George Godfrey tribute thread.

[Kid Achilles]

The purpose of this thread is to pay tribute to a man who had the size, skill, and talent to give him a fighting chance at winning the heavyweight title, but unfortunately possessed an overabundance of what was considered a liability at the time: pigment.

George, like other great black fighters at the time, was forced to wear the cuffs in many fights, taking it easy on white fighters to ensure him future opportunities against top opposition. A chance at the big money and fame eluded him and sadly he's known today primarily as one of Jack Dempsey's chief sparring partners.

Feel free to contribute to this thread with accounts of Godfrey's fights, embedded video clips, and images. Let's show this old warrior and recent hall of fame inductee he hasn't been forgotten and that people are still interested in what he accomplished as a fighter.

George Godfrey
(Feab SmithWilliams)
BORN January 25 1897; Mobile, Alabama
DIED August 13 1947; Los Angeles, California
HEIGHT 6-3 (Some reports say 6-1 and 6-2)
WEIGHT 220-260 lbs
MANAGER Jim Dougherty
TRAINER Jack Blackburn

Godfrey was big, strong and quick for a man of his size; He carried an awesome punch, of the order of George Foreman in recent years; Godfrey won the IBU Heavyweight Championship and the Negro Heavyweight Championship during his career

In the ring, George defeated such men as "Big" Bill Tate, Jack Thompson, James "Tut" Jackson, Jack Renault, Fred Fulton, Sully Montgomery, Larry Gains, "Long" Tom Hawkins, Neil Clisby, Paolino Uzcudun, "Big" Bill Hartwell, Jimmy Byrne, Jack Gross, Roy "Ace" Clark, Cecil "Seal" Harris, Arthur DeKuh, Walter Cobb, "Tiger" Jack Fox and "Fighting" Bob Lawson

[Kid Achilles]

Professional Record

(thank you Tracy Callis from the IBRO)

1919
Eddie Jamison KO 1

1920
May Sam Langford D 10
Battling Gahee W 15
"Big" Bill Tate W 10
Nov 1 Battling Norfolk Memphis, Tn LK 4
Nov 17 Sam Langford Hot Springs, Ar LK 2

1921
Feb "Young" Kid Norfolk KO 1
Feb 15 Jack Thompson St. Louis, Mo LK 4
Aug 17 Sam Langford Covington, Ky LK 1

1922
K.O. Gordon KO 2
Oct 20 Jack Ward Philadelphia, Pa KO 5
Dec 5 Jack Thompson New York, NY TK 5

1923
Feb 21 Johnny Pierson New York, NY KO 1
Feb 27 Clem Johnson Albany, NY W 12
Mar 9 Jack Renault New York, NY LK 11
Sep 17 Buddy Jackson Chester, Pa TK 2
Nov 2 "Big" Bill Tate New York, NY KO 7
Dec 7 "Rough House" Ware Philadelphia, Pa KO 1
Dec 13 Battling Owens Youngstown, Oh LF 5

1924
Mar 31 Tom Cowler Philadelphia, Pa LF 2
May 12 Walter "Farmer" Lodge Philadelphia, Pa KO 3
Jun 23 Jack Thompson Philadelphia, Pa TK 3
Jul 19 Jack Townsend New York, NY LF 1
Sep 8 Jack Renault Philadelphia, Pa L 10
Dec 1 Joe White Philadelphia, Pa KO 1

1925
Jan 30 Soldier Jones Pottsville, Pa KO 2
Feb 26 James "Tut" Jackson New York, NY KO 5
Mar 21 Vic Alexander Wilmington, Ca KO 6
Apr 14 Sam Baker Los Angeles, Ca KO 4
Jun 6 Jack Renault San Francisco, Ca W 10
Aug 4 "Tiny" Jim Herman Los Angeles, Ca TK 3
Aug 26 Mike Conroy Los Angeles, Ca TK 2
Sep 29 Martin Burke Los Angeles, Ca W 10
Dec 14 Battling Owens New Orleans, La KO 3
Dec 18 Fred Fulton Minneapolis, Mn KO 5
Dec 23 Martin Burke New York, NY W 10

