{{Short description|Canadian boxer (1901-1951)}} {{Infobox boxer |name =Jack Reddick |image = Boxer Jack Reddick, 1926.jpg | image_size = 200 |realname =John Runner Jr. |nickname =The Moose Jaw Mauler |weight = Middleweight<br>Light heavyweight |nationality = Canadian |birth_date = 1901 |birth_place =Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. |death_date=April 14, 1951 |death_place=Treherne, Manitoba, Canada |height =5 ft 9 in (177cm) |reach = |style =Orthodox |home = |total = 55 |wins =36 |losses = 13 |draws =5 |no contests = |KO = 25 }}

'''John Runner Jr.''' (1901{{snd}}April 16, 1951), better known as '''Jack Reddick''', was a Canadian former professional light heavyweight boxer who fought between 1922 and 1928. Nicknamed '''the Moose Jaw Mauler''', he held the Canadian middleweight and light heavyweight boxing titles in the 1920s.

==Early life== John Runner Jr. was born in Des Moines, Iowa,<ref name="BoxRec">{{cite web|url=http://boxrec.com/wiki/index.php/Jack_Reddick|title=Jack Reddick|website=boxrec.com|access-date=2025-10-29}}</ref> and moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

==Professional career== In summer 1921, Reddick turned pro in Winnipeg, fighting as a middleweight. He traveled to Saskatoon in late 1922 to arrange a boxing match but was unable to secure a suitable opponent due to unforeseen circumstances. He returned to Winnipeg, where his manager William Black sent him to train with boxer and trainer Jimmie Potts in Minneapolis. Reddick trained six weeks with Potts, who had fought Jimmy Britt and trained notable fighters including Fred Fulton and the Gibbons brothers. By December 1922, he had 18 months as a professional and victories over Bill McKenzie, Kid Whitey, Art Allan, and Billy Burke.<ref name="Saskatoon Daily Star. (1922)">{{cite news |author= |date=December 15, 1922 |title=Reddick Meets Hudson on Monday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/saskatoon-daily-star/184028053/ |access-date=2025-10-29 |newspaper=Saskatoon Daily Star |page=10}}</ref>

Reddick was billed as the middleweight champion of Western Canada in 1922.<ref name="Free Press Evening Bulletin. (1922)">{{cite news |author= |date=September 19, 1922 |title=Jack Reddick Thirsts For Three Men's Gore |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/free-press-evening-bulletin/184028081/ |access-date=2025-10-29 |newspaper=Free Press Evening Bulletin |page=18}}</ref>

Fighting out of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, he opened and managed the Moose Jaw Athletic Association, with its first club show held on February 1, 1923.<ref name="The Leader-Post. (1923)">{{cite news |author= |date=January 31, 1923 |title=Promising Middleweight |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-leader-post/184028038/ |access-date=2025-10-29 |newspaper=The Leader-Post |page=10}}</ref>

He traveled to California in April 1923, where he fought Fred Cullen at Hollywood Legion Stadium, marking his first appearance on the West Coast.<ref name="The Los Angeles Times. (1923)">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/380363857/?match=1&terms=jack%20reddick|title=Swap Punches at Hollywood|author=|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|date=April 19, 1923|page=41|access-date=2025-10-29}}</ref> He was introduced by Dan Tobey as the Canadian champion at the 158-pound weight class.<ref name="Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. (1923)">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/717121262/?match=1&terms=jack%20reddick|title=Cullen Beats Reddick|newspaper=Los Angeles Evening Citizen News|date=April 21, 1923|page=5|access-date=2025-10-29}}</ref>

The middleweight title stayed in his possession after a June 1923 draw versus Minneapolis's Mark Moore. As the main event of Moose Jaw's largest boxing card at that time, the fight attracted over two thousand attendees to the stadium rink.<ref name="Free Press Evening Bulletin. (1923)">{{cite news |date=June 23, 1923 |title=Jack Reddick Gets Draw At Moose Jaw |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/free-press-evening-bulletin/184028108/ |access-date=2025-10-29 |newspaper=Free Press Evening Bulletin |page=17}}</ref>

===Taking the Canadian light heavyweight championship, April 1924=== Reddick first challenged for the Canadian light heavyweight title against Soldier Jones at the Arena Gardens in April 1924. He knocked out Jones in the fifth round and again in their rematch on July 14, 1924. 16 days later, he retained his Canadian title after an eighth-round knockout of Joe Edwards, light heavyweight champion of Ohio.<ref name="BoxRec2"/> By this time, Reddick had offers to fight in England and was in demand across the United States.<ref name="The Ottawa Citizen. (1924)">{{cite news |date=July 26, 1924 |title=All Arrangements Completed For Auditorium Bouts Wednesday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ottawa-citizen/184028121/ |access-date=2025-10-29 |newspaper=The Ottawa Citizen |page=13}}</ref>

