Mr Tommy Allan, Amateur Boxer

Mr. Tommy Allan – Thomas was a Blantyre amateur boxer from 1927 until 1936 often featuring in local news reports. When Tommy fought Frank Parkes in Dundee in winter 1927, the judges narrowly gave the contest to Parkes, which caused massive upset in the audience. The pair met again a year later. He fought in Dundee in October 1928. Commentators told of Allan’s hands, “going like pistons”.

In October 1931 he fought in Airdrie against Jackie Donnelly. On Saturday 12^th December 1936, Tommy was the main attraction in a special 10-bout contest in Motherwell against Joe Gans of Burnbank.

His granddaughter, Angie Allan said, “Tommy died young aged 33 but not before he had at least one son.”

From “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c) 2017

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