Jack Blackburn
(Charles Henry Blackburn)
("Chappie")
BORN 1883; Versailles, Kentucky DIED April 24 1942; Chicago, Illinois (possibly 4/25/42) HEIGHT 5-10 WEIGHT 133-160 lbs Blackburn was lean and lanky, quick, and clever, and knew how to fight; He possessed fast hands, a careful yet aggressive style, and utilized a lethal jab accompanied by a snapping left hook; Jack often fought bigger and heavier men and more than held his own; He claimed to have had nearly 400 bouts in his career
Blackburn fought many outstanding men of boxing and despite a size disadvantage (in many bouts) gave them all they could handle; Among them were Joe Gans (3 times), Sam Langford (6 times), George Cole (3 times), Larry Temple (2 times), Dave Holly (5 times), George Gunther (10 times), "Philadelphia" Jack O'Brien, Ed "Gunboat" Smith, Harry Greb, Joe Borrell (2 times), Kid Norfolk, and Panama" Joe Gans
Among those he defeated during his career were Steve Crosby, Howard Wilson, Vernon Campbell, Jimmy Gardner, Harry Lenny, Charles Hitte, Joe Grim, Cy Flynn, Jack Williams, George Gunther, Cleve Hawkins, George Cole, Herman Miller, Fred Bradley, Jim Barry, Harry Lewis, Mike Donovan, Jack Bonner, Terry Martin, Tony Caponi, Harry Mansfield, Tommy Howell, and Henry HauberAfter he retired from the ring, Blackburn trained fighters -- among them were Sammy Mandell, Charles "Bud" Taylor, and Jersey Joe Walcott (briefly); He is most famous for instructing the "Brown Bomber, " Joe Louis, in the finer points of pugilism
Charley Rose ranked Blackburn as the #3 All-Time Lightweight; In 1992, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for his work as a trainer
1901 Kid Miller Indianapolis, In KO 8 Albert Bean Cleveland, Oh KO 5 Billy Love Alexandria, In KO 2 Jack Cullen Indianapolis, In D 10 Kid Robinson Indianapolis, In D 10 1902 Jesse Clark Indianapolis, In KO 4 Kid Ashe Cincinnati, Oh WF 7 Joe Troyan Indianapolis, In KO 4 Bob Farming Frankfurt, In TK 17 Kid Stevens Indianapolis, In KO 3 Steve Crosby Indianapolis, In W 10 Dec 16 Eddie Gardner Indianapolis, In TK 10 1903 Eddie Gardner Terre Haute, In W 15 Charley McDonald Pittsburgh, Pa KO 11 Feb Kid Reynolds Pittsburgh, Pa KO 2 Mar James Frazier Pittsburgh, Pa ND 6 May 4 Dave Holly Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 May 5 Jack McKenzie Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jun 19 Jack Sullivan Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jul 3 Kid Terrell Philadelphia, Pa TK 4 Sep 1 Howard Wilson Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Sep 15 Tommy Wild Philadelphia, Pa TK 2 Sep 18 Vernon Campbell Philadelphia, Pa TK 4 Sep 25 Tom Daly Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Oct 12 Eddie Kennedy Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Nov 2 Joe Gans Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Nov 21 Dave Holly Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Dec 23 Sam Langford Boston, Ma D 12 Dec 31 Mike "Twin" Sullivan Boston, Ma D 15 1904 Jan 2 Jimmy Gardner Boston, Ma W 12 Jan 8 Sam Bolen Baltimore, Md D 12 -Some sources report "D 15" Jan 11 Sam Langford Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jan 19 Charles Mulhall Tamaqua, Pa ND 6 Jan 25 Kid Wilson Chester, Pa ND 6 Mar 1 Danny Duane Boston, Ma LK 2 Mar 25 Joe Gans Baltimore, Md L 15 Apr 5 Kid Ferry Lehigh Valley, Pa KO 8 Jul 18 Harry Lenny Philadelphia, Pa TK 5 Aug 26 Dave Holly Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Sep 14 Blink McCloskey Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Sep 23 Charles Hitte Philadelphia, Pa TK 3 Nov 3 Joe Grim Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Dec 1 Joe Grim Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Dec 3 Sam Bolen Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Dec 9 Sam Langford Marlboro, Pa D 15 1905 Jan 12 Joe Grim Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jan 19 Charles Mulhall Tamaqua, Pa W 10 Jan 20 Dave Holly Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jan 31 Kid Ferry Allentown, Pa KO 8 Feb 27 Ed Smith Allentown, Pa W 10 Feb 27 Cy Flynn Sharon, Pa W 12 -Different sources report the same date for the previous 2 bouts Apr 3 Dick Fitzpatrick Sharon, Pa KO 2 Apr 23 Joe Allen Philadelphia, Pa TK 1 Jun 10 George Cole Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Aug 10 Jack Williams Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Aug 18 Sam Langford Leiperville, Pa L 15 Sep 4 Larry Temple Sharon, Pa ND 12 Sep 20 Sam Langford Allentown, Pa D 10 Oct 4 Harry Senter Wilmington, De ND 6 Oct 4 Jack Williams Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Oct 7 Sam Langford Philadelphia, Pa NC 1 Oct 13 Larry Temple Marlboro, Ma D 15 1906 Jan 19 Paddy O'Rourke New York, NY ND 3 Jan 31 George Gunther New Castle, Pa W 10 Feb 7 George Gunther Pittsburgh, Pa ND 6 Mar 8 Jack Williams Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Mar 20 Kid Wilson Indianapolis, In W 8 Sailor Burke New York, NY ND 3 May 1 Cleve Hawkins New York, NY KO 2 -Some sources report 5/02/06; Some sources report "W 2" May 4 Sammy Campbell New York, NY ND 4 May 11 Sammy Campbell New York, NY ND 4 Jun 7 Kid Wilson Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jun 29 Joe Gans Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jul 5 George Gunther Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Aug 2 Billy Burke Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Aug 23 Billy Burke Philadelphia, Pa TK 3 Oct 11 Dave Holly Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Nov 