defiant, and
controversial figure in the history of the United States who challenged
racial biases;
Whereas Jack Johnson was born in Galveston, Texas, in 1878 to parents who were
former slaves;
Whereas Jack Johnson became a professional boxer and traveled throughout the
United States, fighting White and African-American heavyweights;
Whereas after being denied (on purely racial grounds) the opportunity to fight 2
White champions, in 1908, Jack Johnson was granted an opportunity by an
Australian promoter to fight the reigning White title-holder, Tommy
Burns;
Whereas Jack Johnson defeated Tommy Burns to become the first African-American
to hold the title of Heavyweight Champion of the World;
Whereas the victory by Jack Johnson over Tommy Burns prompted a search for a
White boxer who could beat Jack Johnson, a recruitment effort that was
dubbed the search for the ``great white hope'';
Whereas, in 1910, a White former champion named Jim Jeffries left retirement to
fight Jack Johnson in Reno, Nevada;
Whereas Jim Jeffries lost to Jack Johnson in what was deemed the ``Battle of the
Century'';
Whereas the defeat of Jim Jeffries by Jack Johnson led to rioting, aggression
against African-Americans, and the racially motivated murder of African-
Americans nationwide;
Whereas the relationships of Jack Johnson with White women compounded the
resentment felt toward him by many Whites;
Whereas, between 1901 and 1910, 754 African-Americans were lynched, some for
simply for being ``too familiar'' with White women;
Whereas, in 1910, Congress passed the Act of June 25, 1910 (commonly known as
the ``White Slave Traffic Act'' or the ``Mann Act'') (18 U.S.C. 2421 et
seq.), which outlawed the transportation of women in interstate or
foreign commerce ``for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or for
any other immoral purpose'';
Whereas, in October 1912, Jack Johnson became involved with a White woman whose
mother disapproved of their relationship and sought action from the
Department of Justice, claiming that Jack Johnson had abducted her
daughter;
Whereas Jack Johnson was arrested by Federal marshals on October 18, 1912, for
transporting the woman across State lines for an ``immoral purpose'' in
violation of the Mann Act;
Whereas the Mann Act charges against Jack Johnson were dropped when the woman
refused to cooperate with Federal authorities, and then married Jack
Johnson;
Whereas Federal authorities persisted and summoned a White woman named Belle
Schreiber, who testified that Jack Johnson had transported her across
State lines for the purpose of ``prostitution and debauchery'';
Whereas, in 1913, Jack Johnson was convicted of violating the Mann Act and
sentenced to 1 year and 1 day in Federal prison;
Whereas Jack Johnson fled the United States to Canada and various European and
South American countries;
Whereas Jack Johnson lost the Heavyweight Championship title to Jess Willard in
Cuba in 1915;
Whereas Jack Johnson returned to the United States in July 1920, surrendered to
authorities, and served nearly a year in the Federal penitentiary at
Leavenworth, Kansas;
Whereas Jack Johnson subsequently fought in boxing matches, but never regained
the Heavyweight Championship title;
Whereas Jack Johnson served his country during World War II by encouraging
citizens to buy war bonds and participating in exhibition boxing matches
to promote the war bond cause;
Whereas Jack Johnson died in an automobile accident in 1946;
Whereas, in 1954, Jack Johnson was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame; and
Whereas, on July 29, 2009, the 111th Congress agreed to Senate Concurrent
Resolution 29, which expressed the sense of the 111th Congress that Jack
Johnson should receive a posthumous pardon for his racially motivated
1913 conviction: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring),
That it remains the sense of Congress that Jack Johnson should receive
a posthumous pardon--
(1) to expunge a racially motivated abuse of the
prosecutorial authority of the Federal Government from the
annals of criminal justice in the United States; and
(2) in recognition of the athletic and cultural
contributions of Jack Johnson to society.
Passed the Senate April 17, 2013.
Attest:
Secretary.
