While Liston was incarcerated, prison athletic director Father Alois Stevens introduced him to the sport of boxing. Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas, around 1932. Liston won 26 consecutive bouts, moving inexorably toward the heavyweight championship. But there is another side. The CALS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Liston went down in the first round, felled by a punch few saw. L'arbre Some believed that the fight was fixed as reported in later biographical works like The Devil and Sonny Liston (2000) by Nick Tosches. In 1966, following his loss to Clay, Liston launched a comeback. Unfortunately, the same dark forces that forged Liston's destructiveness in the ring also fueled a distrust for the police and a bent toward criminal activity that would lead to two stints in the Missouri state prison system. We are all related! Give a donation in someones name to mark a special occasion, honor a friend or colleague or remember a beloved family member. He had the biggest fist of any heavyweight champion: 15 inches. That hurt him deeply, though he instinctively hid the scars behind a scowl. Liston is another. No one knows how Sonny Liston died. He put himself under the care of still another Catholic priest, Father Edward P. Murphy, a kindly Jesuit who was the pastor of a predominantly black church in Denver. Served 7 months in jail for beating up a police officer over a parking ticket in St. Louis in the mid-1950s. In October 1952, Liston was released on parole. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Remembering Just Fontaine and His World Cup Record, The Man Behind the First All-Black Basketball Team, 8 Times Brothers Have Faced Off in a Championship, Every Black Quarterback to Play in the Super Bowl, Soccer Star Christian Atsu Survived an Earthquake. TM & 2023 BoxingScene.All Rights Reserved. At the age of 16, Listonmore than 6 feet tall and weighing 200 poundsbecame a menacing presence in his neighborhood, occasionally working as a strike-breaking labor goon. However, his career was marred by criminal activity and, later, accusations of mob connections and throwing fights. However, it turned out to be his stepdaughter, the daughter of his wife. It was a defense mechanism designed to keep people from getting too close. Aligning himself with the Devil. Ironically, by the time Liston finally became champ in September of that year with his 1-round KO of Patterson, the mob was beginning to lose its iron grip on the sport and on Liston himself. (adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({}); Ivn Popoca estimated Net Worth, Biography, Age, Height, Dating, Relationship Records, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below. His death certificate states his death as December 30, 1970, based on milk deliveries at his doorstep. However, his career was marred by criminal activity and, later, accusations of mob connections and throwing fights, according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas. What advantage would there be to having the brash young boxer from Louisville installed as heavyweight champ in place of Liston? The second was a boy. That doesn't make sense. He defeated heavyweight contenders Roy Harris, Zora Folley, Eddie Machen, Cleveland Williams, Mike DeJohn, Henry Clark, and Chuck Wepner. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up His 17-year ring log was an impressive 50-4 with 39 knockouts. WebHalf-siblings. Time magazine photograph of Ali standing over Liston, taunting him, is one of the most popularly published in boxing. He was a victim before he was ever a brute. Paroled in 1952, Liston quickly captured the local Golden Gloves championship. For additional information: WebSonny Liston Photo Gallery. At the age of thirteen, he ran away to St. Louis, Missouri, following his mother, who had left earlier. Liston defeated Heavyweight Champion Floyd Patterson on Sept. 25, 1962. As Toches brings out, Liston's brooding temperament can be explained in part by his insecurity. Introduced to boxing by Father Stevens in the St. Louis City Jail during 1950. In 1962, Liston went officially from being the poverty-stricken, illiterate child of an abusive tenant farmer in Arkansas to being the heavyweight champion of the whole world. He kept fighting and kept winning against a progressively better grade of opponents. During that same period, he got married (in 1957 to Geraldine Clark), moved from St. Louis to Philadelphia, and was questioned by a congressional committee about the takeover of his management by mob elements in 1960. After his release, Liston relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his career quickly flourished again. As most boxing fans know, it was in the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City that Sonny learned to box. He quickly learned how to box and within three years was fighting on the amateur circuit. