1939: Armstrongs Oct Run

[Bill Paxtom]

Manager - Ed Meade

Basically took Henry Armstrong on a 'barn-storming tour' in late-1939.

His opponents were 'not' Top 10 ranked, or even Top 20 ranked for that matter.

The plan was to stage several 'billed' Welterweight Championship bouts thru
October 1939.

Then Henry was to take some off and rest in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Then get ready
to take on Lightweight Champion - Lou Ambers in New York.

[Bill Paxtom]

1939 Barnstorming Tour

Manager - Ed Meade was 'keen' to this, as he was able to get his fighter
Henry Armstrong a 'pretty penny' out in the in Country and away from
New York.

The 'plan', was to have Henry take on '5-Bouts' in October, then head
to Hot Springs, Arkansas for 2-Weeks in early November to rest.

Then to head back to New York, to take on Lou Ambers 'again' for the
Lightweight Championship on December 1, 1939.

Ed Meade >
"I would rather have Henry get paid for 'modified bouts' instead of just
going to Training Camp, and not getting paid. We're in the business of
making money."

"Henry can fight 'twice-a-week', and not get tired or worn down. He's an
amazing athlete. He's not human, he's a 'machine'. There will never be
another like him."

[Bill Paxtom]

Tuesday ~ October 24, 1939

Just 4-Days after destroying Richie Fontaine in Seattle, Washington >

Henry Armstrong is now in Los Angeles, California to take on Jimmy Garrison.

Promoter - Babe McCoy has brought in the Welterweight Champion to take
on a pretty rough character in 'The Mud Flats Kid' Jimmy Garrison of
Kansas City, Missouri.

Jimmy {Age; 25 years, 7 months} is a 'tough-and-durable' Lightweight
at 5' 6 1/2", but has routinely competed at 140 lbs. He is a sharp-puncher
and a very good boxer.

Jimmy comes in with a respectable record of 28-10-4 {6 KO's}, including
'5-Straight' wins in the past 4-Months.

Jimmy is also coming off an impressive win {W Dec 10} over 'highly touted'
Nick Peters just 11-days earlier {October 13th}.

A 'tough-sort', the 5-Year Pro has only been stopped 'twice' {by cuts} in
'44-Bouts'. Though Jimmy has only scored {5 KO's}, he packs a decent
wallop with his right-hand.

Jimmy, besides having a solid chin, carries a good right-hand with both
a hook and uppercut.

[Bill Paxtom]

Tuesday ~ October 24, 1939

Bout #4 'On the Tour'

Olympic Aditorium ~ Los Angeles, California

Promoter.......... Babe McCoy
Matchmaker..... Jim Murray

World Welterweight Championship {10-Rounds}

Attendance...... 10,000

Henry Armstrong
Age........ 26 years, 10 months
Height.... 5' 5 1/2"
Reach..... 67"
Weight... 138 1/2 lbs.
Record... 100-12-7 {68 KO's}
Rank...... Welterweight Champion

Jimmy Garrison
Age........ 25 years, 7 months
Height.... 5' 6 1/2"
Reach..... 68"
Weight.... 139 1/2 lbs.
Record.... 28-10-2 {6 KO's}
Rank....... N/R

"The Fight"

Henry got off to a slow start. He was steady with pressure, but each time
that he got close, Jimmy would fire off a right-hook and back to the Ropes.

While up against the Ropes, Jimmy would counter Henry with quick right-hooks
or right uppercuts.

Thru 4-Rounds, it was a 'close fight', with the bout looking at the slightest
edge for Henry at {2-1-1} on the Scorecards.

In Round 5, Jimmy got off to a good start and pecked away with right-hands. Henry
was slow in his counters, and was content to bull his way inside.

But Jimmy beat Henry to the punch, and then backed to the Ropes. As Henry moved,
in, Jimmy would again fire right-hooks off Henry's left shoulder and into his head.

Jimmy had his best moments late in Round 5, when he bounced several right-hands
off Henry's head.

Most had the bout 'All Even' after 5-Rounds.

