By Woodrow Carroll
Jersey Joe Wolcott, real name Arnold Raymond Cream, was boxing’s heavyweight champion in 1951 and 1952. In championship matches, Wolcott fared rather poorly by losing six of his eight championship fights. Yet, thanks to persistence, luck, and timing Wolcott entered boxing Hall of Fame.
Jersey Joe? Camden, N. J., across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, was his hometown.
Walcott had his first pro fight in 1930 at the age of 16. Although victorious in most fights, he suffered setbacks at the hands of some good fighters.
In 1936, the late Walcott knocked out Phil Johnson in the third round. In 1950, Walcott KO’d Phil Johnson’s son, Harold, in the third round. Harold Johnson became light heavyweight champion.
In 1947, Walcott was given a shot at Joe Louis, the heavyweight champ.
Walcott dropped the aging champion twice, only to lose a disputed 15-round split decision.
Understandably, there was a clamor for a rematch between Louis and Walcott. Once again Walcott put Louis on the canvas. Only this time, Louis came back to stop Walcott in the 11th round.
Shortly after that fight, Louis retired. The powers in boxing determined that Walcott and Ezzard Charles were to fight for the vacant heavyweight championship.
They fought in Chicago and Charles won a 15-round decision.
Charles had an image problem. Many still regarded Louis as the best heavyweight around. To counter, Charles was an active champion. So, again, Charles and Walcott tangled for the heavyweight championship.
Walcott’s fourth shot at the championship in March 1951 took place in Detroit, and, it didn’t go Jersey’s way.
Walcott was well behind on the officials’ cards when Charles nailed him with a perfect left hook in the ninth round. Walcott kissed the canvas with a thud. Walcott just barely beat the ref’s 10 count. Charles’ corner claimed he failed to beat the count. No matter! The ref said Walcott was up in time and the bell soon sounded to end round nine.
The fight ended up going the full 15 rounds with Charles an easy winner!
Enter Pittsburgh’s Dapper Dan Charities
The Dapper Dans promoted sporting events as charity fundraisers. In Summer 1951 it was boxing for the Dapper Dans.
Again it was Charles and Walcott in the ring at Forbes Field, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Persistence pays off! In the seventh round, in what was his fifth title shot, Walcott dropped Charles for the count to become, at age 37, the oldest heavyweight champion. At age 45, George Foreman KO’d Michael Moorer in 1994 to become oldest heavyweight champion.
Now champion, Walcott defended his championship with a 15-round decision victory over Charles.
In September 1952, Walcott put his championship on the line against Rocky Marciano. In front after 12 rounds and having knocked down Marciano early in the fight, Walcott was floored by a Marciano left. In the rematch with Marciano, the end came quickly. Walcott was an easy first-round knockout for Marciano.
That second fight with Marciano wrote finish to Walcott’s career. There was an epilogue.
In May 25, 1965, Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston met in Lewiston, Maine for the heavyweight championship that Ali, then Cassius Clay, had won year earlier in Miami.
The fight in Lewiston was the first, and still only, heavyweight championship fight in Maine, and, don’t expect another one in the near future.
Referee for the Ali-Liston fight was Walcott. There was instant confusion when Liston went down from a punch that few are sure about to this day. Walcott, both fighters, officials, and ringside observers were lost in the confusion. Officially, Ali was awarded a first-round knockout.
Walcott died in 1994. He is largely viewed as a fighter who made good use of certain abilities and multiple opportunities.