Although they were probably never legally married, Johnson introduced Austin as his wife wherever he went. She was the first "Mrs. Jack Johnson," but far from the last. Austin came with Johnson ...

Despite the lack of prize money, Johnson's victory in the ring had impressed Jack Curley ... and training at Ryan's Sand Creek House. His "wife" Mary Austin joined him there for a time.

But in 1908, 39 years before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in major league baseball, there was Jack ... wife. All these things would have been lost in obscurity were it not for the fact ...