Camden People - Joe Spearing

JOE SPEARING was born Thomas Joseph Spearing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 13, 1904 to Thomas F. Spearing and his wife, the former Mary Kelly. As his father was named Thomas, he was known to family and friends as Joe. A brother, Leonard F. Spearing was born in 1906. His father was a machinery salesman. Sadly, Thomas F. Spearing died of February 14, 1912. Jose Spearing went to public and parochial schools in Philadelphia, and although he boxed out of Camden, census records from 1920 and 1930 show him living with his mother in Philadelphia.

Joe Spearing is known to have been boxing as a professional as early as 1925. He took up boxing to raise money to pay for his continuing studies on violin. Joe Spearing was known as the "fiddling boxer", as he was in the habit of playing the violin immediately before going into the ring in order to calm his nerves. He was still fighting as late as 1929 then left the ring to go back to school, attending the Camden County Vocational School in Pennsauken, where he learned to read blueprints. Boxing, unfortunately, had damaged his hands to the point where continuing study of the violin was impractical. He was listed in Camden's City Directory at 2707 Cleveland Avenue in 1929.

Joe Spearing worked at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard, the Philadelphia Navy Yard, and for the DuPont Corporation. The 1940 Census shows him living at 619 Linden Street. The 1943 City Directory has him at 870 Haddon Avenue. In 1944 when he went to work as a pressman for the Triangle Publications, which also owned the Philadelphia Inquirer. He retired from that line of work in 1974.

Joe Spearing remained close to his friends in the boxing community and was an active member of Ring 6 of the Veterans Boxing Association. He served as president of the chapter for two years, beginning in January of 1965.

Joe Spearing lived out his years as a resident of Pennsauken, New Jersey. He passed away on April 17, 1982, survived by his wife, the former Mary Carmody, and brother Leonard F. Spearing. He was buried in Bethel Cemetery in Pennsauken.

Camden Courier-Post
July 31, 1926

Mickey Blair
Billy Moffo
Public Services Ball Park
Joe Spearing
Eddie Chaney
Temple Theater
Tommy Boylan
Ray Weigand
Kid Bevo
Tommy Lyons

*Camden Courier-Post August 7, 1926**
Mickey Blair Wins Mythical Lightweight Crown by Decisive Victory Over Sammy Moffo


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	Mickey Blair Sammy Moffo Frank H. Ryan Joe Spearing Eddie Chaney Ray Weigand Tommy Boylan Jack Dundee Kid Bevo Joe Robinson Dan Dean Joe Valentine Tommy Lyons

Camden Courier-Post
August 29, 1928

Joe Spearing - Joey Michaels
Roxie Allen - Emery Cabana
Patsy Carlo
Kid Boots - Joe Lill
Joe "Kid" Kelly - Freddy Bailey
Frankie Mack - Joey Powell

Camden Courier-Post
September 28, 1928

Joe Spearing - Willie Beetle
Roxie Allen - Joe Reno
Eddie Wallace - Eddie Myers
George Anderson - George Jackson
Johnny Lucas - Al "Peaches" Gray
Frankie Mack - Billy Logan
Higgins' Cafe
Joseph A. Thompson
Arcadia Cafe
Eddie Welsh Cafe
Edward A. Welsh
Pose Robinson

Camden Courier-Post
October 10, 1928

Young Terry - Harry "Kid" Decker
Al Gordon - Jesse Goss
Joe Spearing - Willie Beetle
Nick Nichols - Frank Sumpter
Stuart Gest - George Jackson
Joe Dent - Patsy Dever

	Camden Courier-Post December 18, 1939 Joe Spearing Jersey Joe Walcott - Roxie Allen Frankie Blair - Mickey Blair Tommy Ricco - Battling Mack Lew Skymer - Jackie Hindle Charlie Mack - Eddie Chaney Young O'Connor - Frankie Rapp Pee Wee Ross - Bobby Zimmerman Nick Nichols - Joey Allen Johnny Lucas - Joey Straiges Jim Braddock - Sgt. Ray Smith Walter "Walter West" Kennedy Caesar Campana Johnny Duca - Mickey Duca - Al White George Chaney - Benny Bass - Kid Williams Johnny Buff - Danny Kramer - Pete Williams Shamus Maguire - Lew Jackson - Paddy Lyons Johnny Attell - Billy Marino - Young Firpo Young Palmer - Tommy Dundee Tommy McCann Harry Shaw - Tom Walters Al Ettore - Joey O'Donnell Mike DeLeece - Young Lawrence Charlie Harris - Bill McFarland Dominick Lombardo Daniel Gallasso James McSparrin Paul Daly
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*Camden Courier-Post December 20, 1939**


