Pedlar Palmer

For the Australian-born British naval commander with the nickname Pedlar Palmer, see Alfred Brian Palmer.
Pedlar Palmer
Statistics
Real name Thomas Palmer
Nickname(s) Box O'Tricks
Rated at Bantamweight
Height 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)
Reach 64 in (163 cm)
Nationality English
Born September 25, 1876
Canning Town, London
Died February 13, 1949 (aged 72)
Boxing record
Total fights 65
Wins 47
Wins by KO 6
Losses 14
Draws 4

Pedlar Palmer, born Thomas Palmer, (1876-1949) was a British boxer who held the world bantamweight championship from 1895-1899.

Life

Palmer was born in Canning Town, London on 19 November 1876. His father was a bare knuckle champion of Essex, and rumour had it that his mother could take on and beat any woman in London’s East End. As a boxer, Palmer soon gained the nickname "Box o' Tricks", reflecting his showmanship - he and his brother had taken part in a stage act as children and Palmer utilised some of the things he had leaned on stage in the boxing ring.

In 1893, Palmer won bouts advertised as the "World 100lb" title against Walter Croot and Mike Small, and became World Bantamweight Champion in 1895 when he beat Billy Plimmer of Birmingham on a 14th round foul. He boxed a draw with the World Featherweight Champion George Dixon in New York in 1896 and kept his bantamweight title through five defences against Johnny Murphy, Ernie Stanton. Dave Sullivan of Cork, Plimmer and Billy Rochford. Palmer lost his title in Tuckahoe, New York in September 1899. He was knocked out in the first round by Terrible Terry McGovern - Palmer claimed that he had been blinded by the lights. Having held the Championship for four years, Palmer was still only 22 years old.

In November 1900 Palmer lost the British bantamweight title to Harry Ware, and although he won two out of three fights with George Dixon and beat Digger Stanley, another world champion, he was twice beaten in British featherweight title fights by Ben Jordan and Joe Bowker.

Palmer was a heavy drinker. In April 1907 he killed Robert Croat on a train to Epsom races, for which crime he was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to five years in prison.[1] On his release he boxed again, but never enjoyed his earlier levels of success. For the last 20 years of his life he was a bookmaker in Brighton. He died on 13 February 1949, aged 72.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "The Assizes. South-Eastern Circuit., The Trial of "Pedlar" Palmer". The Times. 1907-07-20. p. 9.
  2. ↑ "Death of Two Boxers". The Times. 1949-02-14. p. 2.

Further reading

Jason McKay, 2009, Box O’ Tricks – The Pedlar Palmer Story

External links