Change). Liston was arrested more than 20 times. Or it would be history, if boxing historians would stop sweeping the legacy of Sonny Liston under the ring canvas. Encyclopedia of Arkansas Mee, Bob. All Rights Reserved. Additional support provided by the Arkansas Community Foundation. Liston didn't find gainful employment in St. Louis. He maintained a winning streak in eight matches. Major children and living persons must directly contact the. He managed to turn his cruel past to his advantage. Check back often as we will continue to update this page with new relationship details. {{ mediasCtrl.getTitle(media, true) }} They called it Sand Slough. On this date in 1964, a heavily favored Liston lost his title to upstart Cassius Clay, soon to be Muhammad Ali. He was one of many Sonny Liston turned professional in September 1953. 72201. Liston and Geraldine had no children, but Liston loved kids and enjoyed being in their company. gnalogique Dowling avec plus d'un demi-million de parents, . Due to the poverty in the family, Sonny never went to school. L'arbre Paroled in 1952, he had a brief amateur career, winning several Golden Gloves championships and defeating 1952 Olympic heavyweight champion Ed Sanders. WebSonny Liston is 6 feet 0 inches tall. He was caught and charged with first-degree robbery and larceny, and was sentenced in 1950 to 5 years in the Missouri State Penitentiary. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up working in the local cotton fields. His sporting agility was electrifying to watch. His best years were 195862 when he destroyed everyone while Patterson shamelessly ducked him. He was sired by Lawman out of the Galileo mare Stars In Your Eyes. In 1950, Liston was arrested at his apartment at 1006 O'Fallon Street for robbing the Unique Cafe on 1502 Market Street in St. Louis for 37 dollars. For all his womanizing, Liston had a respect for his wife Geraldine and was faithful to her in his own way. DAmato went on to coach another great boxer in Mike Tyson. Instead, he and some friends took to robbing people on the street and robbing gas stations with a loaded pistol. 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. His father physically molested him. 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. 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. Early Life. Liston scored another knockout in a rematch with Patterson, but his 17-month reign as heavyweight champion ended at the hands of a brash fighter named Cassius Clay. His death was as mysterious as his birth. However, it turned out to be his stepdaughter, the daughter of his wife. Early Life and Family: Before he was famous, He sold pecans from his brother-in-laws tree in order to reunite with his mother and his siblings. Sonny Liston was born in Sand Slough, AR on May 8, 1932. His final record as a professional was 50 wins, 39 by knockout, and four losses. Liston was the second last in a family of twenty-five siblings. Liston was an excellent boxer. Liston was beholdin' to the mob and everybody knew it. Creating an account gives you access to all these features. Sand Slough, Arkansas, United States of America, Sonny Liston is still regarded as the best heavyweight boxer with a taste of violence. Charles "Sonny" Liston was pronounced dead at the scene. His father was an abusive alcoholic, and Liston eventually left the house during his teens. In prison, encouraged by Catholic chaplains, Liston took up boxing, where he was an immediate and spectacular success. contient des milliers de photos et GeneaStars. Drinking. with Cornelia Winfrey, born in April 1873 - Montgomery Co., MS, deceased. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. The CALS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. He became a professional fighter on September 2, 1953, when he knocked out Don Smith in a single round in St. Louis. As Toches brings out, Liston's brooding temperament can be explained in part by his insecurity. Rate and review titles you borrow and share your opinions on them. Liston moved to Las Vegas in 1966 and was found dead there on Jan. 5, 1971, when his wife returned to their home from a Christmas visit with her mother. He told them that he had no education, couldn't write and worked as a child to help feed his 24 siblings. This enabled him to get hired as a manual laborer in the farms. He acted in a number of films, the most famous being "Harlow" with Carroll Baker. Charles L. Sonny Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas, to Tobe Liston and Helen Baskin. His father was 30 years older than his mother. Liston, one of 25 children by his father, is reputed to have been born in May 1932, yet prison records show various birth dates, among them 1928. . Full body measurements, dress & shoe size will be updated soon. His trademark shirt during his illegal raids was yellow. Primary Income source Boxer (profession). On this date in 1964, a heavily favored Liston lost his title to upstart