On file we have 73 email addresses and 55 phone numbers associated with Henry in area codes such as 757, 941, 401, 609, 314, and 32 other area codes. existed; At the beginning, his performance was rather good but not In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. While successfully defending this welterweight title, Armstrong was also featherweight world champion and defeated Lou Ambers to become world lightweight champion. These 11 fights are the highlight of his career. Armstrong fought as an amateur from 1929 to 1932 and first won the featherweight (126-pound) title by knocking out Petey Sarron in six rounds on October 29, 1937. Up to 1937, Armstrong compiled a record of 52-10. if (document.images) navcontributecold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_contribute_cold.gif"; His biggest hit was "Sweet Adeline", written in 1903 with Richard H. Gerard. On May 31, 1938, he took the welterweight (147-pound) championship . FacebookTwitterYouTubeInstagramLinkedInSnapchatPinterestTiktok, Registered Office: Ground Floor, The Rookery, 2 Dyott Street, London, WC1A 1DE, United Kingdom, Otto - Longest human tunnel travelled through by a skateboarding dog, Ashrita Furman - Most Guinness World Records titles held. The current phone number is (214) 444-3246. 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 was managed by Wirt Ross, Eddie Mead, jazz singer Al Jolson and Hollywood actor George Raft. When Armstrong was 4, the family moved to St. Louis. if (document.images) In January 1935 he lost to Arizmendi for a second time. Henry Armstrong fought a total of 183 times during his professional career. Armstrong was a busy welterweight champion, successfully defending the title 19 times in less than three years. 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. Ill prepared and undernourished, Armstrong lost his first professional fight by a knockout. Two boxers from the Pearl Boxing Club will be fighting in the event: Chown Chop Chop Sims, and Keshaun Big Baby Davis. RECORD. Armstrong was knocked out in the 12-round fight. Garcia was recognized as champion only by New York and California. Henry W. "Harry" Armstrong (July 22, 1879 - February 28, 1951). Armstrong appeared on the TV game show I've Got a Secret with his simultaneous triple championship as his secret. November 25, 1938: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Ceferino Garcia, winning the fight via 15 round unanimous decision. Armstrong's purses had totaled between $500,000 and $1 million, but most of the money was gone when the Hall of Famer retired at age 32. Henry has been found in 17 states including Virginia, North Carolina, Missouri, Kansas, California. navclassiccold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_classic_cold.gif"; Two years later he was ordained as a Baptist minister at Morning Star Baptist Church. It is a testament to Sugar Ray Robinsons greatness as a boxer that when people discuss who was the, Sugar Ray Robinson Henry held three world titles - Welterweight, 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. [2] Historian Bert Sugar also ranked Armstrong as the second-greatest fighter of all time. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. It began in 1964 when he won the Olym, Moore, Archie 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. After that, he concentrated once again on defending the world Welterweight title. Nonetheless, Armstrong had achieved his goal, becoming simultaneously the undisputed champion of the featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight divisions. } document[imgName].src = eval(imgName + 'over.src'); How do we create a person's profile? . Hall of Fame in 1954 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. Armstrong fared even worse in their rematch in 1941, suffering a 12th-round TKO. He played a boxer named Henry "Little Dynamite" Jackson.In 1940, Armstrong challenged Ceferino Garca for a portion of the World Middleweight Championship. Armstrong's attempt to win a world title in a fourth division was frustrated. For a full list of record titles, please use our Record Application Search. Armstrong, however, displayed no interest in fulfilling these wishes. navathletesover.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_athletes_over.gif"; We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. He voluntarily relinquished his featherweight crown, and the next August he lost the lightweight title back to Ambers on a unanimous decision. Henry J Armstrong has a residential history of 3 addresses in 2 cities and now lives at 3411 Kip St, Philadelphia, PA. Henry can be reached via 2 phone numbers. Henry R Armstrong in 1940 United States Federal Census Henry R Armstrong was born circa 1887, at birth place, Connecticut, to John Birracase. But 1938 was an even better year for Armstrong, as he took the two more championships. Henry passed away in March 1981, at age 94. The title bout came August 17, 1938, just three months after his fight with Ross, when Armstrong faced lightweight champion Lou Ambers before a packed house of almost 20,000 fans at Madison Square Garden. Encyclopedia.com. var navpostcardcold = new Image(); Henry Armstrong had a total of 22 losses in his professional boxing career three of them in title bouts and 19 in non-title bouts. var navathletesover = new Image(); His official record was 152 wins, 21 losses and 9 draws, with 101 knockout wins.