Harris Martin
(the "Black Pearl"; "George Harris")

BORN April 2 1865; Washington, DC (Some sources report 1867)
DIED April 26 1903; St. Paul, Minnesota
HEIGHT 5-6 (Early sources report 6-0)
WEIGHT 150-170 lbs

Harris, who went by the name George Harris, early in his career, was a tremendous body puncher who was very strong and durable and possessed a solid chin; He fought in rushes and put great pressure on his opponents until he wore them down; When he first began fighting, he was a raw talent but improved his skills with experience and training

After his boxing days, he shined shoes and tended bar in St. Paul, following a stint of living out in Oregon with his brother; He always called Minnesota home, which is why he moved here from Washington D.C. and why he came back after living in Oregon; He loved the people of the Twin Cities and they definitely loved him

In 1888, the "Black Pearl" hired the former Coloured Lightweight Champion, George Phillips to be his full-time trainer; The Pearl died on April 26, 1903 while crossing the street in Saint Paul; He had suffered a heart attack and collapsed near the street curb
 
During his career, he claimed the Colored Middleweight Championship of the World and the Middleweight Championship of the Northwest; He defeated such men as Charles Gleason, Harry Woodson (the "Black Diamond"), Black Frank (Frank Taylor), Dick Moore, Denny Kelliher, Joe Ellingsworth and Paddy Gorman

