BOXING |
James
J. Braddock |
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JAMES J. BRADDOCK earned his nickname, the Cinderella Man, from his seemingly fairytale like rise from a poor local fighter to the heavyweight boxing champion of the world. Braddock, born in New York City on June 7th, 1906, had a powerful right hand and a successful amateur career. He turned pro in 1926. Braddock had victories over fighters like Jimmy Slattery and Pete Latzo. Braddock fought light heavyweight champ Tommy Loughran in 1929 for the title, but was defeated in a heartbreaking 15-round decision. Following the Loughran fight and the stock market crash of 1929, Jim Braddock was down on his luck. He had a hard time struggling to win fights and put food on the table for his young family. Eventually Jim's luck began to change. In 1934 he had upset wins against Corn Griffin and John Henry Lewis. With these two wins, Braddock set himself up for a shot for the title against heavyweight champion Max Baer. Baer had taken the title from Primo Carnera after earning title shot at Yankee Stadium in June of 1933 with a 10th round TKO of Max Scmeling. |
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A movie about the life of Jim Braddock, to be called The Cinderella Man is being made, starring Russell Crowe and to be directed by Ron Howard. Crowe has asked former boxing champion Joe Bugner to teach him what it is like to fight for a world heavyweight title. Joe Bugner went the distance twice with Muhammad Ali and once with Joe Frazier in the early 1970s. |
James J. Braddock vs. Tommy Farr January 21, 1938 |
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Sgt.
Ray's Chatter by Sgt. Ray Smith Camden Courier-Post January 17, 1938 Click on Image to Enlarge |
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Sgt.
Ray's Chatter by Sgt. Ray Smith Camden Courier-Post January 21, 1938 Click on Image to Enlarge |
A few weeks before the Tommy Farr fight, Jim Braddock took some time off to appear on the radio program Gangbusters, where he narrated The Case of the Jersey Butcher Bandits on January 1, 1938. |
FIGHT RECORD 1926 Apr 14 Al Settle West Hoboken, NJ ND 4 Apr 22 George Deschner Ridgefield Park, NJ KO 2 May Phil Weisberger KO 1 May Jack O'Day KO 1 May Willie Daily Wilkes-Barre, Pa KO 1 Jun 18 Leo Dobson Jersey City, NJ KO 1 Jul 9 Walter Westman Jersey City, NJ TK 3 Aug Jim Pearson KO 2 Aug Gene Travers KO 1 Sep 13 Mike Rock Jersey City, NJ KO 1 Sep 16 Ray Kennedy West New York, NJ KO 1 Sep 30 Carmine Caggiano West New York, NJ KO 1 Nov 12 Lou Barba New York, NY W 6 Dec 4 Al Settle New York, NY W 6 Dec 8 Joe Hudson New York, NY W 6 Dec 20 Doc Conrad Jersey City, NJ ND 4 1927 Jan 28 George LaRocco New York, NY KO 1 Feb 1 Johnny Alberts Wilkes-Barre, Pa KO 4 Feb 15 Jack Nelson Wilkes-Barre, Pa W 6 Mar 3 Lou Barba New York, NY W 4 Mar 8 Nick Fadil New York, NY W 6 -Weights: 166 3/4 - 177 Mar Tom McKiernan KO 2 Apr 19 Frankie Lennon Wilkes-Barre, Pa KO 3 May 2 Stanley Simmons Jersey City, NJ TK 1 -Weights: 170 - 180 May 11 Jack Stone West New York, NJ ND 10 May 20 George LaRocco New York, NY D 6 May 27 Paul Cavalier Arcola Park, NJ ND 10 Jun 8 Jimmy Francis West New York, NJ ND 10 -Weights: 168 - 169 Jul 13 Jimmy Francis Union City, NJ ND 10 Jul 21 George LaRocco New York, NY W 6 -Weights: 165 1/2 - 179 Aug 10 Vic McLaughlin West New York, NJ ND 10 Sep 21 Herman Heller West New York, NJ ND 10 Oct 5 Joe Monte New York, NY D 10 1928 Jan 6 Paul Swiderski New York, NY W 8 May 7 Jack Darnell Jersey City, NJ KO 4 May 16 Jimmy Francis West New York, NJ ND 10 Jun 7 Joe Monte New York, NY L 10 Jun 27 Billy Vidabeck West New York, NJ ND 10 Jul 25 Nando Tassi New York, NY D 10 Aug 8 Joe Sekyra New York, NY L 10 Oct 17 Pete Latzo Newark, NJ W 10 Nov 30 Gerald "Tuffy" Griffith New York, NY KO 2 1929 Jan 18 Leo