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Jim Hall (boxer)
Encyclopedia
Montague James Furlong commonly known as Jim Hall, was an Australia
n middleweight
boxer
. He won the Australian middleweight title in 1887 before moving to the United States
in an attempt to capture the World title from Jack (Nonpareil) Dempsey
. Described as "one of the best little fighters that ever lived" in The Milwaukee Journal, Hall's career was affected by alcoholism
, and he died of tuberculosis
in 1913.
, Hall began his professional boxing career at the age of 17, in 1886. Fighting mainly in Sydney
, he established himself as one of the country's best middleweights, with a quick and graceful style. He won the Australian middleweight title at his first attempt in 1887, defeating Jim Fogarty by knockout
. His only loss to that point was to welterweight
Billy Williams, who Hall said he could knock out in 4 rounds, though he failed to do so. Successfully defending his title against Fogarty, Edward Rollins
and Peter Boland, Hall soon established a strong rivalry with New Zealand
emigrant Bob Fitzsimmons
, who challenged him to a title fight in 1890. Though the records show that Fitzsimmons was counted out in round four, he later alleged he had taken a pre-arranged "dive" for a payment of around $US
75, which he said was never paid by Hall. Hall vehemently denied Fitzsimmons' claims of a fixed bout, and the true story behind the fight is still a matter of mystery.
Shortly afterwards, Hall planned to leave Australia for the US, seeking a title match with World Champion Jack (Nonpareil) Dempsey
. On the way to his boat over, Hall was drunk and started a fight, which saw him stabbed in the right hand. Forced to stay and recuperate in Australia while Fitzsimmons went to the US and won the World Title, Hall lost his Australian belt in to Owen Sullivan in Broken Hill, New South Wales
. By the end of 1890, however, Hall had recovered his Australian championship in a match against Starlight Rollins, before losing it to Billy (Professor) McCarthy on 18 January 1891, and embarking for America three days later aboard the ship Alameda.
, and notched up an impressive string of wins. Continuing their rivalry from Australia, Hall and Fitzsimmons signed to fight on 22 July 1891 in Saint Paul, Minnesota
for a stake of $12,000. The bout was anticipated as "one of the fiercest battles ever fought by middleweights" in the US, and one newspaper reported that the "bad blood" between the pair was incentive enough for them to fight, regardless of the money on offer. According to reports, Hall was in prime condition for the event, even abstaining from alcohol, "except for an occasional touch of claret
". On the day of the fight however, Minnesota Governor
William Rush Merriam
ordered four companies of National Guardsmen
to surround the amphitheatre and prevent the event from occurring.
Hall's alcoholism still caused problems, though, and on 23 August he attacked his manager Charles "Parson" Davies with a bottle after an argument in a tavern. Davies
retaliated, stabbing Hall in the neck with a small knife, reportedly missing the boxer's jugular vein
by a quarter of an inch. In the ring, Hall went through 1892 undefeated, which included a trip across the Atlantic
to England
, where he won the British
version of the World middleweight title from Ted Pritchard. Returning to America, Hall and Fitzsimmons again agreed on a match for Fitzsimmons' World title, to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana
on 8 March 1893. Kline worked Hall hard in training, but the fighter resisted, with The New York World
newspaper reporting that he ate what he pleased and continued to drink a quart
of Burgundy
a day. Despite this, Hall was favourite for the fight, but was knocked out by Fitzsimmons in only the fourth round.
Hall contested and won two more fights in London
, including one against Frank (Paddy) Slavin, whom he had challenged while drinking in a tavern that Slavin owned. From 1894 onwards, Hall's fights (and wins) became less regular, and reports of his misbehaviour increased. In Louisville, Kentucky
, Hall was sued by a doctor for "maintaining guilty relations" with the doctor's wife, and he was also arrested in Cleveland, Ohio
and London for drunken fights. The night before a fight against Charles Lawler, Hall was again arrested for public drunkenness, and was reportedly still intoxicated when he stepped into the ring, defeating Lawler in the tenth round. In September 1899, Hall challenged Joe Choynski
for the World light-heavyweight title and was knocked out in seven rounds by the California
n (although some sources report it was three rounds), who had done the same to him in thirteen rounds just three years earlier. Hall's final fight was held in 1900, against Tommy Dixon, and ended in a draw after 20 rounds.
