The year 1942 was the year of the “Jack Rabbit.” To launch the year, Beau reeled off eleven straight victories, including seven by way of knockout, on his way to a lightweight championship bout against Tippy Larkin on December 18. His competitors were determined and experienced. The first six fighters he faced had a combined record of 192–84–30. The last five opponents had an even more daunting collective record of 231–30–13.
In his first bout of 1942, Beau returned to his old stomping grounds, the Valley Arena in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Although it was his 38th bout since arriving in Massachusetts, it was Beau’s first 10-round bout. More than 2,000 fans filed into the arena eager to see their “hometown” boy in action once again. It had been seven months since Jack last fought in the Valley.
Beau was paired with Spaniard Carmelo Fenoy, aka Carmello Fenoy Garrido, of New York, for the January 5 bout. A previous South American lightweight champion, Fenoy had a professional record of 48–14–4. On the other hand, Fenoy’s stock was deteriorating, as he had lost his last four bouts. Although 2¼ pounds heavier than Jack, Carmelo was an inch shorter.
Beau did not disappoint his “hometown” fans. From the opening to the closing bell, Beau drove the Spaniard around the ring, throwing flurries of punches and keeping Fenoy off balance. Even though Carmelo managed to survive Beau’s onslaught, the decision was never in question. At the end of ten rounds, Beau was awarded a unanimous decision over Fenoy.
Tonsillectomy
A week later, Jack was scheduled to meet Guillermo Puentes for the third time at Madison Square Garden, this time as a preliminary to the rematch between Sugar Ray Robinson and Fritzie Zivic. Before the fight, however, Beau developed a nasty cold and had to back out. Beau was also scheduled to meet Terry Young at the Garden on January 30 but had to cancel that match as well. Reportedly, he was suffering from pneumonia.
It turns out that Beau suffered from more than a simple cold or pneumonia. On February 11, 1942, Beau boarded the train with Bowman Milligan and headed for home. Beau’s illness had advanced to the point that a tonsillectomy was necessary. Following surgery, newspapers carried a picture of Beau lying in his hospital bed at University Hospital with Bowman standing next to him. Beau rested in Augusta for several months before stepping back into the ring.
While in town, Beau registered for the draft. On his registration card, he identified himself as a “prizefighter” with a cut over his left eye, standing 5'4½" tall, and weighing 135 pounds. He listed his Uncle Jesse as his contact person. Interestingly, contrary to popular belief, Beau was not only capable of signing his name but did sign his name on his registration card.
As usual, while he was recuperating in Augusta, Beau waited tables at the Augusta National clubhouse during the ninth annual Masters Tournament in April. After the first round, Ben Hogan came in with a score of 73, six shots behind the leader. One of the members asked Beau if he knew what might be wrong with Hogan’s golf game. “Overtrained,” responded Beau. “Once I overtrained. All during the fight I knew what I wanted to do, I saw the chance to do it. But could I make my hands move? No sir, I just couldn’t get them to work. I think maybe the same thing happens to Mr. Hogan. He works too hard.”1 Ben Hogan finished second that year, falling to Byron Nelson after an 18-hole playoff round.
Dim-Out
Within a month after Pearl Harbor, German U-boats began terrorizing the U.S. coastline, sinking fuel tankers, cargo ships, etc. Therefore, in April of 1942, a government-mandated “dim-out” was instituted along the East Coast. The regulations were enacted to protect U.S. ships from potential submarine attacks by reducing “shore glow” which aided the enemy in locating ships at sea.
New York had stringent dim-out restrictions. Regulations required elimination of all interior window lighting projecting above the horizontal, or screening of such lights to project their rays downward, blackout of all external lighting for advertising, elimination of all exterior lighting on theaters and concert halls, blackout of all lights above the 15th floor, elimination of all lights visible from the sea and reduction of lighting on all streets, parkways, parks, highways and racetracks.
Beau Returns from Layoff
Following a four-and-a-half-month layoff, Beau returned to the Garden ring on May 22, 1942, to tackle Bobby “Poison” Ivy (1915–1984) of Hartford, Connecticut. The “Hartford Bludgeon” had a record of 47–14–9 and previously contended for the featherweight title only to lose to Pete Scalzo. Ivy possessed a powerful short hook and a ripping right uppercut. In his last fight, Ivy scored an enormous upset by winning a unanimous decision over a heavily favored Jackie Callura. Coincidently, six months later Callura was crowned the world featherweight champion, defeating titleholder Jackie Wilson.
