Fightwriter.com
Graham Say's by Graham Houston July 26, 2009
Every so often, in forums where boxing is debated, fans argue over who was the greatest fighter never to have won a world title. Sam Langford, the old-time heavyweight contender, might well hold this distinction, and one who has no doubts is author Clay Moyle, who traces Langford's life with admirable detail in Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion (Bennett & Hastings Publishing $29.95)
Langford stood only 5 ft 6 1/2 ins but he was wide-bodied, with a massive chest, and long-armed. He boxed from from 1902 until 1926 and had more than 200 wins.
When Langford was at his peak, the heavyweight champion was Jack Johnson, who had defeated him in a 15-round bout two years before winning the title. Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion, avoided Langford (along with other outstanding black contenders of the time, Sam McVey and Joe Jeannette), preferring to meet Caucasian challengers in generally more lucrative and less-risky bouts during the White Hope era.
Author Moyle brings this period of boxing history to life, his diligent research capturing the tenor of the times. Of particular interest are passages from contemporaryt accounts of Langford's most significant fights.
When Langford met Johnson in 1906 he weighed only 156 pounds but received much acclaim for his courageous stand. Knocked down in the eighth round, he stubbornly took the fight to the much bigger Johnson, showing "a gameness and capacity for punishment that seemed beyond the powers of a human being" according to the Police Gazette. Although well beaten, Langford won his $500 wager with the future champion that Johnson would not be able to beat him inside the distance.
Efforts were made to match the fighers again after Johnson had won the title, and it did appear that terms had been agreed for a fight in Australia in 1912. The stickin point was Johnson's demand that a $15,000 forfeit be deposited in the U.S. and not with a Sydney newspaper as proposed by the Australian promoter Hugh D. McIntosh.
There seems little doubt that Johnson had no great wish for a rematch with Langford, who had improved since the first fight and had gained much more experience of fighting against bigger men.
Unable to get a title shot, Langford engaged in a series of bouts with Jeannette and McVey, and, when past his best, he had a number of fights with a later black heavyweight of considerable repute, Harry Wills.
Although nicknamed "The Boston Tar Baby," Langford was born in Nova Scotia, Canada. He was discovered, Moyle's book informs us, by the Boston fight manager and promoter Joe Woodman, who hired a teenaged, down-on-his-luck Langford to work as a porter and sort of odd-job man at a gymnasium-cum-boxing-venue that Woodman owned. When Langford started winning amateur bouts, Woodman took a closer interest in the novice boxer and turned him professional. Woodman would be Langford's manager for the next 15 years although, the book informs us, they never had a formal contract.
Langford was to fight in numerous countries, including Britain, when he made the famous remark that he had brought his own referee -- whereupon he held up a massive fist.
When Langford fought the British heavyweight champion, Iron Hague, in 1909, he suffered a knockdown but came back to win in the fourth round with a right hand that, according to a contemporary account, lifted Hague clean off his feet. Members of the National Sporting Club in London, where the fight took place, were apparently convinced that Langford had the beating of Jack Johnson if the bout could be arranged.
Amazingly, Langford fought while blind in one eye for the last nine years of his career. His vision problems arose in his 1917 bout with the towering white heavyweight contender, Fred Fulton, when he was unable to see his opponent: Langford's corner retired him after six rounds, Langford said later that he experienced intense pain when hit with a right hand to the left temple in the fourth round, "like a thousand needles shoved into his skull," and instantly lost vision in his left eye. laer in the bout Langford was unable to see out of the right eye, either.
The vision in his left eye did not return, but Langford was back in the ring two months later.
At the time of the fight with Fulton, Langford was showing clear signs of decline. he no longer trained, saying in an interview that he had become disillusioned. "I became sure that no matter how good I became I'd never be a world's heavyweight champion because the doors were closed."
The book's closing chapters -- Retirement and The Forgotten Man, detailing how the blind Langford maintained a cheerful exterior in impoverished circumstances, made for poignant reading.