[10]. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. He made $35 for his pro debut, and was knocked out in three rounds. "In 1938, Armstrong defeated Barney Ross by a fifteen-round unanimous decision to win the World Welterweight Championship, and then defeated Lou Ambers by a fifteen-round split decision to win the World Lightweight Championship.Armstrong was the only boxer to hold world titles in three different weight divisions simultaneously, and all three titles were undisputed championships. Having gained the fame and fortune that was his goal as a young man working on the railroad, Armstrong was able to produce and star in an autobiographical movie, Keep Punching, released in 1939. Armstrong was inducted into Ring magazines Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954. Henry Armstrong now had one win and three losses in four pro fights. } } He first set his sights on the lightweight division, but his challenge to a title fight was declined by lightweight titleholder Lou Ambers. Statistics for all 21 Henry Armstrong results: 61 yrs AVERAGE AGE 40% are in their 40s, while the average age is 61. Here he gained his first boxing experience, winning a competition among the pinboys. American boxer Armstrong, at 133+12 pounds, beat Ross, at 142 pounds, by unanimous decision, adding the World Welterweight Championship to his belt. Two boxers from the Pearl Boxing Club will be fighting in the event: Chown 'Chop Chop' Sims, and Keshaun 'Big Baby' Davis. To this day, he is the only boxer to . Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results Henry Armstrong (1768 - 1868) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. Henry Armstrong's professional boxing career spanned more than 13 years from 1931 to 1945. His mother, America (Armstrong) Jackson was an Iroquois Indian. 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. [1] In 2007, The Ring ranked Armstrong as the second-greatest fighter of the last 80 years. [citation needed], In 1945, Armstrong retired from boxing. When Sims won the title in 20, he was the first Mississippi boxer to hold a title in more than 30 years, according to his coach, Bombay Higginbottom. (WLBT) - The inaugural Henry Armstrong Boxing Classic will be held in Columbus on Saturday. After school, he worked as a pinboy at He quit his job working for the Missouri-Pacific Railroad, figuring he could make his fortune fighting for pay. The fight lasted 15 rounds. He finally relinquished his welterweight title to Fritzie Zivic by unanimous decision after 15 thrilling rounds. "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." Armstrong and his managers realized that they needed to attract attention away from the rising fame of boxer Joe Louis. Its my first time in front of all my friends and family, so Im excited, he said. Al Weill, Ambers' manager, was suspended four months for his unsportsmanlike behavior. He defended his welterweight title a total of nineteen times.The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1937. First, he knocked out featherweight champion Petey Sarron in the sixth round on Oct. 29, 1937. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. After retiring from boxing, Armstrong became an ordained Baptist minister, working with disadvantaged youth. Info Share. His debut as an 18-year-old pro was inauspicious, as he was knocked out in the third round by Al Iovino on July 27, 1931, in Pennsylvania. Fleischer ranked him as the #8 All-Time Welterweight; Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. After retiring from boxing, Armstrong became an ordained Baptist minister, working with disadvantaged youth. However, the fight was so brutal that Armstrong blacked out at the end and could later recall very little of what happened. In defending himself against bullies, he discovered his interest in boxing. In 1943, Armstrong lost a 10-round decision to an up-and-coming Sugar Ray Robinson, who had idolized the three-division champion. Like his mother, his grandmother hoped that he would pursue a career in the ministry. Armstrong started 1937 off with a string of 22 straight wins, en route to 27 total wins that year. Armstrong lost the fight via 10 round PTS. After losing at the trials, he returned to the professional ranks. After several more amateur fights, Armstrong moved to Pittsburgh to pursue a professional career. Al Silvani. Copyright 2023 WLBT. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Archie Moore was one of the most colorful and respected figures in the modern history of boxing. the beginning to the end of every round; His goal was to knock his man She died on the way to the hospital in Armstrong's arms, having suffered chest pains. After retiring from boxing, Armstrong became an ordained Baptist minister, working with disadvantaged youth. African-American Sports Greats: A Biographical Dictionary. