English-New Zealand boxer (died 1917)

Bob Fitzsimmons

Robert James Fitzsimmons was a Cornish-New Zealand professional boxer who was the sport's first three-division world champion. He achieved fame for beating "Gentleman Jim" Corbett, and he is in The Guinness Book of World Records as the lightest heavyweight champion, weighing just 167 pounds when he won the title. Nicknamed Ruby Robert and The Freckled Wonder, he took pride in his lack of scars and appeared in the ring wearing heavy woollen underwear to conceal the disparity between his trunk and leg-development.

Born

1863

May 26

Died

1917

Era

1860s

Country

—

About

Bob, in brief

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Life timeline

Key dates

1863 Born
1917 Died

Also on May 26

What else happened on this day, through history

17 Germanicus celebrates a triumph in Rome for his victories over the Cherusci, Chatti, and other German tribes west of the Elbe.
451 Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sasanian Empire takes place. The Sasanids defeat the Armenians militarily but guarantee them freedom to openly practice Christianity.
866 Basil I is crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire by Michael III.
946 England is left temporarily without a monarch after the death of King Edmund I in a street fight, resulting in Edmund's brother Eadred assuming the throne for the minority of Edmund's two sons.

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The world in 1917

When Bob departed

april 12 World War I: Canadian forces successfully complete the taking of Vimy Ridge from the Germans.
april 16 Russian Revolution: Vladimir Lenin returns to Petrograd, Russia, from exile in Switzerland.
april 2 American entry into World War I: President Wilson asks the U.S. Congress for a declaration of war on Germany.
april 6 World War I: The United States declares war on Germany.

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Same-day contemporaries

Also born on May 26

Andrew Clennel Palmer 1938–2019 British engineer (born 1938) Anthony Ervin 1981– American swimmer Dayle Haddon 1948– Canadian model and actress (died 2024) Jeremy Corbyn 1949– British journalist and politician John Wayne 1907–1979 American actor, director, and producer (born 1907) Manorama 1937–2015 Indian actress and singer (died 2015) Nathan Merritt 1983– Australian rugby league player Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ 1908– Vietnamese politician, 1st Prime Minister of the Republic of Vietnam (died 1976) Peggy Lee 1920–2002 American singer (born 1920)

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Same-year contemporaries

Also born in 1863

Henry Ford 1863–1947 American engineer and businessman, founded the Ford Motor Company (born 1863) Francisco León de la Barra 1863–1939 Mexican politician and diplomat (died 1939) Jessie Willcox Smith 1863–1935 American illustrator (born 1863) John Henry Wigmore 1863– American academic and jurist (died 1943) Mary Church Terrell 1863– American author and activist (died 1954) Vladimir Vernadsky 1863–1945 Russian mineralogist and chemist (born 1863) William Randolph Hearst 1863–1951 American publisher and politician, founded the Hearst Corporation (died 1951)

Keep going

More to explore

Bob's birthday May 26 Bob's zodiac Gemini When Bob departed 1917