Vintage BUFFALO EDDIE KELLY Boxer Signed Photo AEF CHAMPION 69th Fighting Reg 2

Vintage c. 1930’s…

“Buffalo” Eddie Kelly

BOXER w/ Championship Belt & NY Shorts

Signed 8x10 Photo

Signed on reverse:

“Eddie Kelly of the Fighting 69th Regiment / A.E.F. Champion 1920-1928 / Now Champion Blood Donor of Greater New York 97 Pints”

Measures 10” x 8”.

Some history:

"Buffalo" Eddie Kelly (May 7, 1885 – 1944) was an American boxer who contended three times for the Featherweight Championship of the World against reigning champion Abe Attell between February 1908 and February 1909. Attell was Featherweight Champion for a record eleven years, between 1901 and 1912, and fought Kelly three more times in non-title fights. Kelly's three attempts at the Featherweight Championship were a record at the time for the three-year period, and it placed him squarely in the top five of rated Featherweights for those years. After his lessons from Attell, Kelly lost bouts with greater frequency but with more challenging opponents before he retired from the ring around 1913. The El Paso Herald noted that Kelly had once fought a draw with future Welterweight Champion Jack Britton, and beaten the noteworthy New York boxer Grover Hayes.

Kelly later joined the armed forces and became American Expeditionary Forces boxing champion from 1920-1928. Kelly died at sea in 1944, whilst with the United States Merchant Marine.

CONDITION:

Excellent vintage, preowned condition. Creasing at top and at edges. Folds on edges with slight tears. Photo itself is printed grainy with vertical lines. See photos for details.

Please message for any questions, thanks.