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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Lineal Champion

"Young" Jack Thompson
(Cecil Lewis Thompson)

BORN   August 17 1904; Los Angeles, California
DIED April 11 1946; Los Angeles, California
HEIGHT 5-8
WEIGHT 135-151 lbs
MANAGERS Clyde Hudkins, Ray Alvis

Thompson was an all-around fighter, a solid hitter who was shifty and fast; He had many action-packed fights in a short career; During his career, he won the Welterweight Championship of the World

He defeated such men as Jackie Fields, Tommy Freeman, Joe Dundee, Ham Jenkins, James "Red" Herring, Billy Alger, "Oakland" Jimmy Duffy, Harry "Kid" Brown, King Tut, Johnny Adams, "Bermondsey" Billy Wells, Pete August, Al Trulmans, Joe Cardoza, Jimmy Dolan, Freddie Fitzgerald, Sam Bruce, Jackie Silver, Don Fraser and Billy Light

Herb Goldman ranked Thompson as the #25 All-Time Welterweight

By Gordoom

Boxing is the cruelest sport. The fighters toil for the most part in anonymity. The abysmal conditions the fighters endure in order to practice their craft would be intolerable for athletes in other sports. Yet the fighters persevere, a tribute to the essence of men who are trying to fight their way out of the miserable miasma of their human condition.

Perhaps the worst conditions ever faced by boxers were those that African-American's endured in the eras between the rise of Jack Johnson and Joe Louis' victory over Max Schmeling in 1938.

Johnson was a free spirit that flaunted the "white man's rules" by living an edge city life that included marrying a string of white women. Johnson so enraged the mores of the day that he released a wave of racial hatred and divisiveness that wasn't seen again until the Civil Rights Movement of the 50's and 60's, and the OJ trial in the mid-90's. Which brings me to one of those great Afro-American fighters that fought under those terrible conditions; but has further suffered the indignity of being forgotten in the bloody mitts of time ...

"The Frisco Flash," Young Jack Thompson, was born in Los Angeles on August 17, 1904. He began his pro career in 1922 in San Francisco with a second round KO over one Bud Kelly. Over the next 10 years, Young Jack proceeded to terrorize the welterweight division. Thompson was said to be, "The greatest little black man since the days of Joe Gans." In volume 5 of Black Dynamite, Nat Fleischer described Thompson "as one of the finest performers the ring had known. He was fast and shifty, a natural boxer, and a lusty puncher with either hand." Praise of the highest order indeed ... But Thompson backed it up with a mastery of the art of boxing and a display of dynamite in both fists. Out of his 62 recorded career victories, 41 were by kayo. An outstanding knockout percentage considering the high caliber of opposition he constantly faced. Black fighters were not given gimme fights in those days. In fact, the majority of Young Jack's 27 decision losses, were either against sterling competition or were outright robberies involving his opponent's hometown officials.

Thompson solidified his status as a top contender when he kayoed the reigning welterweight champion, Joe Dundee, in the second round on August 30, 1928. He was matched against the great Jackie Fields, for the vacant N.B.A. welterweight title in Jackie's native Chicago on March 25, 1929, only to lose a controversial 10 round decision.

For the next year Thompson kept campaigning to relatively dismal results winning five fights, losing five (all on the road), with one no decision bout. After losing yet another controversial decision in his only New York City appearance to the great Jimmy McLarnin (L-10), he was given a title shot against Jackie Fields in Detroit on May 9, 1930. Over 15 blistering rounds Thompson was finally able to eke out a close on the road decision for the title. Jack defended his title against tough Tommy Freeman on September 5th of that same year losing a 15-round decision in Cleveland. Jack came back to brutally regain the title with a 12th round kayo of Freeman, also in Cleveland on April 14, 1931.

On July 23, 1931 he faced French-Canadian strong boy Lou Brouillard, in Boston, losing a very controversial 10-round decision. They were rematched exactly three months later, this time for the title; Thompson lost over 15 rounds. (L-15). Thompson was clearly beaten -- he was dropped in the sixth, tenth, and thirteenth rounds -- and his days as a top contender were suddenly over.

Thompson campaigned for only one more year with mixed results. Discouraged by the bad hometown decisions and the inequity of being a black fighter during the Depression, Young Jack Thompson last fought on May 25, 1932, a six round win in Seattle over a nonentity named Leonard Bennett. He announced his retirement a week later. On April 9, 1946, he suffered a fatal heart attack in a Los Angeles restaurant; he was forty-two years old.

© 1999 The Cyber Boxing Zone

Kathleen Guinses is the Personal Representative for the Estate of Charlotte Thompson Ray, the youngest sister of "Young" Jack Thompson. She is last surviving member of the Thompson family. Ms. Guinses informed the CBZ (March 2021) that "Young" Jack did not die in a restaurant. He died in a Los Angeles hospital.
 

