Jackie Brown

2006 Scots Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee

“Significant Contribution”

Italy’s Mario D’agata, Irish Johnny Calderwell, Walter McGowan world champions all and all ring rivals of Edinburgh born former British and Commonwealth flyweight Champion Jackie Brown who we honour by inducting Jackie into the Scots Boxing Hall of Fame.

Born on Friday March 7^th 1935 in Edinburghs Causwayside on the citys then tough southside, Jackies original ambition was to emulate elder brother Stanley by becoming a racing cyclist. However, elder brother George, a paratrooper, had boxed in the army as had cycling brother Stanley. Stanley was a useful lightweight with the same Leith Victoria Club whom Jackie would represent with such distinction later on in his career.

However, to begin with Jackie went along to the Gilmerton Amateur Boxing Club with some mates. An outfit run by famous international amateur boxing referee and judge Bobby Hume, who many will recall from Humes many TV appearances in the 1950s and 60s working rings graced by the likes of Bertie Scott, Dick McTaggart, Bobby Keddie and Jimmy Gibson. Bobby Hume liked what he saw in young Brown, understandable when you consider that Jackie won a district youth title for Gilmerton ABC in only his 2^nd amateur contest. Again, Jackie may have been awarded an Eastern 7st 7lbs title in a walkover in December 1953, but then as a natural ring talent he had also decided rightly that boxing not cycling was where his sporting destiny lay. However, even here, Jackie made boxing history. How? The walkover title was taken off him when it was discovered that Jackie had been nine days overage when he won it. This resulted in one of the shortest champion title reigns in history.

Shortly after that, Jackie migrated to the famous Leith Victoria Club which had already produced great flyweights like Tancy Lee , Scotlands first ever Lonsdale belt winner, and Johnny Hill Scotlands first world flyweight champion. Jackie himself acknowledges with trainers like Jimmy Davis, Curly Patterson, Jock Stevenson and Benny McLean I received a great grounding on how to box and punch which helped me in my future career. Although from Edinburghs tough southside, Jackie was no clinched dead end kid, when not boxing he sang as an enthusiastic choir member in Gilmerts St Barnabas Episcopal church which is how he met his wife of 50 years, Margaret.

After 1957 the Brown amateur career really took off. Possessed of trademark speed, great left jab led boxing skills and fair dig, Jackie won the Scottish Senior Flyweight title in Edinburgh by outpointing Leith preserves Lewis McKay. McKay showed what a great sports man he really was by agreeing to be Jackies wedding best man, despite being defeated 5 times out of 7 ring encounters by Jackie in the amateurs! In 1958 successive victories over Liverpudlian Tommy Bache (ABA Quarter finals) and London based British ABA flyweight championships win over Irelands Eugene O Callaghan and Welshman Gerald John not only made Jackie Browns British 8st amateur kingpin but guaranteed him a place at the 1958 Cardiff Empire Games along with lightweight Dick McTaggart. Like Dundonian Dick, an accomplished stylist, Jackie won the flyweight gold in Cardiff and returned to a rapturous reception at his Edinburgh home where recent bride Margaret Johnson awaited him.

Overall Jackie had an amateur record of only losing 8 times in 145 contests. A record even more remarkable given that at one point Jackie Brown was told he might never box again after having 3 operations for mastoids which temporary cost him the hearing in one ear. Also peritonitis cost hall of fame inductee Jackie another 6 months lay off from boxing, but being the great fighter he is, he stormed back to the ring action.

In October 1958 Jackie having joined the stable of Tommy Gilmore Senior the star maker new pro Brown beat Londoner Mark Quinn (RSC RD 3) on his paid debut. Jackie was a particular favourite of his ring heroes, Glasgow ring legend Peter Keenan, who promoted him. It was Keenan who provided Jackie with the chance to beat future world champion Walter McGowan which he did the first time they clashed in 1961 in Paisley. Italian former World Bantamweight Champion and deaf mute Mario D’Agata also had no answer to Jackies left jab led boxing skills and speedy ring movements, for D’Agata lost on points to Jackie in 1960. Jackie also beat fellow Scot Alex Ambrose, Tommy Burgoyne and Johnny Morrisey and although he lost to Tarbolton, Ayrshires British featherweight champion Evan Armstrong, that he was at the end of Jackies carer in 1966.

A combination of smart boxing and punching (Jackie stopped or knocked out 10 opponents including Derek Lloyd and Alex Ambrose) and shrewd management by Tommy Gilmore Senior, saw Jackie on 27^th February 1962, battle his way through a snow storm, survive a car crash then beat former 1961 points victim, Brian Cartwright over 15 rounds to capture the British Flyweight title and Lonsdale belt in Birmingham.10 months later came Jackies own nomination for his hardest pro fight, 10^th December 1962 clash with tough Nigerian Orisu Obilaso won by Jackie after 15 torrid rounds: a win that man Jackie Empire 8st Champion.

Although Jackie lost his British and Empire crowns in May 1963, it was no disgrace to lose to a talent like Walter McGowan, although Jackie insists today that he had already lost the fight on the scales to wee Walter due to weight problems. Moving up to Bantamweight saw Jackie fight a draw in 1964 with ex-world champion and so called cold eyed killer John Caldwell of Belfast even though Jackie swears that he beat Caldwell. Incidentally Jackie had one peculiar habit before every pro fight. He engaged in brushing his teeth many times until summoned to the ring. Overall Jackie Brown has 44 paid bouts winning 32, losing 10 and drawing 1 and with 1 no contest.

Sporting excellence has run in Jackie and Margaret Browns family. Son Johnson is a tennis coach in Sydney, Australia, where daughter Shirley, a former top squash player also resides with another daughter, Jacqueline who was also a talented sports woman. Jackie, despite being 71 still takes box exercise classes in Edinburgh where he has a devoted band of young students. Articulated and with strong views about boxing and fitness , Jackie Brown is proof that the old clich that nice guys come last in boxing is simply not true, at least not in the case of John Edward Brown. That’s Jackie Brown, 1958 Commonwealth Games Flyweight gold medallist, British and Commonwealth 8st champion 1962  63 to you and me.