Jack Bloomfield
Encyclopedia
Jack Bloomfield was an English
light heavyweight
professional boxer
, whose birth name was Sol Blumenfeld, and who was also known as "Basking" Jack Bloomfield during his career. He took part in the first ever boxing
event to be held at Wembley Stadium. He lived in Islington
, London
.
, against fellow Londoner Joe Gannon in Finsbury
, London, on March 12, 1918, and he won this by a knockout
in the first round.
He entered his first competition on September 9, 1918, when he fought 3 three-round bouts in one day, beating a Sergeant Braddock in the final of the Inter-Allied Middleweight Competition.
In his next tournament, the SBA King's Trophy Middleweight Competition, held on December 11, 1918 at the Royal Albert Hall
, he lost on points in the final, again over 3 rounds, to Billy Fullerton.
Staying at middleweight, Bloomfield won his next three fights, which took place between March and June 1919, before suffering a "no contest
" decision in the 8th round against Eddie Feathers on July 28, 1919. He was back to winning ways in his last three fights of 1919, and all by technical knockout.
On April 23, 1920, he fought his first bout in the USA
, defeating Walter McGirr in a 6 round contest in Jersey City, New Jersey
. During the rest of the year, Bloomfield fought six more US and Canadian
fighters, winning four, losing one and drawing one. Returning to London in 1921, he won two more fights during February, before challenging the vastly-experienced Ted "Kid" Lewis for the vacant British Middleweight Championship at Holland Park Rink in London on June 27. This was fought over a mammoth 20 rounds, and Bloomfield lost on points. In December, he eased his way back with a 3rd round knockout win against a Services boxer in Hoxton
, London.
division for one fight (which he won), before switching to his eventual weight of choice, light heavyweight, to fight one winning bout prior to his next attempt at a championship belt. This was the BBBofC
title vacated by Noel "Boy" McCormick, and Bloomfield was matched with Harry Drake in a 20 round contest in London on May 1, 1922. Drake lost this on a technical decision in the 9th round, to give Bloomfield his first ever universally-recognised championship.
Twice defending the title successfully that year, against Albert "Kid" Lloyd and "Bombardier" Billy Wells
(both by 6th round knockouts), he then challenged John "Soldier Jones" Beaudin of Canada for the British Empire Light Heavyweight Championship at the National Sporting Club in London on March 26, 1923, winning by a technical knockout in the 5th round, to add another belt to his collection.
He successfully defended the British Empire title in May of that year, when Northern Irishman
Dave Magill quit in the thirteenth round of twenty at Olympia
in London. However, for his next title attempt in November of that year, moving up a weight, he was to suffer an embarrassing defeat.
Challenging Frank Goddard
for the vacant British Heavyweight Championship at the Royal Albert Hall, Bloomfield was disqualified in the second round for hitting Goddard while he was down.
of the United States
in a non-title fight which took place during the British Empire Exhibition
on August 9, 1924. This contest was also notable for causing the bankruptcy of Major Arnold Wilson from Preston, who had promoted the fight, but was met with severe financial demands from Gibbons. Bloomfield was knocked out in the 3rd round, and never fought again. He died in 1961.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
light heavyweight
Light heavyweight
In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight...
professional boxer
Professional Boxing
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, emerged in the early twentieth century as boxing gradually attained legitimacy and became a regulated, sanctioned sport. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse which is divided among the fighters and promoters as determined by contract...
, whose birth name was Sol Blumenfeld, and who was also known as "Basking" Jack Bloomfield during his career. He took part in the first ever boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
event to be held at Wembley Stadium. He lived in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
At middleweight
Bloomfield's first professional fight was at middleweightMiddleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
, against fellow Londoner Joe Gannon in Finsbury
Finsbury
Finsbury is a district of central London, England. It lies immediately north of the City of London and Clerkenwell, west of Shoreditch, and south of Islington and City Road. It is in the south of the London Borough of Islington. The Finsbury Estate is in the western part of the district...
, London, on March 12, 1918, and he won this by a knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
in the first round.
He entered his first competition on September 9, 1918, when he fought 3 three-round bouts in one day, beating a Sergeant Braddock in the final of the Inter-Allied Middleweight Competition.
In his next tournament, the SBA King's Trophy Middleweight Competition, held on December 11, 1918 at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
, he lost on points in the final, again over 3 rounds, to Billy Fullerton.
Staying at middleweight, Bloomfield won his next three fights, which took place between March and June 1919, before suffering a "no contest
No contest (boxing)
No contest is a technical term used in some combat sports to describe a fight that ends for reasons outside the fighters' hands.-Boxing:...
