AP Poll: Dempsey-Firpo fight chosen as the ‘most dramatic sports event of the half century.’

[APerno]

Summer 1951, New York

An Associated Press dinner/poll of 374 sports writers chose the Dempsey-Firpo fight as the ‘most dramatic sports event of the half century.’

The leading events selected were:

1. Dempsey-Firpo fight, 1923 – 70 votes
2. Bath Ruth ‘calling series homerun,’ 1932 – 66 votes
3. Dempsey-Tunney ‘long count’ fight, 1927 – 43 votes
4. Lou Gehrig’s farewell, 1939 – 23 votes
5. Grover Alexander’s strikeout of Tony Lazzeri , 1926 World Series – 21 votes
6. Notre Dame’s victory over Ohio State, 1935 – 17 votes
7. Red Grange’s feats against Michigan, 1925 [sic]* – 13 votes
8. Ruth’s farewell, 1948 – 13 votes
9. Floyd Bevens’ near- no hitter in 1947 World Series – 12 votes
10. Joe Louis’ knockout of Max Schmeling, 1938 – 12 votes
11. Jesse Owens in 1936 Olympics – 9 votes
12. Dempsey-Willard fight, 1919 – 6 votes
13. Bobby Jones’ grand slam in golf, 1930 – 5 votes
14. Black Sox World Series Scandal, 1919 – 4 votes
15. Jim Thorpe returns Olympic medals to King of Sweden, 1913 (1912 Olympics) – 4 votes

* The Illinois-Michigan game took place in October, 1924

[BoxBuzz]

what "post 1951" events have moved some of those lower events off of the ratings?

[APerno]

There is an irony that Bobby Thompson’s homerun took place just months after the dinner; I believe (I think) Thompson’s homerun was chosen by the AP sport’s writers as the most dramatic moment of the century back in 2000.

[Ric]

This topic reminds me of a thread I started way back when, concerning a February 6, 1943 Tacoma News Tribune article by Dillon Graham--the Associated Press's Sports Editor. He wrote that he had gone thru the AP's index card records--which indicate the athletes who had "grabbed" the newspaper headlines for the previous 30 years. Graham came up with a list of about the top 20 or so. Dempsey and Firpo figured highly.

[elmersalsa]

It's ironic that the AP didn't mention the Louis vs Conn I fight of 1941. That fight gotta be one of the most dramatic sporting events of the half century.

Enos Slaughter of the St Louis Cardinals "Mad Dash" of the 1946 World Series in Game 7 defeating the Boston Red Sox should be a shout.

And how about Robinson vs LaMotta VI fight, the St Valentine's Massacre?

And what about the first Tony Zale vs Rocky Graziano fight in 1946?

Or Boston Red Sox' great Ted Williams dramatic home run in the 1941 All Star Game?

Better this yet, Uruguay stunning upset against Brazil in the 1950 World Cup Final? That was dramatic. Well, I guess it wasn't an American sports event moment.

[Ambling Alp II]

Summer 1951, New York

An Associated Press dinner/poll of 374 sports writers chose the Dempsey-Firpo fight as the ‘most dramatic sports event of the half century.’

The leading events selected were:

1. Dempsey-Firpo fight, 1923 – 70 votes
2. Bath Ruth ‘calling series homerun,’ 1932 – 66 votes
3. Dempsey-Tunney ‘long count’ fight, 1927 – 43 votes
4. Lou Gehrig’s farewell, 1939 – 23 votes
5. Grover Alexander’s strikeout of Tony Lazzeri , 1926 World Series – 21 votes
6. Notre Dame’s victory over Ohio State, 1935 – 17 votes
7. Red Grange’s feats against Michigan, 1925 [sic]* – 13 votes
8. Ruth’s farewell, 1948 – 13 votes
9. Floyd Bevens’ near- no hitter in 1947 World Series – 12 votes
10. Joe Louis’ knockout of Max Schmeling, 1938 – 12 votes
11. Jesse Owens in 1936 Olympics – 9 votes
12. Dempsey-Willard fight, 1919 – 6 votes
13. Bobby Jones’ grand slam in golf, 1930 – 5 votes
14. Black Sox World Series Scandal, 1919 – 4 votes
15. Jim Thorpe returns Olympic medals to King of Sweden, 1913 (1912 Olympics) – 4 votes

* The Illinois-Michigan game took place in October, 1924

Interesting list. What gives it some credibility is that the people voting for it could probably remember most of these events actually happening. If they did not see it live, they could have seen newsreels, listened on radio,etc. and seen how people were reacting to it shortly after it happened.

