Ernie Field

Ernest "Ernie" Field (6 February 1943[2] – 2 May 2013) was an English Amateur Boxing Association of England amateur middleweight and professional light heavy/cruiserweight boxer and rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s. He played at club level for Stanley Rangers ARLFC, Wakefield Trinity (A-Team) and Bramley, as a centre, or loose forward, i.e. number 3 or 4, or 13, during the era of contested scrums.[3]

For the cricketer Ernest Frank Field, see Frank Field (cricketer, born 1874). For the African American trombonist, pianist, arranger and bandleader, see Ernie Fields. For the baritone saxophonist and session musician, see Ernie Fields, Jr.

Ernest Field
Statistics
Real nameErnest Field
Nickname(s)Ernie, 'Cloise (Yorkshire dialect pronunciation of 'Close', the Old English word for 'Field')
Weight(s)middle/light heavy/cruiserweight
NationalityBritish
Born6 February 1943
Wakefield, England
Died2 May 2013(2013-05-02) (aged 70)[1]
Wakefield, England
Stanceinitially Orthodox, then Southpaw
Boxing record
Total fights19
Wins6
Wins by KO5
Losses12
Draws1
No contests0

Background

Ernie Field was born in Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, he initially lived at Bottomboat, near Stanley, later moving to Outwood, and he studied at Stanley Secondary Modern.[4] He died at Snapethorpe Hall Care Home, Wakefield from throat cancer (Oropharyngeal cancer) having developed Dementia. Outside boxing he worked initially as a Motor mechanic, then as a Fitter for the National Coal Board at Lofthouse Colliery (Wakefield), Bouncer, Paviour (Paver), and general construction worker.

Boxing career

Amateur

Ernie Field trained at the Robin Hood & Thorpe Amateur Boxing Club (ABC), he was the National Coal Board British Middleweight Champion, he fought internationally for the Amateur Boxing Association of England;[5] including against Hungary with a points victory over Hungarian amateur middleweight (75 kg (165.3 lb; 11 st 11.3 lb)) champion Tibor Borda[6] (born circa-1939), of Bonyhádi Spartacus, at King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester on Monday 11 November 1963,[7] and fought overseas; including a tournament in Castrop-Rauxel, West Germany.

Professional

Ernie Field's professional fighting weight varied from 173 lb (78.5 kg; 12 st 5 lb), i.e. Light heavyweight to 189 lb (85.7 kg; 13 st 7 lb), i.e. Cruiserweight, managed by Tommy Miller,[8] Ernie Field's first professional boxing bout took place against Louis Samuels on Monday 7 March 1966, he built-up an initial record of six wins (4 knockouts), five defeats by points, and one draw by March 1967, including; a points victory over Tony Moore on the undercard of the Muhammad Ali versus Henry Cooper bout for the Heavyweight Championship of the World in front of a crowd of 46,000 at Arsenal Stadium, Highbury on Saturday 21 May 1966, and a second-round technical knockout of future British and British Commonwealth light-heavyweight Champion Eddie Avoth at Wyvern Sporting Club (Midland Hotel), Manchester on Monday 30 January 1967,[9] despite initially being a Middleweight,[5] he began to be matched against Heavyweights, e.g. Rocky Campbell and Peter Boddington, and this resulted in a downturn in his career, losing his last seven bouts, with five by points decisions, of which four were by narrow margins, including a bout outside of the United Kingdom, against South African light-heavyweight Champion Jan Happy Pieterse at Johannesburg City Hall Johannesburg, South Africa on Monday 18 March 1968, his final professional bout took place against Gene Innocent on Monday 13 May 1968.[10] Ernie Field was scheduled to compete with Ray Ako[11] for the vacant Central (England) Area light heavyweight title at Liverpool Stadium, Liverpool on Tuesday 17 September 1968, however Ernie Field was forced to withdraw before the bout, and was replaced by Shaun Dolan,[12] Ray Ako beat Shaun Dolan with a third-round knockout.[13]

Amateur boxing record (incomplete)
x Wins (x knockouts, x decisions), x Losses (x knockouts, x decisions)
Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
Win unknown Tibor Borda PTS 3 11 November 1963 King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester, Lancashire (Hungarian amateur middleweight (75 kg (165.3 lb; 11 st 11.3 lb)) champion)