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. CON. RES. 5
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Congress that John Arthur ``Jack'' Johnson
should receive a posthumous pardon for the racially motivated
conviction in 1913 that diminished the athletic, cultural, and historic
significance of Jack Johnson and unduly tarnished his reputation
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 5 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. CON. RES. 5
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Whereas John Arthur ``Jack'' Johnson was a flamboyant, defiant, and
controversial figure in the history of the United States who challenged
racial biases;
Whereas Jack Johnson was born in Galveston, Texas, in 1878 to parents who were
former slaves;
Whereas Jack Johnson became a professional boxer and traveled throughout the
United States, fighting White and African-American heavyweights;
Whereas after being denied (on purely racial grounds) the opportunity to fight 2
White champions, in 1908, Jack Johnson was granted an opportunity by an
Australian promoter to fight the reigning White title-holder, Tommy
Burns;
Whereas Jack Johnson defeated Tommy Burns to become the first African-American
to hold the title of Heavyweight Champion of the World;
Whereas the victory by Jack Johnson over Tommy Burns prompted a search for a
White boxer who could beat Jack Johnson, a recruitment effort that was
dubbed the search for the ``great white hope'';
Whereas, in 1910, a White former champion named Jim Jeffries left retirement to
fight Jack Johnson in Reno, Nevada;
Whereas Jim Jeffries lost to Jack Johnson in what was deemed the ``Battle of the
Century'';
Whereas the defeat of Jim Jeffries by Jack Johnson led to rioting, aggression
against African-Americans, and the racially motivated murder of African-
Americans nationwide;
Whereas the relationships of Jack Johnson with White women compounded the
resentment felt toward him by many Whites;
Whereas, between 1901 and 1910, 754 African-Americans were lynched, some for
simply for being ``too familiar'' with White women;
Whereas, in 1910, Congress passed the Act of June 25, 1910 (commonly known as
the ``White Slave Traffic Act'' or the ``Mann Act'') (18 U.S.C. 2421 et
seq.), which outlawed the transportation of women in interstate or
foreign commerce ``for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or for
any other immoral purpose'';
Whereas, in October 1912, Jack Johnson became involved with a White woman whose
mother disapproved of their relationship and sought action from the
Department of Justice, claiming that Jack Johnson had abducted her
daughter;
Whereas Jack Johnson was arrested by Federal marshals on October 18, 1912, for
transporting the woman across State lines for an ``immoral purpose'' in
violation of the Mann Act;
Whereas the Mann Act charges against Jack Johnson were dropped when the woman
refused to cooperate with Federal authorities, and then married Jack
Johnson;
Whereas Federal authorities persisted and summoned a White woman named Belle
Schreiber, who testified that Jack Johnson had transported her across
State lines for the purpose of ``prostitution and debauchery'';
Whereas, in 1913, Jack Johnson was convicted of violating the Mann Act and
sentenced to 1 year and 1 day in Federal prison;
Whereas Jack Johnson fled the United States to Canada and various European and
South American countries;
Whereas Jack Johnson lost the Heavyweight Championship title to Jess Willard in
Cuba in 1915;
Whereas Jack Johnson returned to the United States in July 1920, surrendered to
authorities, and served nearly a year in the Federal penitentiary at
Leavenworth, Kansas;
Whereas Jack Johnson subsequently fought in boxing matches, but never regained
the Heavyweight Championship title;
Whereas Jack Johnson served his country during World War II by encouraging
citizens to buy war bonds and participating in exhibition boxing matches
to promote the war bond cause;
Whereas Jack Johnson died in an automobile accident in 1946;
Whereas, in 1954, Jack Johnson was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame; and
Whereas, on July 29, 2009, the 111th Congress agreed to Senate Concurrent
Resolution 29, which expressed the sense of the 111th Congress that Jack
Johnson should receive a posthumous pardon for his racially motivated
1913 conviction: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring),
That it remains the sense of Congress that Jack Johnson should receive
a posthumous pardon--
(1) to expunge a racially motivated abuse of the
prosecutorial authority of the Federal Government from the
annals of criminal justice in the United States; and
(2) in recognition of the athletic and cultural
contributions of Jack Johnson to society.
Passed the Senate April 17, 2013.
Attest:
Secretary.
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. CON. RES. 5
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Congress that John Arthur ``Jack'' Johnson
should receive a posthumous pardon for the racially motivated
conviction in 1913 that diminished the athletic, cultural, and historic
significance of Jack Johnson and unduly tarnished his reputation
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Schuylkill County,Pa. Hall Of Fame Boxing Champion
Billy Speary is hailed by many as the greatest fighter to come out of Tamaqua, Schuylkill County and had the awards to prove it. He was champion of his division (flyweight and bantamweight) in National A.A.U. competition from 1937-39, then fought five years in the professional ranks.
Sunday Independent, April 7, 1985
Where do we begin the Billy Speary story? Billy Speary, three time National A.A.U. boxing champion (actually he was holder of 15 titles as an amateur). Billy Speary, professional prizefighter who took on four world's champions (while they held their crowns). Billy Speary, the greatest fighter ever come out of Luzerne County.
Simply put, Speary, the kid from West Nanticoke, fought the best and defeated the best. He died much too young, at the age of 49 (on October 24, 1967),so they'll be saluting him posthumously when he's inducted into the Wyoming Valley Boxing Hall Of Fame April 19 at the Wilkes-Barre American Legion. It's the local Hall's second annual fete and along with Speary, ex-middleweight Neil Miller and the late Jim McCarthy, veteran sportscaster who passed away March 20, will be honored.
