1. Theodore "Tiger" Flowers was an American professional boxer.
18 Facts About Tiger Flowers
1. 2.
Tiger Flowers was inducted into The Ring Hall of Fame in 1971, The Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1976, The World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990, and The International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993.
3.
Tiger Flowers is often compared, in precedence, to fighters George Dixon, the first black boxing champion who won the Bantamweight World Title in 1892, Barbados Joe Walcott, first black to win the World Welterweight title on December 18,1901, Joe Gans, the first black to win the World Lightweight Title in 1902, and the more controversial Jack Johnson, the first black to win the World Heavyweight Title in 1908.
4.
Theodore Tiger Flowers was born on February 14,1895 and was born in Mitchell County, Georgia.
5.
Tiger Flowers' had five siblings: Carl Tiger Flowers, Gertrude, Oc or Osee, Uly Smith, Cecil Nathan.
6.
Theodore Tiger Flowers married Willie Mae Spellers on November 22,1915.
7.
Tiger Flowers combined showmanship inside the ropes with a public persona characterized by sobriety and religious devotion; eventually becoming donned "The Deacon".
8.
Tiger Flowers famously carried a Bible into the ring for each fight and shared scripture.
9.
Tiger Flowers' first bout was a victory over fighter Billy Hooper; which he followed up with an impressive two-dozen straight victories before suffering his first loss to Panama Joe Gans.
10.
Tiger Flowers found himself primarily having to fight men of his own race, and many times over, in order to make a living.
11.
On February 26,1926, before a crowd of 16,311 at Madison Square Garden, Tiger Flowers dethroned champion Harry Greb by split decision.
12.
Tiger Flowers immediately set his sights on a rematch to regain the title, but his career would be cut short before ever gaining the opportunity.
13.
Tiger Flowers was hospitalized in New York City in early November 1927, requiring surgery to remove scar tissue from around his eyes.
14.
The circumstances of Tiger Flowers's death were similar to what caused the death of former champion Harry Greb about a year prior.
15.
Posthumously, Theodore Tiger Flowers was honored as one of the greatest fighters of his era.
16.
An important figure in Atlanta, Georgia's black community, Tiger Flowers was remembered as a deacon for the Butler Street CME Church and as a member of the lodges of Masons, Elks, and Knights of Pythias.
17.
Tiger Flowers was laid to rest at Lincoln Cemetery in Atlanta.
18.
Tiger Flowers Drive in Atlanta, Georgia, is named for him.