Tommy (Hurricane) Jackson
(08-09-31 - 02-14-81)

This is not about some old movie … an actor playing a fighter … nothing like that. This one is for a heavyweight of the 1950s … a forgotten warrior of yesterday - one that truly epitomized the term "crowd pleaser."
                         
Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson … an odd one to be sure … couldn’t be interviewed … mostly verbalized with himself and made no sense at all - but my oh my could he scrap.

Was tall at 6-3 and weighed in at 195 … never used the height and reach against smaller foes … opted to bring it to the other guy in nonstop fashion.

Tommy complemented the busy style with a rock solid chin … had a reservoir of stamina that was developed over miles of running on the beaches of his Far Rockaway, NY home.

The door to the big tent of MSG would open come 1954 - wins over power punching household names Rex Layne(TKO6), Clarence Henry (UD), Dan Bucceroni (KO6) was the ticket.

A decision loss in April of 1954, to tricky and slick Jimmy Slade, was quickly forgotten by most fans filling the Garden at 8th & 50th, for Jackson’s maiden voyage to MSG main event status against left-hooking Charlie Norkus.

Norkus could punch … but never had a prayer … found the Jackson chin, but never caused a dent, as Tommy the "Hurricane" kept up the barrage round after round before Norkus submitted in stanza five.

The purveyors of pugilism found themselves in a proverbial catch-22 setting - they loved the dinero Tommy brought in, but quivered at the thought of a heavyweight champion that seemed qualified for a room at the big town’s loony bin.

A loss to Cuban star Nino Valdez slowed the momentum - a TKO2 under the new three knockdown rule - no physical damage, the finisher more a take-down than knockdown - but the hierarchy breathed a bit easier.

Still, Tommy would eventually get his title shot with defending champion Floyd Patterson on July 29, 1957 … was stopped in round ten - but the resumé also reflects wins over the likes of Ezzard Charles (twice), Rex Layne, Bob Baker, Jimmy Slade and other contenders of the day.

Fate would not be kind to Jackson come retirement … was first spotted shining shoes on the sidewalk below the Jamaica elevated 168th St. stop … later it was driving a gypsy cab - and then the word - struck down by passing car while polishing his taxi.

"Hurricane" lingered a bit at Jamaica hospital in Queens, NY before hearing the final ten count … the story never made a big splash in the New York dailies - but during them final days one sports columnist remembered.

It was Jack Lang, editor of the now defunct Long Island Daily Press, that recalled the excitement Jackson brought to every dance -  and penned a piece about the ol’ Hurricane … asked fans that he once entertained to dig deep for a few pennies to help the Jackson family with the mounting medical bills.

And why not … for Tommy surely gave at the office on each and every trip to the big tent of MSG - to the delight of the paying customers.

GEL