It was a bizarre bout. In the first round, Beau hit Ivy with a hard right to his head. Ivy was hurt and appeared as if he wouldn’t make it to the bell. Although groggy, Bobby not only survived the round, he managed to come back and take a turbulent second round. The third was equally rough after Beau shoved Ivy down for a two count. From the fourth round on, however, Beau got on track and simply took advantage of his weight, keeping pressure on Ivy and continuously attacking him with punches. After the final bell, Jack was declared the victor on points.
The next day, Ivy’s manager, Pete Reilly, was heavily criticized for taking the fight and failing to insist on the contracted 135-pound weight limit. Ivy, a natural featherweight, came in about six to eight pounds over his optimal fighting weight. Beau, on the other hand, weighed in above weight at 137½ pounds and boosted up over 140 pounds by fight time. Five months after his bout with Jack, Ivy, the winner of only one of his last six matches, hung up the gloves. Ivy finished his four-year career with a record of 48–18–10 and went to work for United Aircraft.
After defeating Bobby Ivy, Beau went on a remarkable knockout streak, knocking out his next five opponents. The streak began on a mild summer evening in June at MacArthur Stadium and ended back at MacArthur Stadium two months later. Located in Syracuse, New York, the 10,000-seat MacArthur Stadium was initially named Municipal Stadium or Bay Area Stadium but was subsequently renamed in honor of General Douglas MacArthur.
Beau’s first three knockouts occurred within 14 days. His opening victim was Guillermo Puentes, who Beau was meeting for the third time. Beau had won the previous two bouts on points and three of his last five matches since he last met Puentes. Guillermo, on the other hand, had lost his last five bouts.
Beau was undeniably ready for Puentes for their main event match at MacArthur Stadium on June 23, 1942. Four thousand avid fight fans were on hand for the eight-round main event. The mighty bull-shouldered Beau Jack didn’t take long to show Puentes who was boss of the ring, knocking him out with a right uppercut 2:52 minutes into the first round. Referee Jed Gahan gave Puentes the 10-count and Jack gave Puentes his first career knockout. After one more fight and 12 consecutive defeats, Puentes hung up his boxing gloves. He finished his career with an unremarkable record of 7–15–1.
Eyeing a title fight, Jack’s team began calling out the lightweight champion Sammy Angott. Angott had taken the NBA lightweight title from Davey Day on the eve of the Kentucky Derby in Louisville on May 3, 1940, and defeated Lew Jenkins on December 19, 1941, to acquire the NYSAC’s lightweight title. Chick Wergeles telegraphed Angott’s manager, Charlie Jones, offering a $10,000 guarantee for an Angott title bout. Wergeles even offered to let Angott pick the place and date. Sammy’s camp, however, did not accept the challenge.
A week after his first-round knockout of Puentes, Beau faced Detroit veteran Bobby McIntire. McIntire had recent victories over tough opponents including Carmine Fatta, Julie Kogon, and Billy Marquart, but had suffered knockouts in his last two outings. Jackie Wilson knocked Bobby out on May 29, and Chalky Wright knocked McIntire out in the fifth round on June 24 on his way to the featherweight title three months later. McIntire’s overall record was 45–22–5.
The bout, scheduled for Thursday night, July 2, 1942, was heralded as the main event on historic Fort Hamilton’s weekly fight card. Named after Alexander Hamilton, Fort Hamilton, located in the southwestern corner of Brooklyn, is the fourth oldest military installation in the United States. Unfortunately, heavy rain on the day of the fight forced a one-day postponement. It didn’t hurt attendance. The next night, with Beau Jack, the hard-hitting sensation of New York in the main event, Harlem’s army crowd turned out in hordes.
McIntire held a slight weight and height advantage over Beau, but that was the only benefit he had. Beau took McIntire to school and had him lumbering in distress the whole fight. Finally, in the sixth round, Beau mercifully ended Bobby McIntire’s night, flattening him 2:20 minutes into the 6th round. McIntire was Beau’s second opponent in 10 days to suffer defeat via knockout.
With no time to rest, Beau quickly prepared for his next match on July 7. He faced Danny McMillan (1921–1977), who fought under the name Cosby Linson, of New Orleans, Louisiana in the main event at Queensboro Arena. Located in Long Island, New York, Queensboro Arena was an open-air arena built in the early twenties, capable of seating 25,000 spectators.
