Nig Yeager
Name: Nig Yeager
Alias: Johan (John) Adam Yeager
Hometown: Portland, Oregon, USA
Birthplace: Norka, Russia
Died: 1962-09-06 (Age:64)
Stance: Orthodox
Referee: Record
Pro Boxer: Record
- Division: Heavyweight
- Manager: Henry (Fuzzy) Krieger
Nig Yeager was born in Russia (Norka) but lived in Portland, Oregon, for 50 years, and 15 years more in Coos Bay. He was perhaps the biggest gate attraction up to that point in time in Portland while he was active. He drew large crowds primarily from his Albina neighborhood.
He became a fulltime Business Agent for Oregon Teamsters Local 220. He also served as sergeant at arms at the meetings of the old Portland Central Labor Council. He bought the Elwah Garbage Co. in Coos Bay, effective Nov. 1, 1946.
A Short Biography of John Adam "Nig" Yeager (autobiography)
My name is John A. "Jack" Yeager. I am 78 years old, and the nephew of John Adam Yeager. Johan Adam Yeager was born in Norka, Russia on February 26, 1898. His father was Henry Yeager from Norka. His mother was Lena (nee Starkel) Yeager, also born in Norka.
Henry and Lena had four sons, one died at the age of two on board the ship that brought them to America, and had to be buried at sea. There were two older surviving sons; Alexander John, nicknamed "Sandy," was my father. He was eight years old at that time. The second and youngest surviving son was John Adam Yeager, nicknamed "Nig."
The family came straight to Portland, Oregon from Norka in 1904, and in due time they both went to the old Albina Homestead school. My grandfather, Henry Yeager, a cobbler by trade, died in 1912, and what was so common in those days, both sons got jobs as soon as possible after their father died, to help support the family.
As all the Volga Germans are aware, nicknames were extremely common in those days. My father was called "Sandy," short for Alexander. But my uncle John's nickname of "Nig" should perhaps be explained. With all due respect to all of our ethnic groups in this country, one must go back 90 years or son in time when our society was much more biased than we are now, as we are all aware. As a boy, possibly a young teen, uncle John would get a very brown tan, a trait that survives in our family today. So obviously, "Nig" evolved, and he was known as "Nig" Yeager the rest of his life.
Growing up in our old neighbourhood and including all of Albina was not easy in those days so long ago. Self-protection was a must, and the young men and boys of that era knew that knowing how to use your fists was a top priority. As I remember being told, "Nig" soon had a reputation that demanded respect, and became a person to be respected. But also, as I recall, he was not one to bully people, and had many good friends.
In 1922, apparently after some persuasion from the boxing community in Portland, he had his first professional boxing match in the old Portland Armory Building. He knocked out his man, and was paid the grand total of $28.00. He became an overnight success, and his career is better explained by the writing of L.H. Gregory, a famous old time sports writer for The Oregonian, under his heading of "Greg's Gossip," a column written around the late 1930s or early 1940s that I have treasured for most of my life.