big Al Kaufman/how good was he?

[Brutu]

The "San Francisco Dutchman"
He was active 1905-1915.
Jack Johnson's principle sparring partner in Reno in 1910.
I remember reading newspaper quotes from Johnson saying he was impressed (in some ways)by Kaufman.
mainly in the ability to take a punch.
So why was not his career after 1910 better then it was?

[Brutu]

While still active as a fighter Kaufman went into the movie buisness as an actor or at least was in a number of siient films.
I wonder how many of these movies still exist?

http://www.us.imdb.com/name/nm0442068/

[donnellon]

Perhaps some of these silent pictures will creep up and surprise us.
ps
Ill be back with more constructive info.

[dempseyfire]

Kaufman was one of the original 'White Hopes' who gained momentum with victories over the skilled but smaller Gardner and Sullivan along with Jim Johnson, Tony Ross and Jim Flynn, but after getting stopped in a rematch with the Fireman his career took a huge nosedive.

Not a bad fighter but I'd rank him clearly outside the upper echelon of White Hopes (which would include McCarty, Smith, Willard, Fulton etc.).

[donnellon]

Contempory account of his fight with Palzer.
NEW YORK, Dec. 29.— Al Palzer,
the local heavyweight, knocked out
Al Kaufman of California, in the fifth
round of a scheduled 10 round bout at
the National Sporting club last night
with a right uppercut to the chin.
The fight started in whirlwind
style. Immediately after the first bell
Palzer landed a terrific right to Kauf-
man's stomach, knocking him down,
but the Californian was up Instantly
and landed a right to Palzer's neck,
which sent the latter to the floor.
Palzer jumped to his feet and floored Kaufman in turn with a right to the
jaw.
In the second both slowed up slight-
ly, with Kaufman tho aggressor
throuhout the round. The third was
the westerner's by a slight margin.
Tho fourth round was all Kauf-
man's. He handed the local fighter a
neat lacing throughout the session,
and at the bell Palzer was hanging
on to escape punishment.
Palzer came up fresh for the fifth
round, with Kaufman slowing up. The
men pummelled each other about the ring, with Kaufman apparently hav-
ng the better of the exchangess until
near the end of the round. Suddenly
Palzer saw an opening in Kaufman's guard and, stepping in close to his op-
onent, sent over the fateful right to
the chin, and Kaufman went down for
ie final count.

[donnellon]

Not very good but he was game and had a good punch. Caught Gardner when he was finished, nearly got ko'd by Ross, Schreck fight looked fishy, Battling Johnson was not THAT BJ. Lost a return to Flynn badly and the rest of his career is made up of losses at the top level.
Probably not even second tier. McMahon, Coffey, Dillon, Levinsky, Morris(?) Fulton, Flynn, Palzer even Miller appear to be a level above Al.

[granberry]

Not very good but he was game and had a good punch. Caught Gardner when he was finished, nearly got ko'd by Ross, Schreck fight looked fishy, Battling Johnson was not THAT BJ. Lost a return to Flynn badly and the rest of his career is made up of losses at the top level.
Probably not even second tier. McMahon, Coffey, Dillon, Levinsky, Morris(?) Fulton, Flynn, Palzer even Miller appear to be a level above Al.

Good to see you posting, donnellon.

[donnellon]

ditto