Carl E. Morris (February 23, 1887 – July 11, 1951) was a professional boxer who was known as the Oklahoma Giant and the Oklahoma White Hope. He was a

heavyweight Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Male boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 2 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation an ...

fighting at 225–240 pounds. He was 6 feet 4 inches tall.

Biography

Born on February 23, 1887, in

Fulton, Kentucky Fulton is a home rule-class city in Fulton County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,357 at the 2020 census, down from 2,445 at the 2010 census. It was once known as the "Banana Capital of the World", because 70% of imported ban ...

. Carl Morris was a locomotive engineer prior to boxing. Despite being known as "the Oklahoma White Hope" Morris was part

Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

. Morris began his career 7–0 with 7 knockouts, including a huge win against former heavyweight champion Marvin Hart. Like many white heavyweights in the era he was dubbed a Great White Hope. Morris went to the final bell with

Fireman Jim Flynn Andrew Chiariglione (24 December 1879 – 12 April 1935), usually known as Fireman Jim Flynn, was an American boxer of the early twentieth century who twice attempted to take the World Heavyweight Title without success. He is often remembered as ...

and lost by

newspaper decision A newspaper decision was a type of decision in professional boxing. It was rendered by a consensus of sportswriters attending a bout after it had ended inconclusively with a " no decision", as many regions had not adopted the National Sporting Club ...

. After draw with Jim Stewart, Morris lost the rematch, which caused

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

to report "a white hope exploded." Morris was knocked out for the first time against

Luther McCarty Luther Quinter McCarty (March 17, 1892 – May 24, 1913) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1911 to 1913. He was considered by most to be the greatest of all the " Great White Hope" fighters who fought during the time of ...

. He fought

Jack Dempsey William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed Kid Blackie and The Manassa Mauler, was an American boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927, and world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. One of the most iconic athl ...

3 times. In later life he worked as a

steam shovel A steam shovel is a large steam engine, steam-powered excavating machine designed for lifting and moving material such as Rock (geology), rock and soil. It is the earliest type of power shovel or excavator. Steam shovels played a major role in ...

operator. He died on July 11, 1951, in

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...

, of cancer.

References

External links

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Carl E. Morris
at Flickr Commons 1887 births 1951 deaths People from Fulton, Kentucky Boxers from Oklahoma American bare-knuckle boxers American male boxers Heavyweight boxers {{US-boxing-bio-stub