Given the dearth of material available on Charles, save for sepia-toned back issues of fight magazines and grainy contest footage, these early passages of the biography offer a wonderful insight into his formative years and what made him tick. Encyclopedia.com. Ezz Fest occurs on Cincinnatis official Ezzard Charles Day, honoring his legacy with a free community celebration in Laurel Park featuring boxing demonstrations, jazz music, art and fashion displays, and family-friendly crafts. Boxer Jersey Joe Walcott was born Arnold Raymond Cream and raised in Merchantville, near Camden, New Jersey, one of twelve childr, Marciano, Rocky Charles returned to boxing after the war as a light heavyweight, picking up many notable wins over leading light heavyweights, as well as heavyweight contenders Archie Moore, Jimmy Bivins, Lloyd Marshall and Elmer Ray. Ezzard Charles died at the age of 53 years. 3 Beds. Associated With He was close friend of Rocky Marciano as well as a one-time neighbor of Muhammad Ali. Walcott made his professional boxing debut in 1930 at the age of sixteen, knocking out Cowboy Wallace in the first round of a match in Vineland, New Jersey. Walcott died at the age of 80 on February 25, 1994, in Camden, N.J. Welcome to Ezzard Charles at Laurel Parka bronze sculpture brought to life with a self-guided tour that tells the story of Cincinnati legend and West End hero, Ezzard Charles. Charles was sixfeet tall and usually weighed in the 180's. Ezzard won several amateur championships, including two Golden Gloves crownswelterweight (1938) and middleweight (1939)before turning professional in 1940. This streak of success is all the more surprising in light of Charles tragic win over 20-year-old Sam Baroudi in 1948, following which Baroudi died after suffering a harrowing beating at Ezzards hands. International Boxing Hall of Fame. Fight crowds, writes Dettloff, liked blood and guts and gory displays of violence. Louis had given them crushing knockouts and awesome displays of raw power; Charles was a pugilist of a different stripe. Ezzard Mack Charles (Ezz) was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia on July 7, 1921. Ezzard Charless mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. Charles eventually moved up in weight class and became the heavyweight champion from 1949 until 1951. "Ex-Heavyweight Champ's Calling Card Was Perseverance: Walcott Dead at 80." Then it was in the ring for sparring. Buy. Often to the dismay of boxing fans looking for a lights-out finish, the Cobra would consistently chip away at his opponents and go for a win on points rather than a knockout. http://www.gamemasteronline.com/Archive/SweetScience/JerseyJoeWalcott.shtml (October 26, 2002). Log In. However, he served in the U.S. military during World War II and was unable to fight professionally in 1945. The name Ezzard was among the 1,000 most popular U.S. baby names right around the time and only around the time Ezzard Charles was champ: 1953: 37 baby boys named Ezzard 1952: 54 baby boys named Ezzard [ranked 975th] Charles dominated the first four rounds but in typical Rocky fashion, Marciano eventually got going and dominated most of the rest of the brutal battle. Again, Bocchicchio persuaded him to continue boxing. . The research which has clearly gone into this work is enjoyably evident, as when Dettloff informs us that young Ezzards zen for the sporting life was ignited after he encountered the great Kid Chocolate, in town to face Cleveland-based journeyman Johnny Farr: We learn about Ezzards idolizing of Joe Louis, and his amateur success in Ohio under the tutelage of diminutive Welshman and World War I veteran Bert Williams, who nurtures his aggressive, fast-handed, fearless style, and plenty more besides. Odds makers gave Walcott little chance against the Brown Bomber. Ezzard Charles (Ezz) devoted his life to his faith and family, always giving back to the West End community that helped to shape him into a man. Charles retired from boxing in the late 1950s. Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. After a brilliant amateur boxing career, Charles turned pro in 1940 and went on to win twenty consecutive fights in the first eighteen months of the decade. Rocky Marciano in particular called Charles the bravest man he ever fought. http://www.ibhof.com/walcott.htm (October 25, 2002). Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. He died in 1973. In the first bout, held in Yankee Stadium on June 17, 1954, he valiantly took Marciano the distance, going down on points in a vintage heavyweight bout. Reporters and fans talked only of Louis's diminished talents and berated Charles for his inability to knock out the aging hero. Ezzard Mack Charles (July 7, 1921 - May 28, 1975), known as the Cincinnati Cobra, was an American professional boxer and World Heavyweight Champion. [2], Charles was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. The History of the Sweet Science. Although he never won the Light Heavyweight title, The Ring has rated him as the greatest light heavyweight of all time.[5]. Detroit: Gale Group, 1998. He always wanted to sit in the front. His attempts to recapture the title, first from Walcott and later from Marciano, all ended in failure. It wasn't Ezzard's fault. After fighting the disease for nearly a decade and becoming an advocate for ALS awareness, Ezz died on May 28, 1975, in Chicago. Get an inside beat on a day in the life of the Cincinnati Cobra, and how the importance of family drove him to greatness. I tried to make a way for our young people." Ezzard Charles was born on July 7, 1921. Teachers not only fail to answer or return calls . It turned into a title match after the New York State Athletic Commission ruled that any match of more than six rounds with Louis had to be for the title. The following year he beat top ten contender Jimmy Bivins, following which Bocchicchio lined up a fight for Walcott with another leading contender, Lee Oma, in Madison Square Garden. Ezz spoke English and Italian. Ezzard Charles knew that joy well, and thanks to this satisfying biography we now know a good deal more about the man and the all-time great fighter that he was. Despite being a natural light-heavy he won the heavyweight title and made 9 successful title defenses. Ezzard Charles Height, Weight & Measurements