We can only speculate how Langford would have fared against the modern-era champions, but in his prime he was hugely respected by sportswriters and fellow-fighters. The great champion Jack Dempsey was quoted in his autobiography Dempsey as saying: "The hell I feared no man...I was afraid of Sam Langford."
Old-time white heavywweight contender Gunboat Smith, who fought both Dempsey and Langford, said in a 1942 interview: "Langford versus Dempsey, both in their prime, would have been bad news for Dempsey." Smith even went so far as to say that a peak Langford would have beaten every heavyweight champion up to and including the champion at the time of the interview, Joe Louis.
It is widely believed that Langford took it easy on many opponents for business reasons, either as a favour to a promoter or because if he had not damaged an opponent too severely he could always meet him again for another payday.
When a New York Herald Tribune reporter named Al Laney helped to initiate a trust fund to afford some financial relief in 1944, one of Langford's old multi-fight opponents, unnamed in the book, declined to make a contribution, provoking the remark: "You want to make me rich, Mr. Laney?...Just ask that man to give a dollar for every round I carried him."
Moyle's book has been painstakingly researched and provides an engrossin look into not just Langford's life and career but into a long-ago period in boxing history: it is a worthy tribute to a wonderful fighter.
Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion, 429 pages; illustrated; Bennett & Hastings Publishing, www.bennetthastings.com
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Book Review by Tracy Callis of Cyber Boxing Zone - July 2009:
Clay Moyle has published the most definitive biography of Sam Langford ever presented. The work is a very interesting read about "Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion." The product of extensive research, it is loaded with many rare details and excellent photographs. Sources for the facts are thoroughly documented. The book is well-written and is a smooth blend of boxing information and goings-on in Sam's life.
In the book, Mr. Moyle, with a sharp eye for detail, covers the life journey of Sam from his early days to his last, though not in exact chronological order, ever in pursuit of the title he never got the chance to win. Personal incidents in Sam's life, descriptions of his ring battles and surrounding events as well as the likes and dislikes of this great fighter are included.
Entire chapters are devoted to Sam's encounters with Joe Gans, Joe Walcott, Jack Johnson, Iron Hague, Stan Ketchel, Jeff Clarke, Sam McVey, Gunboat Smith as well as his activities in England and Australia. Additional interesting events in Langford's life are discussed in other chapters.
The great ring skills of Langford are lauded, his personality is touched upon and some of his tastes are identified - clothes, cars, cigars - and Sam is revealed to be a man who did not manage his money well.
This book is an outstanding source for facts of Sam Langford's career and life experiences, is interesting and informative and is an important read for historians and fans.
Clay Moyle resides in Edgewood, Washington and is a member of the International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO). He is a collector of boxing memorabilia and books - and owns an extensive collection of over 3,000 titles. Clay has a personal website, www.prizefightingbooks.com.
This very detailed book (ISB: 978-1-934733-02-8, 429 pages, $29.95) can be ordered from from the website www.samlangford.com
Clay Moyle has published the most definitive biography of Sam Langford ever presented. The work is a very interesting read about "Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion." The product of extensive research, it is loaded with many rare details and excellent photographs. Sources for the facts are thoroughly documented. The book is well-written and is a smooth blend of boxing information and goings-on in Sam's life.
In the book, Mr. Moyle, with a sharp eye for detail, covers the life journey of Sam from his early days to his last, though not in exact chronological order, ever in pursuit of the title he never got the chance to win. Personal incidents in Sam's life, descriptions of his ring battles and surrounding events as well as the likes and dislikes of this great fighter are included.
Entire chapters are devoted to Sam's encounters with Joe Gans, Joe Walcott, Jack Johnson, Iron Hague, Stan Ketchel, Jeff Clarke, Sam McVey, Gunboat Smith as well as his activities in England and Australia. Additional interesting events in Langford's life are discussed in other chapters.
