26 Facts About Beau Jack

Beau Jack grew up during the Depression on a ragged farm where he worked the fields, and in the evening would work as a shoe-shine boy.

Beau Jack quickly befriended some of the club's members, including golfing legend Bobby Jones, who helped fund his boxing training.

Beau Jack moved to New York City in August 1941, where he continued to impress under the management of Chick Wergeles.

Beau Jack floored Larkin with a left hook for a count of one in the first minute of the first round.

The bout was furious and both boxers landed constant blows, though Beau Jack seemed to withstand the onslaught of Larkin and deliver an equal or greater number of counterpunches.

Beau Jack twice defeated Fritzie Zivic at Madison Square Garden on February 5, and March 5,1943, in ten and twelve round unanimous decisions, though their second meeting was rather close.

Beau Jack held the World Lightweight Title for only six months before dropping it to fellow hall-of-famer Bob Montgomery on May 21,1943, before 18,343 in a fifteen-round unanimous points decision at the Garden.

Beau Jack won the first round by a wide margin with a flurry of uppercuts and his signature free-wheeling, constant punching from many angles.

Beau Jack's eyes were virtually closed during much of the bout, but Montgomery's injuries were restricted to a cut above one eye.

Beau Jack would go on to regain the title from Montgomery on November 19,1943, in a fifteen-round unanimous decision at New York's Madison Square Garden before a crowd of 17,866.

Beau Jack carefully followed the advice of his trainer Larry Amadee, who told him to stay close to Montgomery, fight fiercely when separated from clinches, and generally use his strength in infighting.

Beau Jack coasted on the advice of Amadee in several rounds.

Beau Jack stayed with Amadee's advice when Montgomery finished strong in the last five rounds.

Beau Jack was battered and required great conditioning and willpower to hold on through the final rounds.

Beau Jack met Sammy Angott in a non-title match on January 28,1944, drawing in ten rounds at Madison Square Garden before an impressive crowd of 19,113, the largest of the year.

Beau Jack finally lost the Lightweight Championship for the second time to Montgomery on March 3,1944, in a fifteen-round split decision before 19,066 fans in Madison Square Garden.

On March 31,1944, Beau Jack defeated Mexican-born boxer Juan Zurita in a ten-round points decision at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Montgomery and Beau Jack, who were both serving as privates in the US Army, refused to take purses for the fight.

Beau Jack took the fight on points after 10 rounds, however the highlight of the evening was when the lights dimmed and a spotlight shone on Joe Louis was standing in the front row.

Beau Jack met Sammy Angott for the second time on July 8,1946, at Griffith Stadium in Washington, DC, where a crowd of 10,353 saw Beau Jack win in a seventh-round technical knockout.

Angott was very briefly down in round two, and Beau Jack was down twice briefly in round four.

Beau Jack retired with a record of 83 wins, with 40 knockouts, 24 losses and five draws.

Beau Jack refereed wrestling matches in South Carolina during the period.

Beau Jack had seven children, Ronald, Donald, George, Barbara Ann, Yvonne, Georgiana and Timothy.

Beau Jack died at 78, in a Miami nursing home, on February 9,2000, of complications from Parkinson's disease.

Beau Jack was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1979 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.