But, back to Speary. We rummaged through old newspapers last week and uncovered some stories about his start in the boxing game.
Seems as though Speary's brother, Wesley, was a fair-to-middlin' boxer himself so was inevitable, perhaps, that young Billy would follow his older brother to training quarters. Billy was a skinny, 90-pounder, attending Nanticoke High School when he began training under the watchful eye of Art Thomas. He had been sickly all his life and thought training would build him up.
But, there's a yarn in the Philadelphia Inquirer which tells the best (it was written after he became A.A.U. champ). It follows: "Three years ago his older brother taunted him about being a "scaredy-cat".
That's the reason Bill Speary, 19-year-old Tamaqua Pa., youth holds the 112-pound championship after retaining his crown in the Inquirer AA Diamond Belt boxing finale Thursday night at the arena.
Well, if you are only a 16-year-old skinny kid of weighed about 100 pounds, you too, would have resented an older and heavier brother pounding the tar out of you.
Every time brother Wesley Speary, also an amateur boxer, tagged Bill the younger boy would duck to a corner or hide his face between his hands.
Bill Speary didn't relish the likes of his brother's punishment and put on the whining act until the older boys said, "Scaredy-cat."
"That was too much for me, so I walked right into his punches and took a good beating. But it was the best thing that happened to me. From then on I made up my mind to become a boxer," said Flyweight Speary as he related his baptismal experiences.
Fortunately for Bill, Arthur Thomas moved to Nanticoke, across the river, about three years ago and thus began an alliance that has clicked both ways. Thomas works in the coal mines and his spare moments are spent developing young amateur boxers. Thomas took Bill Speary in hand and they join the Tamaqua K. of C., haven for amateur aspirants in the coal district.
But Tamaqua is 40 miles from West Nanticoke, so Thomas and Bill Speary make for their town fire house every night, and there in the glowing warmth of the engine room do some boxing."
From these humble beginnings, Billy Speary would go on to earn the title of champion.
In 1937 he entered the Diamond Belt district eliminations in Tamaqua - and the rest is history: three times national A.A.U. champion, not to mention his three international championships in amateur ranks. He simply ruled the roost in the 112-pound and 118-pound ranks during his reign as champion.
Speary always had his sights set on winning the Olympics, but because of the outbreak of hostilities, leading to World War II, the Olympics were called off in 1940 and that's when he decided to turn pro.
As a pro, he fought the best in the world, including sizzlers with bantamweight and featherweight champ Harry Jeffra, and Joey Archibald, Jackie Callura and Willie Pep, the latter three having held the 126-pound crown. In three bouts with Jeffra, the featherweight champ, Speary won the first in a 10-round decision at Wilkes-Barre on November 19, 1940 but an overweight clause saved Jeffra's title.
Speary retired from the ring in 1944 but performed in a referee's capacity in many bouts in the Wilkes-Barre-Scranton area.
When he died in 1967, he was living with his family in Bethlehem, where he was employed as a welder for Bethlehem fabricating, Inc.
It's been 41 years since Billy Speary last entered a ring to do battle-but we'll never forget him. And, they'll be remembering him Friday, April 19, at the Legion. Billy Speary, the boxing legend.
Plaque commemorating induction
Hall Of Fame
Portrait
AWARD FOR BILLY
Sunday Independent, April 7, 1985
Where do we begin the Billy Speary story? Billy Speary, three time National A.A.U. boxing champion (actually he was holder of 15 titles as an amateur). Billy Speary, professional prizefighter who took on four world's champions (while they held their crowns). Billy Speary, the greatest fighter ever come out of Luzerne County.
Simply put, Speary, the kid from West Nanticoke, fought the best and defeated the best. He died much too young, at the age of 49 (on October 24, 1967),so they'll be saluting him posthumously when he's inducted into the Wyoming Valley Boxing Hall Of Fame April 19 at the Wilkes-Barre American Legion. It's the local Hall's second annual fete and along with Speary, ex-middleweight Neil Miller and the late Jim McCarthy, veteran sportscaster who passed away March 20, will be honored.
But, back to Speary. We rummaged through old newspapers last week and uncovered some stories about his start in the boxing game.
Seems as though Speary's brother, Wesley, was a fair-to-middlin' boxer himself so was inevitable, perhaps, that young Billy would follow his older brother to training quarters. Billy was a skinny, 90-pounder, attending Nanticoke High School when he began training under the watchful eye of Art Thomas. He had been sickly all his life and thought training would build him up.