29 Eddie Haney Philadelphia, Pa TK 2 1907 Jan 1 George Cole Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jan 24 Kid Henry Lancaster, Pa ND 6 Jan 25 Billy Burke Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Apr 18 George Gunther Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 May 15 George Gunther New York, NY ND 10 May 17 Herman Miller Philadelphia, Pa KO 3 May 23 George Gunther Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 May 27 Fred Bradley Philadelphia, Pa KO 2 Jun 7 George Cole Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jun 17 Terry Martin Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jun 27 Billy Burke Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jul 8 Jim Barry Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Sep 5 Jim Barry Bridgeport, Ct W 6 Oct 18 Mike Donovan Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Nov 20 Harry Lewis Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Dec 6 George Gunther Philadelphia, Pa KO 5 Dec 20 Jack Morgan Philadelphia, Pa TK 3 Dec 24 Mike Donovan Reading, Pa W 10 1908 Jan 9 George Gunther Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jan 17 Jack Bonner Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jan 21 Charles Hitte Albany, NY TK 14 Feb 27 George Gunther Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Mar 14 Terry Martin Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Mar 20 "Young" Tommy Coleman Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Apr 13 Bill Heveron Philadelphia, Pa TK 3 Apr 21 Mike Donovan Easton, Pa D 10 May 1 Mark Anderson Philadelphia, Pa TK 2 May 1 Steve Crosby Philadelphia, Pa W 3 -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Jun 10 "Philadelphia" Jack O'Brien Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Johnny Willetts EX Jun 18 George Gunther Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Sep 14 Tony Caponi Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Sep 26 John Wille Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Oct 1 Cy Flynn Rochester, NY ND 6 Nov 23 Mike Donovan Pittsburgh, Pa ND 6 Dec 10 Mickey McDonough Philadelphia, Pa ND 3 Dec 10 Jack Robinson Philadelphia, Pa ND 3 -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Dec 14 Jack Robinson Philadelphia, Pa ND 3 Johnny Willetts EX Dec 29 Harry Mansfield Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 1909 Jan 12 -Blackburn was arrested for the murder of Alonzo Polk and the attempted murder of Polk's wife, Mattie; He was convicted and given a prison sentence 1909-1913 -Blackburn served time in prison 1914 Apr 4 Tommy Howell Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 May 20 Ed "Gunboat" Smith Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Sep 12 Jack McCarron Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Oct 5 "Young" Tommy Coleman Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Oct 10 Bill Watkins Brooklyn, NY LK 4 Oct 29 Emmett "Kid" Wagner Allentown, Pa LK 4 Dec 16 Al Grayber Altoona, Pa W 6 1915 Jan 18 Harry Baker Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jan 25 Harry Greb Pittsburgh, Pa ND 6 Aug 2 Eddie Palmer Memphis, Tn L 8 Dec 25 One-Round Sylvester St. Louis, Mo ND 8 1916 Jun 12 Joe Rosen Philadelphia, Pa Nd 6 Jun 20 Willie Baker Philadelphia, Pa KO 4 Jun 28 K.O. Samson Philadelphia, Pa KO 2 Aug 23 Young Ahearn Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Sep 8 Young Ahearn New York, NY ND 10 Oct 17 Eddie Revoire Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Oct 27 Joe Borrell Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Nov 3 Joe Borrell Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Nov 17 Eddie Revoire Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Nov 21 Jackie Clark Pottstown, Pa L 10 1917 Jan 22 Christy Williams Columbus, Oh W 10 Feb 1 Harry Baker Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Feb 15 Henry Hauber Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Mar 29 Harry Baker Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 May 31 Larry Williams Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jun 15 Joe Borrell Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Jul 16 Henry Hauber Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Aug 13 Pat O'Malley Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Sep 6 Joe Rosen Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Oct 4 Henry Hauber Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Dec 7 Herman Miller Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 1918 Apr 22 Willie Langford Toledo, Oh ND 12 Sep 20 Larry Williams Atlantic City, NJ ND 8 Nov 22 Harry Baker Pennsgrove, NJ ND 8 Nov 25 Jimmy Lyggett Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 1920 Jun 22 Kid Norfolk New York, NY LK 4 1921 Dec 20 "Young" Jack Johnson Boston, Ma WF 3 1922 Apr 7 Calvin Respress Elgin, Il ND 10 Apr 25 Bonecrusher McNally Clinton, Ia KO 2 Jul 24 "Panama" Joe Gans Indianapolis, In LK 4 1923 Mar 9 Ray Pelkey Oakland, Ca LK 3 -Blackburn retired from boxing and became a boxing instructor and trainer; Among his most prominent proteges were Sammy Mandell, Bud Taylor, and Joe Louis *** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed *** 1903 Oct 6 William "Spike" Sullivan Chester, Pa D 6 1907 Dec 11 Walter Stanton New York, NY ND 6 1908 Nov 7 Jimmy Burns Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Undated Otto Knopp Philadelphia, Pa W 6
Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
