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Tancy Lee

{{Short description|Scottish boxer}}

{{Infobox boxer

| name = Tancy Lee

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| realname = James Lee

| nickname =

| weight = {{plainlist|

}}

| height = {{Convert|5|ft|2|in|m}}

| reach =

| nationality = British

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1882|01|31}}

| birth_place = Leith, Scotland

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1941|02|05|1882|01|31}}

| death_place = Leith, Scotland

| style =

| total = 49

| wins = 37

| KO = 24

| losses = 10

| draws = 2

| no contests =

| medaltemplates =

| show-medals =

}}

James "Tancy" Lee (31 January 1882 – 5 February 1941) was a Scottish professional boxer who competed from 1906 to 1926. He held the IBU world, EBU European and the National Sporting Club’s British flyweight titles in 1915, becoming the first Scot to hold a British title.

Career

=Early career=

Born in Leith in 1882, Lee had his first fights as an amateur in 1906. In 1910 he won the ABA bantamweight championship, but was stripped of the title after it was discovered that he had infringed the amateur boxing laws.{{cite news |title=Tragic Death of Tancy Lee |work=Dundee Courier |date=7 February 1941 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19410207/075/0004| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} Undefeated as a professional by 1911 he suffered his first loss when he was stopped in the thirteenth round by Alex Lafferty in a contest for the Scottish bantamweight title."[http://www.scotsman.com/sport/more-sport/boxing/arthur-carrying-eastern-traditions-into-title-fight-1-883553 Arthur carrying eastern traditions into title fight]", The Scotsman, 21 June 2003. Retrieved 22 March 2015 He won the Scottish flyweight title three years later when he beat Dan McGrady (who later changed his name to MacGrady).

=British, European, and World title fights=

After beating Tommy Harrison in an eliminator he was to face Percy Jones in October 1914 for the latter's British and World flyweight titles but Jones failed to make the weight; The fight went ahead as a non-title catch-weight fight with Lee stopping Jones in the 14th round.{{cite news |title=Tancy Lee Disappointed |work=Daily Record |date=20 October 1914 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000728/19141020/090/0003| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

In January 1915 he faced Jimmy Wilde, at the time unbeaten in over 90 fights (according to some sources 103), for the vacant British, European, and IBU World titles at the National Sporting Club, stopping him in the 17th round to become triple champion.Milbert, Neil Francis (2013) "[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1405694/Jimmy-Wilde#ref972632 Jimmy Wilde]", Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 22 March 2015Jackson, Ron "[http://mobi.supersport.com/boxing/features/news/150303/One_record_Money_cant_buy One record Money can’t buy]", supersport.com. Retrieved 22 March 2015{{cite news |title=Tancy Lee Beats Wilde |work=Dundee Courier |date=26 January 1915 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19150126/037/0002| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} He lost the British and World titles nine months later to Joe "Young" Symonds.{{cite news |title=Symonds Beats Tancy Lee |work=Daily Mirror |date=19 October 1915 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000560/19151019/132/0013| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

In February 1916 he beat Johnny Best to take the Scottish bantamweight title, and four months later faced Wilde for the British, European, and World flyweight titles, Wilde stopping him in the 11th round.{{cite news |title=Tancy Lee Beats Johnny Best |work=Dundee Courier |date=18 February 1916 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19160218/050/0004| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}Holt, Richard (1990) Sport and the Working Class in Modern Britain, Manchester University Press, {{ISBN|978-0719026508}}, p. 207

In April 1916 he temporarily lost his flyweight title to Young Symonds but regained the title in a rematch a month later when he won in the 17th round.Leith Observer 22.4.1916 and 6.5.1916

In December 1916 he successfully defended his Scottish bantamweight title against Lafferty and then moved up to featherweight.{{cite news |title=Tancy Lee Wins |work=Daily Record |date=15 December 1916 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000728/19161215/060/0004| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} In November 1917 he knocked Charlie Hardcastle in the fourth round to become British featherweight champion.{{cite news |title=Tancy Lee |work=Sunday Post |date=16 September 1917 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000565/19170916/058/0011| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} Although he lost his next three fights he successfully defended his British title in October 1918 against Joe Conn,{{cite news |title=Tancy Lee Beaten by Billy Fry |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=27 December 1917 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19171227/183/0010| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}{{cite news |title=Tancy Lee Wins |work=Evening Despatch |date=22 October 1918 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000671/19181022/061/0003| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} and again in February 1919 against Danny Morgan to win the Lonsdale Belt outright.{{cite news |title=Tancy Lee Retains Lonsdale Belt |work=Dundee Courier |date=25 February 1919 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19190225/010/0002| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}{{cite news |title=Tancy Lee Presented With Lonsdale Belt |work=Dundee Courier |date=26 February 1919 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19190226/010/0002| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

