History First: The First reported Sanctioned Amateurs Bouts in the USA for Females – by Sue TL Fox
WBAN Has the original documents, newspaper clippings, letters, etc. of this event archived
DOCUMENTS ON FILE
No, there were no TV crews from all over the world, national TV, and very little local coverage considering that on May 12, 1978, was the FIRST sanctioned amateurs women’s bout in the world.
Reported in the St. Paul Sunday Pioneer Press, in the Sports section under, “Female boxer makes history” page 3. by Pat Thompson, staff writer, May 14, 1978. An excerpt of the article that was written:”Claire Buckner, a St. Paul mother of three, made Minnesota amateur boxing history the other night with her crisp left jabs and power right hand thrust. The 24-year-old Theater Arts major at the University of Minnesota became Minnesota’s first AAU woman champion in a four-bout card held Friday night at Bierman Building. ”
The article went on to state that this opening bout was billed the “World’s First Women’s Amateur Boxing Championships. ( I was able to obtain over a two dozen original documents from Bill Dickson, the women’s boxing promoter of the 70’s that is considered the “Father of Women’s Boxing” about this first sanctioned amateurs event.)
But, this May 12, 1978, did not come about without it’s struggles. These women who have never been recognized by anyone up to this point— buried in the true history of women’s boxing had a fight outside the ring before ever making it inside that squared circle…..
In the Minneapolis Tribune, dated Friday, April 7, 1978, the following was reported: “In another first for women in boxing, Joan Marcolt, 24, St. Paul, will meet Debbie Kaufman, 24, Minneapolis, Saturday in the bantamweight division of the state AAU boxing tournament at Fred Moore Junior High School in Anoka. It will be the first amateur bout between women in Minnesota.”
Little did these women boxers know that the AAU would block this bout, and Kaufman and Marcolt were not allowed to participate in the competition that following day. The women’s boxing organization which at that time was called the University of Minneapolis Women’s boxing club was furious, and they let it be known to the media.
In the Rapid City Journal, dated Saturday, April 8, 1978, page 8, in the Sports Section…..the article read, “Female Boxers Bitter” it read as follows:
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A group of frustrated female boxers and their backers, prevented from appearing on Friday’s state AAU boxing card, have been told they can have their own bouts to determine state champions in May. However, the boxers and Bill Paul, their promoter, are still bitter and plan to protest. “All we asked for was four minutes on the card,” said Paul, who wanted Joan Marcolt, St. Paul, and Debbie Kaufman, Minneapolis, to fight at Anoka’s Fred Moore junior high school for the state female bantamweight championship.
By April 20, 1978, there were some negotiations between the Women’s boxer’s association and the AAU director and that it appeared that the women would be sanctioned by the AAU for this event.
The event did take place and the rest is history…… WBAN will continue the Amateur women’s boxing history by continuing to tell how this organization got started at the University of Minnesota, and about the founder, Bill Paul, who made it all happen. Also, WBAN will go into the history of the International Women’s Boxing Association, which is by all accounts was one of the first organized federations for women’s boxing.
WBAN wants to thank BILL DICKSON for all of the valuable records that he donated to TL Fox. He met with TL Fox in October of 1999, after coming up from Northern California, to Portland, Oregon to get together with her. Bill had two boxes of records that not only had original documents of many of the historical events that occurred in women’s boxing in the 70’s, but also some interesting tidbits from men’s boxing.
Copyrighted 12/19/99. All rights reserved. Sue TL Fox
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