Professional boxing record
6 Wins (4 knockouts, 2 decisions), 12 Losses (1 knockouts, 11 decisions)[14]
Result Record Opponent Weight Class Type Round Date Location Notes
Loss 8–0–0 Gene Innocent Cruiserweight RTD 2 of 8 13 May 1968 King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester, Lancashire (future Welsh Area heavyweight Challenger)
Loss 6–0–0 Peter Boddington Heavyweight TKO 7 of 8 9 April 1968 Empire Pool, Wembley, London Referee stopped the bout at 2:42 of the 7th round. (1967 ABA of England heavyweight Champion)
Loss 12–3–0 Jan Happy Pieterse Cruiserweight PTS 10 18 March 1968 Johannesburg City Hall, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa (South African light-heavyweight Champion)
Loss 7–0–0 Des Cox Cruiserweight PTS 8 13 February 1968 East India Hall, Poplar, London 39–39¼ (Des Cox down in 7th round for a count of seven.[15])
Loss 11–7–0 Rocky Campbell Heavyweight PTS 8 15 January 1968 Raynors Sporting Club (Grand Hotel), Leicester, Leicestershire 38–39¾ (future Midlands Area heavyweight Champion)
Loss 11–9–3 Johnny Hendrickson Cruiserweight PTS 8 7 May 1967 World Sporting Club (Grosvenor House Hotel), Mayfair, London 38¾–39¾ (1962 ABA of England Light-heavyweight champion)
Loss 19–6–1 Leweni Waqa Cruiserweight PTS 10 27 April 1967 Colston Hall, Bristol, Somerset 47¾–50 (future Fijian heavyweight Champion, and South Seas heavyweight Challenger)
Win 5–7–2 Charlie Wilson Cruiserweight PTS 8 29 March 1967 Manor Suite, Porthcawl, Wales
Draw 12–10–1 Lloyd Walford Cruiserweight PTS 8 7 March 1967 Free Trade Hall, Manchester, Lancashire 39½–39½ (future Central Area light-heavyweight Champion)
Win 29–2–0 Eddie Avoth Cruiserweight TKO 2 of 8 30 January 1967 Wyvern Sporting Club (Midland Hotel), Manchester, Lancashire (future British, and British Commonwealth light-heavyweight Champion, and (EBU) European light-heavyweight Challenger). Eddie Avoth weighed 12 st 6 lb (174 lb; 78.9 kg), and Ernie Field weighed 12 st 11 lb (179 lb; 81.2 kg)[16]
Loss 6–1–0 Dave Barber Cruiserweight PTS 8 29 November 1966 Leeds Town Hall, Leeds, Yorkshire 39–39½ (former Irish ABA representative)
Loss 7–0–0 Jimmy Tibbs Cruiserweight PTS 8 25 October 1966 Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London 38¼–40
Win 2–8–0 Vernon Allen Light heavyweight KO 6 of 8 10 October 1966 Free Trade Hall, Manchester, Lancashire (future New South Wales (Australia) heavyweight challenger)
Loss 26–2–0 Eddie Avoth Light heavyweight PTS 8 19 September 1966 Wyvern Sporting Club (Midland Hotel), Manchester, Lancashire (future British, and British Commonwealth light-heavyweight Champion, and (EBU) European light-heavyweight Challenger). Ernie Field weighed 12 st 9 lb (177 lb; 80.3 kg)[17]
Loss 5–1–0 Dave Barber Light heavyweight PTS 6 6 September 1966 Empire Pool, Wembley, London (former Irish ABA representative)
Win 6–1–1 Tony Moore Light heavyweight PTS 6 21 May 1966 Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, London
Loss 1–2–0 Tom Calderwood Light heavyweight PTS 6 25 April 1966 New St James Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland
Win 1–1–0 Tom Calderwood Light heavyweight TKO 5 of 6 22 March 1966 Tower Circus, Blackpool, Lancashire
Win 3–4–1 Louis Samuels Light heavyweight TKO 4 of 6 7 March 1966 Sheffield City Hall, Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire

Genealogical information

Ernie Field was the son of Harry Field,[18] and Florence 'Flo'/'Florrie' "Queenie" (née Smith),[19][20] and the older brother of Richard Field,[21] and Douglas Edward "Tiny" Field.[22]

Funeral

Ernie Field's funeral took place at Wakefield Crematorium, Crigglestone at 1pm on Monday 20 May 2013, and was attended by family and friends, including; rugby league footballers Dave Sampson (who read the eulogy), Dean Sampson, Avis Sampson (wife of Malcolm Sampson), and Melvin Castle (husband of Denise Castle), and boxers Alan Richardson, Keith Tate, Steve Butler, and White Rose Boxing Club[23] trainer John Hall, the funeral's entrance music was The Beatles' In My Life, and the exit music was Glen Campbell's version of Green Day's Good Riddance (Time of Your Life).

References
  1. FIELD ERNEST Obituary, announce.jpress.co.uk
  2. "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  3. "Tributes to middleweight boxing champion Ernie Field". wakefieldexpress.co.uk. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  4. http://www.stanleyhistoryonline.com/Schools.html
  5. Sampson, David (30 Aug 2012). Dark Side of Shangri-la. Format: Kindle Edition. ASIN: B008TSWAV2
  6. http://amateur-boxing.strefa.pl/Nationalchamps/Hungary1963.html
  7. "Duals England-Hungary – London & Manchester, England – November 7–11 1963". amateur-boxing.strefa.pl. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  8. http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/community/obituaries/tommy-miller-1-2555906
  9. Boxing News (30 May 2013 Page-38). Boxing News – Reaching out for Wright. Boxing News. ISBN n/a
  10. "Statistics at boxrec.com". boxrec.com. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  11. http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=39398&cat=boxer
  12. http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=39403&cat=boxer
  13. Boxing News (13 September 1968 Page-2). Boxing News – Mersey Men Battle For Title Chance. Boxing News. ISBN n/a
  14. http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=133434&cat=boxer
  15. Boxing News (23 February 1968). Boxing News – Cox's Win Over Field. Boxing News. ISBN n/a
  16. Boxing News (1967). Boxing News 3 February 1967 Page-2. Boxing News. ISBN n/a
  17. Boxing News (1966). Boxing News 23 September 1966 Page-2. Boxing News. ISBN n/a
  18. http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=m%2F0xlPNjgM%2B7qhGPByc9Ig&scan=1
  19. http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=qjQhWZbIE%2BaksmFyV%2BUhDw&scan=1
  20. http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=k6bMWibzKdRSqiJ8tfnRzw&scan=1
  21. http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=ZGXF9kV8Gbs2KmrIxnGoiA&scan=1
  22. http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=BDC5Wsg2i3Yk5xr5vqMQTA&scan=1
  23. https://www.facebook.com/pages/White-Rose-Boxing-Club/243188927925
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