In a career spanning 13 years and 6 months, Henry Armstrong fought 183 times with 151 wins, 22 losses, and 10 draws. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) in 1990. He was managed by Wirt Ross, Eddie Mead, jazz singer Al Jolson and Hollywood actor George Raft. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. He is now the NBA and The Ring featherweight world champion. if (document.images) { been; During 1937, he was 27-0 with 26 knockouts; In 1938, he was 14-0 His 1905 song "Nellie Dean" became the signature song of the British music hall singer Gertie Gitana , and a popular British pub song. Armstrong was one of the few fighters to win in three or more different divisions: featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight. Copyright 2023 WLBT. There he became involved in boxing. Bernard Hopkins has been nicknamed the Executioner for the way he dispatches opponents and for the way he enters the rin, Henrquez y Carvajal, Francisco (18591935), Henry Cogswell College: Narrative Description, Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery, Henry Ford Community College: Distance Learning Programs, Henry Ford Community College: Narrative Description, Henry Ford Community College: Tabular Data, https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/henry-armstrong. May 31, 1938: Armstrong wins the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles from Barney Ross, by beating Ross via 15 round unanimous decision. After Armstrong turned the trick in 1938, no boxer was ever again allowed to be a champion in more than one weight division simultaneously.In 1939, Armstrong lost the World Lightweight Championship in a rematch with Ambers by a fifteen-round unanimous decision. Armstrong knocked down the champ in the fifth and sixth rounds, but Ambers cut him severely. 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. While successfully defending this welterweight title, Armstrong was also featherweight world champion and defeated Lou Ambers to become world lightweight champion. document[imgName].src = eval(imgName + 'cold.src'); He was among the very best of his generation and is one of the pound-for-pound best boxers of all time. 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. 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. By his last fight, his KO ratio was at 54.6%. Continue with Recommended Cookies, The most consecutive boxing world welterweight title defences is 18 by Henry Armstrong (USA) from 25 November 1938 to 23 September 1940.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'guinnessworldrecords_com-box-3','ezslot_2',108,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-guinnessworldrecords_com-box-3-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'guinnessworldrecords_com-box-3','ezslot_3',108,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-guinnessworldrecords_com-box-3-0_1');.box-3-multi-108{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding-bottom:20px!important;padding-top:20px!important;text-align:center!important}. After that marriage ended in divorce, Armstrong married a second time in 1960. Hometown: Columbus, MS. Year Induction: 2010. // -->. Armstrong was inducted into Ring magazines Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954. "I was asked to do it, and he thanked me. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Garcia retained the title with a draw, but most at ringside felt that Armstrong had won. [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. Armstrong worked on his athletic abilities, often running the eight miles to school. Armstrong was a busy welterweight champion, successfully defending the title 19 times in less than three years. The Cambridge Biographical Encyclopedia. American boxer Henry Armstrong 1887-1955 - Ancestry 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. After several more amateur fights, Armstrong moved to Pittsburgh to pursue a professional career. Home; . 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. He is currently the Mid America super middle weight title holder, winning the title in 2020. On October 29, 1937, Armstrong returned to the featherweight division and challenged Petey Sarron for the . 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. Henry Armstrong - Part One - Top Rank Boxing Reading that a boxer named Kid Chocolate received $75,000 for one bout, Armstrong quickly abandoned his railroad job to pursue a career as a boxer. Henry "Hurricane Hank" Armstrong (1912-1988) - Find a Grave The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1937. Armstrong began his professional career on July 28, 1931, in a fight with Al Iovino, in which Armstrong was knocked out in three rounds. Chambers Biographical Dictionary. A Who's Who of Sports Champions: Their Stories and Records. [11], In 1937 alone, Armstrong went 270 (26KO). The Greatest Infighter of All Time - YouTube Armstrong, however, displayed no interest in fulfilling these wishes. [citation needed], In 1945, Armstrong retired from boxing. . Chester Slider, John Thomas, Sugar Ray Robinson, Beau Jack, and Willie Joyce are some of the boxers who have beaten Armstrong. Henry Irwin Armstrong. After retiring from boxing, Armstrong became an ordained Baptist minister, working with disadvantaged youth. Following these two losses, however, he started a streak of 11 wins. In 1949 Armstrong experienced a religious conversion and turned his life around. 