Lomski New York, NY L 10 Feb 4 George Gemas Newark, NJ KO 1 Mar 11 Jimmy Slattery New York, NY TK 9 -Weights: 173 1/4 - 168 1/2 Apr 22 Eddie Benson Buffalo, NY KO 1 -Weights: 174 - 171 1/2 Jul 18 Tommy Loughran New York, NY L 15 -Light Heavyweight Championship of the World; Weights: 170 - 174 Aug 27 Yale Okun Los Angeles, Ca L 10 Nov 15 Maxie Rosenbloom New York, NY L 10 Dec 7 Jack "Jake" Warren Brooklyn, NY KO 2 1930 Jan 17 Leo Lomski Chicago, Il L 10 Apr 7 Billy Jones Philadelphia, Pa L 10 Jun 5 Harold Mays West New York, NJ ND 10 Jul 2 Joe Monte Boston, Ma W 10 Aug 12 Alvin "Babe" Hunt Boston, Ma L 10 Sep 19 Phil Mercurio Boston, Ma KO 2 1931 Jan 23 Ernie Schaaf New York, NY L 10 Mar 5 Jack Roper Miami, Fl KO 1 Mar 30 Jack Kelly New Haven, Ct W 10 Sep 3 Andy Mitchell Detroit, Mi D 10 Oct 9 Joe Sekyra New York, NY L 10 Nov 10 Maxie Rosenbloom Minneapolis, Mn NC 2 Dec 4 Al Gainer New Haven, Ct L 10 1932 Mar 18 Baxter Calmes Chicago, Il L 10 May 13 Charley Retzlaff Boston, Ma L 10 -Weights: 181 - 195 Jun 21 Vincent Parille New York, NY W 5 Jul 25 Tony Shucco New York, NY L 8 Sep 21 John Henry Lewis San Francisco, Ca L 10 Sep 30 Dynamite Jackson San Diego, Ca W 10 Oct 21 Tom Patrick Hollywood, Ca L 10 Nov 9 Lou Scozza San Francisco, Ca LT 6 -Braddock suffered a cut eye 1933 Jan 13 Martin Levandowski Chicago, Il W 10 Jan 20 Hans Birkie New York, NY L 10 -Weights: 181 1/2 - 200 Mar 1 Al Ettore Philadelphia, Pa LF 4 Mar 21 Al Stillman St. Louis, Mo TK 10 Apr 5 Martin Levandowski St. Louis, Mo L 10 May 19 Al Stillman St. Louis, Mo L 10 Jun 21 Les Kennedy Jersey City, NJ W 10 Jul 21 Chester Matan West New York, NJ W 10 Sep 25 Abe Feldman Mount Vernon, NY NC 6 1934 Jun 14 John "Corn" Griffin New York, NY (2:37) TK 3 Nov 16 John Henry Lewis New York, NY W 10 1935 Mar 22 Art Lasky New York, NY W 15 Jun 13 Max Baer Long Island City, NY W 15 -Heavyweight Championship of the World; Weights: 193 3/4 - 209 1/2 Jul 18 Jack McCarthy Columbus, Oh EX 3 Aug 27 Jack McCarthy Houston, Tx EX 3 Nov 5 Jack McCarthy Seattle, Wa EX 3 Nov 12 Jack McCarthy Portland, Or EX 2 Nov 15 Jack McCarthy San Francisco, Ca EX 3 Nov 20 Jack McCarthy Oakland, Ca EX 3 1936 Sep 30 Max Schmeling MSG, NY SCH (Fight scheduled but cancelled due to hand injury suffered by Braddock) Dec 12 New York State Athletic Comission rules, after a hearing: "The Commission forbids Braddock from engaging in a bout of any length whatsoever against Joe Louis before he defends his title against Schmeling." 1937 Feb Signs to meet Joe Louis Jun 3 Max Schmeling MSG, NY SCH (Braddock chose to fight Louis instead) Jun 10 Madison Square Garden denied request for an injunction to prevent the Louis-Braddock fight. Jun 22 Joe Louis Chicago, Il (1:10) LK 8 -Heavyweight Championship of the World; Weights: 197 - 197 1/4 1938 Jan 21 Tommy Farr New York, NY W 10 -Weights: 199 1/2 - 207 1941 Mar 26 Clarence "Red" Burman Charlotte, NC EX 5 |
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Camden
Courier-Post December 18, 1939 Joe
Spearing |
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Camden Courier-Post * December 20, 1939 | |
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Frank
Kopesky - James
Braddock - Jersey
Joe Walcott - Roxie
Allen - Frankie
Blair - Mickey
Blair Lew Skymer - Battling Mack - Joe Spearing- Frankie Rapp - Johnny Lucas - Joey Straiges - Joey Allen Sgt. Ray Smith - Tommy Ricco - Al Daley - Jackie Hindle - Eddie Chaney Caesar Campana - Young O'Connors - Charlie Mack - Pee Wee Ross - Bobby Zimmerman Buck Flemming - Joe Shannon -Kayo Palmer - Pat Lawrence- Dave Lambert Young Lawrence - Archie McNew - Lou Jackson - Al White - Young Palmer - Tommy Dundee Joe Mangold - Joey O'Donnell - Young Joe Firpo |
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More About the Movie and Russell Crowe's Portrayal of Jim Braddock |