Boxing
Be Poignant! Reference Boxing Part II
By Stephen Turk
There are several Jack Dempsey’s in the history of boxing. The first was a champion in the late 1800s. Later there was a second, Bernie Dempsey, who assumed the name Jack as either a way to gain notoriety, revere the former champ, or just sound tougher. I don’t really know which. Bernie had a little brother, Harry. Harry boxed under the name Kid Blackie.
Bernie trained his little brother Harry. At age eleven, Harry was soaking his face in brine and crewing pine tar gum, all in an effort to toughen up. Soon after the family settled out west and Harry dropped out of school.
He was a hardscrabble kid coming up in rural America. He traveled throughout Colorado, Utah, and Nevada by means of hanging on railroad cars to get into barroom fights. Eventually, he got a manager who would get him fights on a circuit that specialized in fights in hard mining towns, a circuit similar to what his brother Bernie/Jack Dempsey fought in. › Continue reading
Be Poignant! Reference Boxing Part I
By Stephen Turk
What we see here is one of the greatest works of art ever created. As far as sports related paintings, this one can’t be touched. It shows the 1923 match up between Jack Dempsey and Luis Firpo. Dempsey, the reigning champ is the one careening out of the ring.
There would be some controversy with the count, as it is believed Dempsey didn’t make it back in by the requist ten count, but he would later go on to knockout Firpo in the second round. And so ended one of the most celebrated boxing matches ever. › Continue reading