in December 1900, Hall moved to Chicago, Illinois and was taken in to a charity ward. He was told to leave however, after being found stealing the personal effects of unclaimed corpses at the nearby morgue
, selling them and using the money for alcohol. Hall died at age 44 at the Wisconsin state TB sanitarium in Stevens Point
. An admirer called Patsy Callahan arranged for Hall's burial at Oak Hill Cemetery in Neenah, Wisconsin, but did not mark the grave with a headstone
. The reason for this is speculated to be that Hall had blown his money earned in boxing and sold his skeleton
to Dr. Rahde, a surgeon
in Chicago, for $150. Hall used up this money on alcohol, however, and ripped up the contract before punching Rahde when the doctor complained – Callahan deciding to attempt to keep Hall's bones safe from the scorned Rahde. In June 2006, with any claim to the boxer's bones no doubt diminished, boxing historian Bill Schutte bought a headstone, engraved with a pair of boxing gloves
and epitaph
"Prizefighter", and placed it on the grave, 93 years after Hall's death.
(73 kg) during his career, and never heavier than light heavyweight
, Hall was renowned for challenging even heavyweight
fighters without taking a backward step. Hall's remarkable grace and agility in the ring allowed him to keep his opponents off-balance, and a thorough knowledge of ring-craft helped him use this to his advantage. Hall's punch was not particularly strong, but was very effective against his opponents' vulnerable and awkward techniques. Writing in The Ring
magazine, George T. Tickell described Hall as "a remarkably brilliant boxer ... [with] the ability to think and act simultaneously, [making] him a perfect specimen of the bruising glove artist."
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n middleweight
Middleweight
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...
boxer
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...
. He won the Australian middleweight title in 1887 before moving to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in an attempt to capture the World title from Jack (Nonpareil) Dempsey
Jack (Nonpareil) Dempsey
John Edward Kelly was an Irish-born champion boxer. At height, he was better known as Jack "Nonpareil" Dempsey, called "Nonpareil" because no one could defeat him. In 65 contests, he lost only 3 times. This ended when Bob Fitzsimmons pummelled him around the ring and begged him to concede before...
. Described as "one of the best little fighters that ever lived" in The Milwaukee Journal, Hall's career was affected by alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
, and he died of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in 1913.
Australia
Born in Murnbyee, New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Hall began his professional boxing career at the age of 17, in 1886. Fighting mainly in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, he established himself as one of the country's best middleweights, with a quick and graceful style. He won the Australian middleweight title at his first attempt in 1887, defeating Jim Fogarty by 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...
. His only loss to that point was to welterweight
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
Billy Williams, who Hall said he could knock out in 4 rounds, though he failed to do so. Successfully defending his title against Fogarty, Edward Rollins
Edward Rollins (boxer)
Edward Rollins , commonly known as Starlight, was an Australian middleweight boxer.-Boxing Career:...
and Peter Boland, Hall soon established a strong rivalry with New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
emigrant Bob Fitzsimmons
Bob Fitzsimmons
Robert James "Bob" Fitzsimmons , was a British boxer who made boxing history as the sport's first three-division world champion. He also achieved fame for beating Gentleman Jim Corbett, the man who beat John L. Sullivan, and is in The Guinness Book of World Records as the Lightest heavyweight...
, who challenged him to a title fight in 1890. Though the records show that Fitzsimmons was counted out in round four, he later alleged he had taken a pre-arranged "dive" for a payment of around $US
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
75, which he said was never paid by Hall. Hall vehemently denied Fitzsimmons' claims of a fixed bout, and the true story behind the fight is still a matter of mystery.
