SSI Archives

Tiger Flowers: From Brunswick to Boxing’s Best

On February 26, 1926, a former resident of Brunswick became the first African American to win the world middleweight boxing championship.

Theodore “Tiger” Flowers was born in Camilla, Georgia, in the mid-1890s, but moved to Brunswick as an infant. He attended Risley School and had a number of jobs, including dockworker, before pursuing professional boxing. After working with a local boxing promoter, Flowers attracted the attention of Atlanta manager Walk Miller. Miller is thought to have arranged Flowers’ first official fight, which he won in Brunswick in 1918.

By 1920, Flowers had moved to Atlanta for serious training under Miller. Over the next six years, he crisscrossed the United States as he ascended to the top ranks of his profession. Admired for his speed and ferocity inside the ring, the lefthander became known as the “Georgia Deacon” for his religious devotion outside the ring.

The February 1926 championship fight against Harry Greb, another boxing legend, took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City, with Flowers winning on points after the 15-round limit. In August he successfully defended his title, then, in December, lost to Mickey Walker in Chicago on a judges’ decision that was widely condemned by both the fans and the press, amid rumors of a fix by local mobsters.

Flowers died less than a year later in New York City after undergoing surgery to remove scar tissue around his eye. It was reported that approximately 75,000 mourners filed past his coffin in Atlanta. His obituary was featured on the front page of the November 18, 1927, issue of the Brunswick Pilot newspaper. The article noted that his father, Aaron, still resided in Brunswick and that Flowers’ loss of the title was “one of the outstanding scandals of the prize ring.”

Flowers was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1976 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993.

This month’s image from the Coastal Georgia Historical Society archives shows the Brunswick dock laden with naval stores. Records associated with the photograph indicate that Tiger Flowers is among the workmen on the dock. The Brunswick Pilot issue mentioned above is also in the archives.

Our monthly images on this page are from the vast archives of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society. The Society’s mission includes the “administration, restoration and maintenance of historic facilities and resources … preserved as a living part of the historical and cultural foundations of our coastal community.” Society facilities include the St. Simons Lighthouse and Museum, the A.W. Jones Heritage Center, and the Maritime Center (formerly the U.S. Coast Guard Station). To learn more about the Society, its diverse programs, and the benefits of Society membership, please call 912.638.4666, or visit saintsimonslighthouse.org.