BOXING


James J. Braddock
The Cinderella Man


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.

On June 13th, 1935, in Long Island City, N.Y., Braddock, as a 10 to 1 underdog, won the heavyweight championship of the world from Max Baer. The general reaction in most quarters was described as, "the greatest fistic upset since the defeat of John L. Sullivan by Jim Corbett". Braddock would lose his heavyweight title two years later in an 8 round KO to "The Brown Bomber", Joe Louis. He retired after a final win over Tommy Farr in 1938. Jim was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1964, the Hudson County Hall of Fame in 1991 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001. James J. Braddock died on November 29th, 1974.


Tommy Farr

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.


CAMDEN COURIER-POST - AUGUST 14, 1936


James J. Braddock vs. Tommy Farr

January 21, 1938


James J. Braddock Tommy Farr

Sgt. Ray's Chatter
by
Sgt. Ray Smith

Camden Courier-Post

January 17, 1938

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CAMDEN COURIER-POST - JANUARY 21, 1938

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Sgt. Ray's Chatter
by
Sgt. Ray Smith

Camden Courier-Post

January 21, 1938

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CAMDEN COURIER-POST - JANUARY 22, 1938

Braddock Gains Decision Over Farr in Heavyweight Fuss
Ex-Champion Finishes Strong To Wipe Out Foe's Early Lead

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CAMDEN COURIER-POST - JANUARY 22, 1938
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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.


James J. Braddock

Lower Left:
Jim Braddock's
1st Round knockdown
of
Joe Louis


CAMDEN COURIER-POST - JANUARY 31, 1938
James Braddock, Prize Ring's 'Cinderella Man,' Announces Retirement from Fight Game
The Reason He Gave It Up

 

Here is the main reason why James J. Braddock, former world's heavyweight champion, retired from the sport. Shown At left are his children, Rose Marie, Howard, in rear, and James Jr., with Braddock and wife Mae.

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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

Camden Courier-Post
December 18, 1939

Joe Spearing
Jersey Joe Walcott - Roxie Allen
Frankie Blair -
Mickey Blair
Tommy Ricco - Battling Mack
Lew Skymer - Jackie Hindle
Charlie Mack -
Eddie Chaney
Young O'Connor
- Frankie Rapp
Pee Wee Ross - Bobby Zimmerman
Nick Nichols - Joey Allen
Johnny Lucas - Joey Straiges
Jim Braddock - Sgt. Ray Smith
Walter "Walter West" Kennedy
Caesar Campana
Johnny Duca - Mickey Duca - Al White
George Chaney - Benny Bass - Kid Williams
Johnny Buff - Danny Kramer - Pete Williams
Shamus Maguire - Lew Jackson - Paddy Lyons
Johnny Attell - Billy Marino - Young Firpo
Young Palmer - Tommy Dundee
Tommy McCann
Harry Shaw - Tom Walters
All Ettore - Joey O'Donnell
Mike DeLeece - Young Lawrence
Charlie Harris - Bill McFarland
Dominick Lombardo
Daniel Gallasso
James McSparrin
Paul Daly

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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 SmithTommy 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

James J. Braddock - The Official Website

JAMES J. BRADDOCK - New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame -

James J. Braddock, The Cinderella Man

"Cinderella Man"
Jim Braddock
Heavyweight Champion
1935-37

Jim Braddock: A Forgotten Champ Fights Again

For More About the Movie and Russell Crowe's Portrayal of Jim Braddock
http://www.kaspinet.com - A Russell Crowe Fansite


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