Shortly afterwards, Hall planned to leave Australia for the US, seeking a title match with World Champion Jack (Nonpareil) Dempsey
Jack (Nonpareil) Dempsey
John Edward Kelly was an Irish-born champion boxer. At height, he was better known as Jack "Nonpareil" Dempsey, called "Nonpareil" because no one could defeat him. In 65 contests, he lost only 3 times. This ended when Bob Fitzsimmons pummelled him around the ring and begged him to concede before...
. On the way to his boat over, Hall was drunk and started a fight, which saw him stabbed in the right hand. Forced to stay and recuperate in Australia while Fitzsimmons went to the US and won the World Title, Hall lost his Australian belt in to Owen Sullivan in Broken Hill, New South Wales
Broken Hill, New South Wales
-Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the...
. By the end of 1890, however, Hall had recovered his Australian championship in a match against Starlight Rollins, before losing it to Billy (Professor) McCarthy on 18 January 1891, and embarking for America three days later aboard the ship Alameda.
United States
Hall began training at John Kline's "Manly Art Institute" in Beloit, WisconsinBeloit, Wisconsin
Beloit is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, Beloit had a population of 36,966. The greater Beloit area is home to more than 91,000 residents.-Claim to fame:...
, and notched up an impressive string of wins. Continuing their rivalry from Australia, Hall and Fitzsimmons signed to fight on 22 July 1891 in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
for a stake of $12,000. The bout was anticipated as "one of the fiercest battles ever fought by middleweights" in the US, and one newspaper reported that the "bad blood" between the pair was incentive enough for them to fight, regardless of the money on offer. According to reports, Hall was in prime condition for the event, even abstaining from alcohol, "except for an occasional touch of claret
Claret
Claret is a name primarily used in British English for red wine from the Bordeaux region of France.-Usage:Claret derives from the French clairet, a now uncommon dark rosé and the most common wine exported from Bordeaux until the 18th century...
". On the day of the fight however, Minnesota Governor
Governor of Minnesota
The Governor of Minnesota is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty different people have been governors of the state, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial...
William Rush Merriam
William Rush Merriam
William Rush "Spooky" Merriam was an American politician. The son of Minnesota House Speaker John L. Merriam, he served in the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1883 and 1887 and was the Speaker of the House in 1887. He served as the 11th Governor of Minnesota from January 9, 1889 to January...
ordered four companies of National Guardsmen
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
to surround the amphitheatre and prevent the event from occurring.
Hall's alcoholism still caused problems, though, and on 23 August he attacked his manager Charles "Parson" Davies with a bottle after an argument in a tavern. Davies
Davies
Davies is a spelling variation of the patronymic English surname Davis, that means David, a Hebrew name meaning "beloved". Davies is much associated with Wales, owing to the name of its patron saint, David....
retaliated, stabbing Hall in the neck with a small knife, reportedly missing the boxer's jugular vein
Jugular vein
The jugular veins are veins that bring deoxygenated blood from the head back to the heart via the superior vena cava.-Internal and external:There are two sets of jugular veins: external and internal....
by a quarter of an inch. In the ring, Hall went through 1892 undefeated, which included a trip across the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
to England
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...
, where he won the British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
version of the World middleweight title from Ted Pritchard. Returning to America, Hall and Fitzsimmons again agreed on a match for Fitzsimmons' World title, to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
on 8 March 1893. Kline worked Hall hard in training, but the fighter resisted, with The New York World
New York World
The New York World was a newspaper published in New York City from 1860 until 1931. The paper played a major role in the history of American newspapers...
newspaper reporting that he ate what he pleased and continued to drink a quart
Quart
The quart is a unit of volume equal to a quarter of a gallon, two pints, or four cups. Since gallons of various sizes have historically been in use, quarts of various sizes have also existed; see gallon for further discussion. Three of these kinds of quarts remain in current use, all approximately...
of Burgundy
Burgundy wine
Burgundy wine is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône River, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here - those commonly referred to as "Burgundies" - are red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wines made from...
a day. Despite this, Hall was favourite for the fight, but was knocked out by Fitzsimmons in only the fourth round.
Hall contested and won two more fights in 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...
