Lura Bennett: Pioneer Female Boxer – 1924

On July 24, 1924, page 7, there is a story on Lura Bennett, referring to her as the head of the company, that will perform at the Palace Theater in Indianapolis.  The article talks about new programs added in the entertainment that lists:  Fencing, Boxing Wrestling, Jiu Jitsu, singing and dancing combined into one act at the Palace Theater and to take place at the end of the week.  WBAN has a photo of Lura donning a pair of boxing gloves and we are continuing to research her at this time. 

Two days later, on July 26, 1924, Page 5, in the Indianapolis Star, they report the following about Lura Bennett:  Boxing in on exhibition at the Place theater, the last times today and Sunday. Bennett, the only American girl who has braved the boxing ring in professional matches, is prewith with her company of three people, two women and one man.  Fencing, Boxing, Wrestling, singing dancing and they are jiujitsu are shown.

On February 7, 1924, Page 13 in the Washington Post, they gave the lineup of a show that was to take place at the Cosmos Theater in “The Great Lovers” the following week.  Included in this story they mentioned that Lura Bennett would be with a company of athletic girls that would be offering boxing, feancing, and wrestling.  There is also a comment that Bennett is said to the bhe only American girl who has ever participated in a professional boxing bout.

On Saturday, April 10, 1925, there was a poster of a night of entertainment that wuold take place at the Lincoln Vaudeville.  Lura Bennett & Company would provide an act of Fencing — Boxing — and Gymnastics.

On December 29, 1927, Page 23, in the Oakland Tribune, they reported that Lura Bennett, of Kanjsas City, MO, was claiming the women’s boxing championship of the world.  They reported that she was now training in Chicago for her next fight.  Photo below, she is show primping up after a round of boxing.  She had a females as her Seconds, Patricia Royer and Joan Harrison!

History of the Palace Theater:  The Theater was opened in 1920 under another name “Loew’s State Theater.”  At the time the form of entertainment consisted of motion pictures and Vaudeville.  It then became exclusively a motion picture theater.  The house was closed in 1922 during the summer of that year, and in August of 1922, it was reopened.  At that time it was renamed as the “Palace Theater.” At that time the Theater presented five acts of vaudeville, featured photoplays, and single reel subjects that included fables, news, comedies, and other program fillers.