At 54 years old, Ezzard Charles height is 6' (1.83 m) . Outside of the ring, Ezzard also had owned several night clubs, played bass with the eras top jazz performers, even sitting in for a session one night with the legendary Duke Ellington. Because of this, Ezz excelled at boxing while also graduating Woodward High Schoola rare feat for a professional boxer. From that point on Ezzard wanted to be a Boxer. In attempts to regain the world championship, he lost to Walcott in 1952 and twice to Rocky Marciano in 1954. With World War II calling, Ezz was drafted in 1943 to serve in the 92nd Infantry Division the only African American infantry division to see combat in Europe during World War II. He continued to box when he could but was forced increasingly to work at low-paying jobs outside the ring to support his family. Through all the ups and downs in their life together, Gladys maintained the family finances while she and Ezz always put their children first. Notable Sports Figures. He won the national AAU Middleweight Championship in 1939. The baby from Id win a fightand the very next day, Id be back in the gym.. Or, I couldnt have told you much more prior to reading William Dettloffs excellent biography of the man, Ezzard Charles: A Boxing Life, the first publication of its kind, a shocking fact given Charles standing. He was also very mild mannered with a gentle air . Between 1943 and 1951, a truly stacked era, Charles loses just once, an unpopular split decision to veteran heavyweight and lethal puncher Elmer Ray, a defeat which he avenges by knockout a year later. Then came a call from Blackburn, telling him that Joe Louis, training for a fight with Max Schmeling , was looking for sparring partners. But then his family moved to Cincinnati when he was very young. We learn that Ezzard Charles was a timid kid, the prey of school bullies, God-fearing, yet a locally celebrated scrapper, participating in rudimentary backyard boxing matches from the age of eight. He was born Ezzard Mack Charles on July 7, 1921, in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Georgia, and raised there until the age of nine when his parents parted. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Montreal is The Fight City. The Cincinnati Cobra Badges transport you to stories where youll learn about Ezzs talents, accomplishments, and his lasting legacy in the Queen City. Charles won the title in a fifteen-round decision on June 22, 1949. Dictionary of American Biography: Supplement 9: 1971-1975. http://www.njboxinghof.org/cgi-bin/henryseehof.pl?286 (October 25, 2002). Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). They'd all say the same thing: if you want to be a fighter, you've got to eat it and sleep it. Marciano fought over half the fight with a huge gash over his eye that would require ten . Known as the Cincinnati Cobra, Ezzard Charles was a professional boxer and World Heavyweight Champion from 1949 - 1951. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. The retirement of Joe Louis after just over eleven years as heavyweight champ set the stage for a match between Walcott and Ezzard Charles for the now-vacant World Boxing Association heavyweight title. Known as the Cincinnati Cobra, Ezz worked his opponents with a combination of lightning-fast technique and quick, powerful punches. In fact, Charles felt so indebted to the Elkus family that even after he was making a lot of noise a pro, hed go back to the store when they were busy over the holidays and get behind the counter., Following successive defeats to Bivins and Marshall in early 43, Uncle Sam comes calling and Dettloff gives us the details regarding Ezzards enlistment and basic training in Texas, and how he refuses to use his meager celebrity as a top-rated prizefighter to get special treatment while in the military.. Anything was now available to Ezzard, anything was possible. Sadly, his tenure in the latter position was marred by charges that he had taken bribes. Over the next ten years, forty-one African Americans were lynched right there in Georgia., Into this brutal milieu comes Ezzard, named in lieu of payment after the town doctor who delivered him. He had a 42-0 record, with two Golden Glove Titles before embarking on a pro career that was interrupted by his service in World War II from 1944 and 1945 where he learned to speak Spanish and Italian. A hardscrabble life awaits: his father William departs when he is just five, not to be seen again for two decades, and after this the future heavyweight king is raised mostly by his wizened grand- and great-grandmothers in Cincinnati's tough West End, in "a rundown, three-room frame house supported by bricks at the corners." In 1968, Charles was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. He bought food and coal for Walcott's family, got the boxer's license renewed, and finally persuaded Walcott to give it a try. Judge Artie Aidala scored the fight 9-5-1 while judge Harold Barnes' tally was 8-6-1. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Name three heroes in your life. JUMP TO: Ezzard Charless biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. (February 23, 2023). Encyclopedia.com. Discover what happened on this day. In 1968, Ezz was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Ezz maintained a strict regimen of mental discipline, clean living, and daily exercise, working out at a local gym or putting in road work throughout the city. Not that those two accomplishments, are even a speck of this heavyweight champs, list of accomplishments. The Cobra held the heavyweight title for 1949-1951. I learned much about Uncle Mike Jacobs, Louis chief powerbroker, as well as figures from the National Boxing Association and International Boxing Commission, organisations which ruled the boxing roost at that time. In 1952, Walcott fought a series of exhibition bouts with Jackie Burke before squaring off against Charles once again on June 5. For his regular contributions to the community, Ohio Governor Frank Lasche presented Ezz with the Good Citizenship Award in 1954. He was 53 years old. Opportunity. People just didnt want to see Louis lose. Walcott eagerly headed for the Louis training camp, but on his very first day on the job, he dropped Louis with a left hook, abruptly ending his stint as sparring partner.