100 Years Ago. Boxing Day, 1908. "A Large Black Cat Played With A Small White Mouse."

[bradlee180]

December 26th, 1908. Boxing Day.
Sydney's Rushcutter's Bay, Australia.
A Century Ago.

"A Large Black Cat Played With A Small White Mouse."

"Galveston Giant" Jack Johnson wins the World's Heavyweight Championship from Tommy Burns of Canada.



"On the day after Christmas 1908, a large black cat played with a small white mouse in a combination boxing match-cum-game, less for fistic nourishment than for sadistic pleasure.
The fight was, in the words of columnist Jack London, "No fight," as Johnson fought with the armor of arrogance, expressing a contempt for opponents and fans alike as he played his audience like a band leader checking his sections, flashing his gold teeth and taunting Burns with verbal winks --'Come on, leedle Tahmmy, come right here where I want you.' " - Bert Sugar

Johnson had followed Burns around the world pushing for a title shot, a bout that no promoter would touch...apparently.
Australian promoter Hugh "Huge Deal" McIntosh guaranteed the then-unheard of purse of 30 thousand dollars to Champion Tommy Burns if he met Jack Johnson for the title.
Hugh "Huge Deal" McIntosh himself was the third-man-in-the-ring for the historic clash.

In front of 20 thousand spectators, the 1-sided shellacking was finally halted in Rd 14.



The Jack Johnson years had begun.
1908 to 1915. The Championship years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T5zIHuD0BU

For 30 year old Jack Johnson, the party had just begun.





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[CutMeMick]

I watched "Unforgiveable Blackness" this morning and I also watched "Legendary Champions: 1882-1929"...

Top read bradlee thanks for posting this...

[bradlee180]

Johnson became champ in 1908, but in early 1901, 32 year old veteran Joe Choynski, who had already fought the best of the era by then, knocked out a green 22 year old Jack Johnson in 3 rds.
At the time of the fight, Johnson is credited with having less than 10 pro fights though his early record is incomplete as Boxing was illegal. In contrast, Choynski had over 60 professional fights including bouts with Jim Jeffries, Jim Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, Tom Sharkey, Kid McCoy, George Godfrey, Peter Maher, the original Joe Walcott,...

Choynski was too big a step-up in class for the developing Johnson, and after the bout, both fighters were jailed for a month for participating in an illegal prizefight.



^ Over the course of that month in 1901, the experienced veteran Joe Choynski imparted his boxing knowledge to the young Jack Johnson.


Jack Johnson vs Fireman Jim Flynn 1912




"Jack Johnson is a Dandy." Autobiography.





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrVyrSimXYs



The jagged life this man led and the fact that he was never assassinated boggles the mind.
Mob lynchings of black people was prevalent, and there are many horrific photographs from that era of exactly that. Race riots broke out across America when Johnson beat Jim Jeffries and people were killed over it. The way this guy was living his life in 1908 and beyond is as Muhammad Ali said of Johnson, "Crazy!!!"
Scandal. Jack and all his ladies. White ladies. Fast sportscars. The night life. Jack sold his night club and it was later renamed "The Cotton Club." The jet set before there were jets.



...and of course, my favorite line about Jack Johnson.
In 1946, 68 year old Jack Johnson was driving to the Billy Conn/ Joe Louis rematch.
Driving fast and angry over being refused service at a roadside diner, Johnson lost control of his car, had a collision, and died from his injuries.
John Larder's famous line:

"Jack Johnson died crossing the white line for the last time." - John Lardner

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[Master]

Just seems like yesterday.

Tommy Burns the smallest heavyweight champion at 5ft 6 inches.

[Spicoli]

Quality pics there.Have not seen a few of those.Top notch stuff chief,thanks.

[kingfrnk]

Unforgivable Blackness is pretty interesting im watching it right now.

[Kel]

Just seems like yesterday.

Tommy Burns the smallest heavyweight champion at 5ft 6 inches.

What the fuck? Are you a hundred years old with a great memory or nuts?

[Zelley]

It was interesting reading the local paper on Boxing Day with an interesting article
"Australia commemorates Canadian's historic fight" by Randy Boswell.

The main problem with the article about Johnson and Burns was it gave the impression that Jack Johnson was the first black champion and compared Johnson's win a milestone akin to Jackie Robinson's breaking of the color barrier in major league baseball.

The problem with that reference in a Canadian newspaper is it overlooks
the achievements of former bantamweight and featherweight champion
George Dixon from Halifax, Canada. Without rehashing Dixon's complete boxing tour of
duty from 1886 to 1906, it is recognized that he won the featherweight title
with a victory over Australia's Abe Willis in San Francisco in 1891.
So with due respect to Jack Johnson, I'm not sure what racial barrier
that he broke.

Johnson's winning the heavyweight title was not necessarily a positive step
for the rest of the African American heavyweights. In fact most were diminshed to
fighting each other but no title shots with Johnson. It wouldn't be until
the Cinderella man James Braddock fought Joe Louis in 1937 that the African American heavyweights would start to see a rainbow and sunshine instead of stormy weather!

In other weight divisions we did have the likes of George Dixon, Tiger Flowers,
Joe Gans, and Joe Walcott.

[Kev]

Just seems like yesterday.

Tommy Burns the smallest heavyweight champion at 5ft 6 inches.

What the fuck? Are you a hundred years old with a great memory or nuts?

I believe Scrap was ringside for his fight with Ketchel