Cassius Clay, soon to be Muhammad Ali. In 1950, he was arrested by the police. Owing to his many siblings and a brutal, hardscrabble Arkansas childhood with an abusive father (excruciatingly detailed in the movie and book), Liston had an affinity for needy children. For additional information: 2023 Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Additional support provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council. Though it appeared that Liston had barely been grazed by Clay's right fist, the boxer went down just one minute and 45 seconds into the first round. - IMDb Mini Biography By: He was one of many children one account lists 22 siblings and half-siblings. Clay is certainly to be counted among the greatest heavyweights of all time. WebParents and Siblings Charles L. "Sonny" Liston 19321970 Geraldine Chamber 19252005 Spouse and Children Charles L. "Sonny" Liston Male19321970 Male First World Heavyweight Boxing Champion banned from fighting in New York State by the New York Boxing Commission. He cleared out his opponents to become the topmost contender. 1932-1970 Sonny Liston was the heavyweight boxing champion from 1962 to 1964. Reverend Stevens arranged the match for him. The second was a boy. 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. He became a professional fighter in 1953. Known for his powerful punch, the majority of his victories were knockouts. From the start, Liston was a devastating puncher. Please try again. Gallender, Paul. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Some Thoughts on Boxing, Jake Paul, and Asking Why We Fight Robert B. Cochran Paroled in 1952, Liston quickly captured the local Golden Gloves championship. Sonny had to put the proper face forward to the public. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Nine years of steady fighting later, and following additional scrapes with the law (fourteen arrests between 1953 and 1958 and a conviction in 1956 for assaulting a police officer), Liston finally fought Floyd Patterson for the Heavyweight Championship. He quickly destroyed all the leading heavyweight contenders--Roy Harris, Zora Folley, Cleveland Williams--to earn a title shot against Floyd Patterson. The rematch, in Lewiston, Maine, on May 25, 1965, was even more controversial. All Rights Reserved. He overcame tremendous odds to win the title and earn a measure of fame, but even so he was never embraced by the public. He defeated heavyweight contenders Roy Harris, Zora Folley, Eddie Machen, Cleveland Williams, Mike DeJohn, Henry Clark, and Chuck Wepner. Maybe Liston realized that he couldn't beat the youthful Clay/Ali, and he opted not to get up off the canvas in round one instead of absorbing another beating. The place had a name, but it was not to be found on any map. The title fight was in Chicago, Illinois, on September 25, 1962, with a wide public pulling for the champ (including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and authors James Baldwin and Norman Mailer). Sonny was probably born in 1929, but no one knows for sure. In accordance with the legal provisions, you can ask for the removal of your name and the name of your minor children. He continued fighting until June 29, 1970, when he knocked out Chuck Wepner, but he never got another title shot. WebHalf-siblings. Nine years of steady fighting later, and following additional scrapes with the law, Liston fought Floyd Patterson for the Heavyweight Championship. 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. He had his first competitive match in prison. Following his release from the workhouse, Liston quickly returned to the ring against Hunter and got his career back on track. First heavyweight title challenger to earn a purse of $1,000,000. On the same night at a different location, but on the same closed-circuit broadcast, Patterson defeated unheralded Tom McNeeley in four rounds in what would be the final successful defense of his crown. 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.. Aligning himself with the Devil. Tosches, Nick. When Liston became the top challenger to champion Floyd Patterson by 1960, it was a What advantage would there be to having the brash young boxer from Louisville installed as heavyweight champ in place of Liston? He has ranked on the list of those famous people who were born on May 8, 1932. Copyright 2020 ARKANSAS SOUL MEDIA, All rights Reserved. Liston was the most feared man in the world, until Muhammad Ali arrived on the scene and knocked him out twice, ending his championship days and his reputation as the "World's Baddest Man." Twenty-two-year-old Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, defeated reigning world boxing champ Sonny Liston on this day in history, Feb. 25, 1964, in Miami, Florida. He was still a fringe contender at the age of 40 or so when he died under mysterious circumstances in December of 1970 at his house in Las Vegas. He became a professional fighter on September 2, 