The guardian., 1941-05-24
''BLACK DYNAMITE
In REVIEW
By THE ROVER


Editors note: This is another of a
series of reviews of 'Black Dynamite"
the authentic history of cOlOred boxers
compiled and pritten by Nat Fleischer,
editor and publisher of Ring Magazine.
JOE WALCOTT
THE GUARDIAN photo of George
Dixon, famed one time champion of the
flyweight, bantams, and feather
weights, appeared here last week and
was real likeness of the pictures
which abound in "Black Dynamite.
1t was George Dixon who started
Walcott off in pro boxing and Dixon
influenced manager O'Rourke to sign
the newcomer. Both Dixon and Wal
colt toured the country together under
the same management.
"Black Dynamite reveals that Joe
Walcott was born April first, 1872, in
Barbados, whence he ran away to
become cabin boy at sea, finally land
ing at Boston where he eventually be-
came employed as an elevator boy in
the once famous American House
Hotel. Joe's pastime was athletics and
one night he won both the New Eng
land lightweight and middleweight
wrestling championships. Then he
gamely tried boxing.
GIANT KILLER"
Walcott's lasting fame arises out of
the fact that he was little man who
could beat good big man-contrary
to modern belief. Never more than a
welterweight at the most, Walcott
h MINER d down middleweights
cruiserweights and heavyweights. He
didn't care how big they came. Wal
colt chopped them down to his size.
They called him the Barbados De-
mon."
There never has been another fighter
like Joe Walcott, for as Nat Fleischer
writes: "Walcott's story is different,
because of the fact that you find him
fighting in so many different classes,
pulling off some extraordinary feats
at one time and then taking back
step by Unexpectedly losing a bout.
Yet, all the time conviction remains he
was super fighter, impossible to
judge, according to ordinary stand
ards"
WINS WELTER CROWN
Walcott won the worlds welter-
weight crown, Dec. 18, 1901 at Fort
Erie, Ontorio, by stopping the then
title-holder Rube Ferns in five rounds.
Joe lost his title April 80, 1904, to
Aaron Jones-the Dixie Kid, colored
welter, 20 rounds at San Francisco.
Walcott lost on one of three unfortunate
fouls that beclouded his brilliant
career. Jones really would have won
anyway. Later he fought Walcott to
a draw.
Nevertheless, for years both Wal
colt and the Dixie Kid were advertised
as worlds welterweight champions.
Jones, the younger boxer on the way
up later defeated Georges Carpenter,
famous French champion in five
rounds. Carpenter later gave Jack
Dempsey one of his hardest fights.
BEAT CHOYNSKI
These latter contests, including
others, found Walcott on the way down
and have nothing to do with his best
performances so vividly related in
"Black Dynamite" which belongs on
your library shelf.
Among the most amazing Walcott
achievements was his technical kayo of
Joe Choyniski, the night of February
%, 1900
Choyniski was one of the leading
heavyweights of his day. He lowered
ten inches over Walcott and out
weighed Joe by over forty pounds!
This heavyweight was a 81 favorite
before the advertised one-sided match.
Writes Fleischer: at the bell,
Walcott bounded at the tall white man
like cat at a tree. Choynski swung
savagely, but ineffectively. Walcott,
so small but so swift, launched himself
inside the wide meshes of Choynski's
defense, put an awful right to his
body, and hooked a left fair on the
jaw. Down went Choynski, as though
hit by an ak. He took count of nine
before rising. Again Walcott rushed.
Again he landed on body and jaw and
three times the big man was foored in
quick succession. The house was in an