Before Round 6, Ed Meade told Henry to >
"Step it up to the next gear, and take this into the 'fast-lane'. He can't match you there."

In Round 6, Henry did just that. Henry poured it on and hammered Jimmy with barrage's,
sending him back-pedaling.

Henry kept up that pace in Round 7 as well, and had Jimmy backing away and circling
fast.

In Round 8, Henry continued with his attack. Jimmy was forced to fight back, and got
caught by a hard right-hand to the head which dropped him at the {2:00 Mark}. Jimmy
took a '1-Count' and returned to his bicycle.

In Rounds 9 and 10, it was all Henry as he slammed the Challenger with blow-after-blow.

Only Jimmy's toughness kept him upright. Henry poured it on over the last-minute of
Round 10 in an effort to topple Jimmy. Jimmy was battered and took a lot of punishment,
and was nearly gone, but he made it to the Final Bell.

Winner by Decision ....... Henry Armstrong

[Bill Paxtom]

Just 6-Days after defeating the stubborn Jimmy Garrison by a 10-Round Decision
at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Henry Armstrong was to take on Bobby Pacho in Denver, Colorado on Monday Night,
October 30th.

This would be Hammerin' Hank Armstrong's '5th-Bout' in only 22-Days.

Fight Promoter - Jack Kanner had this bout signed on October 17th.

Bobby Pacho >

Bobby, from Baldwin Park, California, was a veteran Welterweight {Age; 29 years, 2 months}
with a record of 82-55-16 {39 KO's}.

The Filipino usually campaigned at 150+ lbs., and was regarded as a clever boxer
as a 10-Year Pro with 153-Bouts.

Bobby, short at 5' 6" was pretty durable, and had only been stopped '5-Times' in his career.

Bobby was no stranger to Henry Armstrong, as he fought Henry for the Welterweight
Championship only 7-months earlier {March 4, 1939} in Havana, Cuba. In that bout,
Bobby was stopped {L TKO 4} by Henry.

Coming into this bout, Bobby had only gone {1-5-1} in his last '6-Bouts' over the
past 5-Months, including losing 3-Straight.

Interestingly, this bout was sanctioned by the NBA and for 15-Rounds.

[Bill Paxtom]

Monday ~ October 30, 1939

Bout #5 'On the Tour'

Municipal Auditorium ~ Denver, Colorado

Promoter; Jack Kanner

Attendance.... 4800

Henry Armstrong
Age........ 26 years, 10 months
Height.... 5' 5 1/2"
Reach.... 67"
Weight... 140 lbs.
Record.... 101-12-7 {69 KO's}
Rank...... Welterweight Champion

Bobby Pacho
Age........ 29 years, 2 months
Height.... 5' 6"
Reach..... 66"
Weight.... 146 lbs.
Record.... 82-55-16 {39 KO's}
Rank........ N/R

This bout was scheduled for 15-Rounds.

Bobby Pacho had struggled to make weight {147 lbs.}, but did get down to 146 lbs.
But, Bobby looked 'flabby' and battle scarred entering the Ring.

"The Fight"

From the outset, it was 'all' Henry as he attacked with perpetual motion.

Bobby only landed a few 'minimal' punches in the 1st-Round, and looked
over-matched as Henry worked like a 'buzz-saw'.

In Rounds 2 and 3, Henry shuffled forward and raked Bobby with lefts-and-rights
in a non-stop whirl. Bobby was forced backwards and into the Ropes, where he
took a lathering.

In Round 4, Henry bounced punches off of Bobby's head, and again drove him
backwards into the Ropes. At the {1:15 Mark}, Henry landed a barrage of
lefts-and-rights into Bobby's face, and his legs buckled.

Bobby then sagged into the Ropes as Henry unloaded with a flurry. With Bobby
helpless, Referee - Jack Bloom jumped in and halted the bout at the 1:30 Mark
as Bobby sagged to the canvas.

Henry Armstrong winner by TKO @ 1:30 of Round 4.

[Bill Paxtom]

Henry Armstrong

Was supposed to head to New York, to take on World Lightweight Champion
Lou Ambers at Madison Square Garden on December 1, 1939.

What Happened ?