1953, when he knocked out Don Smith in a single round in St. Louis. However, his career was marred by criminal activity and, later, accusations of mob connections and throwing fights. He died circa December 30, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The official date of Charles L. Liston is given as May 8, 1932. Made a comeback in 1968-1969 and won 14 straight before losing to Leotis Martin. While Liston was incarcerated, prison athletic director Father Alois Stevens introduced him to the sport of boxing. Charles "Sonny" Liston's life and death began and ended in the same manner: as a mystery. angelsunchained, Other Works Sonny Liston prefers not to tell the details of marital status & divorce. Served time in prison for robbery and later for assaulting a police officer. Did he need Liston's cooperation to beat the rapidly aging champion that night in February of 1964? Additional support provided by the Arkansas General Assembly. (Which isn't to say that Liston took advantage of Father Murphy, or that he had a disregard for what Father Murphy had to say. The son of tenant farmer Tobey Liston and his second wife, Helen, Liston was the 24th of his fathers 25 children. Lets check, How Rich is Sonny Liston in 2020-2022? 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. {{ media.date_translated }}, {{ asCtrl.bannerRights.content|translate }}, The Geneanet family trees are powered by Geneweb 7.0. Sonny Liston estimated Net Worth, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below. Liston continued to fight in the ring until June 1970. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up Liston scored another knockout in a rematch with Patterson, but his 17-month reign as heavyweight champion ended at the hands of a brash fighter named Cassius Clay. boxer had the look of a champion. Cruel Beginnings. . Official Sites. After having his license revoked, Liston made a smart decision, as he had when he bought out Barone. Hardly. On top of the mob issue, Liston had to overcome more problems with the law before he could be free to fight Patterson for the title. Liston was inducted into the international Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991. Charles "Sonny" Liston was born circa 1930 into a sharecropping family who farmed the poor land of Morledge Plantation near Johnson Township, St. Francis County, Arkansas. The Devil and Sonny Liston. 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. If it was truly a fix, then Liston would have found a way to avoid taking the punishment that he received at Clay's hands before retiring on his stool after the sixth round. From the start, it was apparent that he had a future in the ring. In St. Louis, he quickly encountered problems with the local police. The official cause of death was lung congestion and heart failure, although Liston had fresh needle marks on his arm and police discovered heroin and a syringe in the house. New York: Blue Rider Press, 2016. He became a professional fighter in 1953. He was accused of stealing an officers gun. Username and password are case sensitive. Liston was the second last in a family of twenty-five siblings. 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. Liston celebrated the speedy reinstatement of his license with an impressive 1-round knockout of German baker Albert Westphal, who was ranked No. Sonny Liston was featured in a novel "Girl Fighter" with a brief reference to his early life, his rise to WBC heavyweight champion and his eventual losses to Clay/Ali. Former World Heavyweight Champion who learned to fight while in jail. Copyright 2020, ARKANSAS SOUL MEDIA. 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. contient des milliers de photos et GeneaStars. He supported many in his life. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up working in the local cotton fields. The author begins appropriately at the beginning with his subject, providing more comprehensive information about Sonny's childhood than probably even Sonny himself knew. It was there in Sand Slough that Charles L. Liston was born, on the 50 acres that Tobe rented from the Man.". That inbred struggle for survival often produces champions. All Rights Reserved. There were rumors of drug peddling, heroin use, and murder, but no answers. 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. He died under mysterious conditions on December 30, 1970. 