" decision in the 8th round against Eddie Feathers on July 28, 1919. He was back to winning ways in his last three fights of 1919, and all by technical knockout.
On April 23, 1920, he fought his first bout in the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, defeating Walter McGirr in a 6 round contest in Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
. During the rest of the year, Bloomfield fought six more US and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
fighters, winning four, losing one and drawing one. Returning to London in 1921, he won two more fights during February, before challenging the vastly-experienced Ted "Kid" Lewis for the vacant British Middleweight Championship at Holland Park Rink in London on June 27. This was fought over a mammoth 20 rounds, and Bloomfield lost on points. In December, he eased his way back with a 3rd round knockout win against a Services boxer in Hoxton
Hoxton
Hoxton is an area in the London Borough of Hackney, immediately north of the financial district of the City of London. The area of Hoxton is bordered by Regent's Canal on the north side, Wharf Road and City Road on the west, Old Street on the south, and Kingsland Road on the east.Hoxton is also a...
, London.
At light-heavyweight and heavyweight
From the beginning of 1922, Bloomfield moved up to the heavyweightHeavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
division for one fight (which he won), before switching to his eventual weight of choice, light heavyweight, to fight one winning bout prior to his next attempt at a championship belt. This was the BBBofC
British Boxing Board of Control
The British Boxing Board of Control is the governing body of professional boxing in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1929 from the old National Sporting Club and is headquartered in Cardiff.- Councils :...
title vacated by Noel "Boy" McCormick, and Bloomfield was matched with Harry Drake in a 20 round contest in London on May 1, 1922. Drake lost this on a technical decision in the 9th round, to give Bloomfield his first ever universally-recognised championship.
Twice defending the title successfully that year, against Albert "Kid" Lloyd and "Bombardier" Billy Wells
William Thomas Wells
William Thomas Wells, better known as Bombardier Billy Wells , was an English heavyweight boxer. Fighting under the name "Bombardier Billy Wells," he was British and British Empire Champion from 1911 until 1919, defending his title fourteen times...
(both by 6th round knockouts), he then challenged John "Soldier Jones" Beaudin of Canada for the British Empire Light Heavyweight Championship at the National Sporting Club in London on March 26, 1923, winning by a technical knockout in the 5th round, to add another belt to his collection.
He successfully defended the British Empire title in May of that year, when Northern Irishman
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
Dave Magill quit in the thirteenth round of twenty at Olympia
Olympia, London
Olympia is an exhibition centre and conference centre in West Kensington, on the boundary between The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham, London, W14 8UX, England. It opened in the 19th century and was originally known as the National Agricultural Hall.Opened in 1886,...
in London. However, for his next title attempt in November of that year, moving up a weight, he was to suffer an embarrassing defeat.
Challenging Frank Goddard
Frank Goddard
Percy Frank Goddard was a British boxer who became the heavyweight boxing champion in 1923. Frank's career begin in 1914 and it soon became apparent that he was one of the best boxers in the UK...
for the vacant British Heavyweight Championship at the Royal Albert Hall, Bloomfield was disqualified in the second round for hitting Goddard while he was down.
First ever boxing match at Wembley
After winning one more light heavyweight bout in May 1924, Bloomfield was chosen to take part in the first ever boxing match to be held at the recently-built Wembley Stadium, against Tommy GibbonsTommy Gibbons
- Biography :Thomas J. Gibbons was a nearly undefeated heavyweight boxer. The brother of Mike Gibbons, Tommy started boxing professionally in 1911 as a middleweight. Like his brother he was a master scientific boxer who chose to outbox his opponents...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in a non-title fight which took place during the British Empire Exhibition
British Empire Exhibition
The British Empire Exhibition was a colonial exhibition held at Wembley, Middlesex in 1924 and 1925.-History:It was opened by King George V on St George's Day, 23 April 1924. The British Empire contained 58 countries at that time, and only Gambia and Gibraltar did not take part...
on August 9, 1924. This contest was also notable for causing the bankruptcy of Major Arnold Wilson from Preston, who had promoted the fight, but was met with severe financial demands from Gibbons. Bloomfield was knocked out in the 3rd round, and never fought again. He died in 1961.
External links
- Detailed account of the first ever Wembley Stadium boxing match, Bloomfield v. Gibbons, 1924: cacheCacheIn computer engineering, a cache is a component that transparently stores data so that future requests for that data can be served faster. The data that is stored within a cache might be values that have been computed earlier or duplicates of original values that are stored elsewhere...
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file at SwanseaBattalion.net website