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Frank Kopesky - James Braddock - Jersey Joe Walcott - Roxie Allen - Frankie Blair - Mickey Blair Lew Skymer - Battling Mack - Joe Spearing- Frankie Rapp - Johnny Lucas - Joey Straiges - Joey Allen Sgt. Ray Smith - Tommy Ricco - Al Daley - Jackie Hindle - Eddie Chaney Caesar Campana - Young O'Connors - Charlie Mack - Pee Wee Ross - Bobby Zimmerman Buck Flemming - Joe Shannon -Kayo Palmer - Pat Lawrence- Dave Lambert Young Lawrence - Archie McNew - Lou Jackson - Al White - Young Palmer - Tommy Dundee Joe Mangold - Joey O'Donnell - Young Joe Firpo

*Camden Courier-Post March 19, 1949**
		Charley Humes Roxie Allen Mickey Blair Shamus Maguire Eddie Chaney Pee Wee Ross Jackie Hindle Watson FInch George Abner Nick Nichols Dixie Allen Mike O'Dowd Benny Leonard Pete Herman Jimmy Wilde Gene Tunney John Smith Lee Smith Lou McFarland Higgins & Kaplam Tommy James Sgt. Ray Smith Pose Robinson Willie Davis Harry Smith Jim Kelly Temple Theatre Newt Blanchard Broadway Theater Convention Hall Plaza Hotel Roy R. Stewart Mike Brennan Tommy Loughran Jack Dempsey K.O. Joey O'Donnell Frankie Conway Willie Spencer Charlie Daggert Jimmy Rafferty Eddie "Kid" Wagner Young Sherlock Eddie Forrest Battling Nelson Willie Fuller Joey O'Connor Chick Hunt Eddie Melson Joe "Kid" FIsher Harry "Dick" Donohue Nick Nichols Eddie Prince Johnny Sapio Weber's Gof Brau Young Joe Grim Edward Garrity George Murphy Eddie Tighe Richie Joehner Jimmy Tighe Jimmy Jordan Eddie Douglas Bobby Graham Steve Jackson Frankie McLaughlin Neil McLaughlin Johnny "Homo" Bryan Duncan Carswell Jimmy Dean Jack Dean Theo Ellick Joe Spearing "Red" Haines Roxie Allen Standard Theater Everett Joslin John Taylor Joey Powell Soldier Freeman Victor King Augie Oswald Charlie Mack Battling Mack
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Camden Courier-Post * August 6, 1951

Ring 6 Committee Meets Tonight

The committee on arrangements for the third annual picnic and field day to be held by Ring No. 6, VBA, will hold a meeting tonight, at 220 Cooper Street, starting at 8 o'clock.

Lew Skymer and Joe Spearing co-chairmen, request the presence of all members of the committee, which includes Vic Righter, Ed Adams, Frankie Youker, Larry Hildebrand, Frank DiSalvio, A. Gartland, Bob Kavanaugh, Tom Reitzes, Patsy Carlo, Pee Wee Ross, Al Ambrosino.

Also W. DiPaolo, K.O. Riley, John Knowles, Tommie Saul, Eddie Chaney, Bobby Zimmer, Tony Tilman, Tommy Carr, George Ealer, and William Jeffries.

*Camden Courier-Post October 21, 1926**

Joe Spearing - Gene Fernandez - Jocko Pine - Turk Nazaretian - Johnny Corbett Eddie Dent - Eddie "Kid" Bates - George Williams - Henry Quinn

*Camden Courier-Post August 28, 1928**

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Joe Spearing - Joey Michaels - Roxie Allen - Emery Cabana - Patsy Carlo - Kid Boots Joe Lill - Joe "Kid" Kelly - Freddy Bailey - Frankie Mack - Joey Powell

*Camden Courier-Post September 1, 1928**


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Joe Spearing - Joey Michaels - Roxie Allen - Emery Cabana - Sgt. Ray Smith - Edward A. Welsh Kid Boots - Joe Lill - Joe "Kid" Kelly - Freddy Bailey - Frankie Mack - Joey Powell

*Camden Courier-Post January 12, 1965**

Veterans Boxing Association Ring 6 - William Cahill - Thomas F. McGuire - Joe Spearing - Jack Blackburn - Eddie Prince - Battling Mack