Charlie Hardcastle

Charlie Hardcastle (1894–1960) was an English boxer who was British featherweight champion in 1917.

Charlie Hardcastle
Statistics
Nickname(s)The Barnsley Bombshell
NationalityBritish
Born1894
Worsbrough Bridge, Yorkshire, England
Died17 February 1960 (aged 66)
Boxing record
Total fights78
Wins46
Wins by KO35
Losses27
Draws4

Career

Born in Worsbrough Bridge near Barnsley, Hardcastle made his professional debut at 8st 6lbs in May 1911, losing to Billy Green. He had seven further fights that year, winning them all inside the distance, and became known as 'The Barnsley Bombshell'.

In February 1912 he suffered the second defeat of his career, losing on points to Young Hazlehurst. His next fight came two months later against Louis Ruddick for the Yorkshire flyweight title, Hardcastle retiring with a hand injury in the second round of twenty.[1] Over the next three years he won most of his fights, mainly against novice boxers, and in December 1914 avenged his earlier defeat to Green to win the Pitmen's featherweight title.

Hardcastle moved up in class in 1915, knocking out Mike Honeyman in two rounds in March. He lost on points over 20 rounds to the experienced Young Joe Brooks in April,[2] and in June beat Walter Rossi, his opponent disqualified in the first round. In November he drew with Freddie Jacks.

In June 1916, Hardcastle faced debutante Louis Hood at the National Sporting Club. The fight went to the fourteenth round, in which Hardcastle knocked Hood down; Hood got to his feet at the end of the count but collapsed and fell unconscious, and died shortly before two o'clock the following morning.[3][4] Hardcastle, along with the referee, timekeeper, the two seconds, and the manager of the NSC, was charged with manslaughter, but the charges were dismissed the following month and the fatality was later ruled death by misadventure.[5][6][7]

In July 1916 Hardcastle beat Young Joe Brooks on points and in October beat Honeyman for a second time, stopping him in the fifth round.[8] His last fight of the year was a points loss to former British bantamweight champion Curley Walker.

Hardcastle started 1917 with a points loss to former English champion Seaman Arthur Hayes in January. After Llew Edwards vacated, Hardcastle faced former amateur champion Alf Wye in June for the British featherweight title.[9] Hardcastle knocked Wye out in 2 minutes and 22 seconds of the first round to become British champion.[10][11] He successfully defended his British title in July against Ruddick, who was disqualified in the 15th round after hitting Hardcastle while he was down,[12][13] and in November made a second defence against Tancy Lee. Lee Knocked him out in the fourth round to take the title.[14]

Over the next two years, Hardcastle fought with mixed results, but never again challenged for a title. He continued until 1923 but lost nine of his last eleven fights, his only wins in that period coming against the inexperienced Tommy Gray.

References
  1. "Yorkshire Fly-Weight Championship". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 25 April 1912. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  2. "Boxing at the N.S.C.". Dundee Courier. 20 April 1915. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  3. "Death After a Boxing Match". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 20 June 1916. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  4. "Boxing: A Fatal Ending", Kalgoorlie Western Argus, 27 June 1916, p. 32. Retrieved 16 January 2016 via trove.nla.gov.au
  5. "Boxing Tragedy: Sporting Men Remanded at Bow Street". Liverpool Echo. 20 June 1916. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  6. "The charge of manslaughter...". Western Daily Press. 5 July 1916. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  7. "Boxer's Death in the Ring: Opponent Exonerated by Coroner's Jury". Aberdeen Journal. 24 June 1916. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  8. "Boxing Contests: Charlie Hardcastle Beats Mike Honeyman". Liverpool Echo. 27 October 1916. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  9. "Hardcastle and Wye at N.S.C.". Sheffield Evening Telegraph. 4 June 1917. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  10. "In the First Round: How Hardcastle Defeated Wye at the N.S.C.". Evening Despatch. 5 June 1917. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  11. "Sensational Boxing Match". Nottingham Evening Post. 5 June 1917. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  12. "Feather-Weight Boxing: Hardcastle's Lucky Success Over Louis Ruddick". Sheffield Evening Telegraph. 10 July 1917. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  13. "Boxing Bouts", Maoriland Worker, Volume 8, Issue 344, 26 September 1917, p. 2. Retrieved 16 January 2016
  14. Odd, Gilbert E. (1989) The Encyclopedia of Boxing, Book Sales, ISBN 978-1555213954, p. 75
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