Cecil "Seal" Harris
BORN January 20 1906; Union Springs, Alabama HEIGHT 6-3 1/2 WEIGHT 220-245 lbs MANAGER Barney Abel
Harris was big, strong, and bouncy; He was not a clever boxer but packed a good punch and took one too
During his career, he defeated such men as Jack Leslie, Pete Wistort, Chuck Wiggins, Neil Clisby, Walter Cobb, "Long" Tom Hawkins and Frankie Simms1926 Sep 6 Ed "Bearcat" Wright Cedar Rapids, Ia LK 3 Oct 19 Joe Gilmore Chicago, Il L 4 1927 Jun 30 Roy "Ace" Clark Chicago, Il D 4 Aug 25 Jack Leslie Indianapolis, In W 4 -Some sources report "KO 4" Aug 30 George Bourland Chicago, Il TK 4 Sep 16 Sandy Moir Chicago, Il TK 2 Sep 30 "Big" Bill Hartwell Kansas City, Mo LK 3 Oct 31 Pete Wistort Chicago, Il W 6 Nov 15 Isaac "Ike" McFowler ND 10 Dec 30 "Big" Bill Tate Chicago, Il D 4 1928 Jan 27 Clayton "Big Boy" Peterson Minneapolis, Mn L 10 -Some sources report 2/03/28 May 3 Chuck Wiggins Davenport, Ia WF 5 May 21 Tom Williams Chicago, Il W 6 Jun Hans Breitenstraeter Berlin, Ger SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known Sep 1 Helmut Siewart Prague, Czech TK 2 Sep 26 Joseph Krumel Prague, Czech KO 2 Dec 20 Larry Gains Indianapolis, In ND 10 -Harris was better and claimed the Colored HeavyweightChampionship 1929 May 7 Neil Clisby Los Angeles, Ca W 10 May 17 "Long" Tom Hawkins San Diego, Ca D 10 Jun 21 "Long" Tom Hawkins San Diego, Ca LK 7 -Some sources report "LK 2" Jul 12 Dynamite Jackson San Diego, Ca L 10 Jul 19 "Long" Tom Hawkins San Francisco, Ca LK 1 -Some sources report 7/18/29 Sep 13 Ed "Bearcat" Wright ND 10 1930 May 19 Primo Carnera Des Moines, Ia EX 2 May 28 Walter Cobb Milwaukee, Wi WF 3 Aug 18 "Long" Tom Hawkins Dayton, Ky W 10 Sep 12 Elijah Lee Chicago, Il KO 9 Nov 7 George Godfrey Lansing, Mi LK 4 -Some sources report "LK 1" Nov 21 Jack Gross Chicago, Il L 6 Dec 8 George Godfrey Milwaukee, Wi LK 3 1931 Apr 1 Ed "Bearcat" Wright Topeka, Ks L 10 Aug 24 George Godfrey Toronto, Ont, Can LK 2 Oct 5 Joe Doktor Toronto, Ont, Can L 8 -Some sources report "L 9" 1932 Feb 17 Kenneth Lee San Francisco, Ca KO 2 Apr Chet Shandel San Francisco, Ca D 6 May 11 Jack Beasley Oakland, Ca W 6 -This bout was held during May 9-13 1932 Jun 29 Kenneth Lee Reno, Nv W 10 Aug 12 Arthur DeKuh Pittsburgh, Pa L 10 Dec 1 Jack Roper Davenport, Ia L 10 Dec 6 "Tiger" Jack Fox Terre Haute, In L 10 1933 Jan Jim Braddock Chicago, Il EX Feb 22 "Tiger" Jack Fox Terre Haute, In LK 1 Jack O'Dowd South Bend, In KO 7 -This bout was held probably during Mar-Apr 1933 Jun 15 Max Baer Pittsburgh, Pa EX 3 Jun 22 Max Baer St. Paul, Mn EX 3 Oct 10 Willie Davies Detroit, Mi W 3 Oct 10 Albert North Detroit, Mi KO 1 -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Oct 10 Johnny Morris Detroit, Mi SCH -This bout was scheduled but not held; Morris did not show Nov 8 King Levinsky Winnipeg, Man, Can L 4 Nov 21 King Levinsky Chicago, Il EX King Levinsky Sioux Falls, SD EX 2 1934 Feb 1 Frankie Simms Ypsilanti, Mi D 10 Feb 14 Frankie Simms Ypsilanti, Mi W 10 -Some sources report 2/15/34 Aug 9 Tommy DeStefano Asbury Park, NJ L 10 Dec 1 Justo Prieto Buenos Aires, Arg W 8 Dec 19 Eduardo Primo Buenos Aires, Arg LK 9 1935 Jan 4 Primo Carnera Montevideo, Uruguay EX 4 Jan 13 Primo Carnera Sao Paulo, Brazil LK 7 -Harris was hired by Jack Blackburn as a sparring partner for Joe Louis 1937 Apr Joe Louis Wichita, Ks EX 2 -This bout was held during Apr-May 1937 Jun Joe Louis Houston, Tx EX 2 *** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed *** 1927 Oct "Big" Bill Hartwell Kansas City, Mo LK 1 -Perhaps, this is 9/30/27 bout 1927-1929 Ed "Bearcat" Wright W 10
Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
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