Kid Cleveland

From The Great Outdoor Fight

Kid Cleveland (b. 1915, Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee) participated in his first and last Great Outdoor Fight in 1933. Impressed by the opening day rampage of Young Jude Surrency, he followed Surrency around the entire fight.

Kid was the first of the Twenty-Three Skidoos to be eliminated from the fight, which happened in the following fashion. As the healthiest of the fighters remaining, Surrency picked Kid first to give the others time to rest. As best as the two fighters can recall, the following conversation preceded the fight:

Surrency: Just because you're a kid, don't think I won't put you down, you sonuvabitch!
Cleveland: No other way to it, Boss. Can I ask a favor though? No choppy-sockey or whatever it was that you was usin' on them other guys. Let's settle this like men.
Surrency: Damn straight. Now come on, you dumb bastard!

Following this exchange, Kid Cleveland and Surrency went toe-to-toe for the next forty-five minutes, pummeling each other mercilessly nonstop and with neither giving an inch. Just as the forty-five minute passed, Cleveland said "that about does it for me, Boss" and passed out on his feet. Surrency simply nodded and yelled "NEXT!"

Cleveland is still alive and still attends the Fight on a regular basis. He, along with many other members of the Twenty-Three Skidoos were often seen sitting with Surrency at fights in the following years. To an extent, Cleveland has taken over Surrency's role as the Grand Old Man of the Fight by virtue of being one of the oldest participants still living and occasionally appears on the Bob Raffles show as an analyst.

As a sidenote, Kid Cleveland is his actual name.

[edit] Record

• 1933 - Eliminated on Day 3, 23rd left standing.

[edit] Quotes

Bob, I had a dream last night where I talked to the Boss. He said to tell you to shut the hell up! - An interview with Bob Raffles, 2005.