Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Jimmy Deforest and Jack Dempsey Letters - 1925

Collapse
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #11
    Originally posted by travestyny View Post
    For Num. 2, I don't have the original article. But why would there be two different sources saying the same exact thing? Take a look at the NYT article:




    So this was from Joe Vila's daily column called, "Setting the Pace." It wasn't even focusing on the wraps, as mentioned. The focus was on Dempsey's future. I would implore you to look up Joe Vila, and also look up the author of the article, Arthur Daley. These are well respected journalists.

    Joe Vila-- "Vila has been regarded as one of the most influential sportswriters during the first third of the 20th century, while setting fundamental changes in sports coverage during the decades to come."

    Arthur Daley— Pulitzer Prize winner for reporting and commentary--outstanding coverage and commentary on the world of sports; The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association "Sportswriter of the Year."

    When you look at what was said in the article and what Nat Fleischer said he heard directly from Jimmy Deforests mouth at a press conference with other reporters... it's identical.

    So is there some kind of conspiracy going on by these trusted reporters? It's highly unlikely.


    For Num. 3, as Deforest said, it wasn't strictly speaking illegal. But it's not like it wasn't considered a dirty trick that could be used. Remember, Deforest said he did the same with Kid McCoy's wraps. Here is an article about McCoy's wraps, and they refer to it as a "trick of the trade."

    San Francisco Call, Volume 107, Number 117, 27 March 1910 -- TRICKS OF THE TRADE OF PRIZE FIGHTERS


    Same process described by DeForest, who was McCoy's trainer apparently.

    There are plenty of writers who agree that this is likely what happened.

    Paul Beston—Author of The Boxing Kings: When American Heavyweights Ruled the Ring.


    Paul Beston Again:


    Carlos Acevedo—Boxing Writers Association of America/Intenational Boxing Research Organization.


    Randy Warren Roberts — “Nearly 40 years later, Roberts’s biography remains the best book written about Jack Dempsey, and it’s not even close.”



    I seriously doubt all of these writers engaged in a plot to besmirch Dempsey. It was a "trick" that Deforest used to give Dempsey an edge. A trick that could be used right in front of everyone's eyes, as it's mentioned by Deforest and some of the writers above that Willard inspected the wraps. Seems like the trick worked quite well.


    The thing I don't like about this being done is Willard protested A LOT about guys wrapping their hands in such a fashion that their hands were like iron before the fight. He made a huge fuss over it, and yet they did it anyway.
    Pretty funny that I wrote about the dirty tricks from that article many years ago:

    https://www.boxingscene.com/forums/s...d.php?t=239086

    Comment


    • #12
      Originally posted by BattlingNelson View Post
      Pretty funny that I wrote about the dirty tricks from that article many years ago:

      https://www.boxingscene.com/forums/s...d.php?t=239086
      Man. Kid McCoy had a bunch of different tricks, I see. Jeez!


      Just checked out his boxrec. Only lost six times...but the captions under his losses are pretty interesting. His loss to Corbett is said to have been faked to win bets. In another of his losses, he was knocked out, but his opponent thought the fight was still on when he got up, and knocked him down again. lol.

      Pretty sure he also shot and killed his girlfriend, and eventually killed himself. They should make a movie on this guy.

      Comment


      • #13
        Originally posted by travestyny View Post
        Found a couple of letters between the two from 1925 that some of you might like. Enjoy!









        Thank you for posting the letters.

        In regards to the 'loaded gloves' theory . . .

        I think this was s good discussion and you brought some very interesting sources to the table.

        I am of the mind, now, that it's up to the individual to decide if they want to call it -- loaded gloves -- a trick -- or merely superior wrappings.

        I always felt that Dempsey's wrappings gave him an advantage at some level, now I am convinced of that.

        Whether or not that advantage should be called "cheating" is in my opinion, under the circumstances of 1919, still open to individual interpretation.

        I would like to add, we here on this forum, now have a better understanding of the issue than 95% of the boxing community. Good job T.

        P.S. I think I have a good idea of what De Forest was saying between the lines, regarding Harry Wills. I will, if you would like, give you my two cents as to what I think he was saying. It is not profound.

        Comment


        • #14
          Originally posted by Willie Pep 229 View Post
          Thank you for posting the letters.

          In regards to the 'loaded gloves' theory . . .

          I think this was s good discussion and you brought some very interesting sources to the table.

          I am of the mind, now, that it's up to the individual to decide if they want to call it -- loaded gloves -- a trick -- or merely superior wrappings.

          I always felt that Dempsey's wrappings gave him an advantage at some level, now I am convinced of that.

          Whether or not that advantage should be called "cheating" is in my opinion, under the circumstances of 1919, still open to individual interpretation.

          I would like to add, we here on this forum, now have a better understanding of the issue than 95% of the boxing community. Good job T.

          P.S. I think I have a good idea of what De Forest was saying between the lines, regarding Harry Wills. I will, if you would like, give you my two cents as to what I think he was saying. It is not profound.
          I think this is a fair assessment.


          I mean, if you want to respond about the Wills thing, then sure. It would be interesting to get your perspective. Personally, I don't have an opinion on it because I can't possibly know how he meant it and I won't assume, but of course you can chime in about what you believe.


          Edit--
          By the way, hope you could see the last part of Dempsey's letter there. I see that VGY must be down again. At least on my end...my sig and the last image of the letter are currently missing. If you weren't able to see it, I'll try to find another way to present the image of it.

          Edit again--
          Nevermind. It's all miraculously showing up again now. lol
          Last edited by travestyny; 09-12-2020, 01:55 PM.

          Comment

          Working...
          X
          TOP