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. That was the last time Armstrong would fight for a championship. Birth abt 1887 - Iron Bridge, Shropshire, England. All records listed on our website are current and up-to-date. Armstrong won his most significant fight when he overcame alcoholism. Armstrong had 22 losses. Armstrong won the fight, knocking out Sarron in the sixth round, thus earning his first world title as the Featherweight Champion of the World. Bert Sugar ranks him #2, and I rank him #3 on my list of the greatest boxers of all time. He defeated Bobby Pacho at the Tropical Stadium in Havana, Cuba, in his fourth successful defence. Returning to St. Louis, he became a minister, helped run the Herbert Hoover Boys' Club and trained young boxers. The streak finally ended when Arizmendi lasted ten rounds before losing a decision to Armstrong in their fourth fight. He also continued his ministry as an assistant pastor of the First Baptist Church. The former fighter, who for. $57k AVERAGE INCOME Our wealth data indicates income average is $57k. New York Online Genealogy Records - FamilySearch Free Family Trees 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. His biggest hit was "Sweet Adeline", written in 1903 with Richard H. Gerard. He teamed up with -- and took the surname of -- a trainer and former boxer named Henry Armstrong. Fleischer ranked him as the #8 All-Time Welterweight; His first win came later that year, beating Sammy Burns by a decision in six. ." Houghton Mifflin Company, 1995. As a youngster, he got into neighborhood street fights. Boxing as a featherweight, he gained quite a bit of experience from 1933 to 1935, fighting 46 times, mostly in California and Mexico. 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. Here he gained his first boxing experience, winning a competition among the pinboys. The event is even more special for Davis. He was a 3-weight-class world champion. While attending Toussaint L'Ouverture Grammar School in St. Louis, Armstrong acquired the nickname "Red" due to his curly sandy hair with a reddish tint. That didn't surprise anybody in boxing. Armstrong lost the fight via 10 round PTS. Henry Armstrong. Small in stature, he was often the target for teasing. 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. By his last professional fight on February 14, 1945, Armstrong's boxing record stood at 151-22-10 (100 KO wins, 2 KO losses). Taking the name Melody Jackson, Armstrong won his first amateur fight at the St. Louis Coliseum in 1929, by a knockout in the second round. Henry Armstrong's professional boxing career spanned more than 13 years from 1931 to 1945. "Henry Armstrong Its my first time in front of all my friends and family, so Im excited, he said. 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 . To pursue his third title, Armstrong dropped back a weight class to compete as a lightweight. Boxer Henry Armstrong is recognized by boxing historians as one of the greatest fighters. navgalleryover.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_gallery_over.gif"; navathletesover.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_athletes_over.gif"; 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. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. On October 4, 1940, he lost the championship when Fritzie Zivic outpointed him in 15 rounds. His early childhood was spent on a plantation owned by Armstrong's grandfather, an Irishman who had married one of his slaves. 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. ESPN.com: He was 'Homicide Hank' for a reason Birth 10 December 1850 - Detroit City, . WHAT MAKES A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TITLE? We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. The next year was an incredible one for Armstrong as he fought 27 times -- and won all of them. As an amateur Armstrong fought under the name of Melody Jackson. Garcia was recognized as champion only by New York and California. Armstrong went on to win his last 12 fights in 1936. There he became involved in boxing. 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. On March 1, 1940, Armstrong attempted to win from Ceferino Garcia the New York State version of the middleweight (160-pound) title, which was then in dispute, but the decision was a draw, permitting Garcia to retain the championship. Cambridge University Press, 1998. Armstrong was dynamite in a small Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Armstrong was one of the few fighters to win in three or more different divisions: featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight. 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. Born: December 12, 1912. Henry W. Armstrong - Wikipedia In January 1935 he lost to Arizmendi for a second time. Floyd Patterson was born on January 4, 1935 in Waco, North Carolinathe third of 11 children. 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. His mother, America (Armstrong) Jackson was an Iroquois Indian. To this day, he is the only boxer to . How do we create a person's profile? Cyber Boxing Zone -- Henry Armstrong American boxer Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/henry-armstrong. The Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) named him Fighter of the Year in 1940. Henry held three world titles - Welterweight , Lightweight . Davis, who has been training at the Pearl Boxing Club, is undefeated so far in his professional career at 4-0, with four knockouts. Two years later he was ordained as a Baptist minister at Morning Star Baptist Church. First of all, Ive got to thank Pearl Boxing Club, because without them this wouldnt be the possible or without God.. For a full list of record titles, please use our Record Application Search. