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Black Dynamite
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Black Dynamite
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With close to half of his victories coming via the short route this Rocky Mountain socker proved that he could box as well as punch and by 1937 Young Joe Louis, as he was calling himself, was rated in the top ten in the country by the Ring magazine. Unfortunately for him a seemingly unstoppable march towards higher honours and greater recognition came to an screeching halt when the young fighter found himself caught up in a 'situation' and ended up paying his debt to society in a Colorado prison cell. Further misfortune befell him upon his return to ring action in 1941 when opponent Roy (Jack) Gillespie died as a result of a knockout blow. After one more fight in the Rocky Mountain region Young Joe Louis took himself and his eighty-something record to California where he became Jack Chase.
During the '40's the professional fight game on the West Coast could boast some of the best fighters in the United States - if not the world and the new arrival soon found himself trading leather with Archie Moore, Eddie Booker, Lloyd Marshall, Tiger Wade and Charley Burley. A veritable 'Who's Who' of 1940's black fistiana.
Chase quickly established himself and won the California State Middleweight title by defeating Eddie Booker over fifteen rounds. He then lost and re-won the title in two bouts with the inimitable Archie Moore. Two successful defences against Lloyd Marshall were notched up before Jack ran into the great Charley Burley. Chase was stopped twice by the Pittsburgh great in two title fights and lost an earlier encounter on points.
Chase beat some of the top names in the game at the time, but two guys he just couldn't beat were the aforementioned Burley and the sadly neglected Holman Williams who topped Jack on four separate occasions.
Early in 1944, a shooting incident involving fellow middleweight 'Tiger' Wade had him in the news for reasons other than fighting -- although Wade recovered sufficiently to continue with his career. Jack put some more hurt on Wade a few months later when he knocked him out in ten rounds.
After losing his state middleweight title to Charley Burley, Chase won the state light heavyweight crown in a match with Watson Jones over fifteen rounds. After 1944 however, the number of bouts and the number of victories began to dwindle; losses to Archie Moore and the solid 'Oakland' Billy Smith finished him as a top-flight attraction.
What is noticeable about the record of Jack Chase is the absence of practically all of the big-name white fighters at middleweight and even light heavyweight. As with the rest of the black fighters around during the same period, fighting amongst themselves was the only way for these long-forgotten boxing stars to make a living.
Pro Record -Chase fought under the name of "Young Joe Louis" until 1942 Pre-1936 -Early record is incomplete; Up to 1936, Chase was reportedly unbeaten in 48 fights 1936 Lee Medina Walsenburg, Co W 10 Mike Montoya Walsenburg, Co KO 6 -Reportedly for the Welterweight Championship of Colorado Johnny Johnson Walsenburg, Co W 10 Richie Pree Victor, Co W 10 Joe Skube Colorado Springs, Co W 10 Joe Jaramillo Pueblo, Co W 10 Joe Garcia Pueblo, Co D 10 Mike Montoya Antonite, Co W 10 Sep 15 Jackie Burke Walsenburg, Co W 10 Sep 24 Richie Pree Alamosa, Co W 10 Battling Chico Walsenburg, Co KO 1 Dixie Taylor Sidney, Ne KO 6 Kid Cannon Pueblo, Co KO 5 Billy Azevedo Trinidad, Co KO 7 Carl Aker Denver, Co W 10 Nov 28 George Black Denver, Co W 10 Eddie Murdock Gallup, NM KO 7 Dec 18 Eddie Pierce Denver, Co L 10 1937 Jan 25 Eddie Cerda Las Vegas, NM KO 5 Feb 2 Joe Jaramillo Pueblo, Co L 10 Mar 30 Gail Harrington Los Angeles, Ca W 6 May 4 Ralph Chong Detroit, Mi KO 5 May 21 George Black Detroit, Mi L 6 Phil McQuillan Walsenburg, Co NC 7 Teddy Williams Walsenburg, Co KO 1 Joe Jaramillo Alamosa, Co W 10 Mose Hammond San Luis, Co KO 4 Sep 1 Bobby Cortez Antonite, Co KO 4 -Some sources report "KO 3" Sep 30 Sammy Weise (Weiss) Pueblo, Co KO 1 GeGe Gravante Salt Lake City, Ut LK 4 Bobby