1922
Nov 20 Bud Kelly                   San Francisco, Ca               KO  2
          -Some sources report 11/29/22

1923
Feb 13 Billy Springfield           San Francisco, Ca               LK  2
Feb 23 Eddie Morris                Sacramento, Ca                  LK  2
Sep 18 Alfred Ells                 Vernon, Ca                       D  4
Oct  2 Hank Gatton                 Vernon, Ca                       L  4
Oct 23 Paul Duarte                 Vernon, Ca                       W  4
Dec  6 Joe Powell                  San Jose, Ca                    KO  2
          -Some sources report "San Francisco, Ca"
Dec 20 Manny "Kid" Robinson        San Jose, Ca                     W  4

1924
Jan  4 "Filipino" Kid Martin       San Francisco, Ca               KO  2
Jan 10 George Spencer              San Jose, Ca                     L  4
Jan 17 Hank Gatton                 San Pedro, Ca                    D  4
Jan 30 Young Ketchel               Venice, Ca                       D  4
Mar 27 George Brandon              San Mateo, Ca                    W  4
Apr    George Spencer              San Mateo, Ca                    L  4
Apr 22 Young Terry                 Vernon, Ca                       L  4
Apr 24 George Spencer              San Mateo, Ca                    L  4
          -Some sources report "Leo Spencer"
May 15 Joe Powell                  San Jose, Ca                     L  4
May 29 Pete Francis                San Jose, Ca                     D  4
Jun 24 Angelo Pappas               San Mateo, Ca                    D  4
Jul    Pete Francis                Livermore, Ca                    W   
Jul 29 Jack Davis                  Livermore, Ca                    L  4
Aug  7 Henry Falegano              San Jose, Ca                     D  4
Aug 19 Min Minnick                 San Jose, Ca                     L  4
Sep 12 Young Riley                 Sacramento, Ca                   W  4
Sep 22 Min Minnick                 San Jose, Ca                     D  4
Oct 31 Tommy O'Leary               Sacramento, Ca                   L  4
Nov 20 Dick Hoppe                  Pasadena, Ca                    LT  4
          -Some sources report "TK 4"
Dec 10 Harry "Young" Cumpston      Los Angeles, Ca                  W  4

1925
Jan 21 Eddie Cortez                Los Angeles, Ca                 KO  1
Feb  4 Joe Martinez                Los Angeles, Ca                 KO  6
Feb 18 Eddie Sylvester             Los Angeles, Ca                 KO  3
Mar 11 Charley "Rough House" Burns Los Angeles, Ca                  W 10
Mar 13 "Sailor" Joe Carter         San Diego, Ca                   KO  1
Mar 20 Kid Bello                   San Diego, Ca                    D  6
Apr  3 John "Battling" Ward        San Diego, Ca                    W  6
Apr 13 John "Battling" Ward        Los Angeles, Ca                 KO  4
May  1 Charley Feraci              San Diego, Ca                    L 10
Jul 24 "Young" Harry Wills         San Diego, Ca                    D 10
Oct  7 Harry Scott                 Oakland, Ca                      L  6
Dec 22 Billy Springfield           Fresno, Ca                       D  6

1926
Jan 14 "Tarzan" Joe Lopez          Pasadena, Ca                    KO  3
Jan 22 Baby Pete                   San Diego, Ca                    W  6
Feb 10 Bobby Ertle                 Oakland, Ca                     TK  1
Mar  9 Joe Layman                  Vernon, Ca                       D  6
Mar 31 "Young" Sam Langford        Los Angeles, Ca                  L  6
May 18 Young Corbett III           Fresno, Ca                       L  6
May 21 Ad Ruiz                     San Diego, Ca                    W  6
May 25 Pete Druid                  Culver City, Ca                 KO  1
May 28 Buddy Barie                 San Diego, Ca                    W  6
Jun 18 Billy McCann                San Diego, Ca                   TK  8
Jun 29 Joe Allesio                 Fresno, Ca                      KO  3
Jul 24 Harry Whybrow               Los Angeles, Ca                 KO  2
Aug 20 "Wild" Bill Farrell         Reno, Nv                         W  6
Aug 24 Frankie Tierney             Fresno, Ca                      KO  7
Sep 14 Charley Pitts               Culver City, Ca                 TK  8
          -Some sources report "KO 4" in 1927
Sep 28 Jack Silver                 Los Angeles, Ca                 TK  8
Oct 15 Billy Adams                 San Francisco, Ca               TK  5
Nov  5 Billy Alger                 San Francisco, Ca                W 10
Nov 12 "Sailor" Ted Makegon        San Francisco, Ca                D 10
          -Some sources report 11/14/26
Nov 23 Russ Whalen                 Los Angeles, Ca                  L 10
 