1926
Jan 6 Sully Montgomery Los Angeles, Ca WF 7
Jun 9 Chuck Wiggins Los Angeles, Ca LF 8
Aug 24 "Tiny" Jim Herman Portland, Or W 10
Sep 21 Jack Sharkey Boston, Ma L 10
Sep 23 "Fighting" Bob Lawson Philadelphia, Pa W 6
Nov 1 Jack Townsend New York, NY WF 6
Nov 8 Larry Gains Buffalo, NY TK 6
Nov 24 Ed "Bearcat" Wright Portland, Or NC 10
Dec 3 "Cowboy" Billy Owens Chicago, Il TK 8

1927
Mar 8 Ralph Smith Portland, Or TK 9
Mar 29 Tony Fuente Los Angeles, Ca KO 2
Apr 6 Jack Roper Oakland, Ca KO 9
Apr 18 Leon "Bombo" Chevalier Los Angeles, Ca KO 4
May 5 Jack Roper Wilmington, Ca TK 6
May 13 "Long" Tom Hawkins San Diego, Ca KO 6
Jul 5 Neil Clisby Los Angeles, Ca KO 7
Aug 15 Jim Maloney Philadelphia, Pa KO 1
Sep 9 Henry van Patten Wilmington, Ca KO 2
Sep 14 Monte Munn Brooklyn, NY TK 4
Oct 31 Tom Sayers Philadelphia, Pa KO 1
Nov 21 Clem Johnson Atlantic City, NJ KO 1
Nov 22 Jack Townsend New York, NY W 4
Dec 5 Andre DeRosa Canton, Oh KO 2
Dec 26 Soldier Jones Philadelphia, Pa KO 1

1928
Jan 23 Joe White Atlantic City, NJ KO 1
Feb 28 Paolino Uzcudun Los Angeles, Ca W 10
Jun 27 Johnny Risko Brooklyn, NY L 10
Aug 15 Larry Gains Toronto, Ont, Can LF 3
-Negro Heavyweight Championship of the World
Aug 21 James "Tut" Jackson Greensboro, NC TK 4
Aug 31 Pierre Charles Detroit, Mi KO 2
Oct 12 Benny Hill Buffalo, NY KO 1
Nov 12 Bud Gorman Philadelphia, Pa KO 3
Dec 3 Clem Johnson Richmond, Va KO 3
Dec 12 "Big" Jim Sigmon Fremont, Oh KO 2

1929
Jan 7 Al Walker Philadelphia, Pa LF 3
Jan 14 Francisco Cruz Lorain, Oh KO 2
Apr 5 "Big" Bill Hartwell Orlando, Fl KO 2
Apr 15 Walter "Farmer" Lodge Jackson, Mi KO 2
Jun 3 Jimmy Byrne Philadelphia, Pa TK 7
Jun 26 Chuck Wiggins Cleveland, Oh TK 7
Jul 15 Ralph Smith Grand Rapids, Mi TK 2
Aug 13 "Long" Tom Hawkins Los Angeles, Ca LF 3
Nov 7 Jimmy Byrne Boston, Ma NC 7
Dec 23 Leonard Dixon Roanoke, Va KO 3

1930
Mar 10 Jack Gross Philadelphia, Pa TK 5
Mar 24 Roy "Ace" Clark Philadelphia, Pa KO 7
May 16 Jack Rozier Baltimore, Md KO 1
Jun 23 Primo Carnera Philadelphia, Pa LF 5
Jul 8 Frank Simms Cleveland, Oh TK 2
Aug 20 Elijah Lee Indianapolis, In KO 2
Aug 26 Arthur DeKuh Cleveland, Oh KO 4
Nov 7 Cecil "Seal" Harris Lansing, Mi KO 4
Dec 8 Cecil "Seal" Harris Milwaukee, Wi KO 3
Dec 19 Ed "Bearcat" Wright Atlanta, Ga D 10

1931
Jan 1 Salvatore Ruggirello Mexico City, Mx KO 1
Feb 23 **** Russell Nuevo Laredo, Mx KO 1
Jul 13 George Gemas Toronto, Ont, Can KO 2
Aug 24 Cecil "Seal" Harris Toronto, Ont, Can KO 2
Nov 17 Jack Gross Los Angeles, Ca L 10