Cosby was rapidly rising in the lightweight ranks with recent upsets over Vinnie Rossano and Chief Crazy Horse. Moreover, he had won his last four fights, improving his record to 26–3–5. Cosby stood 5'7" tall and weighed 141 pounds, four pounds heavier than Jack for their welterweight clash.
Beau busted out of the gates against the boxer from the “Big Easy,” flooring Linson in the first round for a nine-count. Beau continued the assault, opening up deep gashes over both of Linson’s eyes. Using his signature bolo punch, Beau easily won five of the first seven rounds. By the eighth round, Linson was a bloody mess. Blood was flowing from cuts above his eyes, nose, and mouth when referee Johnny MacAvoy stopped the fight 2 minutes and 17 seconds into the eighth round. Linson was Jack’s third knockout victim in two weeks. After losing to Beau, Linson went on a seven-bout win streak. He finished his career with a record of 49–19–8.
Beau Jack’s stock was swiftly rising. He had finally earned a spot in line for a crack at Sammy Angott and the lightweight title, joining contenders Allie Stolz and Chalky Wright. With Uncle Sam’s continuing call to service during World War II, the Syndicate behind Beau wanted to ensure that he would get a title bout before he was called into service. Chick Wergeles again offered Angott a $10,000 guarantee to fight Beau. Angott again turned down the offer. Beau would have to wait.
Puerto Rican fighter Ruby Garcia was Beau’s next adversary. They met in an eight-round featured bout on August 1, 1942, at the Twin City Bowl, an open-air arena located on the Newark-Elizabeth City line. Boxing fans were excited, as this was the first Saturday night boxing match in the Newark area in years. On paper, it looked to be a tremendous matchup. Garcia was fighting in the best form of his professional career, having lost only one of his last eight contests. Jack weighed in at 138 pounds; Garcia at 140 pounds.
Beau did not disappoint the boisterous fans. With thunderous applause from the crowd, Beau scored a sixth-round knockout over the Puerto Rican, flooring him 1:59 minutes into the round. It was Jack’s fourth consecutive knockout. International News Service sports editor and acclaimed sportswriter Lawton Carver (1903–1973) described Beau’s fanatic style. Jack “simply wore his foes down, then popped them over when they were softened up. He’s like a swarm of gnats. While you brush him off here, you get stung in six other places.”2 Garcia only won seven of his next 62 bouts, finishing his career with a 25–71–8 record.
Beau next stepped into the ring on August 18, 1942, to face Carmine Fatta (1919–2008). It was billed as a battle between knockout artists. Beau had won his last four bouts by way of knockout, whereas Fatta had knocked out half of his 56 opponents and had a 45–9–3 record. The 23-year-old Italian American from Bensonhurst, Brooklyn had two more years of ring experience than Beau and was passionately referred to by his fans as “135 pounds of fighting fury.” Both men were gunning for a title fight and planned to file a challenge to lightweight champ Sammy Angott with the NYSAC. Odds were almost even going into the eight-round main event.
Many of Fatta’s “hometown” fans were among the 5,200 enthusiastic spectators gathered in anticipation of a Carmelo victory and Fatta’s entry into a top-five ranking in the lightweight class. Needless to say, they were utterly disappointed. At the opening bell, both warriors stood toe to toe, slamming each other with punches. Right before the end of the first round, however, Beau connected a vicious left to Fatta’s head, sending him to the canvas for the count. The KO was Beau’s fifth in a row. Carmine Fatta went on to end his professional career with a record of 70–19–7 and was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.
Beau was quickly progressing towards the top of the lightweight ranks, winning all seven of his bouts so far in 1942. Moreover, he had knocked out his last five opponents. Nonetheless, before he would gain a shot at the title, Jack had four more grueling opponents to conquer. Meanwhile, Chick Wergeles, the little man of perpetual motion, was doing all he could to hype Beau up for a title bout.
For the first time in Madison Square Garden’s history, four 10-round main events were scheduled for Friday night, August 28, 1942. Cleo Shans (37–20–17) and Maxie Shapiro (60–8–3) were re-matched in the top main event. They had fought a couple of weeks earlier in what was deemed the “fight of the year.” Shans edged out a slim victory in that bout. In the second 10-round main event, Beau Jack was scheduled to meet Chester Rico for the second time, but Rico cancelled due to a back injury suffered in training. Billy Murray, a 21-year-old out of Bellaire, Ohio, was substituted for Rico. In the other 10-round events, Jake LaMotta faced Jimmy Edgar, and Carmine Fatta met Carmelo Fenoy.
