Boxing Kangaroo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the film of the same name see Das Boxende Känguruh.
The boxing kangaroo is a national personification of Australia, frequently seen in popular culture.
The image of the boxing kangaroo Jack is known since 1891. Fifty years later it became a national symbol in the Royal Australian Air Force. The design was inspired by a travelling boxing show which had kangaroos boxing with men. During 1941 boxing kangaroos were stencilled on Australian fighter aeroplanes of the 21st squadron based in Singapore and Malaya.
The boxing kangaroo was the symbol for the successful 1983 Australian challenge for the America's Cup. The Boxing Kangaroo flag, a red-gloved golden kangaroo on a green background, was flown from Australia II. Alan Bond (owner of the Australia II yacht) owned the image and licensed it for mass production.
The image was bought by the Australian Olympic Committee and the Australian Olympic Team carried a boxing kangaroo toy at the Opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The mascot was also used by the 2004 Australian Olympic team.
The symbol is often displayed prominently at Australian sporting matches, for example Cricket
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[edit] Early history of the Boxing kangaroo
- A cartoon titled "Jack, the fighting Kangaroo with Professor Lendermann" appeared in 1891.[1]
- The German silent movie Das Boxende Känguruh, directed by Max Skladanowsky, first presented in Berlin, on November 1st 1895, featured a boxing kangaroo.[2]
- The silent movie The Boxing Kangaroo (1920), directed by Dave Fleischer, animated by Max Fleischer and Roland Crandall, was released in the United States.
[edit] Popular culture
- In the run-up to Boxing Day 2006, Google featured a series of knitting kangaroos in its logo[1], making them, presumably, Boxing-Day kangaroos.
- Roger and Roger Jr. are boxing kangaroos in the Tekken series of video games.
- Paul Gallico wrote a novel about a boxing kangaroo called Matilda.
- The Mighty Boosh, a British television program, aired an episode entitled Killaroo, in which Howard, a main character, was forced to fight a talented boxing kangaroo.
- Kao is an Australian kangaroo battling for the freedom of wild animals, as seen in a few action games, like Kao Challengers.
- Chipple is a character in the Klonoa series, as his friend that admires him much.
- Vanishing Galgaroon (or Gungaroo) is a boss from Mega Man X7, where he unleashes boxing skills after his Ride Armor he rides, as if on a pouch, is destroyed.
- Roo, from Streets of Rage 3 for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, is a kangaroo who is fought as a boss character along with his handler. If the handler is defeated and Roo is spared, he then becomes playable.
- A boxing kangaroo named Hippety Hopper featured in Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons starring Sylvester the Cat where he mistook the kangaroo as a giant mouse.
- "Rocky", a boxing kangaroo trained and handled by Javier Martinez, has appeared in circuses all over the world and appeared in the 2002 US prime-time television show "Andy Richter Controls The Universe."
- In the computer game Wildlife Park 2: Crazy Zoo, zoo guests can challenge kangaroos to a boxing match.
- In the Legend of Zelda games Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, Link rides in the pouch of a boxing kangaroo named Ricky.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Australia Post: stamp history of Boxing Kangaroo character
- July 2004 article in The Age on the use of the symbol for 2004 Australian Olympic Team
- article stating the flag's designer was an airman
- Australian airforce - history of no. 21 squadron
- DiggerHistory.info - Australian military history
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