Buttrick, Barbara, Born 1929
Dates
- Existence: Born 1929
Biography
Barbara Buttrick ‘The Mighty Atom of the Ring’ was born in Cottingham, Yorkshire, on 3 December 1929.
At a young age Barbara was inspired to become a boxer by Polly Fairclough. Her first appearance was on the fairground was at Epson on Derby Day in 1949, aged 19, in Tommy Wood's show. She also boxed with Professor Bosco and Sam McKeowen among others and during her career she gave around 1,000 boxing exhibitions on the fairgrounds of England, France and America.
In 1953 Barbara moved to America where she joined an Athletic Show travelling the Midways with a carnival. In 1954, she started fighting competitive bouts rather than exhibition matches becoming one of the most famous women boxers of all time and the first female boxer to have her fight broadcast on national television.
Barbara's professional achivements:
First English woman professional boxer 1948-1960
First English woman to travel continental Europe and engage in public boxing contests 1951-1952
Frist English woman to cross the Atlantic and box against American women in public boxing contests 1952-1960
Engaged in the first female boxing contests in the following American states; North Dakota, Kansas, Texas and Florida
Engaged in the fits female boxing in Canada. 9 September 1954, which was the first ever radio broadcast of a professional women’s boxing bout
Obtained the first female boxing license in the State of Texas in October 1957
Won the first Women’s World Boxing Championship in San Antonio, Texas 9 October 1957
Featured in the first female boxing contest in Florida, that was broadcast over radio station WCKR Miami on 1 October 1959
Featured in the first photographs of a female boxing contestant published in Ring Magazine, The Bible of Boxing, December 1957
Created a record 12 year active boxing career. The longest in Women’s Boxing history
The first woman President of a Men’s Veteran Boxers Association Ring 31 of Florida, September 1988
Her Pro-boxing records was 30-1-1
In 12 years in the ring she had over 1,000 exhibitions mainly with male boxers. She also had over 50 matches as a Pro-Wrestler
Undefeated Women’s World Fly & Bantamweight Boxing Champion 1950-1960
Found in 61 Collections and/or Records:
18th Annual Convention of National Veteran Boxers Association Programme, 10 - 12 October 1980
Illustrated programme for boxing at Di Lido Hotel, Miami Beach USA. 44p.p.
An Outstanding Wrestling Progam Promoted by Gehring’s Professional Wrestling Enterprise Poster, 15 January c1950 - 1959
Association of Polish Women’s Hall, Tapco Joe Springo vs. Dr Von Dyke, Stanley Radwan vs. Dynamite Joe Bennack, Irene Ramey vs. Barbara Buttrick, Rough House Joe vs. Angelo Thonas. Black type on white background and black and white photographs of the contestants.
Article on Barbara Buttrick, c1949 - 1999
Battling Barbara Buttrick. Photocopy of article about Barbara relating her childhood and boxing career. Typescript. 2p.p.
Article on Barbara Buttrick, c1949 - 1999
Battling Barbara Buttrick: Woman Fighter Photocopy of article about Barbara. Typescript. 8p.p.
Article on Women's Boxing, September 2001
Jennifer Hargreaves. Women’s boxing and related activities: introducing images and meanings in InYo: Journal of Alternative Perspectives on the Martial Arts and Sciences 1492-1669. September 2001. Typescript, November 2001. 13p.p.
Articles, Monographs and Research Material, c1900 - 2001
Research material concerning Barbara Buttrick's career as a boxer and other boxing related topics.
Articles on Women Boxers, c1900 - 1999
Photocopy of article on women boxing history, from a scrapbook. 3p.p Two copies.
Barbara Buttrick Collection
The collection contains photographs, handbills and programmes relating to Barbara Buttrick’s boxing career and some material she collected related to boxing.
Barbara Buttrick's Biography, 10 October 1952
Photocopy of Barbara Buttrick’s Biography. Typescript. 13p.p.
Battling Barbara Buttrick Handbill, 7 March 1949
Barbara Buttrick, the girl boxer banned by the Variety Artists Federation, Danvers and Dolaine, The 4 Jolly Rogers, Eno and Lane, Davide Starmer with Denise, Bob Nelson, Arthur Pond, Clement Minns. Red and blue type on white background with information about Barbara. Printed by Coronation Press, 330A Cricklewood Lane, London N.W.2.