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Was Grandad really a Boxer? (Ernest Albert Cale 1892-1947)

M

mcale

Guest
Family lore has it that my grandfather, Ernest Albert Cale (1892-1947), was a professional boxer who fought in the US under the name "Kid Daly". The story goes that he won his fight(s) in the US and came home with enough money to buy his mother (maiden name = Charlotte Bishop) a sweet shop.

We have one photo of him, and he certainly had a boxer's build! He served in WW1 in the Royal Field Artillery as a bombadier (war service 1915-18). He was married in 1917 to Elsie Woodall. In his non-military career, he was a waterproof paper maker. Both he and Elsie lived their whole lives in Ladywood and Winson Green, Birmingham. I have not been able to find any information about his boxing career and can't confirm whether there is any truth in the stories of his boxing bouts abroad.

Can anyone help with suggestions of places to look for information about Ernie Cale's supposed career as a boxer?

Many thanks -
Michelle Cale
 
in the kellys directory for 1921 there is a mrs. charlotte cale - shopkeeper - 53 Browning St. Ladywood.

charlotte cale was listed at the above address 1920 - 1927 in the electoral rolls

sorry i cant help about the boxing career
 
Kid Daley1(1)-0(0)-01929-1929
Watertown, South Dakota, United StatesKid Daley0(0)-1(1)-01911-1911
Lawrence, Massachusetts, United StatesKid Daleymiddleweight0(0)-1(0)-01919-1919

Thats all i can find

Mau-reece
 
Mossy are you awake yet I've just posted that see post #2:)
It was posted an hour ago
 
I know that 'Nipper Pat Daly' (who was an excellent boxer; my father, Archie Woodbine, fought him, and lost) had to call himself 'Nipper' because another boxer was called 'Kid Daly' (or Daley)... but it certainly wasn't 'Nipper' Daly, as he never fought in America. I have come across references to a Daly/Daley fighting on the American circuit; but beyond that I know nowt more.

Hundreds, if not many thousands, fought a bout or two just to try it out, during the 20's and 30's ... so it's quite possible that your grandfather was telling the truth. If indeed he got to fight, and survive, in America, he would have been a damned good boxer; as the 'game' was a hard one, in the States.

I suggest you trawl the net for details of 'Nipper Pat Daly' as his grandson has just written a book about him; and I would imagine that he might well have come across this other 'Daley' during his researches. I'll see if I can find his email address for you; I have it somewhere - he's a really nice bloke and wouldn't mind helping you if he could. 'Boxing-buffs' are always ready to swap information and help-out with queries etc.
 
Shera said:
in the kellys directory for 1921 there is a mrs. charlotte cale - shopkeeper - 53 Browning St. Ladywood.

charlotte cale was listed at the above address 1920 - 1927 in the electoral rolls

sorry i cant help about the boxing career
Click to expand...

Thanks for this information, Shera. By this point my Great-Grandmother was estranged from her husband, so maybe my grandfather was trying to help keep her afloat.
 
Alf, Thanks for the direction to the boxrec.com website. I see there are a few Kid Daly/Daley's listed. Hard to work out if one of them might be mine, unfortunately. Though none of them seems to have been very successful ;-)
 
JohnO, Thanks for the suggestion. I'll follow up the potential Nipper Pat Daly connection. It would make my Dad's day if I could find out something about his father's boxing.
 
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