| February 25, 1970But for a tragic
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| | won his freedom from slavery and, but for
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| accident, Tom Molineaux would have been
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| | a tragic accident, would have been
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| the first American heavyweight boxing
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| | crowned the first American heavyweight
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| champion of the world. And thereby hangs
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| | champion of the world.But there was an
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| a wonderful story uncovered by Historian
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| | even greater champion in the background
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| John Bangs.Tom was a Negro slave on an
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| | whose bare knuckle feats had served as an
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| early Virginia plantation. A quiet and
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| | inspiration for Tom Molineaux's climb
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| peace loving young man, he one day had to
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| | from slavery to near championship. This
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| defend himself against a Negro bully from
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| | man was the son of a well-to-do family.
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| a nearby estate. In a fierce battle of
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| | He loved a hard fight; strong and husky
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| bare knuckles, he soundly thrashed his
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| | he developed great skill as a bare
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| opponent much to the delight of his
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| | knuckles fighter. This fighting, of
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| master who was so thrilled by the feat
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| | course, he had to do in secret because
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| that he gave Tom his freedom.Now it so
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| | his family would have disowned him had
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| happened that Tom Molineaux had been
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| | they known of his escapades.Nevertheless,
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| inspired by stories of the fistic deeds
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| | by the time he was 16 years of age, this
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| of a prominent Virginia gentleman who as
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| | boy had gained such a wide reputation in
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| a young man had been the bare knuckles
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| | fistic affairs that he was acknowledged
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| champion of Virginia. His former master
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| | bare knuckles boxing champion of
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| also was a great admirer of this former
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| | Virginia. In all types of athletic
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| champion, and having heard that England
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| | activity he far outstripped his
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| was the center of the fistic world, he
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| | schoolmates, particularly in wrestling
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| paid Tom's passage across the Atlantic.
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| | and weight throwing. It was said that he
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| Molineaux, after disposing of numerous
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| | could out jump anybody in the State of
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| "unknowns," began his sensational climb
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| | Virginia. In later life, when he had
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| to the top and the right to fight the
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| | long since recorded historic deeds in
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| champion, Tom Cribb, for the title on
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| | other fields, he still maintained his
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| December 10, 1810 at Cophall
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| | sinewy, well-proportioned strength. At
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| Common.Twenty thousand persons gathered
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| | the age of 40 he engaged in a contest at
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| to see the great fight. Molineaux, in
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| | some village games and, competing against
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| superb fighting condition, made a
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| | the best of the local talent, hurled an
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| punching bag of Cribb for 30 rounds. As
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| | iron bar farther than anybody else. At
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| the 31st round began, Molineaux rushed
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| | Monmouth, Lafayette saw him and said,
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| Cribb and dropped him with a right hand
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| | "Never have I beheld so superb a man!"But
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| smash. But Tom stumbled trying to get
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| | his boxing and athletic feats have long
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| out of Cribb's way, lost his balance and
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| | since been forgotten because of his
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| pitched headlong into a ring post. The
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| | victories in a greater arena. You see,
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| impact knocked him unconscious.Both men
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| | the Virginia gentleman who inspired Tom
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| were revived for the 32nd round and, by
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| | Molineaux to boxing fame and fortune was
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| the ring rules of the day, were shoved
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| | America's greatest champion -GEORGE
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| out into mid-ring and made to continue
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| | WASHINGTON - THE FATHER OF OUR
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| fighting. They staggered through the
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| | COUNTRY.Lindsey Williams is a Sun
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| round without a semblance of a blow. In
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| | columnist who can be contacted
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| the 33rd, Cribb gathered every ounce of
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| | at:Website: with several hundred of
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| his remaining strength and drove his
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| | Lin's Editorial & At Large articles
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| right to Molineaux's face. Tom went down
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| | written over 40 years.Also featured in
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| and out.That blow was the end of Tom
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| | its entirety is Lin's groundbreaking book
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| Molineaux's career, for he had fractured
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| | "Boldly Onward," that critically analyzes
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| his skull when he struck the ring post.So
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| | and develops theories about the original
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| disappeared from the boxing world a
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| | Spanish explorers of America.
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| gallant Negro who with his bare fists had
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