What Were Harry Wills' Best Wins?

[travestyny]

travestyny, Very good. Wills had to have know he wasn't getting a shot vs. Dempsey. Godfrey's manager did make several offers to get Wills into the ring. It never happened. That's on Wills. Tunney also wanted to fight Wills before coming a champion. As Champion Tunney was one and done. He could have had a really good legacy as the heavyweight champion, but gave up boxing too soon. That worked out well for him, but not the fans

The color line is a complicated topic. The Champion can fight anywhere in the world. One thing about boxing that hasn't changed is this. What a fighter says and does can be very different once enough money is in it for him.

Fair enough. I agree that it would be on Wills, but I'd be interested to know what the money was and what else was going on at the time to see what made sense. All of it is so complicated, but I really enjoy trying to go back to those times and piece together history.

I owe you thanks for introducing new scenarios for me to go back and explore. I actually had a good time learning about situations and fighters that I previously didn't have much knowledge of. Much respect to you, Dr. Z.


By the way, do you get the feeling that Tunney was an all out racist? I have no doubt that Dempsey wasn't, though I do believe he was worried regarding his legacy if he were to lose officially to a black boxer. I don't think he wanted to be viewed like Jefferies by those who thought he "let his race down." However, Dempsey doesn't seem to be racist at all (despite his wife being one, and calling Wills a slack jawed N-word. lol). However, some of the language that is used to describe how Tunney felt. Like saying the only black boxer he would "condescend to fight" was Wills. And a few other articles. Just seems that he was all out racist to me, which would make me lose respect for him as a man, but not as a fighter.

Again, much respect.

[billeau2]

You're right. Spelling is not that important.

Let's get back to the thread topic about who were Henry Walls' best wins.

If you are dyslexic then just say that instead of saying that spelling is arbitrary for Japanese names.

Its an important point: Really... I am semi fluent in Chinese and know Japanese, not as a speaker, but can understand it. Many people who study Chinese spend a lot of time learning transliteration systems like Wade Giles and it is, in a sense a waste of time. There is no formal spelling for Japanese unless one of their alphabetics are used: Katakana, Romanji...

The spelling is when they take a character and put it into katakana... Not into English. The proof, and a great example is the spelling of Ju Jutsu, which changes a lot for no good reason.

I don't talk about my dyslexia because I usually get by compensating as I have... Don't like to be in victim mode lol.

[billeau2]

Fair enough. I agree that it would be on Wills, but I'd be interested to know what the money was and what else was going on at the time to see what made sense. All of it is so complicated, but I really enjoy trying to go back to those times and piece together history.

I owe you thanks for introducing new scenarios for me to go back and explore. I actually had a good time learning about situations and fighters that I previously didn't have much knowledge of. Much respect to you, Dr. Z.


By the way, do you get the feeling that Tunney was an all out racist? I have no doubt that Dempsey wasn't, though I do believe he was worried regarding his legacy if he were to lose officially to a black boxer. I don't think he wanted to be viewed like Jefferies by those who thought he "let his race down." However, Dempsey doesn't seem to be racist at all (despite his wife being one, and calling Wills a slack jawed N-word. lol). However, some of the language that is used to describe how Tunney felt. Like saying the only black boxer he would "condescend to fight" was Wills. And a few other articles. Just seems that he was all out racist to me, which would make me lose respect for him as a man, but not as a fighter.

Again, much respect.

T wanted to interject about Tunney to hopefully shed some light... Apparently he was a very well read guy who came from working class roots, i believe he married a socialite. this often creates a "Martin Eden" scenario... The book written by Jack London. The book was really autobiographical. I think much like Eden, Tunney may have had a need to put on airs, to try to legitimize his entree into moneyed layer of society.

I do think this would affect his perspective on Blacks. That is just my opinion. Whether that is to the level of racism, I couldn't say.

[travestyny]

T wanted to interject about Tunney to hopefully shed some light... Apparently he was a very well read guy who came from working class roots, i believe he married a socialite. this often creates a "Martin Eden" scenario... The book written by Jack London. The book was really autobiographical. I think much like Eden, Tunney may have had a need to put on airs, to try to legitimize his entree into moneyed layer of society.

I do think this would affect his perspective on Blacks. That is just my opinion. Whether that is to the level of racism, I couldn't say.

I could see that being the reasoning for his....feelings of supremacy...?

Not being funny. Just struggle with knowing what else to call it.

[billeau2]

I could see that being the reasoning for his....feelings of supremacy...?

Not being funny. Just struggle with knowing what else to call it.

Thats it really... or maybe legitimacy.