A crowd of 10,021 was on hand for the exciting night of boxing at the Garden. A dazzling display of diamonds and emeralds surrounded the ring, many of which were worn by wives of Beau’s Syndicate members and millionaire supporters hoping to see Beau score his sixth knockout in a row. Murray was an up-and-coming fighter and a terrific puncher, having won 59 of his 61 professional bouts and reeling off 19 straight victories.
Murray was ready for the contest, putting up a good fight, using his height and reach advantage to make Beau miss countless punches as he rushed in. Murray just couldn’t connect enough to earn points. Beau easily outpointed Murray on the scorecard but was not exceptionally impressive. Even though Beau managed to cut Murray above his eye in the last 14 seconds of the fight, his knockout streak was halted. After one more fight, Murray was ready to call an end to his short 33-month boxing career, retiring with a record of 59–4–0. Meanwhile, Beau was tentatively promised a title fight with Sammy Angott, the current lightweight champion, but the matchup would have to wait.
Chick Hypes Jack
Chick Wergeles ardently plugged Beau Jack whenever he had a chance. He wanted to pave the shortest road possible to the title for Beau. Madison Square Garden promoter Mike Jacobs’ publicity man Harry Markson3 commented: “Wergeles had the big columnists doing pieces about this boy before he even got a prelim bout. The ballyhoo that kid was getting I’d have bet a thousand to one that he could never live up to it.”4 Wergeles was doing his job promoting Beau.
A perfect example of Wergeles’ tact was displayed in his August interview with Harold Parrott, sportswriter for the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Chick scolded Parrott over not providing adequate coverage of his fistic Georgia bootblack.
“You don’t never write nothing,” he [Chick] complained, “about my fighter. Wotta kid that is—.”
“I am a nursemaid to the kid,” laughs Chick, “name’s Beau Jack. You know him. He fought in the Garden last Friday and win, and now they are goin’ to trun him in ther wit’ Sammy Ingott [Angott]. ‘Git me champeens,’ the kid allus says to me. ‘I kin fight better against the champeens.’ He is a nice colored boy, 21, but he never knows who he’s fightin’. By name, I mean. So I tell him, ‘This guy you’re fightin’ tonight is almost a champeen.’ That keeps him happy—.”
“The kid he don’t care who it is out there. He goes through a coupla fast rounds shadow-boxin’ in his dressin’ room before the fight, an’ then he says, ‘Leave me at dat man’ an’ when we do, it is usually too bad. He belted that Billy Murray last week, an’ they bin sayin’ that guy ain’t lose a fight since he was in knee pants—”5
Wergeles knew how to spin his fighter in the eyes of the public, ensuring Jack received the best coverage conceivable and that his image was clean, unlike many of the colorful boxers of the day.
Curiously, Parrott questioned Wergeles if Beau enjoyed the nightlife of Harlem. What does Beau do after his fights? Chick responded: “You cannot get him near that Harlem. He thinks it is too tough for him. Imagine—a kid like him who will tackle anything on two legs. But it is a good thing anyway and he spends his allowance in them shootin’ galleries at Coney Island. Spent his whole $2 there last time.”6 Chick always gave Beau a dollar or two after he fought, so he could relax at the shooting gallery or take in a dime movie. Beau was a simple young lad that didn’t care about the bright lights of Harlem. “It’s too gay out there,”7 said Beau. He preferred shooting galleries and movies.
In his subsequent column, “Both Sides,” Parrott humorously mocked Wergeles’ grammar and language. “Now … here is a character who can’t pilot a short sentence unharmed through the perils of grammar and syntax … and he’s guiding a fighter! … All Mr. Wergeles needs is the right literary jockey and he will be laughing at them there college perfessers.”8 A master at his profession, Chick Wergeles drew attention to himself and his clients, even if it meant butchering the English language.
In a contest long in the making, Beau received a chance to alleviate his previous draw against Chester Rico. The two were scheduled to meet in an eight-round preliminary bout to the contest between Sugar Ray Robinson and Jake LaMotta at Madison Square Garden on October 2. Since their last fight, Rico had excelled, racking up sixteen victories, two draws, and only one loss. Meanwhile, Jack had won eighteen of his previous 20 bouts. A crowd of 12,784 eager spectators anxiously awaited the evening’s combat.