1884
Oct 10 Jack Lynch Philadelphia, Pa                  L  4
1886 Jan  2 Jack Lynch  Philadelphia, Pa                  L  4 Mar 19 Jack Burke Cincinnati, Oh D 4 May 8 Tom Henderson Philadelphia, Pa KO 5 Jun 11 Bill Boughbly Philadelphia, Pa KO 3 -Some sources report "KO 4" vs "Bill Boughtly" Jul 3 Tom Henderson Philadelphia, Pa KO 3 Sep 6 Bill Young KO 9 Sep 7 Jack Murphy KO 3 Sep 27 Bill Young KO 9 -Perhaps, this is the 9/07/86 bout Nov 14 Cass Brown Minneapolis, Mn W 8 Dec 2 Jim O'Brien St. Paul, Mn D 4 Dec 5 Dan Sommers Minneapolis, Mn TK 7 Dec 21 "Young" Jack McKay St. Paul, Mn KO 4 -Some sources report "KO 3" Dec 22 "Black Frank" Taylor St. Paul, Mn L 10 1887 Jan 3 George Gannon Minneapolis, Mn KO 11 Jan 7 Dan Sommers Minneapolis, Mn KO 3 Jan 21 "Black Frank" Taylor Minneapolis, Mn W 15 Jan 28 Dan Manning Minneapolis, Mn D 10 Feb 7 Jim O'Brien St. Paul, Mn KO 4 Feb 7 Charles Hadley St. Paul, Mn EX 3 -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Feb 18 Black Strap Minneapolis, Mn KO 4 Mar 3 "Black Frank" Taylor St. Paul, Mn D 15 Mar 3 Tom Devine St. Paul, Mn W 5 -Different sources report the previous 2 bouts on the same date Mar 11 Dan Sommers Minneapolis, Mn KO 4 Mar 18 "Black Frank" Taylor St. Paul, Mn D 10 Mar 21 Al O'Brien Philadelphia, Pa D 3 Mar 25 Charles Hadley Minneapolis, Mn W 8 Mar 28 Tom Devine New York, NY KO 4 -Some sources report "KO 3" Apr 1 "Black Frank" Taylor St. Paul, Mn D 12 Apr 15 Charles Hadley St. Paul, Mn ND 8 -Black Pearl lasted and claimed a win; Some sources report "W 8" Apr 22 Desperate Coon St. Paul, Mn TK 3 -Reports vary - 4/23/87 - 4/25/87 Apr 23 "Black Frank" Taylor St. Paul, Mn EX 3 May 2 "Black Frank" Taylor Minneapolis, Mn KO 38 -Black Pearl claimed the Colored Middleweight Championship of the World; Some sources report 5/03/87 Some sources report "KO 40"; Some sources report "St. Paul, Mn" May 19 McHenry Johnson Minneapolis, Mn D 10 -Johnson was called the "Minneapolis Star" May 19 James Lager Minneapolis, Mn D 10 -Different sources report the previous 2 bouts on the same date Jul 15 Tom Jackson Minneapolis, Mn KO 5 Aug 5 O.H. Smith Minneapolis, Mn W 4 Nov 1 Black Diamond (Harry Woodson) Minneapolis, Mn TK 5 -Reports vary - "TK 6" - "D 10" Nov 11 Black Diamond (Harry Woodson) Minneapolis, Mn WF 13 -Some sources report 11/14/87; Some sources report "WF 12" Dec 10 "Black Frank" Taylor Ashland, Wi D 10 -Some sources report "D 8" Dec 30 Ed R. Moehler Gary, SD W 8 1888 Mar 2 Hunter Briscoe Minneapolis, Mn KO 6 Apr 8 Ed Harris St. Paul, Mn W 4 May 18 Charles Gleason Minneapolis, Mn W 6 -Some sources report "D 6" May 25 John Dwyer Minneapolis, Mn KO 2 -Some sources report "KO 1" Jun 1 John P. Donner St. Paul, Mn W 10 -Some sources report "Minneapolis, Mn" Jun 15 Dick Haley Minneapolis, Mn W 4 Jul 14 J.P. Smith Lake City, Mn KO 4 Aug 3 McHenry Johnson Minneapolis, Mn D 8 -Johnson was called the "Minneapolis Star" Aug 3 James Lager Minneapolis, Mn D 10 -Different sources report the previous 2 bouts on the same date; Perhaps, these are the 5/19/87 bouts Aug 10 Charles Hadley Minneapolis, Mn D 8 Oct 5 James Aster Minneapolis, Mn KO 1 Dec 9 Ed R. Moehler Minneapolis, Mn KO 8 -Some sources report 12/10/88 1889-1890 Jun 27 Frank Lewis St. Paul, Mn D 8 Sep 9 Jim Hightower St. Joseph, Mo W 8 Nov 20 Jim Hightower Omaha, Ne KO 3 1890 Feb 3 Dick Moore Minneapolis, Mn KO 7 -Middleweight Championship of the Northwest May 23 Dick Moore St. Paul, Mn W 4 -Middleweight Championship of the Northwest; Some sources report "Minneapolis, Mn"; Some sources report "TK 4" Nov 3 Denny Kelliher Minneapolis, Mn W 20 -Kelliher claimed he was fouled but no foul was declared; The "Twin City AC" later said he was not treated fairly and was offered a return bout vs "Black Pearl" 1891 Jan 21 Denny Kelliher St. Paul, Mn SCH -This bout was scheduled but postponed Feb 10 Denny Kelliher St. Paul, Mn D 10 May 1 Bob Fitzsimmons Minneapolis, Mn ND 4 -Some sources report "Chicago, Il"; Some sources report "L 4"; Black Pearl lasted and claimed a win May 4 John Van Heest Minneapolis, Mn EX May 7 Frank Lewis Minneapolis, Mn TK 5 -Some sources report "W 4" May 12 Jerry Heggerty Minneapolis, Mn L 5 -Some sources report "Jimmy Haggerty" May 16 Mike Sullivan Minneapolis, Mn KO 1 -Some sources report "KO 2" May 29 Tom Murray Minneapolis, Mn KO 7 -Some sources report 5/30/91 Jul 21 Joe Ellingsworth Minneapolis, Mn KO 5 Aug 23 George Gannon Butte, Mt KO 3 -Some sources report "San Francisco, Ca" Sep 5 Spike Trainor Great Falls, Mt ND 4 -Perhaps, the verdict was "EX 4" Oct 26 Paddy Gorman San Francisco, Ca KO 4 Nov 30 Ed Binney San Francisco, Ca LK 26 -Colored Middleweight Championship of the World; Some sources report "LK 25" 1892 Feb 29 Charley Turner San Francisco, Ca LK 19 -Turner claimed the Colored Middleweight Championship of the World Apr 7 Ed R. Moehler San Francisco, Ca KO 2 Apr Hank Griffin Los Angeles, Ca LK 4 Apr 18 Jim Lawler San Francisco, Ca D 10 Oct 22 Joe King San Francisco, Ca LK 36 -Some sources report 10/27/92 1893 Jan 31 Bobby Dobbs Sacramento, Ca LK 18 -Some sources report "San Francisco, Ca" Feb 3 Andy Watson Philadelphia, Pa SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known 1894 Mar 3 Jack Ramsey Fort Collins, Co D 20 -Some sources report "Fort Collins, Wy" 1897 Jan 16 Andy Watson Philadelphia, Pa L 4 Feb 6 Charley Holcombe Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 1899 Sep 11 George "Mystery" Kerwin Sioux City, Ia EX 3 Sep 13 Jim Sellers Sioux City, Ia D 10 Sep 18 Con Jacobus Sioux City, Ia LT 4 Oct 20 Jim Sellers Sioux City, Ia D 8 Dec 20 "Young" Peter Jackson Seattle, Wa LK 1 -Some sources report "LK 2" 1900 Dec 15 Thomas Salt Lake City, Ut TK 4 *** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed *** 1886 Black Diamond (Harry Woodson) W 4 Undated (Possibly 1886-1887) Jim Birgham W 15 -Perhaps, this man was "Jim Brigham" Paddy Norton KO 3 Billy Ashton KO 2 Hunter Brisco W 6 Tom Colgrove KO 3 Tom Colgrove W 6 Charles Gleason W 6 Billy Williams W 6 Tom Manning KO 5 Jack Smith KO 3 1887 Feb 27 Will Young W 2 1892 Tom Harrington KO 2 1902 Sep 10 "Bird Leg" Collins Leavenworth, Ks EX 3 -Black Pearl and Collins were taken to court; They told the judge they had come to Leavenworth to arrange a fight; The judge told them to demonstrate that they could box; He would act as referee; They did so in the court room *** Photos And Much Data Were Provided By Jake Wegner ***

Review courtesy of Tracy Callis, Kevin Smith, Jake Wegner, Historians
International Boxing Research Organization