Bob Scanlon (boxer)

Bob Scanlon (February 7, 1886; date of death unknown) was an American boxer who partook in over 125 bouts and spent three years fighting in the French Army during the First World War. He was born in Mobile, Alabama as Benjamin Lewis and changed his name to Bob Scanlon at an unknown date.[2] He found success as a boxer in Europe, with most of his fights happening in England or France. [3] He lived in Paris for most of his life. He was one of the first Americans to join the French Foreign Legion after the start of the First World War. [4][5]

Bob Scanlon
Scanlon in 1919.
Statistics
Real nameBenjamin Lewis
NationalityAmerican
BornBenjamin Lewis
(1886-02-07) February 7, 1886
Mobile, Alabama
Boxing record[1]
Wins59
Wins by KO20
Losses54
Draws13

He left for Mexico at age 16, becoming a cowboy. He soon headed to England on a ship. As soon as he arrived, he became sick with an unknown illness. He then tried to move to Canada but was unable to secure passage but was able to join a ship as a crew member. He spent two years before coming back to the UK. With no previous experience, he started training as a boxer in Cardiff, Wales. His first bout took place on 15 August 1904. He continued to fight in matches for almost twenty years with 59 wins, 54 losses, and 13 draws. [6] He was a sparring partner of Jack Johnson and later Battling Siki. While living in London, Scanlon came across another African-American boxer, Eugene Bullard. Owing to their similar backgrounds, they became good friends. [5]:7

Scanlon was over in Paris as part of Johnson's entourage for the fight with Frank Moran. Scanlon continued to stay in Paris when the war broke out. He joined the French Foreign Legion in late August. He was one of ten African Americans who joined around the same time, including his friend Bullard.[5]:7–8[2]:379 He became friends with the poet Alan Seeger.

According to one account of Scanlon's life, he had a major interest in flying and was able to build an airplane while he was living in London. [5]:8 A newspaper column claimed that Scanlon was the first African American to shoot down a plane while he was flying as a gunner with Norman Price. [7]

The remaining part of Scanlon's life, including when he died or his place of death, is not known.

References
  1. "Boxing record for Bob Scanlon". BoxRec.
  2. Williams, Chad Louis (2010). Torchbearers of Democracy: African American Soldiers in the World War I Era. Univ of North Carolina Press. p. 379. ISBN 978-0-8078-3394-0.
  3. Digital Collections, The New York Public Library. "(text) Negro anthology, (1934)". The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  4. Ruane, Michael E. (2015-02-14). "First Americans to die in WWI may have been volunteers in French army". Washington Post. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
  5. Scott, Lawrence P.; Womack, William M. (1998-12-31). Double V: The Civil Rights Struggle of the Tuskegee Airmen. MSU Press. ISBN 978-0-87013-953-6.
  6. "BoxRec: Bob Scanlon". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
  7. Rogers, J.A. (1943-12-18). "Another Negro First". The Pittsburgh Courier. p. 7. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
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