AL ROGERS
MIDDLEWEIGHT/Buffalo, New York
1905-1921

Buffalo's Italian community has produced many top-notch boxers over the years, such as Rocky Kansas, Lou Scozza, Joey Giambra, Tommy Paul, Joe and Phil Muscato, Bud Christiano, and Bobby Tracey, to name a few. None of the aforementioned fighters were tougher than Al Rogers.

Al Rogers was born in 1888 as Angelo Christiano, one of 14 children, whose parents Vincenzo and Serafina emigrated from the village of San Fele in the province of Potenza in Italy. Two of Al's brothers became involved in the family's fruit and produce business; one became a successful attorney and local politician, and one other was a restaurateur. Al and his younger brother Augustine (Bud) became professional fighters.

After winning an amateur tournament in Ft. Erie, Al turned pro in 1905, fighting in "smokers" held by various athletic clubs in Western New York. Rogers, a lightweight, usually represented the Busti A.C., and was managed by Charlie Palmer. During Al's first few years, he was described as having "a good punch and the ability to withstand a lot of punishment."

In the Spring of 1909, Al (and Palmer) traveled to California with the idea of joining the fighting camp of some of the champions and making a name for himself. He stayed there for a year and defeated a number of

" tough customers", earning the nickname of "Fighting Al." Returning to Buffalo in 1910, he fought bouts in upstate New York, and after losing a 10-round bout in Cleveland in 1911 with Tommy Gavigan, he again left for San Francisco where he had another series of bouts, including one with future welterweight champion and Hall-of-Famer, Jack Britton. Rogers returned to Buffalo in early 1912 to fight K.O. Brennan, and other main events. In his first bout with Young Kid Broad of Philadelphia, one newspaper said that "there was enough power turned loose to move the Ellicott square." In their second bout, the same writer declared that Broad and Rogers "unloosed enough punches to stop an army of white hopes."

After the second Broad bout, Rogers had fights in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, meeting top contenders such as Buck Crouse, Leo Houck, and Jack Dillon. (Dillon out-weighed Rogers about 20 lbs. and a year later became light heavyweight champion.) After a third trip to the West coast, Rogers again returned to Buffalo for a return bout with K.O. Brennan in early 1915. Thereafter, finding it difficult to obtain matches in his home town, Rogers fought all over the Eastern U.S. in the years 1915-1917, going against future champions Harry Greb (3 times), Johnny Wilson (twice), Mike McTigue, and former champion George Chip. Many boxing historians consider Hall-of-Famer, Greb, to be the greatest of all middleweights.

After retiring from the ring in 1921, Rogers became a trainer and manager of boxers, and during World War II, worked in the defense industry.

Tonight, Ring #44 is honored to induct Al Rogers into the Buffalo Boxing Hall of Fame.