In early 1936 newspapers featured a Robert Ripley "Believe it or Not..." cartoon that claimed boxer Dynamite Jackson had a glass eye. Here's what Ripley wrote: "Dynamite Buddy Jackson, who has served as sparring partner for such fighters as Champion Jimmy Braddock, Primo Carnera, Jack...

Chuck, Do you think black boxers would have had greater access to venues/more opportunities for success in Chicago during the Depression than in Los Angeles? Given how well-connected Butler was in Chicago, it seems that he could have trained boxers (whatever this meant exactly in his case) in this c...

Chris, I hesitate to say one way or the other because I've only read about 30-40 pages (a chapter on his Los Angeles years toward the middle). This portion was enjoyable, lively, and useful for my research. One thing I found a bit odd was that it's an autobiography, but the entire thing is written i...

If you post in the classic west coast thread here you may be able to be pointed in the right direction. Chris, Thanks for the suggestion. Would it be bad form/unacceptable to copy/paste my post and Chuck Johnson's reply in the Classic West Coast thread? Is there a way to link between this thread an...

While reading newspaper articles about Sol Butler in the Los Angeles Times, I find it likely that he was helping Young Peter Jackson and Dynamite Jackson get into condition, but not necessarily to help them with their boxing skills. Is there any indication that Butler knew anything about the fine p...

I'm writing a biography on Olympian & all-around athlete SOL BUTLER . In Dec. 1931 he moved to LA. By 1933 he was training DYNAMITE JACKSON, "YOUNG" PETER JACKSON, and CHALKY WRIGHT (managed by WIRT ROSS). He would later train CHARLEY "KILLER" COATES (managed by SUEY WELCH) a...