===Losing the Canadian light heavyweight championship to Bob Fox, October 1925=== Reddick lost his belt to light heavyweight champion of Western Canada Bob Fox in October 1925 following a disqualification after being warned for low blows.<ref name="BoxRec2"/>

thumb|left|125px|Jack Reddick, Light Heavyweight, 1926 Reddick, advised by Young Stribling, faced world light heavyweight champion Paul Berlenbach at Madison Square Garden in September 1924. His opponent knocked him out in the eighth round.<ref name="BoxRec1">{{cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/event/86655/146596|title=Paul Berlenbach vs Jack Reddick|website=boxrec.com|access-date=2025-10-29}}</ref>

In April 1925, the Canadian light-heavyweight and middleweight champion fought world middleweight champion Harry Greb, who held a record of 240-17-17. He lost the ten-round catchweight bout at Arena Gardens on a points decision.<ref name="BoxRec7">{{cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/wiki/index.php/Harry_Greb_vs._Jack_Reddick|title=Harry Greb vs. Jack Reddick|website=boxrec.com|access-date=2025-10-29}}</ref> His reputation was enhanced rather than damaged by his loss at the hands of Greb.

He defeated Carl Augustine and fought to a draw with unbeaten Del Fontaine in May 1925. His third fight that month pitted him against light heavyweight champion Kid Norfolk in a twelve-rounder in Moose Jaw.<ref name="BoxRec2">{{cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/11345|title=Jack Reddick|website=boxrec.com|access-date=2025-10-29}}</ref> Jack's brother, Bob Runner, became his press agent and helped arrange the fight.<ref name="The Leader-Post. (1925)">{{cite news |date=June 8, 1925 |title=Plan Gibbons-Reddick Fight For Fair Week |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-leader-post/184028140/ |access-date=2025-10-29 |newspaper=The Leader-Post |page=8}}</ref>

Reddick, the light heavyweight titleholder, faced Roy Mitchell, the light heavyweight and heavyweight champion of the Maritime Provinces, on April 23, 1926.<ref name="The Evening Mail. (1926) 2">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/776619300/?terms=Jack%20Reddick&match=3|title=Boxers Are Ready For Big Scrap|author=|newspaper=The Evening Mail|date=April 23, 1926|page=6|access-date=2025-10-29}}</ref> The $1,500 offered to Reddick for the bout was the largest amount ever paid to bring a boxer to Halifax at that time.<ref name="Nova Scotia Historical Review. (1992)">{{cite web|url=https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Nova_Scotia_Historical_Review/xQvg4YUnCPgC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=jack+reddick+boxer&dq=jack+reddick+boxer&printsec=frontcover|title=Nova Scotia Historical Review - Volumes 12-13|website=books.google.ca|access-date=2025-10-10|date=1992|publisher=Public Archives of Nova Scotia}}</ref> He was stopped by Mitchell in the third round of the non-title bout in Halifax, Nova Scotia.<ref name="BoxRec2"/>

After three and a half years in the professional ranks, Reddick announced his retirement in May 1926 at age 23. Explaining his decision, he stated that boxing was "too tough a racket" for anyone who could make a living otherwise. He earned and saved enough from his fights to invest in property and a hotel business in Winnipeg, where he planned to focus his efforts.<ref name="The Toronto Star. (1926)">{{cite news |date=May 3, 1926 |title=Jack Reddick Quits The Ring |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-jack-reddick-quits-the/184028009/ |access-date=2025-10-29 |newspaper=The Toronto Star |page=9}}</ref>

The former champion came out of retirement after six months in a return bout against Al Anderson in November 1926.<ref name="The Calgary Albertan. (1926)">{{cite news |author= |date=October 13, 1926 |title=Jack Reddick Will Re-Enter Ring Game At Strathmore Nov. 1 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-calgary-albertan/184027989/ |access-date=2025-10-29 |newspaper=The Calgary Albertan |page=8}}</ref> He was disqualified in the seventh round following warnings for hitting after being told to break.

His last fight came against Roddie MacDonald in June 1928 in Drumheller where he lost on points.<ref name="BoxRec3">{{cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/event/912796/3280528|title=Roddie MacDonald vs Jack Reddick|website=boxrec.com|access-date=2025-10-29}}</ref>

==Professional boxing record== {{BoxingRecordSummary |draws=5 |nc= |ko-wins=25 |ko-losses=4 |dec-wins=11 |dec-losses=9 |dq-losses= }}

==Death== Jack Reddick died in Treherne, Manitoba on April 14, 1951, at 50.<ref name="Daily Gleaner. (1951)">{{cite news |date=October 13, 1926 |title=Jack Reddick Died In Manitoba |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-gleaner/184027966/ |access-date=2025-10-29 |newspaper=Daily Gleaner |page=8}}</ref> He was killed in a motor vehicle accident.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{boxrec|id=011345}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reddick, Jack}} Category:1901 births Category:1951 deaths Category:Canadian male boxers Category:Middleweight boxers Category:Light-heavyweight boxers Category:20th-century Canadian sportsmen