Not only does this mid-1950s middleweight have an interesting name, he also possesses a compelling personal story.
A Brooklyn native by way of Indian Woods, North Carolina, Smallwood was a paratrooper in the Korean War and saw considerable action. He was wounded in hand-to-hand combat and took shrapnel to both knees, which shortened his career to only four years. He retired from the ring at age twenty-three in 1957.
He left the service as a decorated hero with a Purple Heart, three bronze stars, the Combat Infantry Badge, and the Korean Service Medal. After he was discharged, Hardy took a job as a bubble-gum maker (hence the nickname, "Bazooka"). Learning of his experience in the Army boxing program, his boss encouraged him to turn pro.
A profile that appeared in the May 1955 issue of
The Ring describes the Bazooka as "a hardy ringman, a solid puncher; he keeps moving in-fists working a vicious barrage. He never fails to satisfy the paying customers."
Not really your typical hype in this instance as his record suggests that this was an apt description of Smallwood's abilitiy in the ring. Like most New York fighters of the era, Hardy did his apprenticeship on the undercards in the area venues like Madison Square Garden, St. Nicholas Arena, Sunnyside Gardens, and Brooklyn's Eastern Parkway Arena before graduating to ten rounders.
Along the way, he fought and defeated the typical bottom feeders in the New York metro area. He was outpointed in four by Rory Calhoun, suffered a TKO at the hands of Tony Baldoni, and was forced to bow out due to a cut eye suffered at the hands of Sammy Walker. Powerful Argentine slugger Rafael Merentino caught Smallwood cold one night at St. Nick's and turned his lights out in the second. These latter three fights represent the only time Hardy was halted in his career.
By 1956, Smallwood became an attraction, in large part due to his entertaining style. His biggest win was a unanimous decision over the young, but rugged Gaspar Ortega. Unfortunately, he lost his next five bouts then called it a career in large part due to the knee problems caused by his war injuries.
But his losses were all via decision, and Smallwood's conquerors were far from tomato cans. In succession he lost to Yama Bahama, tough Tex Gonzales, Ortega in their rematch, Euro champ Italo Scortichini, and finally Ralph "Tiger" Jones. No shame here!
As I indicated, the nickname "Bazooka" was based upon the gum he made rather than his fire power in the ring. Hardy could hit hard, but in 18 wins only two of his opponents took the ten count. I don't recall either Richard Nogan or Otis Woodward being included in
The Ring's "Iron-Chin Hall of Fame."
While I was doing my research on Hardy, I wondered just how much the shrapnel in the knees effected his ring performance and what kind of career he might have had if he didn't suffer those war wounds. But then, life's just full of "what-ifs"
