Onig (Nig) Normart was born in Erzeroom Armenia on Jan 22, 1884. He married Mollie Weber (who was born 2-25-1887 in Messer, Russia) December 19, 1906. They knew her parents wouldn’t consent so they eloped to San Francisco. They had three children (the first one died at 6 months old) Doris who was born 7-14-1908 and William (my grandfather) 7-20-1910. When they were courting She lived in “Russia town” and he lived in the part of town where most of the Armenians lived. Because of racial prejudice he got into many fights before he would arrive.
Before they were married Nig would go to the firehouse and train to be a boxer. His favorite training method was running 10 miles on the railroad ties to sharpen his eyes and coordination. He started his boxing career in 1903. His record was 13-4-2. His first fight against George Tubbs was a draw, he was struggling in the fight at first but then held on to the draw. His second fight against Sol Levinson was a 20 rounder and he knocked the guy out in the 17th round. His 3rd fight was against Tubbs again and it was a draw again. Walter Robinson was next and Nig got the decision in 20 rounds. They met again the next January and Nig put him away in the first round. Nig fought Tubbs again a third time but knocked him out in the 9th. Many old timers believed Nig could have been the world featherweight champion but he fought Joe Reilly in 1906 and lost a 40 round decision. Nig always had a good sense of humor, he was to fight Caesar Attell in 1904,(Abe Attell’s brother and favored to win 3-1) and at the weigh in, Caesar showed up all decked out in a derby, striped suit,checkered vest and pearl button shoes. Nig turned to his manager and asked if that was the man he was to fight. He said it was. Then Nig told him: “I don’t want to fight him, I want to kiss him”. Nig knocked him out in the 12th round. Johnny Bryant was next and they fought a draw in the first fight but Nig knocked him out in 12 rounds in the re-match. Nig fought Danny Sullivan next and won by a foul because Sullivan kept hitting him with dirty blows. He was to fight five bouts in Los Angeles in 1907 and if he impressed would get the chance to fight Abe Attell for the world featherweight championship. He had a string of 13 victories but he got talked into fighting Reilly again and lost after another 20 rounder. In the re-match Nig beat Reilly badly for 20 rounds. It was his best fight.A few months later he fought Clarence Ferns and won by KO in the 13th. The next Reilly fight Nig broke a bone in his hand in the 2nd round and continued to fight for 40 rounds but lost in a decision. He announced his retirement after that fight but got coaxed back into the ring in yet another Reilly fight but lost in a 40 round decision. Reilly was the only fighter to beat Nig. In 1910 he was talked into his last fight, for a 10 rounder with Kid Burley that ended in a draw. He quit the ring after that as his wife didn’t want him fighting anymore. Nig fought all his fights with 5 ounce gloves and no tape because it wasn’t used back then. He said he had many fights after that but they weren’t in the ring.
There was a story of a ghost in an old house in Laton. The “ghost” would go to the windows and scare people away. Nig walked into the house and waited for the “ghost”, he showed up behind him and let out a big screech trying to scare him. He grabbed him and marched him outside exposing him to the crowd of people there watching. The “ghost” said he was so mad at him he felt like punching him so Nig beat him to it and knocked him out.
Nig also was a fireman while he trained and rose his way up to Assistant fire chief. He quit the fire dept and went into a ranch partnership with his cousins in Madera, It wasn’t successful so so he moved back to Fresno and started the Valley Auto Wrecking with his brother Armen. Nig Enjoyed Cigars and beer and said he had 8 cigars a day and 4-5 beers. He loved being around his children and grandchildren and commented “my children and grandchildren are so good it’s making it hard for me to die”. Mollie lived until 1966 and Nig followed her in 1969.
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- Onig “Kid” Normart
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- Onig Normart in the Blue shirt,William Normart on the left and William Normart Jr. on the right. My brothers and I are in there too.
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- Onig Normart at his first fight
Interesting. My grandfather was Armen Normart……….thanks for the info
Ted
Yes, this has been very interesting. I may have more info for you if you want it
It seems I’ve passed by this surname, I may be mistaken. But, still a good read.
Thank you for a wonderful story involving my great-grandfather, Caesar Attell. He always dressed nicely.
Thank you for that funny story about my great-grandfather, Caesar Attell. He was always known for dressing well.
Hi – I stumbled on this site by mistake. I was looking in Bing for Antivirus software that I had already purchased when I came upon your site, I must say your site is really cool I just love the theme, its amazing!. I don’t have the time this minute to fully read your entire site but I bookmarked it and also will sign up for your RSS feed. I will be back in a day or two. thanks for a great site.
Thank you!, I’ve been away from the Blog for awhile but i’m going to resume now, thanks for the kind words!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Some time ago I decided to research athletes of Armenian descent. Your site helps a great deal about a great one, of whom very little is known. It also raises a few questions, which town or village in Erzeroum is he from? Was Normart his family name at birth or an assumed one upon immigration to the US? Normart, would translate to “New man”, so I would tend to think it was an assumed name. This makes it all the more interesting and I would like to know more if possible.
Our original name was “Yanikian” but when he came over he felt ” like a new man” so the new name of Normart was born, we were the first Armenians in Fresno Ca. The only info I have is on the blog but there was a site that had Armenian boxers on it, I think I googles “Armenian boxers early 1900′s”
Hi, I left a reply earlier but I am not sure it registered. If not, I’ll leave it again later. But did your Grandfather ever talk about his contemporaries? There were numerour Boxers of Armenian Descent in the same period, who fought in the same area. I was just wondering if your grandfather left any documentation about those fighters. What you have done here is wonderful and rare info for some. Thank you again.
Thank you again! Your suggestion is a good one, that is how I originally came across your Grandfather’s name. I have a list from that site and then I expanded my search and found a couple more. Unforetunately not much in terms of Bios. You on the other hand, have given form and life to the name. Do I have permission to use one of your photos? I am working on an article for a local paper. Many thanks in advance.
Sure just send me a copy, I’d appreciate that
Sent from my iPhone
Will Do. I’ll send you the link as soon as it is up.
Best Regards.