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. American professional boxer who became world heavyweight champion in 1962, Born on May 08, 1932 Liston was buried in Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas, Nevada, beneath a simple gravestone. Outside of the ring, Liston had a charming personality. At 6 feet 1 inch and 217 pounds, Liston had devastating punching power, an iron chin, and lightning reflexes, along with a powerful jab. Sonny Liston was officially born on May 8th 1932, even if no one knows exactly when he was born, that is the date that he set up for all the official records. The rematch in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 22 1963, was another first-round knockout, with Patterson counted out in two minutes, twenty-three seconds. In St. Louis, he quickly encountered problems with the local police. His father physically molested him. Sonny Liston was introduced to boxing while serving time in a Missouri State Penitentiary. George Foreman was his sparring partner from 1969 to 1970. There, he became a thug, committing various muggings and robbery. He continued fighting until June 29, 1970, when he knocked out Chuck Wepner, but he never got another title shot. They called it Sand Slough. Sonny Liston has been died on Dec 30, 1970 ( age 38). Liston won 26 consecutive bouts, moving inexorably toward the heavyweight championship. Auspiciously, the massive man is known as "The Bear" then won his first nine fights before dropping an eight-round decision to Marty Marshall. To give back to society, he supported many children. The rematch in Las Vegas on July 22, 1963, was another first-round knockout. His death certificate states his death as December 30, 1970, based on milk deliveries at his doorstep. He, however, won in the subsequent rematch. At the age of 13, he ran away to St. Louis, following his mother who had left earlier. Two Catholic priests who served as chaplains, Father Edward Schlattmann and Father Alois Stevens, helped to direct Liston toward the controlled violence of the ring. Sonny Liston has been died on Dec 30, 1970 ( age 38). Folley knocked down twice in 2nd round; 9 count and saved by the bell at 9 count. In a short amount of time, he rose to prominence as a contender in the heavyweight division. Less than a year later in Miami Beach, Liston lost his title to Cassius Clay when he refused to answer the bell for the seventh round, claiming a shoulder industry. Sanders was the reigning Olympic heavyweight champion. That inbred struggle for survival often produces champions. (LogOut/ At the age of 14, he was almost 6 feet tall. Charles "Sonny" Liston was born into a sharecropping family who farmed the poor land of Morledge Plantation near Johnson Township, St. Francis County, Arkansas. Liston was buried in the Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas under the simplest of epitaphs: A MAN.. Very little is known about his birth and his Former World Heavyweight Champion who learned to fight while in jail. He acted in a number of films, the most famous being "Harlow" with Carroll Baker. The subsequent rematch with Clay on May 25, 1965, included the infamous phantom punch. Though it appeared that Liston had barely been grazed by Clays right fist, the boxer went down just one minute and 45 seconds into the first round. Soon caught (his crimes were inept, spur-of-the-moment, strong arm jobs) and charged with first-degree robbery and larceny, he was sentenced in 1950 to five years in the Missouri State Penitentiary. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us. Liston was buried in Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas, Nevada, beneath a simple gravestone. He was trained by Willie Redish and later by Dick Sadler. His parents were peasant farmers who grew cotton in the south. Tosches' explanation, of course, is that Liston was again dutifully following orders given by the mob. As for the rematch between the two fighters in an ice rink in Lewiston, Maine, in May of 1965, there are a lot of possible explanations for Liston's bizarre actions that night. Boxer Charles L. Sonny Liston was bornin St. Francis County, Arkansason May 8, 1932. Liston, in fact, had great respect for Father Murphy and behaved admirably around him. Maybe Liston was concerned about the death threats that had been made against Ali in the wake of the assassination of Malcolm X and Liston just wanted to get out of the ring that night as quickly as possible. Check back often as we will continue to update this page with new relationship details. It was scandal on top of scandal; Listons reputation, already tainted by prison time, allegations of mob connections, and charges of sexual assault, never recovered. After having his license revoked, Liston made a smart decision, as he had when he bought out Barone. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Liston was the second last in a family of twenty-five siblings. Relationship with Timothy Michael Dowling (Sosa/Ahnentafel #1), Relationship with Geraldine Clark (spouse), Browse using this individual as Sosa/Ahnentafel #1, , born in1872 - Choctaw Co., MS, deceased, , born inApril1873 - Montgomery Co., MS, deceased, Sources: Dowling Family Tree - Tim Dowling - rootsweb, 2001-2015 - - electronic - I435533, Marriage (with Geraldine Clark) - St. Louis, MO, List of all individuals in the family tree, {{ 'gw_downgraded_access_back_to_max'|translate }}, Born 8May1932 - Sand Lough, St. Francis Co., AR, Deceased 30December1970 - Las Vegas, Clark Co., NV, All Rights Reserved. (There is some speculation about his year of birth, but most sources state sometime from 1929 to 1932.) DAmato went on to coach another great boxer in Mike Tyson. After his release, Liston relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his career quickly flourished again. Even Sonny's mother, who was called Big Hela, didn't know, though she believed him to be born during the month of January. . 100 Rock Street He became a professional fighter in 1953. On this date in 1964, a heavily favored Liston lost his title to upstart Cassius Clay, soon to be Muhammad Ali. Major children and living persons must directly contact the. Owing to his bold physique and strict upbringing, Liston loved training. First World Heavyweight Boxing Champion banned from fighting in New York State by the New York Boxing Commission. Basically, for a guy like Liston, it meant that you either dealt with them, or you didn't deal at all. Liston claimed he was born in After a little while, Liston followed his mother and was reunited with his other siblings. . Reverend Stevens was both the prisons chaplain and sports director. Special thanks to the Department of Arkansas Heritage. Biography, Net Worth, Gossips, Salary, News & Much More. Sonny never really had a Prime. Reverend Stevens arranged the match for him. Liston continued to fight in the ring until June 1970. He climbed back into the ring on June 29, 1970, registering a 10th-round technical knockout against Bayonne Bleeder Chuck Wepner. angelsunchained, Other Works Sonny Liston was introduced to boxing by Reverend Father Alois Stevens. For those interested in knowing more about the life and times of one of the most enigmatic and troubled heavyweight champs, the book "The Devil and Sonny Liston," by Nick Tosches (Copyright 2000, published by Little, Brown and Company), is a wealth of knowledge. He was friendly with his fans and had a soft spot for children. He was one of many children one account lists 22 siblings and half-siblings. Because of his arrest and prison term, Liston didn't have a fight between March of 1956, when he decisioned Marty Marshall in Pittsburgh, to January of 1958, when he knocked out Bill Hunter in two rounds in Chicago. Liston was the 12th of 13 children born to Tobe and Helen Liston (and one of 25 children sired by Tobe). He only served six. The coroner picked December 30, 1970, as the date of death, and Liston was buried in the Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas under the simplest of epitaphs: A MAN.. Geneastars | Facebook. Less than a year later, on February 25, 1964, in Miami Beach, Florida, a heavily favored Liston lost his title to upstart Cassius Clay (soon to be Muhammad Ali) when he refused to answer the bell for the seventh round, claiming a shoulder injury. In September of 1953, he knocked out Don "Toro" Smith in two rounds in St. Louis, setting in motion a career which would span 17 years and bring Sonny to the pinnacle of success in his sport. In accordance with the legal provisions, you can ask for the removal of your name and the name of your minor children. Carbo was in prison and Palmermo would soon follow. Sonny Liston had a controversial boxing career, winning 54 of 58 bouts from 1953 to 1970. All Rights Reserved. Served a prison sentence at Missouri State Penitentiary for robbing a gas station at age 18. Full body measurements, dress & shoe size will be updated soon. This is how Tosches describes Liston's birth place: "It was in the sector of Morledge Plantation that lay in Johnson Township, St. Francis County, that Tobe Liston and his family came to live and farm, on a low patch where a rill of muddy water, a mile and a half or so long, dribbled dead to its end in a