Archie Moore’s claim to fame came from boxing. He was a world champion boxer and to this day remains as one of the most colorful and well-respected boxers of all time. Born in Benoit, Mississippi, he boxed from 1936 to 1963 and fought other well-known boxers such as Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay at that time). “He held the light-heavyweight title nine years, longer than any other fighter”[1] (1952-1962), and his most famous match was a title match against Yvon Durelle in 1958 where he had to defend his belt. As described by Archie Moore himself,
“In December 1958, 1 had fought Yvon Durelle, a husky, game fisherman who had earned a good name in Canadian boxing. I was knocked down three times in the first round and again in the fifth but came back to win by a knockout in the eleventh. It was my finest hour. I was Fighter of the Year, and won the Edward J. Neil trophy given by the Boxing Writer’s Association. The fight also gave me the world’s record for the most knockouts, passing by one Young Stribling’s long-standing record of 126.”[2]
Again in 1959, Moore rematched Durelle and was once against victorious and kept his belt until it was taken away by the New York Boxing Commission and European Boxing Union for inactivity in 1962.
After he retired from boxing he worked as a trainer, author, actor and philanthropist. Moving back home where his family had lived in San Diego, Moore spent most of his retired years up until his death working to help at-risk youth in San Diego through his Any Boy Can (ABC) program. This was centrifugal to the trajectory of African American history, life and culture in San Diego by helping transform the life outcomes of at-risk black youth who would otherwise be leading lives in gangs and be involved in gang-like activities.
Archie Moore grew up in St. Louis and had a hard life. His uncle died from injuries obtained from a fraternity initiation ceremony and his sister died while giving birth to twins (one of who died as well). These deaths were very hard on Archie and he began to rebel. From school to his own house, Archie began to steal anything he could use to get a quick dollar from. He even stole two lamps from his own house to help pay for his first pair of boxing gloves, “I knew we had two oil lamps at home and I stole them and sold them to Miss Ellis for a dollar apiece, and that’s how I got the money for the first pair of boxing gloves I ever owned.”[3] After his stealing eventually worsened and he joined a gang, he was arrested three times and ultimately sentenced to three years at the Missouri Training School. This school changed his life and Archie Moore says that “It was a glorious thing in my life, because it forced me to get eight to 10 hours of sleep every night; it gave me an opportunity to have three hot meals a day; it gave me a lesson in discipline I would never have got at home.”[4] The school taught Archie how to be a good student, disciplined and hard working. These are the main points of emphasis taught at his ABC Youth Foundation.
In San Diego, Archie Moore helps inner-city kids turn their life around through boxing, after school programs, and the use of the library and free tutoring through his ABC Youth Foundation (originally called Any Boy Can but now called Any Body Can because of the inclusion of girls in the foundation). Being a victim of inner city crime and the lack of a good support system and a strong foundation, Moore’s foundation becomes the strong foundation these inner-city kids need to turn their life around; similar to the Missouri Training School Archie had. Archie teaches his students “Good sportsmanship at all times. Good sportsmanship can mean many things but first it means you play fair and square at all times and if you play fair and square at all times, then you’re clean inside and outside and a good student does not lie, cheat, steal, smoke, drink, do drugs, or play dice.”[5] Continuing, Archie Moore’s foundation give kids a reason to keep coming back as it builds their self-esteem and gives them a guiding figure in their life. To Archie, having a central figure to guide you is the most important thing a troubled youth can have in their life, more important than your own family. This is why, for Archie, having this foundation is so important “because the person who is your instructor, your trainer, your teacher, he’s closer to you than your father.”[6] Archie Moore’s ABC foundation has transformed the customs and practices that long existed in San Diego and we do continue to see these transformations resonate in the present day. The culture for the longest time saw inner-city kids joining gangs and living the life similar to how Archie grew up. Not only in San Diego but in American as a whole, inner city youth are exposed to more violence which leads them to joining gangs and committing violent acts when they grow up “Living in urban environments also increases the risk of exposure to violence and one-quarter of low-income, urban youth have witnessed a murder. In one study of inner-city 7-year-olds, 75 percent had heard gunshots, 60 percent had seen drug deals, 18 percent had seen a dead body outside, and 10 percent had seen a shooting or stabbing at home.”[7] Today, Archie’s organization allows these kids to live a meaningful life full of discipline and self-respect.
When Archie Moore died on December 9, 1998, he left behind a legacy as not only one of the greatest boxers ever, but also as a hero in San Diego. His concern and efforts to help inner-city youth can still be seen today, and he has changed the lives of so many children who would otherwise have to resolve to gangs and other methods for guidance. Jair Mayo, a 6th grade student enrolled in the ABC foundation, was asked what the program means to him and responded “He [Billy Moore] has patience with us, he shows us how to do stuff, gives people second chances that’s what I really love about instructor Moore,” and TJ Allen, a 4th grade student enrolled in the foundation, said “If you are angry you could punch a bag to let off some steam.” [8] From professional boxer to instructor, Archie Moore always wanted the best to people and transformed the lives of everyone he touched. There was never a negative word said about Archie because he was a class act. Without him, San Diego youth would be destined for a life in crime, but thanks to his organization San Diego inner-city youth have a chance to live a meaningful life.
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[1] Gerald Eskenazi, “Archie Moore, 84, Master of the Ring, Dies,” The New York Times, December 10, 1998, sec. N.Y. / Region, https://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/10/nyregion/archie-moore-84-master-of-the-ring-dies.html.
[2] Archie Moore, The Archie Moore Story / (New York :, 1960), http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015031998217.
[3] Moore.
[4] “4 Ways This Legendary Boxer Left His Legacy,” Voice of San Diego, May 20, 2015, https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/partner-voices/4-ways-this-legendary-boxer-left-his-legacy/.
[5] Neal Matthews, Sept. 19, and 1985, “Archie Moore Still Doesn’t Pull His Punches,” accessed April 22, 2019, https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/1985/sep/19/few-rounds-mongoose/.
[6] Mike Silver, “A Few Pearls of Wisdom from My Interview with the Great Archie Moore,” Boxing Over Broadway (blog), May 3, 2018, https://www.boxingoverbroadway.com/a-few-pearls-of-wisdom-from-my-interview-with-the-great-archie-moore/.
[7] “Black Children Exposed to Violence,” accessed May 6, 2019, https://victimsofcrime.org/our-programs/past-programs/youth-initiative/interventions-for-black-children’s-exposure-to-violence/black-children-exposed-to-violence.
[8] “ABC’s Teach Life Lessons – KUSI News – San Diego, CA,” February 9, 2017, https://web.archive.org/web/20170209124846/http://www.kusi.com/story/28204296/abcs-teach-life-lessons.