The great ring skills of Langford are lauded, his personality is touched upon and some of his tastes are identified - clothes, cars, cigars - and Sam is revealed to be a man who did not manage his money well.
This book is an outstanding source for facts of Sam Langford's career and life experiences, is interesting and informative and is an important read for historians and fans.
Clay Moyle resides in Edgewood, Washington and is a member of the International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO). He is a collector of boxing memorabilia and books - and owns an extensive collection of over 3,000 titles. Clay has a personal website, www.prizefightingbooks.com.
This very detailed book (ISB: 978-1-934733-02-8, 429 pages, $29.95) can be ordered from from the website www.samlangford.com
Monday, July 6, 2009
July 6, 2009 - Cambridge Chronicle
The Greatest Boxer You Never Knew Hails From Cambridge by Jessica Bal
Cambridge - Sam Langford fought hundreds of matches in his 24-year career, consistently beating competitors much larger than himself in five weight divisions. Several leading sportswriters called him the best boxer that ever was. Yet at the time of his induction into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1955, he was the only non-champion included among the ranks.
Clay Moyle's book, "Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion," attempts to grant Langford some overdue recognition. Langford, known as the "Boston Tar Baby," was a Cambridge resident.
When asked why no one had tackled Langford's biography before, Moyle cited two main reasons. For one, the research was a daunting task. Moyle, who lives in Washington state with a family and a full-time job, spent about seven years writing and scouring old newspapers to complete the book.
Langford's story was also neglected because he was never a world champion. White contenders refused to fight him because of his skin color, and other African American boxers claimed he was "too good." Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champ, never gave Langford a chance at the title, and many argue that Langford would have won.
Moyle, who is a member of the International Boxing Research Organization and an avid boxing memorabilia collector, came across bits and pieces about Langford in boxing books and became intrigued. "The more I read, the more impressed I was," he said. "He's a real colorful character, and I liked everything about him. I thought there was a real story there." The biography is Moyle's first book.
For Moyle, first-hand accounts of Langford were hard to come by. Near the end of his research, however, he finally tracked down the boxer's great-granddaughter, Cambridge native Carol Doyle.
Though Langford was originally from Nova Scotia, his wife and daughter settled on Howard Street in Cambridge. When Doyule was just 5 and 6 years old, she spent every Saturday with her grandmother and great-grandmother at their home. Doyle remembers Langford's visits to the house as special occasions, ones that changed the atmosphere completely.
"He filled the room," she said. "There was something literally special about this man, but I couldn't understand it at the time. I could sense it though." She remembers details like the smell of his cigar smoke and the feel of running her hands through a bucket full of buttons while her grandmothers told her of Langford's travels and accomplishments.
When she met the pugilist as a girl, Doyle could only manage a meek hello, and watched the mysterious giant from a distance. Moyle's book helped give her the voice she needed to inform others of Langford's skills. "I wanted to let my sons know that he wasn't a figment of my imagination," she said. "He was there. All of his greatness and accomplishments existed."
Her son, Brendon Foster, recalls the first time he saw one of Langford's fights on a YouTube video. "It made me tear up," he said. "The crowd...and everything...that really brought it home. I thought 'that's my great-great grandfather about to fight." Foster has a three-year-old son, named Brendon Langford Samuel Foster.
Last month, Doyle finally met the man who wrote her great-grandfather's biography. The two attended the Boxing Hall of Fame annual induction ceremony, where Doyle received an award in Langford's name from former Australian Boxing Hall of Fame President Arnold Thomas. Langford fought in Australia from 1912 to 1913, and was inducted into Australia's Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004. At the time of the induction, the Hall of Fame was not aware that the boxer had any living descendants, so they kept the award in Australia. Moyle's book acted as the critical link to Langford's great-granddaughter.
For Doyle, the presentation of the award was especially poignant. "Sam's spirit had been around an awful lot for the last few years and I wondered what I could do," she said. "Little did I know that across the states was Clay Moyle, researching, writing, and relentlessly trying to find me. It just all came together.