1927
Jan  8 Sanford Risdon              Los Angeles, Ca                  W   
Jan 27 Dannoy McCoy                Culver City, Ca                  W  6
Feb 11 Tommy Cello                 San Francisco, Ca                D 10
Feb 18 Harry "Kid" Brown           San Francisco, Ca               TK  5
Mar  4 King Tut                    San Francisco, Ca                W 10
Mar 11 Harry "Kid" Brown           San Francisco, Ca                W 10
Apr  8 Irineo Flores               San Francisco, Ca               TK  2
Jun 24 Young Corbett III           San Francisco, Ca                D 10
Jul 22 Charley Feraci              San Francisco, Ca               KO  5

1928
Jan 17 Johnny Adams                Los Angeles, Ca                 TK  4
Jan 27 Don Fraser                  San Francisco, Ca               KO  3
Feb 13 Young Corbett III           San Francisco, Ca                L 10
Mar 16 Johnny O'Donnell            San Francisco, Ca               TK  8
Apr 11 "Oakland" Jimmy Duffy       Oakland, Ca                     LF  9
Jun  8 Billy Light                 Chicago, Il                      W  8
Jul 11 Russie Leroy                Chicago, Il                     TK  5
Aug 10 Eddie Dempsey               Chicago, Il                     KO  4
Aug 22 Gene Cardi                  Cleveland, Oh                   TK  6
Aug 30 Joe Dundee                  Chicago, Il                     TK  2
Oct  1 Jackie Fields               San Francisco, Ca                L 10
Oct 31 Danny Gordon                Chicago, Il                     TK  2
Nov 29 Sam Bruce                   Buffalo, NY                     TK 10
          -Some sources report 11/30/28
Dec  7 Tommy "Red" Brogan          Buffalo, NY                     KO  4

1929
Jan 25 James "Red" Herring         Buffalo, NY                     TK  7
Jan 30 Harry Dudley                Kansas City, Mo                 TK  6
          -Some sources report 1/31/29
Feb 18 Ham Jenkins                 Kansas City, Mo                  W 10
Mar  8 Walter "Heavy" Andrews      Buffalo, NY                      W 10
Mar 25 Jackie Fields               Chicago, Il                      L 10
         -NBA Welterweight Championship of the World
Jun 24 Jimmy Evans                 San Francisco, Ca               TK  9
Aug  7 "Oakland" Jimmy Duffy       Oakland, Ca                      W 10
Oct  2 "Oakland" Jimmy Duffy       Oakland, Ca                     TK 10
Oct  9 Freddie Fitzgerald          Oakland, Ca                      L 10
Nov 18 Billy White                 Pittsburgh, Pa                  TK  8
Dec 10 "Bermondsey" Billy Wells    Minneapolis, Mn                  W 10

1930
Jan 10 Tommy Freeman               Detroit, Mi                      L 10
Feb  3 Bucky Lawless               Rochester, Il                    L 10
Mar  1 Freddie Fitzgerald          Chicago, Il                      W 10
Mar 28 Jimmy McLarnin              New York, NY                     L 10
May  9 Jackie Fields               Detroit, Mi                      W 15
         -NBA Welterweight Championship of the World
Jun  6 "Bermondsey" Billy Wells    Omaha, Ne                       KO  2
Jun  9 Jimmy Dolan                 Portland, Or                    KO  3
          -Some sources report "Jerry Dolan"
Jun 17 Joe Cardoza                 Los Angeles, Ca                 KO  3
Jul  4 Young Corbett III           San Francisco, Ca                L 10
Sep  5 Tommy Freeman               Cleveland, Oh                    L 15
         -Welterweight Championship of the World

1931
Mar  4 Babe Anderson               Oakland, Ne                     KO  9
Mar 19 Larry Kaufman               Moline, Il                      KO  3
Apr 14 Tommy Freeman               Cleveland, Oh                   TK 12
         -Welterweight Championship of the World
May  8 Bucky Lawless               Chicago, Il                      L 10
May 27 Pete August                 Newark, NJ                       W 10
Jun 19 Speedball Turner            Little Rock, Ar                 KO  3
Jul 23 Lou Brouillard              Boston, Ma                       L 10
Sep  5 Tommy Jones                 Flint, Mi                       KO  5
          -Some sources report "KO 3" on 9/06/31
Oct  6 Tommy Jones                 Flint, Mi                       KO  3
Oct 23 Lou Brouillard              Boston, Ma                       L 15
         -Welterweight Championship of the World

1932
Jan 27 Jimmy Evans                 Oakland, Ca                      L 10
Mar  4 "Bermondsey" Billy Wells    Stockton, Ca                    TK  6
Mar 11 Al Trulmans                 San Diego, Ca                    W 10
Mar 25 "Cowboy" Charlie Cobb       San Diego, Ca                    L 10
May 25 Leonard Bennett             Seattle, Wa                      W  6

*** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed ***

1926
Jul 28 Frankie Tierney             El Rio, Ca                       W   

1927
Oct    Frankie Turner                                              KO  8

*** Assistance Provided By Kathleen Guinses ***

*** Assistance Provided By Seth Callis ***
             
Compiled By Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization