Jeff Clark
(the "Fighting Ghost")
(the "Joplin Ghost")
BORN 1886; Morrisville, New Jersey DIED 1952 HEIGHT 5-10 (reports vary between 5-8 and 5-10) WEIGHT 165-193 lbs MANAGER Jimmy Bronson Clark was fast, clever and capable; He needed to be - because during his career, he "fought 'em all" many times and fared very well
Jeff met Sam Langford, Harry Wills, Battling Levinsky, Dixie Kid, Peter Maher, Luther McCarty, Joe Jeannette, Sam McVea, Kid Norfolk and Jack Thompson numerous times and did very well
Clark was the uncle of former World Heavyweight Champion Jersey Joe Walcott1908 Jun 23 Young Cardeni Philadelphia, Pa KO 4 Jul 7 Harry Jones Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jul 16 Bert Whirlwind Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Sep 24 Dixie Kid (Aaron Brown) Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 -Some sources report "LK 3" Oct 1 "Young" Tommy Coleman Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Nov 19 Jack Williams Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Dec 26 Peter Maher Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 1909 Feb 3 Peter Maher Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Feb 12 Cub White Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Mar 5 "Young" Tommy Coleman Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Apr 12 Kid Spencer Philadelphia, Pa KO 2 Apr 16 Peter Maher Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 May 20 Jack Williams Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jun 7 Jack Reed Philadelphia, Pa ND 3 Aug 18 Ralph Worthington Saratoga, NY TK 4 Sep 27 Cub White Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Oct 4 Bert Whirlwind Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Oct 28 Griff Jones Philadelphia, Pa KO 3 Nov 1 Dixie Kid (Aaron Brown) Memphis, Tn L 8 Nov 15 Dixie Kid (Aaron Brown) Memphis, Tn L 8 Dec 9 Charley Stevenson Philadelphia, Pa NC 3 Dec 18 Joe Smith Philadelphia, Pa TK 4 1910 Jan 13 Dave Holly Philadelphia, Pa KO 3 Feb 14 "Battling" Jim Johnson Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Feb 22 Christy Williams Memphis, Tn D 8 May 24 Christy Williams Joplin, Mo KO 7 Nov 10 Sam Langford Joplin, Mo LT 2 1911 Feb 22 Frank Mantell New Bedford, Ma D 12 Mar 8 Bob Scanlon New York, NY ND 10 Mar 23 Kyle Whitney Lawrence, Ma D 12 -Some sources report "W 12" Apr 5 Black Bill (Claude Brooks) New York, NY ND 10 Sep 25 "Young" Jack Johnson Memphis, Tn W 8 Nov Battling Levinsky ND 10 -Some sources report "W 10"; Levinsky used the name "Barney Williams" Dec 14 Battling Levinsky ND 15 -Some sources report a "Draw"; Levinsky used the name "Barney Williams" Dec 18 Luther McCarty Springfield, Mo ND 10 -Some sources report "Walter Monahan"; Some sources report 1/11/12 1912 Jan 28 Harry Wuest Springfield, Mo ND 10 Feb 10 Harry Wuest Springfield, Mo ND 10 -Some sources report "D 10" Mar 1 Harry Wuest Joplin, Mo ND 15 -Some sources report "KO 13" Apr 26 Bob Scanlon Joplin, Mo KO 3 May 14 Jack Williams Nevada, Mo KO 7 May 16 Harry Wallace Memphis, Tn W 8 May 30 Jack Tighe Joplin, Mo KO 7 Jun 27 Harry Palmer Pittsburgh, Pa KO 4 -Some source report "Philadelphia, Pa" Jul 4 Battling Burke Wildwood, NJ KO 8 Jul 11 Harry Davis Wildwood, NJ KO 6 Aug 8 George "Kid" Cotton Pittsburgh, Pa ND 6 -Some sources report 8/09/12 Aug 19 Freddie Hicks Pittsburgh, Pa ND 6 -Some sources report 8/22/12 Sep 2 Joe Jeannette Pittsburgh, Pa ND 6 Sep 27 Charley Frazier Allentown, Pa KO 5 Oct 11 Harry Baney Merchantville, NJ KO 1 Dec 12 Dan Harris Trenton, Mo KO 6 1913 Jan 2 Harry Smith Joplin, Mo KO 4 Jan 17 Joe Jeannette Joplin, Mo ND 10 Jan 29 Harry Lindsay Joplin, Mo TK 4 -This bout was not held 12/29/13; The verdict was not "W 4" Jan 30 Al Withers Moberly, Mo ND 10 Feb 12 Harry Lindsay Pittsburg, Ks KO 7 Feb 19 Jack "Twin" Sullivan Joplin, Mo ND 10 -Some sources report 2/20/13 Mar 7 Al Withers Joplin, Mo KO 2 Apr 4 Burrell Smith Joplin, Mo KO 3 Apr 21 Silas Green Memphis, Tn KO 4 Jun 9 "Rough House" Ware Memphis, Tn W 8 Jun 23 Joe Jeannette Memphis, Tn NC 8 Jul 20 Rufus Cameron Juarez, Mx KO 13 Oct 25 Vic Hanson Joplin, Mo ND 10 -Some sources report "ND 15" on 10/27/13 1914 Sep 21 Rufus Cameron Joplin, Mo W 15 Oct 26 Sam Langford Joplin, Mo ND 10 1915 Oct 15 Sam McVea Kansas City, Mo L 10 1916 Mar 5 Kyle Whitney Tulsa, Ok W 15 Mar 31 Sam Langford St. Louis, Mo LT 5 Apr 13 Jack Thompson Tulsa, Ok LK 10 May 19 Harry Wills New Orleans, La L 20 Nov 12 Kid Norfolk in Panama L 20 1917 May 13 Sam McVea Panama City, Pan L 20 Jul 15 Sam McVea Panama City, Pan KO 15 1918 Aug 10 Sam Langford L 10 Aug 19 Harry Wills Atlantic City, NJ LT 5 -Some sources report 8/27/18; Some sources report 12/26/18; Some sources report "Philadelphia, Pa" Nov 1 Sam Langford Lowell, Ma D 12 Nov 16 Sam Langford Atlanta, Ga D 10 Nov 26 Sam Langford Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Nov 29 Sam Langford Milwaukee, Wi EX 10 -This bout was not held 12/10/18 Dec 18 Sam Langford Memphis, Tn ND 8 -Some sources report 12/16/18 at "Nashville, Tn" 1919 Jan 1 Jack Thompson Philadelphia, Pa LT 6 -Some sources report "WF 6"; Other sources report "NC 6" Jan 13 Hugh Walker Joplin, Mo ND 12 -Some sources report "W 12" Mar 28 Willie Meehan San Francisco, Ca L 4 Apr 9 Jack Thompson Oakland, Ca L 4 Apr 14 Ray Morris Presidio, Ca W 4 Apr 22 Jack Thompson San Francisco, Ca L 4 Apr 30 Jim Jam Barry San Francisco, Ca D 4 May 21 Soldier Elder San Francisco, Ca TK 2 Jun 6 Jimmy Darcy Vernon, Ca D 4 Jun 13 Jimmy Darcy Vernon, Ca L 4 Jun 18 Jimmy Darcy San Diego, Ca L 4 Jul 24 "Wild" Bert Kenny Atlantic City, NJ ND 8 Aug 14 Jim Hosic Atlantic City, NJ ND 8 Aug 19 Harry Wills Syracuse, NY LT 4 -Some sources report 8/18/19 Oct 29 Kid Norfolk Detroit, Mi ND 10 -Some sources report 10/24/19; Some sources report 10/25/89 Dec 18 Zulu Kid