How would dempsey do against todays Heavyweights?

[travestyny]

What's the contention then--that chemists forgot the formula for this tape? Or is there supposed to still be some around for sale? Was it merely a brand of tape available in Dempsey's era? Bicycle tape sounds like useful stuff. They should still be making it.

Perhaps they are still making it. I wouldn't know.


The question is why are there so many people living AT THAT TIME who directly used the tape or knew about the use of it and agreed that it was done to give an advantage....

Yet only a few romantics in the history section believe this was a conspiracy made up in the early 1900's about Dempsey. And I reapeat....made up in the early 1900's. Various witnesses talked about this tape's use..at that time..and sometimes with no reference to Dempsey at all.

If anyone can make sense of that, do let me know.


Either way, being that it was prohibited in the Tunney match, I don't think it would do you any good to find it if you want it for boxing purposes.


Oh, and Dempsey himself proved that he was aware of bicycle tape, when he stated that he used it to make handles for a makeshift jump rope (direct quotation in one of my previous posts).

[The Old LefHook]

International spies--alert! Put sharpened strips of bicycle tape across the inside of each palm in the field. In case of capture it can now be used for suicide. Just squeeze. Tape must be well sharpened.

[The Old LefHook]

International spies--alert!

Look under Jack Dempsey for definition of bicycle tape.

[GhostofDempsey]

International spies--alert!

Look under Jack Dempsey for definition of bicycle tape.

There is a widely spread myth that David defeated Goliath with a sling. Most people don't know he really used bicycle tape.

[travestyny]

Noooo. Tape can't make your hands harder. Can't happen.


Let's tell that to Jess Willard who said this BEFORE his fight with Dempsey:

Willard said in newswire article just days before his butchering in Toledo. “Some fellows have wound adhesive tape so thickly that the fist felt like iron through the glove."

Hmmmmmm. How about Gunboat Smith. I mean, should we believe what the guys around this time said, or not? Maybe they are just making it up about loading gloves with...tape.

“So in the tenth round I hit him with one of my right hands, but it was on the ear. Tore his ear right off. That hushed him up for the rest of the fight. The blood was running down, and oh God, I, of course, had my gloves ‘loaded.’ I had insulation tape laid across my hands.”

Nah, let's toss out all of this evidence.


This guy, Paul Benson, wrote a book on American Heavyweights in the 20th Century. Let's see what he thinks about the evidence out there:

All the evidence points to a more mundane explanation: Dempsey wore handwraps wound with a tightening adhesive, likened to bicycle tape—more than sufficient to make his hands feel like rocks.

I'm waiting for word on this debate. The Old LefHook and GhostofDempsey, please feel free to join in once it gets underway.

[billeau2]

Again, I am not arguing that Dempsey was not a hard puncher. I've never argued that he wasn't a hard puncher, nor Kid McCoy.

It's simple common sense that their punches would do even more damage if their fists were made harder. You seem to have a problem with believing that the tape made their fists harder. A bunch of people have commented on this in books and to you it doesn't make sense. Anecdotal evidence of McCoy leaving it purposely over his knuckles CLEARLY DUE TO THE BELIEF THAT IT MAKES HIS PUNCHES HARDER. Wouldn't that be the point? When I asked you that, you seemed to agree that it was his belief, but your argument is that maybe he was wrong about that and it was some type of placebo affect that though he believed that to be the case, it may not have been the case. Harder hands are harder hands. Harder hands cause more damage than normal hands. I still think this is very obvious.


So then you agree to the debate? I have no problem starting the thread, but as you know, this will take some time to play out. We first need to agree on the 3 neutral judges. Before I make the thread, I need to know that you agree to the process.

What you are doing is trying to force an acknowledgement of something that does not appear to exist. You are being ridiculous about it. If you want to make more of an issue of it, then go start a thread, be careful what you wish for... In the meantime, I want to start a thread about truth claims and evidence. I will start that thread here, and use it to simply restate my position and points so you can see exactly what it is you are attacking ok? I will not restate your points, the purpose of the thread will be the larger issue and to restate my position so you can decide if you want to waste my time...If you do waste my time be warned that the thread will have my position stated in its entirety, there will be no backtracking, no misunderstanding about what was said etc, this post is letting you know this up front so there is no misunderstanding.

I think it best if I intially start a thread here with a broader constructive base, because these type issues come up about claims and truth...and I like when possible to be constructive and colaberative.

Do you Understand the situation where it stands? thats a yes or no question...its not a debate about the topic at hand. The thread I start will n no way be antagonistic towards you, it will simply give you points to attack if you so desire...and you can decide if you want to pursue this in the Dome.

[billeau2]

What's the contention then--that chemists forgot the formula for this tape? Or is there supposed to still be some around for sale? Was it merely a brand of tape available in Dempsey's era? Bicycle tape sounds like useful stuff. They should still be making it.

I will make a thread and address it.

[Joe Beamish]

Bicycle tape vs. PEDs

Tough call

[mickey malone]

Not seen it for years, but bicycle tape was still available in the 70's
Remember using it to patch up the handle bars on many an old bike

Stuck like **** to a blanket, and if enough of it was ever used to wrap the hands of a fighter
That fighter, as well as having his fingers glued together for weeks, would have almost certainly had an awfully unfair advantage in the ring

Doubt it was quite the same product in the 20's though and Dempsey being the sportsman he was would never have entertained the idea anyway
He was quite compassionate really, and always the first to help a man back onto his feet

[travestyny]

Not seen it for years, but bicycle tape was still available in the 70's
Remember using it to patch up the handle bars on many an old bike

Stuck like **** to a blanket, and if enough of it was ever used to wrap the hands of a fighter
That fighter, as well as having his fingers glued together for weeks, would have almost certainly had an awfully unfair advantage in the ring

Doubt it was quite the same product in the 20's though and Dempsey being the sportsman he was would never have entertained the idea anyway
He was quite compassionate really, and always the first to help a man back onto his feet

It's possible that it was not the same material, but I'm not so sure about Dempsey not using it regardless.


Here it states that Dempsey used bicycle tape often, and it had to be prohibited from the Tunney fight.

https://books.google.co.kr/books?id=...20tape&f=false