walcott was born on march 13, 1873, in demerara, guyana, according to several sources, though he spent most of his youth in barbados. as a youngster he set out to see the world and got a job as a cabin boy on a ship sailing to boston that arrived around 1887. he soon settled in boston as a piano mover, and porter and took other odd jobs as well. later, he landed a job in a gym, and became popular with even the best of the boxers as an able opponent before turning professional. his amateur boxing and wrestling years spanned roughly from 1887-89.