1932
Apr 7 "Fighting" Bob Lawson Wilmington, De KO 2
K.O. Willis Mount Clemens, Mi KO 2
Gene Stanton Mount Clemens, Mi KO 3
May 3 Flash Ryser Monroe, Mi KO 2
May 19 Harry Johnson Pontiac, Mi KO 1
May 19 Kid Moran Pontiac, Mi KO 2
May 24 Bill Williams Alliance, Oh KO 1
May 30 Texas Tanner Canton, Oh KO 2
Jun 3 Harry Johnson Sandusky, Oh KO 2
Sep 1 Roy "Ace" Clark Nuevo Laredo, Mx KO 3
-Negro Heavyweight Championship of the World
Nov 10 Al Fay Philadelphia, Pa TK 8
Dec 12 Walter Cobb Philadelphia, Pa W 10
Dec 29 Walter Cobb Philadelphia, Pa L 10

1933
Jan 21 "Tiger" Jack Fox Indianapolis, In W 10
Feb 10 Ed "Bearcat" Wright Kansas City, Mo NC 6
Oct 9 Obadiah "Obie" Walker Philadelphia, Pa L 10

1934
Nov 4 Hans Schonrath Brussels, Bel TK 3

1935
Mar Piet Van Gool Louvain, Bel W 10
Apr 10 Arthur Meurant KO 5
May 1 Arthur Meurant KO 3
May 2 Jose Santa Paris, Fr KO 2
May 10 Giuseppe Sanga KO 5
Jun Gogea Mitu Bucharest, Rom KO 4
Jul Dumitri Pavelescu Bucharest, Rom KO 2
Oct 2 Pierre Charles Brussels, Bel W 15
-IBU Heavyweight Championship of the World

1937
Aug 10 Ellsworth "Hank" Hankinson Los Angeles, Ca LK 8


*** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed ***

1935
Apr 5 Johann Richtoff Gothenburg, Swe D
-This was a wrestling match
Apr 8 Gunnar Barlund Helsinki, Fin NC 6

(Source: )

[K-DOGG]

I have nothing to contribute but my respect.....but he's got it. He coulda been champ; a helluva tough fighter.


CHEERS TO GEORGE GODFREY!! AND CONGRATULATIONS ON SOME LONG OVERDUE RECOGNITION!!

[The Noose]

Excellent thread. Shame most people would rather contribute to ****** threads than learn about fighters like Godfrey.

What do u mean wen u say he "was forced to wear the cuffs in many fights," ?

He sounds like a big big man for back then. Why was it he never got a shot at a world title? It was just because he was black? Im thinking, if Johnson became champ, why didnt Godfrey?

(i got alot to learn about this era)

[Kid Achilles]

"Wear the cuffs" as in to not fight to the best of his ability. In some cases it meant he had to carry guys he could easily beat so it went the distance, and in others that he had to not press opportunities (say he stunned a good white fighter, he would not be able to move in for a finish) against white fighters who were at his same level. This was pretty much what every good black fighter had to deal with at the time, if he wanted to get the bigger money fights.

[Yogi]

Gotta keep this short as I'm just about to head out the door, but Godfrey's one of my favourite historical heavyweights and would be one of my first choices if I was given the option of sitting down for a few minutes with a heavyweight fighter from the past. Likely wouldn't be an overly stimulating conversation, but I think it would be quite memorable due to the fact that Godfrey's always been consistently described as a simple man with a somewhat soft spoken voice, a very good natured & happy-go-lucky attitude towards life, and as someone who would seem to be most happiest when sharing a large smile with those in his immediate company...Seems to be the total antithesis of the "black menace" label given to the black heavyweights of the day, if you ask me.

Both as a fighter and as a person, I'd say George Godfrey deserved much better than what he got, and I must admit that I was happier than a pig in **** when the IBHOF voted him into their most recent class.

P.S. Very good & very refreshing thread topic, by the way, Kid, and I'll try to add more later in the day when I have more time...I have his fight with Carnera on my computer again (posted it before and hope some got it), as well as a few contemporary reports that I could add to the thread.

[Kid Achilles]

Yogi, that would be much appreciated.

[K-DOGG]

Yeah, Yogi.....I'd love to view any Godfrey material you have.

[SABBATH]

Here's an abundance of Godfrey material for you K-Dogg! Enjoy.

[SABBATH]