In December 1919 he challenged Louis de Ponthieu for the vacant European featherweight title at the Cirque de Paris, but was stopped in the 17th round.{{cite news |title=Tancy Lee is Beaten |work=Dundee Evening Telegraph |date=25 December 1919 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000563/19191225/001/0001| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} Having relinquished the British title he fought for it again in October 1920, but retired in the 19th round against defending champion Mike Honeyman. After losing to Auguste Grassi in March 1921 he retired from boxing, although he fought in a three-round exhibition bout in 1922, and made a comeback in 1926, at the age of 44, when he drew with Johnny Seeley.{{cite news |title=Tancy Lee Loses to Grassi |work=Dundee Courier |date=19 March 1921 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19210319/094/0006| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}{{cite news |title=Tancy Lee in Exhibition Bout at Falkirk |work=Dundee Evening Telegraph |date=3 April 1922 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000563/19220403/072/0006| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}{{cite news |title=Tancy Lee to "Come Back" |work=Dundee Courier |date=16 March 1926 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19260316/106/0006| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

=Retirement and death=

After retiring from the ring Lee became a bookmaker, and also a boxing trainer and manager, having co-founded the Leith Victoria Club in 1919, and training fighters such as Johnny Hill, Alex Ireland, Jim Rolland, and Lee's nephews George McKenzie and James McKenzie, both Olympic medallists, George also winning the British featherweight title.{{cite news |title=Tancy Lee Fined for Betting Offence |work=Dundee Courier |date=16 November 1927 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19271116/141/0007| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}Donald, Brian "[http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/sportscotland/asportingnation/article/0082/ Johnny Hill, Scotland's first boxing world champion 1928]", BBC. Retrieved 22 March 2015"[http://www.scotsman.com/sport/tancy-lee-to-get-place-in-hall-of-fame-1-1267021 ‘Tancy’ Lee to get place in Hall of Fame]", The Scotsman, 19 July 2008. Retrieved 22 March 2015"[http://www.scotsman.com/news/edinburgh-trio-worthy-of-place-in-hall-of-fame-1-943342 Edinburgh trio worthy of place in Hall of Fame]", The Scotsman, 23 February 2002. retrieved 22 March 2015"[http://www.scotsman.com/sport/leith-vics-in-search-down-90-great-years-1-1188634 Leith Vics in search down 90 great years]", The Scotsman, 15 January 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2015

In April 1930 a testimonial tournament was held in his honour in Waverley Market, Edinburgh.{{cite news |title=Testimonial to Tancy Lee |work=Dundee Courier |date=31 March 1930 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19300331/127/0005| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} As the first outright winner of the Lonsdale Belt to reach the age of 50, he became in 1932 the first to receive a £1 per week pension from the National Sporting Club.{{cite news |title=Tancy Lee's Pension |work=Dundee Courier |date=20 October 1932 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19321020/068/0004| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

Tancy Lee died on 5 February 1941, aged 59, after being hit by a bus in Duncan Place, and was buried at Seafield Cemetery in Edinburgh."[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2507&dat=19420313&id=bVpAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cFkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1773,4374274&hl=en "Tancy" Lee's Widow Fails in Action]", Glasgow Herald, 13 March 1942, p. 8. Retrieved 22 March 2015{{cite news |title="Tancy" Lee Killed |work=Derby Daily Telegraph |date=6 February 1941 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000521/19410206/060/0006| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}{{cite news |title=Last Tributes to Tancy Lee |work=Aberdeen Journal |date=10 February 1941 |accessdate=22 March 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19410210/060/0004| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} He was survived by his widow Harriett (née Mears) and three daughters. His wife sued the Edinburgh Corporation, owners of the bus, but the action was unsuccessful.

Lee was inducted into the Scottish Boxing Hall of Fame in September 2008, in a ceremony attended by his 94-year-old daughter."[http://www.scotsman.com/sport/lee-s-daughter-knocks-em-out-at-94-1-1273310 Lee's daughter knocks 'em out . . at 94]", The Scotsman, 16 September 2008. Retrieved 22 March 2015