, including one against Frank (Paddy) Slavin, whom he had challenged while drinking in a tavern that Slavin owned. From 1894 onwards, Hall's fights (and wins) became less regular, and reports of his misbehaviour increased. In Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, Hall was sued by a doctor for "maintaining guilty relations" with the doctor's wife, and he was also arrested in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
and London for drunken fights. The night before a fight against Charles Lawler, Hall was again arrested for public drunkenness, and was reportedly still intoxicated when he stepped into the ring, defeating Lawler in the tenth round. In September 1899, Hall challenged Joe Choynski
Joe Choynski
Joseph Bartlett "Joe" Choynski was an American boxer who fought professionally from 1888 to 1904.-Boxing career:"Chrysanthemum Joe", the son of a Polish immigrant that settled in California in 1867, weighed no more than 176 lb throughout his career but regularly fought heavyweights. He was...
for the World light-heavyweight title and was knocked out in seven rounds by the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
n (although some sources report it was three rounds), who had done the same to him in thirteen rounds just three years earlier. Hall's final fight was held in 1900, against Tommy Dixon, and ended in a draw after 20 rounds.
Death
Diagnosed with tuberculosisTuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in December 1900, Hall moved to Chicago, Illinois and was taken in to a charity ward. He was told to leave however, after being found stealing the personal effects of unclaimed corpses at the nearby morgue
Morgue
A morgue or mortuary is used for the storage of human corpses awaiting identification, or removal for autopsy or disposal by burial, cremation or otherwise...
, selling them and using the money for alcohol. Hall died at age 44 at the Wisconsin state TB sanitarium in Stevens Point
Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Stevens Point is the county seat of Portage County, Wisconsin, United States. Located in the central part of the state, it is the largest city in the county, with a population of 24,551 at the 2000 census...
. An admirer called Patsy Callahan arranged for Hall's burial at Oak Hill Cemetery in Neenah, Wisconsin, but did not mark the grave with a headstone
Headstone
A headstone, tombstone, or gravestone is a marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. In most cases they have the deceased's name, date of birth, and date of death inscribed on them, along with a personal message, or prayer.- Use :...
. The reason for this is speculated to be that Hall had blown his money earned in boxing and sold his skeleton
Skeleton
The skeleton is the body part that forms the supporting structure of an organism. There are two different skeletal types: the exoskeleton, which is the stable outer shell of an organism, and the endoskeleton, which forms the support structure inside the body.In a figurative sense, skeleton can...
to Dr. Rahde, a surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
in Chicago, for $150. Hall used up this money on alcohol, however, and ripped up the contract before punching Rahde when the doctor complained – Callahan deciding to attempt to keep Hall's bones safe from the scorned Rahde. In June 2006, with any claim to the boxer's bones no doubt diminished, boxing historian Bill Schutte bought a headstone, engraved with a pair of boxing gloves
Boxing gloves
Boxing gloves are cushioned gloves that fighters wear on their hands during boxing matches. The term also refers to gloves used in training, though these often differ from competition gloves...
and epitaph
Epitaph
An epitaph is a short text honoring a deceased person, strictly speaking that is inscribed on their tombstone or plaque, but also used figuratively. Some are specified by the dead person beforehand, others chosen by those responsible for the burial...
"Prizefighter", and placed it on the grave, 93 years after Hall's death.
Boxing style
Weighing around 160 poundsPound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
(73 kg) during his career, and never heavier than 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...
, Hall was renowned for challenging even heavyweight
Heavyweight
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...
fighters without taking a backward step. Hall's remarkable grace and agility in the ring allowed him to keep his opponents off-balance, and a thorough knowledge of ring-craft helped him use this to his advantage. Hall's punch was not particularly strong, but was very effective against his opponents' vulnerable and awkward techniques. Writing in The Ring
The Ring (magazine)
The Ring is an American boxing magazine that was first published in 1922 as a boxing and wrestling magazine. As the sporting legitimacy of professional wrestling came more into question, The Ring shifted to becoming exclusively a boxing oriented publication...
magazine, George T. Tickell described Hall as "a remarkably brilliant boxer ... [with] the ability to think and act simultaneously, [making] him a perfect specimen of the bruising glove artist."