But, there's a yarn in the Philadelphia Inquirer which tells the best (it was written after he became A.A.U. champ). It follows: "Three years ago his older brother taunted him about being a "scaredy-cat".
That's the reason Bill Speary, 19-year-old Tamaqua Pa., youth holds the 112-pound championship after retaining his crown in the Inquirer AA Diamond Belt boxing finale Thursday night at the arena.
Well, if you are only a 16-year-old skinny kid of weighed about 100 pounds, you too, would have resented an older and heavier brother pounding the tar out of you.
Every time brother Wesley Speary, also an amateur boxer, tagged Bill the younger boy would duck to a corner or hide his face between his hands.
Bill Speary didn't relish the likes of his brother's punishment and put on the whining act until the older boys said, "Scaredy-cat."
"That was too much for me, so I walked right into his punches and took a good beating. But it was the best thing that happened to me. From then on I made up my mind to become a boxer," said Flyweight Speary as he related his baptismal experiences.
Fortunately for Bill, Arthur Thomas moved to Nanticoke, across the river, about three years ago and thus began an alliance that has clicked both ways. Thomas works in the coal mines and his spare moments are spent developing young amateur boxers. Thomas took Bill Speary in hand and they join the Tamaqua K. of C., haven for amateur aspirants in the coal district.
But Tamaqua is 40 miles from West Nanticoke, so Thomas and Bill Speary make for their town fire house every night, and there in the glowing warmth of the engine room do some boxing."
From these humble beginnings, Billy Speary would go on to earn the title of champion.
In 1937 he entered the Diamond Belt district eliminations in Tamaqua - and the rest is history: three times national A.A.U. champion, not to mention his three international championships in amateur ranks. He simply ruled the roost in the 112-pound and 118-pound ranks during his reign as champion.
Speary always had his sights set on winning the Olympics, but because of the outbreak of hostilities, leading to World War II, the Olympics were called off in 1940 and that's when he decided to turn pro.
As a pro, he fought the best in the world, including sizzlers with bantamweight and featherweight champ Harry Jeffra, and Joey Archibald, Jackie Callura and Willie Pep, the latter three having held the 126-pound crown. In three bouts with Jeffra, the featherweight champ, Speary won the first in a 10-round decision at Wilkes-Barre on November 19, 1940 but an overweight clause saved Jeffra's title.
Speary retired from the ring in 1944 but performed in a referee's capacity in many bouts in the Wilkes-Barre-Scranton area.
When he died in 1967, he was living with his family in Bethlehem, where he was employed as a welder for Bethlehem fabricating, Inc.
It's been 41 years since Billy Speary last entered a ring to do battle-but we'll never forget him. And, they'll be remembering him Friday, April 19, at the Legion. Billy Speary, the boxing legend.
Plaque commemorating induction
Hall Of Fame
Portrait
AWARD FOR BILLY
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Saturday, July 20, 2013
What was the shortest boxing match ever
What was the shortest boxing match Ricky Parkey stopped Broderick Mason in 8 seconds on Tuesday 11 December 1984.
THE DUMBBELL WAS INVENTED BY A BOXING CHAMPION
By: Aaron Snowell
"Trainer Of Champions"
Tom Owens is credited with the invention of the dumbbell. A native of Hampshir, England. He defeated William Hooper on Novemeber 14, 1796 in harrow winning in 50rounds for the Championship of England.
Owen hold the title until August 1797, He claimed the title, but failed to get any recognition.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Friday, July 5, 2013
Ghana Amaterur Boxing Federation
President of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation (GABF), Ambassador Ray Quarcoo, has been elevated to serve as a member of the Executive Committee of African Boxing Confederation.
And by the honour conferred on him during the last AIBA Conference in Lome, Togo, over the weekend, he will be among high profile officials whose decisions influence the day-to-day running of boxing on the continent.
Suprised by the honour, Mr Quarco thanked the body for the honour done him and pledged to bring his rich experience to bear on the committee for the development of the sport.
“I am highly honoured to serve in this high office, I promise to contribute my quota to the good works you are already embarking on.
I am, indeed, grateful, and like I am doing back home, I will give my best shot,” he said in an interview.
And by the honour conferred on him during the last AIBA Conference in Lome, Togo, over the weekend, he will be among high profile officials whose decisions influence the day-to-day running of boxing on the continent.
Suprised by the honour, Mr Quarco thanked the body for the honour done him and pledged to bring his rich experience to bear on the committee for the development of the sport.
“I am highly honoured to serve in this high office, I promise to contribute my quota to the good works you are already embarking on.
I am, indeed, grateful, and like I am doing back home, I will give my best shot,” he said in an interview.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