Title fights

{{S-start}}

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="7"|

|- style="text-align:center; background:#e3e3e3;"

| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Result

| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Opponent

| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Type

| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Rd., Time

| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Date

| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Location

| style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|Notes

|- align=center

|{{no2}}Loss

|align=left|{{Flag icon|UK}} Mike Honeyman

|{{small|RTD}}

|{{small|19 (20)}}

|{{small|1920-10-25}}

|align=left|{{small|{{Flag icon|UK}} National Sporting Club, London}}

|align=left|{{small|Lost challenge for British Featherweight title}}

|- align=center

|{{no2}}Loss

|align=left|{{Flag icon|FRA}} Louis De Ponthieu

|{{small|KO}}

|{{small|17 (20)}}

|{{small|1919-12-24}}

|align=left|{{small|{{Flag icon|FRA}} Cirque de Paris, Paris, France}}

|align=left|{{small|Lost challenge for European Featherweight title}}

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|align=left|{{Flag icon|UK}} Danny Morgan

|{{small|PTS}}

|{{small|(20)}}

|{{small|1919-02-24}}

|align=left|{{small|{{Flag icon|UK}} National Sporting Club, London}}

|align=left|{{small|Retained British Featherweight title}}

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|align=left|{{Flag icon|UK}} Joe Conn

|{{small|KO}}

|{{small|17 (20)}}

|{{small|1918-10-21}}

|align=left|{{small|{{Flag icon|UK}} National Sporting Club, London}}

|align=left|{{small|Retained British Featherweight title}}

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|align=left|{{Flag icon|UK}} Charlie Hardcastle

|{{small|KO}}

|{{small|4 (20)}}

|{{small|1917-11-05}}

|align=left|{{small|{{Flag icon|UK}} National Sporting Club, London}}

|align=left|{{small|Won British Featherweight title}}

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|align=left|{{Flag icon|SCO}} Johnny Lafferty

|{{small|RTD}}

|{{small|14 (20)}}

|{{small|1916-12-14}}

|align=left|{{small|{{Flag icon|UK}} Liverpool Stadium, Liverpool}}

|align=left|{{small|Won Scottish Bantamweight title}}

|- align=center

|{{no2}}Loss

|align=left|{{Flag icon|UK}} Jimmy Wilde

|{{small|TKO}}

|{{small|11 (20)}}

|{{small|1916-06-26}}

|align=left|{{small|{{Flag icon|UK}} National Sporting Club, London}}

|align=left|{{small|Lost challenge for British flyweight title & IBU World flyweight title, lost European flyweight title}}

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|align=left|{{Flag icon|SCO}} Johnny Best

|{{small|KO}}

|{{small|11 (20)}}

|{{small|1916-02-17}}

|align=left|{{small|{{Flag icon|UK}} Liverpool Stadium, Liverpool}}

|align=left|{{small|Won Scottish Bantamweight title}}

|- align=center

|{{no2}}Loss

|align=left|{{Flag icon|UK}} Joe Symonds

|{{small|TKO}}

|{{small|16 (20)}}

|{{small|1915-10-18}}

|align=left|{{small|{{Flag icon|UK}} National Sporting Club, London}}

|align=left|{{small|Lost British flyweight title & IBU World flyweight title}}

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|align=left|{{Flag icon|UK}} Jimmy Wilde

|{{small|TKO}}

|{{small|17 (20)}}

|{{small|1915-01-25}}

|align=left|{{small|{{Flag icon|UK}} National Sporting Club, London}}

|align=left|{{small|Won British flyweight title, European flyweight title, & IBU World flyweight title, }}

|- align=center

|{{yes2}}Win

|align=left|{{Flag icon|SCO}} Dan McGrady

|{{small|TKO}}

|{{small|12 (20)}}

|{{small|1914-03-09}}

|align=left|{{small|{{Flag icon|UK}} National AC, Glasgow}}

|align=left|{{small|Won Scottish flyweight title}}

|- align=center

|{{no2}}Loss

|align=left|{{Flag icon|SCO}} Alex Lafferty

|{{small|TKO}}

|{{small|13 (15)}}

|{{small|1911-04-13}}

|align=left|{{small|{{Flag icon|UK}} Olympia, Edinburgh}}

|align=left|{{small|Lost challenge for Scottish bantamweight title}}

{{S-end}}

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

External links

  • [http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=13797&cat=boxer Career record] at boxrec.com
  • [http://www.boxinghistory.org.uk/records/90823-Tancy-Lee-Paisley.pdf Career record] at boxinghistory.org.uk

{{s-start}}

{{s-text|style=background:#C1D8FF; font-weight: bold;|text=Minor world boxing titles}}

|-

{{s-vac|last=Percy Jones}}

{{s-ttl|title=IBU flyweight champion | years=January 25 – October 18, 1915}}

{{s-aft|after=Joe Symonds}}

{{s-end}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Tancy}}

Category:1882 births

Category:1941 deaths

Category:Scottish male boxers

Category:Flyweight boxers

Category:Bantamweight boxers

Category:Featherweight boxers

Category:Sportspeople from Leith

Category:Boxers from Edinburgh

Category:Road incident deaths in Scotland