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. the beginning to the end of every round; His goal was to knock his man Henry passed away in March 1981, at age 94. Like his mother, his grandmother hoped that he would pursue a career in the ministry. [11] In February 1966, Rev. He defended his welterweight title a total of nineteen times.The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1937. After retiring from boxing in 1946, Armstrong briefly opened a Harlem nightclub, the Melody Room (named after his first nickname). Encyclopedia.com. Henry Armstrong. Five-time middleweight champion of the world, Sugar Ray Robinson is remembered as the greatest boxer ever, Patterson, Floyd 1935 These 11 fights are the highlight of his career. . Info Share. Henry Armstrong Boxer Stats - BoxStat.co "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." The fight lasted 15 rounds. In defending himself against bullies, he discovered his interest in boxing. var navclassiccold = new Image(); Henry Armstrong (1912-1988) became the first boxer in history to hold world titles in three separate weight classes at the same time. Lightweight, Featherweight - in a period when only eight weight divisions Henry Armstrong, born 1887 - Ancestry You may want to start by searching for a person's Military Service Records and Pension and Bounty Land records. navgallerycold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_gallery_cold.gif"; Info Share. But 1938 was an even better year for Armstrong, as he took the two more championships. Historian Bert Sugar also ranked Armstrong as the second-greatest fighter of all time. Armstrong defended the World Welterweight Championship a division record 19 times. Its a possibility that the heavyweight champion of the world will be from Mississippi one day, he said. His first win came later that year, beating Sammy Burns by a decision in six. Armstrong moved to Los Angeles, where he resumed his amateur status. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Henry R Armstrong in 1940 United States Federal Census Henry R Armstrong was born circa 1887, at birth place, Connecticut, to John Birracase. Father Charles Godfrey Armstrong. He was born in Columbus, Mississippi on December 12, 1912. Statistics for all 21 Henry Armstrong results: 61 yrs AVERAGE AGE 40% are in their 40s, while the average age is 61. He defeated sixteen world champions.After he quit boxing, he became an ordained minister and devoted himself to underprivileged children. His father, Henry Jackson, Sr., was a sharecropper and a butcher. [citation needed], Later in 1938, Armstrong, still the Featherweight division world champion, challenged Barney Ross for the title. In 1990 his name was added posthumously to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. 100% CAUCASIAN Our ethnicity data indicates the majority is Caucasian. Early in his career, he fought some fights under the ring name Melody Jackson. The Ring, a boxing magazine, named Armstrong Boxer of the Year for 1938. Henry Armstrong | Discography | Discogs He quit his job working for the Missouri-Pacific Railroad, figuring he could make his fortune fighting for pay. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. We have 458 records for Henry Armstrong ranging in age from 31 years old to 97 years old. Armstrong had his cornermen remove his mouthpiece so he could swallow the blood flowing in his mouth the last five rounds. His outstanding ring record was 151 wins, 21 defeats, and 9 draws with 101 knockouts. 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. Armstrong won three world titles at three weight classes. After that, he concentrated once again on defending the world Welterweight title. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. He was the son of Henry Jackson Sr., a sharecropper of African American descent and America Jackson, said to be a "full-blooded" Iroquois. Henry Armstrong Stats, Bio. Armstrong and his managers realized that they needed to attract attention away from the rising fame of boxer Joe Louis. American boxer and television commentator. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. October 29, 1937: Armstrong wins his first world titles by defeating Petey Sarron via 6th round KO. 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. Featherweight, Lightweight, and Welterweight Champion of the World. This fight is the second best . The Greatest Boxer of All Time - Henry Armstrong, Says Teddy Atlas - Here's Why He's The GOAT THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas 280K subscribers Subscribe 1.6K Share 74K views 2 years ago. In the days when there were only 8 weight classes, Henry Armstrong held championship belts in three of them at the same time. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 1913-1998 His mother died a year later, and he was raised by his grandmother. Madison Square Garden Bowl, Long Island City, Queens, California-Mexico World Featherweight Title. Encyclopedia of World Biography. For all the details about Armstrong's world title wins and defenses refer to "Henry Armstrong World Titles". Henry Armstrong 1768-1868 - Ancestry