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). To pursue his third title, Armstrong dropped back a weight class to compete as a lightweight. [10] Early in his career, he fought some fights under the ring name Melody Jackson. December 11, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Jimmy Garrison, winning the fight via 7th round KO. American boxer and television commentator. Henry Armstrong (1912-1988) became the first boxer in history to hold world titles in three separate weight classes at the same time. 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.Armstrong was one of the few fighters to win in three or more different divisions: featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight. function act(imgName) { October 30, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Bobby Pacho, winning the fight via 4th round TKO. That fight, before 29,088 fans at Yankee Stadium, was another brawl as the fighters pounded each other for 15 rounds. 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. ever hold three undisputed titles at the same time. . It was no contest, with Armstrong's rapid-fire attack overwhelming Ross to gain the 15-round decision. He did manage to win his second fight on points; however, he decided to return to St. Louis. Manage Settings He gained fame in 1938 when he reigned as featherweight, lightweight and welterweight champion. in the mid 1930s, Armstrong was as good as anyone has ever Professional boxer Facing Arizmendi once more in August 1936, Armstrong secured his first title as the new featherweight champion, beating Arizmendi so badly that he was forced to take six months off. 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. Two local boxers fighting in inaugural Henry Armstrong Boxing Classic, The event will be held in Columbus on Saturday, Former wrestler tied to TANF scandal pleads guilty to conspiracy in federal court, 42K Mississippians without power after strong winds cause outages, JPD investigating after vehicle riddled with bullets on Maria Drive, Caver Ks 10, JSU baseball run-rules rival Alcorn State for 7th straight win, JSU footballs Blue and White game receives date, Tougaloo College to play Texas A&M Texarkana in first round of NAIA championship, Request a First Alert Weather School Visit. He was 27-0 with 26 knockouts in 1937, 14-0 with 10 knockouts in 1938, and 59-1-1 with 51 knockouts from December 1936 to October 1940. ." Early in his career, he boxed under Melody Jackson. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. Encyclopedia of World Biography. var navathletescold = new Image(); His mother died a year later, and he was raised by his grandmother. Switch to interactive mode He is now the NBA and The Ring featherweight world champion. Armstrong retired from the ring in 1945. 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. 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. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results Henry Irwin Armstrong (1850 - 1935) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. Armstrong fought as an amateur from 1929 to 1932. His biggest hit was "Sweet Adeline", written in 1903 with Richard Gerard . Garcia retained the title with a draw, but most at ringside felt that Armstrong had won. edited by David Crystal, Second edition. Some of Armstrong's best fights and notable victories include wins over 11 Hall-of-Famers (Sammy Angott, Lew Jenkins, Fritzie Zivic, Pedro Montanez, Baby Arizmendi, Lou Ambers, Barney Ross, Chalky Wright, Petey Sarron, Benny Bass, and Midget Wolgast), Ceferino Garcia, Al Manfredo, Bobby Pacho, Lew Feldman, Howard Scott, and Richie Fontaine. "I was asked to do it, and he thanked me. His outstanding ring record was 151 wins, 21 defeats, and 9 draws with 101 knockouts. 26 of those wins came via knockouts. Lightweight, Featherweight - in a period when only eight weight divisions October 13, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Howard Scott, winning the fight via 2nd round KO. After retirement, he became an ordained minister. 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 had a 151-21-9 record in his 15-year professional career. 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. 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. He decided not to maintain the required 126-pound weight anymore and left the featherweight crown vacant.[12]. was a high pressure, non-stop fighter who threw punches from Armstrong fought as an amateur from 1929 to 1932. 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. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Determined to enter a title fight, Armstrong boldly offered to challenge welterweight champion Barney Ross. He graduated as an honor student from Vashon High School in St. Louis Later he took the surname Armstrong as his fighting name.Armstrong began his professional career on July 28, 1931, in a fight with Al Iovino, in which Armstrong was knocked out in three rounds. Armstrong was dynamite in a small . 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.