slough of sandy dirt where nothing could grow. He is one of the Richest Boxer who was born in AR. He served brief prison terms and on one occasion was introduced to boxing by a prison chaplain. Liston was beaten in his ninth match by Marty Marshall. At least two sexual assaults. He won in the first round against Don Smith. Sonny Liston: The Real Story behind the Ali-Liston Fights. He was accused of stealing an officers gun. When he won the heavyweight title in 1962 at age 30, he had a daughter age 25. Best Known For: Sonny Liston was introduced to boxing while serving time in a Missouri State Penitentiary. His father was an abusive alcoholic, and Liston eventually left the house during his teens. in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, This form allows you to report an error or to submit additional information about this family tree: Sonny LISTON (1932), Copyright Wikipdia authors - This article is under licence CC BY-SA 3.0. Early Life. In St. Louis, he quickly encountered problems with the local police. In 1950, he was convicted of two counts of larceny and two counts of first-degree robbery and spent more than two years in the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City. Survived by his wife Geraldine and a step-daughter. Additional support provided by the Arkansas General Assembly. Boxer Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas on May 8, 1932. With the proceeds he traveled to St. Louis and reunited with his mother and siblings. Cox, who was interviewed extensively by Tosches, went as far as to say that Liston would still be alive if he had "spent more time with Father Murphy."). WebHis parents were Tobe Liston and Helen Baskin. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up working in the local cotton fields. He started boxing in prison and was likely Why he died remains one of sport's most enduring mysteries. Is mentioned in the song "Swinging" by Tom Petty. Thus, cloaking the heavyweight champion of the world--the epitome of masculinity and male supremacy--in a Santa Claus hat was the height of irony at the time. In the same interval, he had gotten married (in 1957 to Geraldine Clark), moved from St. Louis to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1958, and been questioned by a congressional committee about the takeover of his management by mob elements in 1960. Creating an account gives you access to all these features. Tosches goes to great lengths in his book to convey the ubiquitous presence of the mob in those days and the power that men like Frank "Gray Man" Carbo and Frank "Blinky" Palermo wielded in boxing. Astrological Sign: Taurus, Death Year: 1970, Death date: December 30, 1970, Death State: Nevada, Death City: Las Vegas, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Sonny Liston Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/sonny-liston, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: April 23, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. Known for scowling at opponents, he combined an intimidating ring presence with awesome power. 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Encyclopedia of Arkansas From the start, it was apparent that he had a future in the ring. Liston continued to box until the time of his death. Following his release from the workhouse, Liston quickly returned to the ring against Hunter and got his career back on track. His epitaph reads: A Man.. Inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame, 1990. Pressure resulting from appearing before the committee, and from the diatribes of Patterson's manager Cus D'Amato, caused Liston to buy out the contract of his manager, Pep Barone, who was considered to be an undesirable, and name old-time Philadelphia political hack George Katz as his manager. During the years that Liston was champ, the mob was in retreat. Liston's purpose was to show the Pennylvania State Athletic Commission, and the world, that he was turning a new leaf. After being unable to reach Liston for 12 days, his wife Geraldine returned to their Nevada home on January 5, 1971, at which time she discovered Listons dead body. WebThe son of tenant farmer Tobey Liston and his second wife, Helen, Liston was the 24th of his father's 25 children. He has ranked on the list of those famous people who were born on May 8, 1932. By all accounts, Liston had a woeful childhood. Jack Dempsey and Roberto Duran are two cases in point. Hardly. Sonny Liston turned professional in September 1953. Liston's career was interrupted for nine months beginning in December 1956, when he was sent to the St. Louis workhouse for assaulting a policeman and stealing the officer's gun.

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