Prize Fight Story Has Surprise Ending

February 25, 1970But for a tragic accident, Tombare fists had won his freedom from slavery and,
Molineaux would have been the first Americanbut for a tragic accident, would have been
heavyweight boxing champion of the world. Andcrowned the first American heavyweight
thereby hangs a wonderful story uncovered bychampion of the world.But there was an even
Historian John Bangs.Tom was a Negro slave ongreater champion in the background whose bare
an early Virginia plantation. A quiet and peaceknuckle feats had served as an inspiration for
loving young man, he one day had to defendTom Molineaux's climb from slavery to near
himself against a Negro bully from a nearbychampionship. This man was the son of a
estate. In a fierce battle of bare knuckles, hewell-to-do family. He loved a hard fight; strong and
soundly thrashed his opponent much to the delighthusky he developed great skill as a bare knuckles
of his master who was so thrilled by the featfighter. This fighting, of course, he had to do in
that he gave Tom his freedom.Now it sosecret because his family would have disowned
happened that Tom Molineaux had been inspiredhim had they known of his
by stories of the fistic deeds of a prominentescapades.Nevertheless, by the time he was 16
Virginia gentleman who as a young man had beenyears of age, this boy had gained such a wide
the bare knuckles champion of Virginia. His formerreputation in fistic affairs that he was
master also was a great admirer of this formeracknowledged bare knuckles boxing champion of
champion, and having heard that England was theVirginia. In all types of athletic activity he far
center of the fistic world, he paid Tom's passageoutstripped his schoolmates, particularly in
across the Atlantic. Molineaux, after disposing ofwrestling and weight throwing. It was said that he
numerous "unknowns," began his sensational climbcould out jump anybody in the State of Virginia. In
to the top and the right to fight the champion,later life, when he had long since recorded historic
Tom Cribb, for the title on December 10, 1810 atdeeds in other fields, he still maintained his sinewy,
Cophall Common.Twenty thousand personswell-proportioned strength. At the age of 40 he
gathered to see the great fight. Molineaux, inengaged in a contest at some village games and,
superb fighting condition, made a punching bag ofcompeting against the best of the local talent,
Cribb for 30 rounds. As the 31st round began,hurled an iron bar farther than anybody else. At
Molineaux rushed Cribb and dropped him with aMonmouth, Lafayette saw him and said, "Never
right hand smash. But Tom stumbled trying to gethave I beheld so superb a man!"But his boxing and
out of Cribb's way, lost his balance and pitchedathletic feats have long since been forgotten
headlong into a ring post. The impact knocked himbecause of his victories in a greater arena. You
unconscious.Both men were revived for the 32ndsee, the Virginia gentleman who inspired Tom
round and, by the ring rules of the day, wereMolineaux to boxing fame and fortune was
shoved out into mid-ring and made to continueAmerica's greatest champion -GEORGE
fighting. They staggered through the roundWASHINGTON - THE FATHER OF OUR
without a semblance of a blow. In the 33rd, CribbCOUNTRY.Lindsey Williams is a Sun columnist who
gathered every ounce of his remaining strengthcan be contacted at:Website: with several hundred
and drove his right to Molineaux's face. Tom wentof Lin's Editorial & At Large articles written over
down and out.That blow was the end of Tom40 years.Also featured in its entirety is Lin's
Molineaux's career, for he had fractured his skullgroundbreaking book "Boldly Onward," that
when he struck the ring post.So disappeared fromcritically analyzes and develops theories about the
the boxing world a gallant Negro who with hisoriginal Spanish explorers of America.