(JULY 27) In 1978, there was a lot of excitement about female boxers not being allowed to compete in AAU Boxing tournaments. Most people wouldn't have known about this important moment in the sport if it weren't for "Bill Dickson," the father of women's boxing. Before he passed away, he drove to Vancouver, Washington with his wife and met me in a hotel room. During this meeting, he gave me boxes of genuine historical documents that he had collected while organizing numerous fights in the 1970s and 1980s featuring female professional boxers, including myself on many of those events.

Within the boxes of history of not only female and men’s boxing, that contained original programs, contracts of fights, receipts of fighters eating at the hotels, personal minutes of discussions of women’s boxing about how to rate women in the sport, and numerous historical documents that one would not locate simply in a archive of newspapers.

In my first episode, I want to share what's inside one of the folders that only a handful of people in the sport knew existed. This folder holds important documents about the historic event on May 12, 1978, when female boxers were finally allowed to compete in an AAU Amateur boxing tournament.

No, there were no TV crews from all over the world, national TV, and very little local coverage considering that on May 12, 1978, was the first AAU sanctioned amateurs women's bouts in the world.

Reported in the St. Paul Sunday Pioneer Press, in the Sports section under, "Female boxer makes history" page 3. by Pat Thompson, staff writer, May 14, 1978. An excerpt of the article that was written: 

"Claire Buckner, a St. Paul mother of three, made Minnesota amateur boxing history the other night with her crisp left jabs and power right hand thrust. The 24-year-old Theater Arts major at the University of Minnesota became Minnesota's first AAU woman champion in a four-bout card held Friday night at Bierman Building."

The article went on to state that this opening bout was billed the "World's First Women's Amateur Boxing Championships". [It should be noted that there were several female amateur bouts on this date].

But this history-first amateur boxing event for females that took place on May 12, 1978, did not come about without it's struggles!

These women who had never been recognized by anyone up to this point--- buried in the true history of women's boxing had a fight "outside the ring" before ever making it "inside" that squared circle.

Little did these female boxers know that the AAU would block this bout, and Kaufman and Marcolt were not allowed to participate in the competition that following day. The women's boxing organization which at that time was called the University of Minneapolis Women's boxing club was furious, and they let it be known to the media. [below are letters that was within the AAU folder]

In the Rapid City Journal, dated Saturday, April 8, 1978, page 8, in the Sports Section.....the article read, "Female Boxers Bitter" it read as follows: 

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- A group of frustrated female boxers and their backers, prevented from appearing on Friday's state AAU boxing card, have been told they can have their own bouts to determine state champions in May. However, the boxers and Bill Paul, their promoter, are still bitter and plan to protest. "All we asked for was four minutes on the card," said Paul, who wanted Joan Marcolt, St. Paul, and Debbie Kaufman, Minneapolis, to fight at Anoka's Fred Moore junior high school for the state female bantamweight championship.

By April 20, 1978, there were some negotiations between the Women's boxer's association and the AAU director and that it appeared that the women would be sanctioned by the AAU for this event.

In it's finale, the history-first amateur female boxing tournament did take place on May 12, 1978, the following listed that day:  flyweights Mary Byrne, of Bloomington, and Karin Schoen, of St. Louis Park; and bantamweights Anita Howard and Debbie Kauffman, of Minneapolis; and featherweights Claire Buckner, of St. Paul, and Natalie Onefeather, of Minneapolis; heavyweights Laurie Dinneen, of St. Paul and Kathy Hetterick, of Edina.  There was also an exhibition bout between Barb Drew of Minnepolis and Sue Carson, of St. Louis Park. 

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