The Alabama Kid

My 88 years old great aunt told me that the first coloured person she saw growing up as a young girl in the country in Australia was Alabama Kid when he visited her (and my) home town as part of a tent boxing troupe. This was in the 1940’s

Does that sound right? Did the Alabama Kid tour as a tent fighter in Australia? It’s a pretty big deal for my little town if a fighter of his ilk visited there.

 

Check out reply from "wonderboy224" on page 1 of this thread. According to what I came across in my research online he did, for a few months. Tent troupe was, I guess, a big thing back then and a popular form of entertainment.. as well as a great way to be undercover. Think Alabam was determined to not get deported - which he did, after a falling out with the troupe.

According to a 2016 article by Peter Silkov (The Boxing Glove): "It is said that when Alabama tried to leave Harry Johns' Boxing Troupe over poor working conditions and low wages, he was threatened by Johns that he would turn Alabama into the immigration department. Ironically when he did leave the tent shows it was shortly there after that the Australian authorities caught up with Alabama and swiftly deported him."

 

Thanks for the information mate.

It’s a very sad story of how he was treated by the likes of Harry Johns and even worse the government of the day. Separating a man from his wife and children because of his skin pigmentation is a disgrace and embarrassment to Australia.

I’m going to visit my towns historical society to see if they have any information about Alabama Kid or even the boxing troupes that visited the area. They have archives of the local newspaper so if anything comes up I’ll share it.

 

I am currently researching the career of Alabama Kid for a book. If anyone has anything they would care to share - especially family members - I would love to hear from you.

 

...and what about us switch-hitters? Split the difference, just a little good old fashioned water-boarding?

 

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