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Freddie Welsh should be remembered
One of the most incredible boxers, if not athletes that Wales has ever produced is Fred 'Welsh' who came from Pontypridd.
One of the first sporting superstars of his age, Freddie is something of a curiosity. His career began in the gyms of Philadephia, where he took on some of the best that the lightweight division had to offer. Welsh only entered the ring after travelling as a hobo, in search of work throughout the US. A need to put food in his grumbling stomach forced him between the ropes for a paltry purse so that he could buy a slice of pie and a cup of coffee.
He remains an enigma. Scholar, health guru, businessman and dandy, he reached the top of his game in 1914 after taking the world lightweight title. As a quick thinker with a great line for any pressman, able to talk authoratively on a number of subjects from poetry through to philosophy or the best diet for the average working joe to improve his health, the dapper Pontypriddian had a style that set him apart from the ringmen of his time. Some have claimed that it was Welsh that was the model for Jay Gatsby in F.Scott's Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby'.
Came across a great little documentary on Freddie's life and acheivements on youtube. His scrapbooks are now held in the National Library at Aberystwyth. Well worth a look.
Sadly there is no statue to Freddie at his hometown of Pontypridd, even though he put the town on the world map more than any man before or since.
A statue was suggested by his biographer Gareth Harris (Freddie Welsh - World Champion Boxer, Pontypridd Legend - Coalopolis Publishing) a number of years ago, and was booted about by a few politicians eager to secure column inches, but nothing came of it.
Time for Pontypriddians to stand up and demand recognition for a great world champion.
Hi ArthMawr,
It's a tricky one for me, Jim was undeniably one of the greatest boxers of his time. As a stylist he was in a league of his own, which is why he got named 'Peerless' 'The Incomparable', etc. His technical ability was such that his methods were considered the template to emulate for every aspiring champion. Jim was the poster boy for British boxing and actually featured on the cover of the very first copy of 'Boxing' magazine.
This said, although some might argue (me included) he was a true Featherweight champion of the World,he was denied the chance to fight for it after demolishing Abe Attell in a no-decision contest.Attell was reluctant to meet him afterwards.
Wilde came under Jim's wing for a while, and they were close friends. While Wilde constantly referred to Jim's ringcraft and technical ability, Jim was as amazed by Wilde's ability as a fighter as anyone else. I guess for some, this is the distinction. Driscoll was king of the boxers, whereas Wilde was a fighter through and through. I think I probably should have said the greatest 'fighter' of all time, which for my money has to be Jimmy Wilde. Of practical instruction in how to fight, Wilde had very little. In more fights than we will ever truly know, he lost just four times, he truly was a genius of the ring.
If we put aside what we don't know (how many fights both had in the booths) Driscoll is recorded as having 73 fights (Boxrec). Jimmy's total is given as 150 contests, although it is almost certain there are a few unrecorded bouts. Significantly 99/100/101 victories are givenby KO (dependending on the source).
This only hints atWilde's gigantic punching power. For a big man to give away a stone or two is something. For a flyweight of just 94lb to take on quality featherweights and stones in weight as consistently as Jimmy is unheard of. Also as he held the World Flyweight Championship for 7 years, his record speaks for itself. I can't imagine we will ever see anything like Jimmy Wilde ever again.
I should also have said in the Freddie Welsh post that there is also another great book on Freddie by Andrew Gallimore called Occupation Prizefighter, which is by Seren and very good value for money.
Your grandfather Jack must have been a remarkable man, I was very glad to see that his acheivements within the boxing ring were acknowledged last year with the blue plaque put up for his memory. One of my prize possesions is a signed copy of Gentleman of the Ring by Bob Lonkhurst, which pays ample tribute to his skill as British light heavy and heavyweight champion.
Incidentally, I also found the following snippet of info by Trevor Wignall, which gives his top British boxers. As a Welshman it is good to see just how prominently Welsh fighters feature, Jack included :
Heavyweights : 1) Jack Petersen (Cardiff)
2) Bombadier Billy Wells
3) Len Harvey
Light Heavy : 1) Jack Bloomfield
2) Dick Smith
3) Frank Moody 'The Pontypridd Puncher' (Pontypridd)
Middleweights : 1) Tommy Milligan
2) Jock McAvoy
3) Tom Thomas (Penygraig)
Welter weights: 1) Ted (kid) Lewis
2) Johnny Basham (Newport later Wrexham)
3) Jack Hood
Light weights 1) Freddie Welsh (Pontypridd)
2) Jack (Kid) Berg
3) Matt Wells
Featherweights 1) Jim Driscoll (Cardiff)
2) Owen Moran
3) Johnny Cuthbert
Bantamweights 1) Joe Bowker
2) Digger Stanley
3) Teddy Baldock
Flyweights 1) Jimmy Wilde (Quakers Yard later Tylorstown)
2) Tancy Lee
3) Johnny Hill
amazing that some have become almost like footnotes in boxing history, Frank Moody stands out as one of the most durable men of his day, fighting all over the US and had some 200 contests.
Jack Petersen : Jack Petersen honoured at Cardiff
Petersen regains title :
PETERSEN RETAINS TITLE
@lawrence davies If you said the greatest most Welsh fans would say Jim Driscoll
There is a great chapter on Freddie in Wales and its Boxers, The Fighting Tradition by Dai Smith. This book also features a chapter on my Grandad, Jack Petersen
The assumption that his admirers would only be female, and that he expected his admirers only to be female, is annoying.
"The recent David Haye fiasco where a injured toe 'stopped' Haye from putting up a decent fight against Klitscho contrasts poorly against Billy Samuels fighting a man half his age when past fifty with a broken arm, and still winning !"
God yes!
As regards the abilities of modern athletes vs. old timers - many of the old boys fought multiple times each night - and this after a heavy shift in the pit. The recent David Haye fiasco where a injured toe 'stopped' Haye from putting up a decent fight against Klitscho contrasts poorly against Billy Samuels fighting a man half his age when past fifty with a broken arm, and still winning !
I would not expect to much from any local authority promise Lawrence. At one time my great great grandmother owned much of the area known as the strand in Swansea until it was decided that the land was required, by the town council so they took it, and gave her a pittance of it's real worth.No recognition will ever be given to these outstanding athletes as they lived sadly before the advent of mass media. Today people have a new perspective on sporting hero's. I wonder if any modern athlete's could work in heavy industry all day and still fight in the evening I doubt it.
Great story about a great fighter from Wales. His history is well before my time, but very interesting none the less. I remember going to many boxing matches at the Town Hall in Scranton, PA with my Dad in the 1950's. Boxing was a great sport.
Completely agree with you Martyn, I am of the opinion that there are no sports in which the Welsh spirit is more apparent than in boxing. The strange thing is that if I said 'the greatest' more Welsh people would say 'Muhammad Ali' than Jimmy Wilde. It is the strangest thing that most of us are completely unaware that the greatest fighter the world has ever seen actually came from Quakers Yard and never weighed more than 7stone.
Don't even get me started on how on earth Billy Samuels slipped through the cracks. What is annoying about Freddie is that they said that a statue would be put into place alongside the new shopping complex - personally, I'm not holding my breath.
Sadly Lawrence as a nation we have lost touch with a great and illustrious sporting history. It comes as no surprise that the once proud sporting history of Wales fighters has been confined to a footnote in history. As a nation we have failed miserably to teach our own children the proud achievement's of such individual's as Freddie Welsh and others like him, we will not see the like of them again. I wonder what they would have made of the pampered prima Donna of today's sporting elite.