At the opening bell, Beau rushed Chester, pounding him with sharp uppercuts and right crosses. The two battled a bruising eight rounds. Jack, however, put the fight in his corner in the fifth round when he landed a thunderous right uppercut to Rico’s left eye, opening a deep gash on his forehead. Chester retaliated by trying to tire Beau with powerful body punches, but it didn’t deter Beau’s fortitude or stamina. With blood pouring from the laceration above his eye and nose, Rico’s best punches were dismissed without difficulty. Beau coasted through eight rounds, easily outpointing Chester on the scorecards. In the main event, Ray Robinson (35–0) made his successful middleweight debut, defeating the “Bronx Bull” by a unanimous decision. The fight card grossed $29,434.
On Monday, October 12, 1942, ten days after defeating Rico, Beau met Angelo DeSanza, aka Terry Young (1921–1967), a welterweight from New York’s East Side. Young was trained by legendary trainer Ray Arcel (1899–1994). Arcel had already worked with 16 world champions, including Benny Leonard (1917 lightweight), Frankie Genaro (1928 flyweight), Abe Goldstein (1924 welterweight), Charley Phil Rosenberg (1925 bantamweight), Jackie “Kid” Berg (1930 light welterweight), Lou Brouillard (1931 welterweight), Barney Ross (1933 lightweight & junior welterweight, 1934 welterweight), Bob Olin (1934 light heavyweight), Teddy Yarosz (1934 middleweight), James J. Braddock (1935 heavyweight), Sixto Escobar (1936 bantamweight), Tony Marino (1936 bantamweight), Freddie Steele (1936 middleweight), Ceferino Garcia (1939 middleweight), Billy Soose (1940 middleweight), and Tony Zale (1941 middleweight).9
Arcel would later run afoul of the mafia by competing with the International Boxing Club (IBC) for televised bouts. In 1953, Ray was targeted by the mob, which delivered a stiff warning to get out of boxing, when an assailant bashed Arcel’s head in with a lead pipe. Fortunately, he survived the warning. Despite his trouble with the mafia, in the early seventies, Arcel returned to boxing to train Alfonso “Peppermint” Frazer (1972 light welterweight champion), Roberto Duran (1980 welterweight champion), and Larry Holmes (1978 heavyweight champion).
Arcel’s current pupil, Terry Young, was a formidable adversary with a respectable 45–10–4 record. Possessing dynamite in both hands, Young had knocked out three of his last four opponents. In his previous bout, he knocked Tony Costa out in the second round. Young was blossoming as a boxer, producing two of the biggest fistic upsets of 1942, defeating NBA featherweight champion Jackie Wilson (89–21–7) and Cleo Shans (34–18–7). Augmenting his tough image, Young brutally fractured Wilson’s left forearm through a series of ripping lefts and a powerful left uppercut in the third round of their battle.
The venue for the featured 10-round bout was St. Nicholas Arena. Jack had not fared well in his previous visits to St. Nicholas Arena, losing both matches to Freddie Archer. Young, on the other hand, had performed well. Beginning with his professional debut on October 9, 1939, Young fought his first four professional matches at St. Nicholas Arena. Since then, he had appeared in eleven more bouts at the Arena, winning all but two. A crowd of 4,500 gathered in the arena, principally to see their hometown favorite, Terry Young.
Young was no patsy, but Beau was a slight favorite going into the fight. As expected, the two warriors produced an exciting battle, entertaining the enthusiastic crowd. From the opening bell throughout most of the contest, Jack and Young fought toe to toe. Trading punches, they both rocked each other with brutal blows. In the later rounds, Young attempted to wear Beau down, persistently pounding his midsection, but Beau just kept advancing, striking Young with a plethora of punches. Although Young managed to bruise Beau’s eye and Beau suffered a point deduction for a low blow in the eighth round, Terry couldn’t overcome Beau’s tenacity. After 10 fierce rounds of action, Beau was awarded a unanimous decision.
1. Ralph Trost, “They Tell Me,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 25, 1942, 9.
2. Lawton Carver, “Fair or Foul,” Courier-Gazette, February 24, 1948, 6.
3. Harry Markson joined the Twentieth Century Sporting Club in 1937 as publicity director. He soon became the general manager for boxing at Madison Square Garden. Subsequently, he served as a general manager for the International Boxing Club’s New York Branch, from 1949 until it was dissolved ten years later.
4. Harold Parrott, “Both Sides,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, November 11, 1942, 17.
5. Ibid., 11.
6. Ibid.
7. Dillon Graham, “On the Spot with Sports,” News Leader, October 1, 1942, 10.
8. Harold Parrott, “Both Sides,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, September 1, 1942, 11.
9. Subsequently, Arcel trained Ezzard Charles (1949 heavyweight champion).