Harry Harris (boxer)
| Harry Harris | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Harry Harris |
| Nickname(s) | Human Scissors Human Hairpin Human Stringbean |
| Rated at | Bantamweight |
| Height | 5 ft 7.75 in (1.72 m) |
| Reach | 68 in (173 cm) |
| Nationality |
 American |
| Born | November 18, 1880 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | June 5, 1959 (aged 78) New York, New York |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 54 |
| Wins | 40 |
| Wins by KO | 14 |
| Losses | 2 |
| Draws | 8 |
| No contests | 4 |
Harry Harris ("The Human Hairpin"; November 18, 1880 in Chicago, Illinois – June 5, 1959 in New York City) was an American boxer. He was the World Bantamweight champion in 1901–02. Charley Rose ranked Harris as the #10 All-Time Bantamweight.
Harry Harris was born on November 18, 1880 a few minutes apart from his twin brother, Sammy, in Chicago's South Side. Growing up in a tough Chicago neighborhood, he began boxing as a kid, pounding the bag with his brother Sammy after school at a local gym. With an artistic bent, he began taking drawing classes in Chicago.
Harris began boxing professionally in 1896 at the age of 16, abandoning his aspirations to be a professional artist, and dropping out of high school. In his first two years as a professional, he won sixteen of seventeen fights with one draw. In his early career, he took tips from Charles Kid McCoy, a former welterweight boxing star, and 1897 World Middleweight Champion, who helped him master his trademark "corkscrew punch", a twisting blow delivered as a hooking uppercut. During his boxing career, Harris and McCoy would go on tour together giving boxing shows.
On March 19, and April 2, 1898 Harris defeated Morris Rauch in six rounds in Chicago. Rauch was recognized as a fringe featherweight contender. In 1903 and 1904, he would meet champions Abe Attell and Harry Forbes. Rauch had met Forbes three times earlier in 1897. Harris had drawn with Rauch in December 1897, and would draw with him again in May 1900 in a six-round bout in Chicago.
On November 22, 1898, he defeated Charles Roden in a ninth-round technical knockout at the Lenox Athletic Club in New York City. The New Jersey boxer had a five-inch height disadvantage in his matchup with Harris. With a few accomplished boxers in his resume, Roden had met the great Terry McGovern in December of the previous year.
On May 19, 1899, Harris knocked out the 1890 World Featherweight Champion, "Torpedo" Billy Murphy in the fourth round at the Star Theater in Chicago, Illinois. Murphy was an Australian born featherweight of considerable fame, and achievement.
Harris met Chicago Jewish boxer Sig Hart twice in Iowa, on July 7, and August 4, 1899, winning in a fifteen-round points decision and a six-round knockout. In their July bout, before a crowd of around 300 at Saengerfest Hall, Harris put Hart down in the twelfth for a count of nine, and he was down again in the thirteenth. Harris used his reach to his advantage throughout the bout, landing solid blows and effectively blocking those of Hart to take the points decision. Harris appeared to have an advantage from the start, and Hart clinched frequently to avoid his blows. Hart was an accomplished boxer in his own right, another hero of the Chicago Jewish Ghetto crowd, and faced many of the same opponents as Harris including the champion Torpedo Billy Murphy.
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