Chalky Wright facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chalky Wright |
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| Statistics | |
| Real name | Albert Martin |
| Nickname(s) | Chalky |
| Rated at | Featherweight |
| Born | February 1, 1912 Willcox, Arizona, U.S. |
| Died | August 12, 1957 (aged 45) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 238 |
| Wins | 171 |
| Wins by KO | 83 |
| Losses | 44 |
| Draws | 19 |
| No contests | 2 |
Albert "Chalky" Wright (born February 1, 1912 – died August 12, 1957) was an American featherweight boxer. He was a champion from 1941 to 1942. He fought many times, winning 171 matches, with 87 knockouts. The Ring magazine, a famous boxing publication, once named him among the top 100 greatest punchers of all time.
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Chalky Wright's Early Life
Chalky Wright was born in Willcox, Arizona. He was the youngest of seven children. His family had an interesting history. His grandfather, Caleb Baines Martin, had escaped slavery before the Civil War. He later became a Buffalo Soldier in the Union Army. After the war, he started a large dairy ranch in Arizona. He was the first African American ranch owner in that part of Arizona.
Chalky's father also raised cattle. His mother worked as a housekeeper. When Chalky was very young, his father left the family. Around 1918, Chalky and his family moved to Colton, California. This is where Chalky first discovered his love for boxing.
Chalky's Boxing Career
Chalky Wright started boxing professionally when he was just 16 years old. His first fight was on February 23, 1928, and he won! He was 5 feet 7.5 inches tall, which was quite tall for a featherweight boxer (around 126 pounds). This height gave him a long reach, which was a big advantage.
In 1938, he moved to the East Coast to fight. He even fought against the famous boxer Henry Armstrong. Armstrong was so impressed with Chalky's style that he asked him to be a sparring partner. Later, Armstrong's manager, Eddie Walker, became Chalky's manager too. Chalky started winning a lot more fights and quickly became a top boxer.
By 1941, Chalky was one of the best featherweight boxers in the world. He beat Sal Bartolo in May to get a chance to fight for the New York State Athletic Commission featherweight championship.
Winning the World Featherweight Title
On September 11, 1941, Chalky Wright became a world champion! He won the featherweight title by defeating Joey Archibald in the eleventh round. This was a "TKO" (Technical Knockout), meaning the referee stopped the fight because Archibald couldn't continue safely. Chalky used strong left hooks and rights to the body to win the match.
Chalky successfully defended his title two times. First, he beat former champion Harry Jeffra in June 1942. The referee stopped the fight in the tenth round because Jeffra was taking too many hits. Then, on September 25, 1942, he defended his title against LuLu Constantino in a close fight. Chalky won by a "split decision," meaning some judges thought he won, and others thought Constantino won, but most picked Chalky.
Losing the World Featherweight Title
Chalky lost his world title on November 20, 1942, to Willie Pep. Pep was eight years younger than Chalky. Pep won by a "unanimous decision," which means all the judges agreed that Pep was the winner. Pep was very good at blocking punches and moving around the ring.
Chalky continued to box until 1948, even when he was considered "old" for a boxer at 34. He finally retired after a fight where he couldn't continue after the third round.
Life After Boxing
After retiring from boxing, Chalky Wright became a trainer for other boxers. He also tried writing a book about his life, but it was never published.
In 1954, Chalky opened his own bar in Los Angeles called the "Knockout Lounge." He said that all the bartenders who worked there were also former boxers!
Chalky's Family Life
Chalky Wright was married two times. He had one son named Albert James with his second wife, Jennie Batch.
An Accidental Passing
In 1957, Chalky Wright was not feeling well and had been in the hospital for a heart condition. On August 12, 1957, he passed away accidentally at his mother's apartment. It was determined that he had a sudden health problem while in the bathtub, which caused him to fall and hit his head. He then drowned.
His funeral was held on August 26. A Baptist minister, who was also his former sparring partner and opponent, Henry Armstrong, gave the eulogy. Chalky was buried in Lincoln Memorial Park in Carson, California.
Honors and Achievements
Chalky Wright received many honors for his amazing boxing career:
- In 1976, he was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame.
- In 1997, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
- In 2003, The Ring magazine ranked him as the 95th greatest puncher of all time.
- In 2012, he was inducted into the Colton, California Sports Hall of Fame.
Images for kids
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Chalky Wright, a featherweight boxing champion.
See also
