William Lawrence Stribling, Sr.

W. L. Stribling, Sr., affectionately known as “Pa” by thousands of friends both in and out of the prizefight world, was the father of famous heavyweight boxer. Pa always dreamed of becoming a prizefighter himself, but was too short and had no training opportunities in rural Georgia. W.L. and his family traveled the world-wide Vaudeville circuit as “The Four Novelty Grahams” until Pa launched “Young Strib’s” (#45) career when he put him in his first professional bout in Atlanta at the age of 16. Pa lived to be 70 years old, dying of a stroke and heart attack but outliving his son by 23 years.

(1886-1956) (Pine Fort, lot 2, row A)

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