Doyle, who has lived in Cambridge all her life, wears her roots proudly-and literally-with an "Entering Cambridge" bracelet adorning her wrist. Close to the bracelet is her wedding ring, encrusted with a diamond originally belonging to a pair of earrings that Langford gave to his wife years ago.
For more information or to order a copy of Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion, visit www.samlangford.com
The Greatest Boxer You Never Knew Hails From Cambridge by Jessica Bal
Cambridge - Sam Langford fought hundreds of matches in his 24-year career, consistently beating competitors much larger than himself in five weight divisions. Several leading sportswriters called him the best boxer that ever was. Yet at the time of his induction into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1955, he was the only non-champion included among the ranks.
Clay Moyle's book, "Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion," attempts to grant Langford some overdue recognition. Langford, known as the "Boston Tar Baby," was a Cambridge resident.
When asked why no one had tackled Langford's biography before, Moyle cited two main reasons. For one, the research was a daunting task. Moyle, who lives in Washington state with a family and a full-time job, spent about seven years writing and scouring old newspapers to complete the book.
Langford's story was also neglected because he was never a world champion. White contenders refused to fight him because of his skin color, and other African American boxers claimed he was "too good." Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champ, never gave Langford a chance at the title, and many argue that Langford would have won.
Moyle, who is a member of the International Boxing Research Organization and an avid boxing memorabilia collector, came across bits and pieces about Langford in boxing books and became intrigued. "The more I read, the more impressed I was," he said. "He's a real colorful character, and I liked everything about him. I thought there was a real story there." The biography is Moyle's first book.
For Moyle, first-hand accounts of Langford were hard to come by. Near the end of his research, however, he finally tracked down the boxer's great-granddaughter, Cambridge native Carol Doyle.
Though Langford was originally from Nova Scotia, his wife and daughter settled on Howard Street in Cambridge. When Doyule was just 5 and 6 years old, she spent every Saturday with her grandmother and great-grandmother at their home. Doyle remembers Langford's visits to the house as special occasions, ones that changed the atmosphere completely.
"He filled the room," she said. "There was something literally special about this man, but I couldn't understand it at the time. I could sense it though." She remembers details like the smell of his cigar smoke and the feel of running her hands through a bucket full of buttons while her grandmothers told her of Langford's travels and accomplishments.
When she met the pugilist as a girl, Doyle could only manage a meek hello, and watched the mysterious giant from a distance. Moyle's book helped give her the voice she needed to inform others of Langford's skills. "I wanted to let my sons know that he wasn't a figment of my imagination," she said. "He was there. All of his greatness and accomplishments existed."
Her son, Brendon Foster, recalls the first time he saw one of Langford's fights on a YouTube video. "It made me tear up," he said. "The crowd...and everything...that really brought it home. I thought 'that's my great-great grandfather about to fight." Foster has a three-year-old son, named Brendon Langford Samuel Foster.
Last month, Doyle finally met the man who wrote her great-grandfather's biography. The two attended the Boxing Hall of Fame annual induction ceremony, where Doyle received an award in Langford's name from former Australian Boxing Hall of Fame President Arnold Thomas. Langford fought in Australia from 1912 to 1913, and was inducted into Australia's Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004. At the time of the induction, the Hall of Fame was not aware that the boxer had any living descendants, so they kept the award in Australia. Moyle's book acted as the critical link to Langford's great-granddaughter.
For Doyle, the presentation of the award was especially poignant. "Sam's spirit had been around an awful lot for the last few years and I wondered what I could do," she said. "Little did I know that across the states was Clay Moyle, researching, writing, and relentlessly trying to find me. It just all came together.
Doyle, who has lived in Cambridge all her life, wears her roots proudly-and literally-with an "Entering Cambridge" bracelet adorning her wrist. Close to the bracelet is her wedding ring, encrusted with a diamond originally belonging to a pair of earrings that Langford gave to his wife years ago.
For more information or to order a copy of Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion, visit www.samlangford.com
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