Jimmy Clark

Jimmy Clark
Jimmy Clark
1914–1994

Category
Boxing
Year Inducted
1983
Jimmy Clark was born James Clark Atkinson in Norfolk, VA on February 26, 1914 or 1915, depending on the source. He was the son of Ernest Atkinson and Beatrice Davis. His father died when Jimmy was five years old. Beatrice moved with her young son to Titusville to be near friends. Jimmy attended public schools in Titusville, PA and moved to Jamestown in 1935.

As an amateur Clark piled up 23 titles, winning tournaments in Pittsburgh and St. Louis, as well as local bouts at the Washington Street Auditorium in Jamestown and Celoron Park. He fought for the American AAU team in Paris, France in 1935, winning all three of his matches. He was the US amateur welterweight champ, the New York State middleweight champion, and defended his Golden Gloves title eight times.

Jimmy earned a spot on the 1936 United States Olympic boxing team as a middleweight by scoring five knockouts in the national trials tournament.

more about Jimmy Clark


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