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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Old Timer

Louis Jester

BORN   c. 1864 (Fought out of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
HEIGHT 5-6
WEIGHT 135-155 lbs

 


 

Jester was a finely-built young man; He had a way of twisting around and showing only his left side to an opponent; Then, he turned quickly and delivered a hard right (see the Philadelphia (Pa) Item, 6/27/89); He toured in his vaudeville show, performed as a boxer and gave lectures on general health as a "Teacher of the science of Manly Art and Physical Culture and Natural Development"

Louis defeated such men as Harry Umlah, Tom Clark, Frank Allen and Harry Cortright

1886
Aug 14 Sam McDonald               Rockaway Beach, NY                  D  3
          -Police intervened
Aug 29 -Jester lost a boat race to Samuel Schultz at Rockaway Beach, NY
          (The course was 2 3/4 miles from Eldert's Dock to the Seaside Dock
          and back)
Sep  3 -Jester was scheduled to race a boat against Thomas Kinsey for $250
Sep  4 Frank Allen                Rockaway Beach, NY                 WF  9
Oct 11 Dan Custy                  Rockaway Beach, NY                  L  6
          -Reports vary - "LK 6" - "LT 6" - "L 5" - "L 3";
           Some sources report "Long Island City, NY";
           Some sources report 10/09/1886
Nov    Paddy Smith                                                  SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

1887
Jan 17 Jack Murray                Brooklyn, NY                       KO  3
          -Some sources report 01/15/1887

1889
Mar  1 -Jester refereed the Charles O'Neil-William Symmonds bout at Brooklyn, NY
Apr    -Jester was called the Lightweight Champion of Ohio
Apr 24 Gordon                     Hughestown, Pa                     LK  5
May 10 Harry Umlah                near Falls, Pa                     WF 10
          -Some sources report "Buttermilk Falls, Pa"
           (near Pittston, Pa on a bank of the Susquehanna);
           Some sources report "L 10"
Jun 25 Harry Umlah                Binghamton, NY                      L  6
          -Police intervened
Sep 23 -Jester was located now in Wilkes-Barre, Pa; He set up a gymnasium there

1890
Jul 15 E. Marsolis                                                    W  3

1891
Oct 28 Harry Cortright            Wilkes-Barre, Pa                   KO  9
          -Some sources report "Harry Court"

1892
May  3 McCarthy                   Wilkes-Barre, Pa                  SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           Some sources report "Apr 1892";
           Some sources report that the fight did not take place
Dec  3 -Jester wanted to fight Johnny Reagan at 142 lbs

1893
Apr 25 Tom Clark                  Nanticoke, Pa                      KO 15

1894
Oct 25 Billy Dacey                Nanticoke, Pa                      ND 10
          -Jester lasted and claimed the win

Undated (prior to March 3 1895)
       Thomas Cavanaugh           Wilkes-Barre, Pa                    L  8

1895
Apr    "Australian" Billy Smith   Eddy, NM                           LK  6
May 23 Harry Cortright            Binghamton, NY                     KO  3
Jul    Jimmy Kennard              near Binghamton, NY               SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

1898
Mar  7 -Jester is described as a teacher of boxing and physical culture
          and giver of messages; He brought suit against the Elvira (NY) 
          Telegram for saying he had deserted his wife and was living in 
          luxury while she was suffering untold agony of mind and body
Jul  1 Tom Sharkey                Middletown, NY                     EX  2
          -Some sources report "LK 1" but it appears this was an exhibition
           match; It was part of Louis Jester's vaudeville show; The bout 
           lasted for "two half-minute rounds;" Mr. Jester lost over $100 
           by the venture and had the public patronized the show, a good 
           performance would have been given (see the Middletown (NY) 
           Daily Argus, July 2 1898)

*** The Following Bout Is Reported But Not Confirmed  ***

1898
May 31 Tom Sharkey                Middletown, NY                     LK  1

*** Photo Provided By William Schutte ***

Review courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization