Spike Webb

Spike Webb, born Hamilton Murrel Webb (April 12, 1889 – July 2, 1963), was an American boxer who became an Olympic boxing coach for four successful American Olympic teams from 1920-1932, while simultaneously serving the initial and longest term as head boxing coach for the United States Naval Academy from 1919 to 1954. During his twenty year tenure, he was considered by sports historians to be the most successful college and Olympic boxing coach of his era. Early life Webb was born on April 2, 1889, to George W. and Mary E. Webb in the Hamden-Woodberry section of Baltimore, Maryland. He began professional boxing at 14, at his city's Eureka Athletic Club. His hometown paper, the Baltimore Sun, wrote that in one of his early fights as a scrawny featherweight he knocked out his opponent "Battling Kennedy" on March 17, 1916, only a few seconds after he had accidentally misplaced a blow and knocked out the referee. One Baltimore source wrote that before the War, he once met future World feather champion Johnny Kilbane in a close non-title match. According to one source, he boxed professionally only six years, retiring in 1910, fighting close to 115 fights and acquiring an impressive record with only a handful of losses, but few reliable records remain of his professional fights. Coaching career He received a three year Polytechnical education at night school, than began his coaching career as the Athletic Director of Baltimore's Westside Center from 1913–17, where he trained thousands of young men in boxing, wrestling, football, baseball, basketball, soccer, track and field. As a player, he enjoyed football, and pitching baseball. American Expeditionary Force (AEF) team Coach, 1918-19