BoxRec

I just read in the book "The Greatest Boxing Stories Ever Told"" an account of a battle Royal written by Ralph Ellison. In the story he tells of 10 black men all blind folded and put into a ring to fight until only one remained. I have heard this sort of thing before I believe on this forum. My question is, How often did this sort of thing happen? And were the combatents always blind folded? Also in this story the men are made to pick up their earnings from an electric rug where most were shocked while trying to pick up their money. If anyone has read this book, or the book in which the story derived they will know how strange it was. Before the men were brought out to fight, they were put infront of a nude woman and taunted by the "high society" bigots of the day. Are there more accounts of this sort of thing?

They were having battle royals even into the 1930s. There were several locations throughout the country that had a battle royal on each and every card they had. I know Augusta, Georgia had a battle royal on almost ever card they promoted around 1927 thru around 1933, which usually consisted of five, or six African-Americans...sometimes blind-folded, sometimes not.

Supposedly Beau Jack got his start in the battle royals though I have never been able to find any actual evidence of it and I have researched his early career pretty good, but battle royals were a very common thing up to around I guess 1940.

Thanks for the response barry Do you know if the fighters recieved official wins or losses? I would fighure that they wouldnt because there couldnt be 6 or 7 losers w/ only one winner.

There was of course a winner for each battle, but nothing official and payments was almost always whatever coins the crowds would throw into the ring. In most instances only a couple of the combatants were even named, which was usual something very degrading like "Big Coon," or "Monkeyman Smith." It was pretty bad and I do not know of any instances where any name fighters were ever participants, though I'm sure many often started out in battle royals, but it was usually with some kind of racist moniker like I mentioned. But to answer the question...the wins were never counted officially in any records.

I thought Jack Johnson took part in a few battle royals?

Lenny Albert wrote:I thought Jack Johnson took part in a few battle royals?

I have heard that and also mabey Sam Langford. If I am not mistaken Archie Moore might also have been.

sockdollanger wrote:I just read in the book "The Greatest Boxing Stories Ever Told"" an account of a battle Royal written by Ralph Ellison.

Sock is this accoun taken from Ellison's great novel Invisible Man?

It doesnt exactly count as one of the "greatest boxing stories ever told" more like "sickest boxing stories ever told". I read that Jack Johnson had taken part in battle royals before he made it big

Ezzard wrote:

sockdollanger wrote:I just read in the book "The Greatest Boxing Stories Ever Told"" an account of a battle Royal written by Ralph Ellison.

Sock is this accoun taken from Ellison's great novel Invisible Man?

indeed it is.

Yes, Beau Jack talks about "fighting" in these debacles in the book In this corner.By Peter Heller. The participants in these things were only kids.

Lenny Albert wrote:I thought Jack Johnson took part in a few battle royals?

Aye, 'tis true. Johnson credits the battle royals for honing his survival skills and defense in the ring.

Heavyweight Elmer Ray was a top battle Royal fighter.

As Barry mentions not all contests were blind folded. The lack of fairness in battle royals was astounding. Fighters of different ages, weights, experience, and skills all shared the same ring.

Beleive it or not, such contests still exist today in private fight settings.

Has anyone ever seen a film of a battle royal?

some passages from Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man.....

......Some were still crying and in hysteria. But as we tried to leave we were stopped and ordered into the ring. There was nothing to do but what we were told. All ten of us climbed under the ropes and allowed ourselves to be blindfolded with broad bands of white cloth. One of the men seemed to feel a bit sympathetic and tried to cheer us up as we stood with our backs against the ropes. Some of us tried to grin. "See that boy over there?" one of the men said. "I want you to run across at the bell and give it to him right in the belly. If you dont get him, I'm going to get you. I don't like his looks." Each of us was told the same. The blindfolds were put on.......

....A glove smacked across my head. I pivoted, striking out stiffly as someone went past, and felt the jar ripple along the length of my arm to my shoulder. Then it seemed as though all nine of the boys had turned upon me at once. Blows pounded me from all sides while I struck out as best I could. So many blows landed upon me that I wondered if I were the only blindfolded fighter in the ring, or if that man hadn't succeded in getting me after all.....

....Blindfolded, I could no longer control my motions. I had no dignity. I stumbled about like a baby or a drunken man. The smoke had become thicker and with each new blow it seemed to sear and further restrict my lungs. My saliva became like hot bitter glue. A glove connected with my head, filling my mouth with warm blood. It was everywhere. I could not tell if the moisture I felt upon my body was sweat or blood. A blow landed hard against the nape of my neck. I felt myself going over, my head hitting the floor. Streaks of blue light filled the black world behind the blindfold. I lay prone, pretending that I was knocked out, but felt myself seized by hands and yanked to my feet. "Get going black boy! Mix it up!" My arms were like lead, my head smarting from blows. I managed to feel my way to the ropes and held on, trying to catch my breath. A glove landed in my midsection and I went over again, feeling as though the smoke had become a knife jabbed into my guts. Pushed this way and that by the legs milling around me, I finnaly pulled erect and discovered that I could see the black, sweat-washed forms weaving in the smoky-blue atmosphere like drunken dancers weaving to rapid drum-like thuds of blows......

are there any other books that describe Battle Royals? Apparently I cant get off this subject

Check out "In this corner" by Peter Heller. The section on Beau Jack.

"In this corner" is a really good read. I would recommend it to everyone with an interest in boxing. I have the older edition that has 40 fighters, but I know there was an update which has 42 total fighters. I was curious at to who the other two champions that were added are.

barry wrote:"In this corner" is a really good read. I would recommend it to everyone with an interest in boxing. I have the older edition that has 40 fighters, but I know there was an update which has 42 total fighters. I was curious at to who the other two champions that were added are.

out of these two books, which should I read first? Shadow Box : An Amateur in the Ring, or "in this Corner"? Or I should say which to buy first since I dont own either.

barry wrote:"In this corner" is a really good read. I would recommend it to everyone with an interest in boxing. I have the older edition that has 40 fighters, but I know there was an update which has 42 total fighters. I was curious at to who the other two champions that were added are.

Barry , I think the added fighters are Duran and Arguello.

expug wrote:

barry wrote:"In this corner" is a really good read. I would recommend it to everyone with an interest in boxing. I have the older edition that has 40 fighters, but I know there was an update which has 42 total fighters. I was curious at to who the other two champions that were added are.

Barry , I think the added fighters are Duran and Arguello.

I have the older one. Hmmm, I guess I have to get a copy of the newer edition...

Sock---I would say read "In This Corner" first.

barry wrote:Sock---I would say read "In This Corner" first.

thanks for the suggestion, I just ordered them both off that abebooks site you told me about. I'll read "In this Corner" first

Id like to hear your feedback after you read the chapters on Don Jordan and Lew Jenkins.

expug wrote:Id like to hear your feedback after you read the chapters on Don Jordan and Lew Jenkins.

Absolutely, It might be a month or so, I need to finish Boxings greatest stories.