Jack Root boxer

Jack Root boxer
bouts
55
won
47
lost
3
draw
3
Status
inactive
Division
light heavyweight
Debut
1897-11-12
Height
5′ 10″/178cm
Reach
73″/185cm
Age
87
Born
1876-05-26
Death
1963-06-10
Nationality
USA

John Arthur Root (May 26, 1875 – June 10, 1963), or known professionally as Jack Root, was the first world light heavyweight champion and also fought for the world heavyweight title. He fought out of Chicago. He was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011. His uncle, Janos Rutt, immigrated to Minnesota. Today, his descendants in and around south-central Minnesota evolved the spelling of their last name to Rutt. There are some descendants based in the Chicago area and have relocated around the United States to Arizona, California, Indiana, and Northern Michigan. A great-great-grandson, Travis Rutt, is a well-known wrestler from New Prague, MN.Root (with the support of some historians) claimed that he was the first world light heavyweight champion. His bout with George Gardiner on July 4, 1903, is claimed by some to be the first title bout in the new division. Root contended that his manager, Lou Housman, created the division and billed the Root vs. Gardner fight, which Gardner won by knockout in the twelfth round. The fight was caught on film. Jack Root, George Gardner, and Bob Fitzsimmons all held the light heavyweight world championship title in 1903.During the 1980s, however, some boxing historians found records indicating that Joe Choynski won a twenty-round decision over Jimmy Ryan on August 18, 1899, in a fight billed as being for the light heavyweight championship. Choynski never seems to have made any claim to be the first light heavyweight champion, however.On July 3, 1905, Root fought Marvin Hart for the vacant world heavyweight championship in Reno Nevada. The former champion, Jim Jeffries, had retired and declared that Hart and Root were the two top heavyweights. Jeffries refereed the fight to name the new champion, which Hart won by a twelfth-round knockout.Root served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army during World War I. After his time in the service Root became the president and boxing manager of the renowned Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium. Root was also one of many boxers to attend the funeral of Feab S. Williams (better known as "George Godfrey").Root died on June 10, 1963 at Temple Hospital from a heart attack, aged 87.

Date Opponent Last Opponents' Results Place Result
1906-02-26 Fred Russell LLWDW Kalamazoo AC, Kalamazoo WIN
Points
1905-07-03 Marvin Hart DWWDWW Amphitheater, Reno LOST
KO
1904-12-05 John Wille WDDWDL Blue Island AC, Blue Island WIN
1904-11-23 Tommy Ryan WDWWWW National A.C., Philadelphia NC
No Contest
1904-05-02 George Gardner LDWWWD Waverly A.C., Chicago WIN
Points
1904-02-26 George Gardner WLDWWW Battery D Armory, Chicago DRAW
Points
1904-02-05 John Wille WWLLWD Battery D Armory, Chicago DRAW
Points
1903-11-26 Fireman Jim Flynn WWWDWW Rover's Club, Pueblo WIN
KO
1903-07-04 George Gardner WWWWW International A.C., Fort Erie LOST
Technical knockout
1903-04-22 Charles Kid McCoy WWWWLW Light Guard Armory, Detroit WIN
Points
1902-11-10 Marvin Hart LWWWWD Lyceum A.C., Chicago WIN
Points
1902-10-27 Kid Carter LWWWLD American A.C., Chicago WIN
Points
1902-08-18 George Gardner WWLWLW Saucer Track, Salt Lake City LOST
Technical knockout
1902-04-26 Billy Stift LDLWLL Chicago A.C., Chicago WIN
KO
1902-01-31 George Gardner WWWLW Mechanic's Pavilion, San Francisco WIN
1901-10-30 Australian Jim Ryan WLDLLL Music Hall, Louisville WIN
KO
1901-06-28 Kid Carter WWLDWW Mechanic's Pavilion, San Francisco WIN
1901-01-18 George Byers LDDDW Woodward's Pavilion, San Francisco WIN
KO
1900-10-16 Dick O'Brien LWWDLW Tattersall's, Chicago WIN
KO
1900-10-04 Dan Creedon WLLWLW Convention Hall, Kansas City WIN
KO
1900-07-24 Tommy Ryan WWWWDW Tattersall's, Chicago DRAW
Points
1900-07-10 Dick O'Brien WDLWWD Tattersall's, Chicago WIN
Points
1900-02-20 Ed Denfass WWWWWW Tattersall's, Chicago WIN
KO
1900-02-05 Jack Hammond DWLDDW Badger A.C., Milwaukee WIN
KO
1900-01-09 Tommy West DWWWWW Tattersall's, Chicago WIN
Points
1899-11-15 Alec Greggains WLLDDL Woodward's Pavilion, San Francisco WIN
KO
1899-10-18 Frank Steiner D Belle City Opera House, Racine WIN
KO
1899-10-15 Frank Craig WLWWLL Chicago WIN
Points
1899-10-03 Frank Craig LWLWWL Tattersall's, Chicago WIN
Points
1899-09-23 Billy Stift LWLWDW Tattersall's, Chicago WIN
Points
1899-08-12 John Banks DDDWDD Chicago WIN
KO
1899-07-07 Fred Grant debut Chicago WIN
KO
1899-06-21 Johnny Gorman LDLLDL Adelphi Theater, Chicago WIN
KO
1899-06-07 Tom Burke L Chicago WIN
KO
1899-05-31 Tom Casey LL Adelphi Theater, Chicago WIN
KO
1899-05-15 Australian Jim Ryan DWDLLW Music Hall, Louisville WIN
Points
1899-04-29 Dick Moore DLLLWW Lyceum Theater, Chicago WIN
KO
1899-02-16 Billy Stift WWWDWW Claus Groth Hall, Davenport WIN
1899-01-21 Harry Peppers WLLLDW Tattersall's, Chicago WIN
Points
1898-12-30 Australian Jim Ryan WWLDWD 7th Regiment Armory, Chicago WIN
Points
1898-11-15 Tom Lansing WLLLWL Madison Hall, Chicago WIN
KO
1898-08-19 Jack Murphy L WIN
KO
1898-08-05 Jimmy Watts LWDLLW Lenox A.C., New York WIN
KO
1898-07-22 Tom Lansing WWWWWL Lenox A.C., New York WIN
Technical knockout
1898-05-14 Jack Moffat DWWLWD American A.C., Chicago WIN
Points
1898-04-14 Mike Carroll L Calumet A.C., Chicago WIN
KO
1898-03-27 George Ryan DLLDD Milwaukee NC
No Contest
1898-03-26 Jack Moffat WDDWW Chicago A.A., Chicago WIN
Points
1898-03-12 Jack Hammond WDL Chicago A.A., Chicago WIN
KO
1898-02-12 Charles Whitey debut Chicago A.A., Chicago WIN
KO
1898-02-07 Billy Philleth debut America A.A., Chicago WIN
KO
1898-01-15 George Hipp debut Chicago WIN
KO
1898-01-08 Young Charlie White debut Chicago WIN
KO
1897-12-24 Pat Brastand debut Chicago WIN
KO
1897-11-12 Charles Upton debut Chicago WIN
KO