Pittsfield, Ma W 10 1920 Jan 13 Kid Norfolk LK 2 Jan 16 Sam Langford Kalamazoo, Mi ND 10 Feb 16 Sam Langford Terre Haute, In ND 10 -Some sources report 2/28/20 May 31 Sam Langford Columbus, Oh L 15 -This bout was not held 6/01/20; The verdict was not "L 10" Jun 10 Jim Hosic Akron, Oh W 12 Jun 21 Kid Norfolk Columbus, Oh L 15 Oct 25 Kid Norfolk L 15 Nov 26 Kid Norfolk Baltimore, Md LT 2 1921 Feb 2 Sam Langford Tulsa, Ok L 10 Feb 11 Harry Wills Baltimore, Md LK 2 Mar 21 Sam McVea Columbus, Oh L 12 Mar 31 "K.O." Bill Brennan Atlantic City, NJ KO 1 Jun 24 Cliff "Kid" Patillo Atlantic City, NJ KO 3 Jul 7 Sam McVea Atlantic City, NJ ND 10 Aug 2 Sam McVea Lancaster, Pa ND 10 1922 Mar Jamaica Kid Philadelphia, Pa ND 8 Jun 30 Harry Wills Trenton, NJ LK 2 -Some sources report 6/29/22 Jul 17 Harry Wills Winnipeg, Man, Can LK 3 1923 Nov 30 Frank Moody Fall River, Ma LK 7 Dec 17 Battling Brown Atlantic City, NJ KO 5 -Some sources report "KO 1" 1924 Apr 28 Silent Puryear Atlantic City, NJ ND 8 1925 Nov 10 Harry Wills Memphis, Tn EX 4 1926 May 31 Harry Wills Cleveland, Oh EX 6 Jun 14 Harry Wills Harrisburg, Pa EX 6 -Some sources report "EX 1" *** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed *** Undated "Rough House" Ware New Orleans, La SCH -The previous bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known 1908 Jack Galvin KO 4 Harry Davis KO 1 Harry Judge KO 3 Jimmie Haines KO 4 Pete Jones KO 7 Joe Greene KO 5 "Battling" Pete Johnson KO 6 Al Gray W 15 Joe Jeannette D 10 -Some early sources report this bout 1910 Al Gray W 15 Al Gray W 25 Larry Temple D 15 Larry Temple W 25 Christy Williams W 15 Larry Temple D 15 Larry Temple KO 12 Harry Lindsay KO 8 Joe Gorman D 15 Al Miles KO 2 Kid Fox KO 2 Jack Grace KO 6 Joe Gorman KO 3 Jack Burke KO 1 Harry Duffy KO 4 Al Gray KO 4 Harry Butler KO 7 Soldier Bruce KO 7 Fred Gordon KO 3 Nat Dewey W 15 Jack Dorn KO 6 -Perhaps, this man was "Jack Corns" Soldier Bruce KO 5 Jack Preston W 15 1911 Feb "Montana" Jack Sullivan Albany, NY ND 10 -Some sources report "New York, NY" Ralph Calloway KO 10 Christy Williams New York, NY ND 10 George "Kid" Cotton W 15 Mike Donovan W 12 Jack Dougherty KO 4 Al Mitchell W 12 Aug Jim Barry W 10 "Young" Jack Johnson W 15 "Young" Jack Johnson W 15 Dec Battling Levinsky ND 10 -Some sources report a "Draw"; Levinsky used the name "Barney Williams" 1913 Sep Harry Wills New Orleans, La ND 10 Dec Vic Hansen Joplin, Mo LF 9 1914 Sep 2 Bob McAllister Pittsburgh, Pa ND 6 1915 Kid Norfolk W 20 Nov "Battling" Jim Johnson D 15 1917 "Black" Gunboat Smith in Panama W 15 1918 Hugh Walker D 12 1921 Mar Harry Wills Atlanta, Ga LK 3 -Some sources report this bout in error; Wills fought "Jack Clark" Jun 6 Ragnar Holmberg in America LK 4 1923 Billy Shade EX 4 *** Much Data Was Provided By Luckett Davis ***
Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
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