Cortez Colorado Springs, Co KO 3 Chief Ballard San Luis, Co W 10 Chief Ballard Pueblo, Co KO 10 1938-1940 -Chase was inactive due to serving a prison term at Canon City Prison, Co 1941 Aug 31 Roy "Jack" Gillespie Denver, Co KO -Gillespie died 3 days later as a result of this knockout Oct Billy Prior Denver, CO SCH -Middleweight Championship of Colorado; Pryor reportedly forfeited the title by failing to make the weight for a 10-round bout Nov 7 Billy Prior Denver, Co L 12 -Middleweight Championship of Colorado; Some sources report "D 12" -Fought as Jack Chase from 1942 until the end of his career 1942 Jan 23 Lalo Rodriguez Hollywood, Ca W 4 Jan 26 Roscoe Smith Ocean Park, Ca W 6 Feb 13 Tony Canelli Hollywood, Ca KO 5 Mar 6 Costello Cruz Hollywood, Ca D 6 Apr 2 Bernie Cardenas Pasadena, Ca W 8 Apr 24 Costello Cruz Hollywood, Ca W 10 May 13 Jorge Morelia Long Beach, Ca W 8 Jun 5 Costello Cruz Hollywood, Ca W 10 Jul 13 Jimmy Brooks Ocean Park, Ca D 10 Jul 21 Big Boy Hogue Los Angeles, Ca W 8 Aug 3 Bobby Birch Los Angeles, Ca W 8 Sep 29 Bobby Birch Los Angeles, Ca W 8 Oct 16 Tabby Romero Hollywood, Ca KO 8 Oct 23 Sebastian Gonzales San Diego, Ca KO 1 Nov 6 Costello Cruz Hollywood, Ca W 10 Nov 17 Amado Rodriguez Los Angeles, Ca W 10 Nov 27 Archie Moore San Diego, Ca L 10 1943 Jan 11 Eddie Booker San Francisco, Ca W 15 -Middleweight Championship of California This was the first 15-round bout in California in 28 years Jan 26 Jackie Byrd Los Angeles, Ca KO 5 Feb 2 Costello Cruz Portland, Or D 10 Feb 19 Charley Burley Hollywood, Ca L 10 Apr 19 Leon Zorrita Ocean Park, Ca KO 15 -Middleweight Championship of California Apr 30 Jimmy Garrison Portland, Or D 10 May 8 Archie Moore San Diego, Ca L 15 -Middleweight Championship of California Jun 11 Billy McCoy San Diego, Ca KO 6 Jun 20 Aaron "Tiger" Wade San Francisco, Ca W 10 Jun 29 Miguel Madero Los Angeles, Ca KO 3 Jul 28 Harry "Kid" Matthews Hollywood, Ca W 10 Aug 3 Archie Moore San Francisco, Ca W 15 -Middleweight Championship of California Aug 24 Jimmy McDaniels Seattle, Wa W 10 Oct 11 Paulie Peters San Francisco, Ca W 10 Oct 19 George Henry Stockton, Ca W 10 Nov 8 Lloyd Marshall San Francisco, Ca D 15 -Middleweight Championship of California Nov 26 Archie Moore Hollywood, Ca L 10 Dec 13 Lloyd Marshall San Francisco, Ca W 15 -Middleweight Championship of California 1944 Jan 29 Costello Cruz Portland, Or LF 4 Feb 4 Holman Williams San Francisco, Ca L 10 Feb 21 Holman Williams San Francisco, Ca L 12 Mar 27 Kid Hermosillo Denver, Co KO 1 Mar 29 Paul Lewis Oakland, Ca W 10 Apr 6 Charley Burley Hollywood, Ca LK 9 -Middleweight Championship of California Apr 27 Holman Williams Denver, Co L 15 May 24 Holman Williams Oakland, Ca L 12 Jun 28 Aaron "Tiger" Wade Oakland, Ca KO 10 Jul 19 Paul Lewis Oakland, Ca W 10 Jul 31 Jimmy Hayden San Francisco, Ca W 10 Aug 9 Aaron "Tiger" Wade Oakland, Ca D 10 Sep 1 Larry Anzalone Hollywood, Ca KO 1 Sep 11 Charley Burley San Francisco, Ca LK 10 Sep 30 Lloyd Marshall Hollywood, Ca L 10 Oct 9 "Oakland" Billy Smith San Francisco, Ca W 10 Oct 20 Cocoa Kid Hollywood, Ca L 10 Dec 1 Kid Hermosillo San Diego, Ca KO 6 Dec 12 Watson Jones Los Angeles, Ca W 15 -Light Heavyweight Championship of California 1945 Jan 3 "Oakland" Billy Smith Oakland, Ca L 10 May 25 Titus Hawkins San Diego, Ca KO 5 Jul 17 Kenny Watkins Los Angeles, Ca L 10 Aug 7 Kenny Watkins Los Angeles, Ca L 12 Nov 23 Kenny Watkins Hollywood, Ca W 10 1946 Jan 11 Bobby Zander Los Angeles, Ca W 10 Feb 22 "Mad" Anthony Jones Los Angeles, Ca KO 7 Apr 12 Bobby Zander San Francisco, Ca D 10 Aug 30 Kenny Watkins Hollywood, Ca W 10 Sep 13 Jimmy Coleman Hollywood, Ca W 10 Oct 18 Costello Cruz Portland, Or W 10 Nov 6 Archie Moore Oakland, Ca D 10 1947 Jan 16 Ray Augustus Topeka, Ks L 10 Mar 18 Archie Moore Los Angeles, Ca LK 9 Jun 9 "Oakland" Billy Smith San Francisco, Ca L 10 Aug 26 "Deacon" Logan Denver, Co KO 5 1948 Apr 6 Johnny Janis Portland, Or KO 2 Jun 22 Bobby Ward Portland, Or D 6 Jul 3 Jack Snapp Fairbanks, Ak L 10 Aug 3 Eddie Keller Portland, Or KO 5 Aug 20 Joe Love Merrill, Or KO 2 Aug 31 Henry Lee Portland, Or D 6*** Thanks To Harry Otty For Providing The Record And Biography ***[Return to Top]