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. Much of what Tosches gleans about Liston's youth stem from interviews with people who lived on the Morledge Plantation in the 1930s and from Sonny's older half-brother E.B. Liston went back to the ring. He died circa December 30, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada. No one knows how Sonny Liston died. He was one of many Was the favorite fighter of the famous Fab Four, the Beatles, and he appears on their "Sgt. Liston would later claim his birth date to be May 8, 1932, but that is off by at least two years. L'arbre Sonny Listons height Unknown & weight Not Available right. After his release, Liston relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his career quickly flourished again. The local police classified him as the yellow shirt bandit.. When Sonny KO'd Floyd Patterson in 1962 for The World Heavyweight Championship,he became the only challenger to win that title by a first round KO. George Foreman was his sparring partner from 1969 to 1970. Publicity Listings He was one of many children one account lists 22 siblings and half-siblings. There, he committed various muggings and robberies. Liston had a short and successful amateur career, following which he turned pro. (There is some speculation about his year of birth, but most sources state sometime from 1929 to 1932.) A story is told of Liston ordering his driver to stop on a busy highway, so that Liston could go and buy some pencils from an obviously poor, old, white women whom he had observed. His father was an abusive alcoholic, and Liston eventually left the house during his teens. His mother separated from his father and went to St. Louis in Missouri. From the time he was old enough to be useful in the fields, Sonny was a laborer for his tenant farmer father. On the side of Tobe Liston, born in 1872 - Choctaw Co., MS, deceased. WebSonny Liston Photo Gallery. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. In 1966, following his loss to Clay, Liston launched a comeback. Boxer Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas on May 8, 1932. During his two-plus years in the state penitentiary, Liston attained a new nickname, "Sonny," and a new vocation, boxing. He continued fighting until June 29, 1970, when he knocked out Chuck Wepner, but he never got another title shot. The cover was one of the most famous images of the early 1960s, as Liston embodied the fears of White America during the days when Southern police officials had attacked the burgeoning civil rights movement with violence, a violence white Americans feared might be returned onto them. Sonny Liston: His Life, Strife, and the Phantom Punch. Joe Louis rated Liston's jab one of the best in boxing history. At the age of 13, he ran away to St. Louis, following his mother who had left earlier. New York: Skyhorse, 2011. Boxer Charles L. Sonny Liston was bornin St. Francis County, Arkansason May 8, 1932. Steen, Rob. His epitaph reads: "A Man.". Liston continued to box until the time of his death. With Cus DAmato as his coach, Liston reigned as champion for seventeen months. Liston was the youngest heavyweight boxing champion to die (age 38). Let's check, How Rich is Mario, Ben Villaflor estimated Net Worth, Biography, Age, Height, Dating, Relationship Records, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below. TM & 2023 BoxingScene.All Rights Reserved. As a young man in 1949, Liston left Arkansas for good and followed his mother's footsteps to St. Louis. He married Geraldine Chambers on June 10, 1950. 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. He is from AR. Sonny never really had a Prime. Tosches' explanation, of course, is that Liston was again dutifully following orders given by the mob. Liston was beaten in his ninth match by Marty Marshall. Major support provided through a partnership with the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism. 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The continual conflicts with the police. He was a victim before he was ever a brute. He only served six. However, his career was marred by criminal activity and, later, accusations of mob connections and throwing fights, according to the. When Liston died, he was rated 7th in the world heavyweight rankings by Ring Magazine. Trivia He was convicted of robbery and larceny. Honor or memorial gifts are an everlasting way to pay tribute to someone who has touched your life. (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. He started boxing in prison and was likely At the age of thirteen, he ran away to St. Louis, Missouri, following his mother, who had left earlier. Liston claimed he was born in His opponent abandoned the match midway. London: Aurum Press, 2008. Listons 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 officers gun. Before his sentencing, Liston had been arrested more than twenty times. Some believed that the fight was fixed as reported in later biographical works likeThe Devil and Sonny Liston(2000)by Nick Tosches. Owing to his bold physique and strict upbringing, Liston loved training. WebHe had seven siblings. He knocked out Floyd Patterson in 1962 to become world heavyweight champion. lis! He served brief prison terms and on one occasion was introduced to boxing by a prison chaplain. Womanizing. Liston was the 12th of 13 children born to Tobe and Helen Liston (and one of 25 children sired by Tobe). His father was an abusive alcoholic, and Liston eventually left the house during his teens. WebAnswer (1 of 2): At anytime in their careers Clay / Ali would have been too fast and elusive for Sonny. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us. Liston defeated Heavyweight Champion Floyd Patterson on Sept. 25, 1962. (There is some speculation about his year of Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas, around 1932. In 1966, following his loss to Clay, Liston launched a comeback. Sonny Liston Wife According to our records, Sonny Liston married to Geraldine Seithel. When a tribute gift is given the honoree will receive a letter acknowledging your generosity and a bookplate will be placed in a book. After his release, Liston relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his career quickly flourished again. Liston won 26 consecutive bouts, moving inexorably toward the heavyweight championship. American professional boxer who became world heavyweight champion in 1962, Born on May 08, 1932 Sonny Liston existed, and, Ali bouts or no Ali bouts, he was one of the greatest fighters to ever lace on a glove. His ring style was the essence of simplicity; he displayed little finesse but much raw power, especially in his left hand. At the age of 14, he was almost 6 feet tall. Charles Sonny Liston was a noted boxer who briefly reigned as Heavyweight Champion after a first-round knockout against Floyd Patterson. In St. Louis, he quickly encountered problems with the local police. Tired of being exploited as a manual laborer, Sonny Liston turned to crime. He climbed back into the ring on June 29, 1970, registering a 10th-round technical knockout against Bayonne Bleeder Chuck Wepner. William Friedkin was intended to direct his biopic "Night Train" with Ving Rhames as Sonny Liston. 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. Sonny Liston was introduced to boxing while serving time in a Missouri State Penitentiary. His alcoholic and violent father was thirty years older than Sonnys mother. The son of tenant farmer Tobey Liston and his second wife, Helen, Liston was the 24th of his father's 25 children. Sonny Liston had a controversial boxing career, winning 54 of 58 bouts from 1953 to 1970. Ali and Liston: The Boy Who Would Be King and the Ugly Bear. Education: Sonny Liston Net Worth: Sonny Liston net worth or net income is estimated to be between $1 Million $5 Million dollars. In prison, encouraged by Catholic chaplains, Liston took up boxing, where he was an immediate and spectacular success. Biography, Net Worth, Gossips, Salary, News & Much More. Let's check, How Rich is Ivn P, Mario Daser estimated Net Worth, Biography, Age, Height, Dating, Relationship Records, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below. 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. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. Liston emptied his pockets of bills and returned to the car with all of the women's pencils. Sonny Liston was born on May 8, probably 1932, to Tobe and Helen (Baskin) Liston, African-American. Yet, Tosches postulates that Liston threw his first fight with Cassius Clay in Miami in February of 1964 at the behest of the mob. In the films the good guy always wins, but this is one bad guy who ain't gonna lose. His parents were peasant farmers who grew cotton in the south. Before Fame He sold pecans from his brother-in-law's tree in order to reunite with his mother and his siblings. Liston was buried in Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas, Nevada, beneath a simple gravestone. Tosches does a nice piece of reporting on the incident that led to Liston's arrest, objectively revealing all available viewpoints. His death certificate states his death as December 30, 1970, based on milk deliveries at his doorstep. Liston continued fighting following the loss of his title, mainly because it was the only legal way he knew how to make a buck. Liston went down in the first round, felled by a punch few saw. Clay was no debtor to the mob. After a little while, Liston followed his mother and was reunited with his other siblings. At least two sexual assaults. He had the biggest fist of any heavyweight champion: 15 inches. World heavyweight boxing champion, 1962-1964. He had been dead for some time, an ending every bit as murky as the Clay/Ali fights. (LogOut/ 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. Liston on his age: "I'm like Jack Benny, I never tell my age.". Big Hela had moved there in 1946. Liston, in fact, had great respect for Father Murphy and behaved admirably around him. He compiled a career record of 50-4, competing against such boxing legends as Muhammad Ali and Floyd Patterson. In the end, one can't help feeling some sympathy for Liston. Former World Heavyweight Champion who learned to fight while in jail. Introduced to boxing by Father Stevens in the St. Louis City Jail during 1950. Family If there is a flaw in Tosches' book, it's that the author seems bent on carrying the theme of Liston and the mob beyond its logical parameters.