Some of the events that we now think of as a big deal may not have seemed so at the time.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

dupe

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

There is an irony that Bobby Thompson’s homerun took place just months after the dinner; I believe (I think) Thompson’s homerun was chosen by the AP sport’s writers as the most dramatic moment of the century back in 2000.

- Perhaps not so ironic when considering the overall sucking sycophantic natures of the average sportswriter as demonstrated by their works throughout history with apologies to the truly great writers who knew intuitively how to capture the history being made.

In 2000 I would've have thought Fight of the Century, Ali vs Frazier 1971 would be by far the biggest, most recent, and most dramatic with stars like Frank Sinatra only gaining admittance by agreeing to act as a photographer. Most of those old football and baseball games would have receded in public by then. Also, the UCLA/U of Houston 1968 Game of the Century played in the Houston Astrodome that was still new and considered the 8th Wonder of the World back then was huge, the first ever nationwide broadcast of basketball in primetime, think about it. UCLA had an unprecedented 47 win streak going dating back 3 years with Lew Alcinder going against Elvin Hayes. Hayes tore him a new one and that very underrated Houston team won a thriller, 71-69.

As far as the Bobby Thomson Shot Heard Round the World, yeah, huge with an iconic headline, but by around 2001 tainted with the sordid reputation of Leo the Lip Durocher. I'd think even indolent sports writers would have heard the rumors by 2000. Babe Ruth first zeroed in on the decrepit baseball skills and morality of the always preening Durocher in his rookie year, naming him The All American Out, an out being the worst result a batter can record.

Durocher had been suspended from baseball in 1947 the year Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier with the Dodgers. He was "persuaded" for his own good the next year to take over the New York Giant managerial duties where his seedy gambling/mob buddy proclivities wouldn't be so frowned upon by the Stoneham family owners. Thus, Durocher must have been the instigator of one of baseball's greatest frauds in 1951 when the Dodgers were involved in a 3 game play off for the NL pennant against Leo's Giants that included Willie Mays in his rookie year. It should be noted that Durocher actually did something noble that season when he carefully nurtured and protected the scattered Alabama farmboy oozing with talent in his Big City debut, yet greatly struggling at the plate those first few months. The series was tied 1-1 as they entered the 3rd game, but the Dodgers with Don Newcombe pitching were on fire, giving the team the lead 4-1 going into the 9th and final inning. The fading Newcombe managed to notch an out, but he then gave up a run and let 2 runners on base, so he was relieved by Ralph Branca who would be facing Bobby Thomson, an excellent right handed clutch hitter at the plate, and rookie Willie Mays who had whiffed his previous at bats on deck. Only two more outs to go in a very winnable situation if handled with care, so the Dodger manager, Charlie Dressen, rolled his dice and Branca did his job, a called first strike shaving the inside of the plate, excellent. What happened next became one of baseball's most celebrated moments when Thompson pulled another inside fastball into a line drive over the left field fence that won the game 5-4.

Wait, how could hitting The Shot Heard Round The World be such a bad thing, after all, the Scottish born Bobby Thomson ended up engraving his name in baseball history as the ultimate hero?

Well, it breaks down like this, in midseason the Giants had a telescope installed in centerfield to steal the opposing catcher's sign to be relayed via an electronic buzzer to the Giant dugout where it was relayed to the batter, almost certainly hatched up by Durocher who had a history of running rigged card games that even fleeced his own teammates I'm sad to say. We need to note that stealing signs is part and parcel of baseball and perfectly legal and the best sign stealers had a special status on the club, but this had always been done with great difficulty by eyeball observation by the various participants in the game only when they found the perfect angle to see the catcher's sign. The home team setting up a secret telescope in center with an electronic communication to their dugout to steal every sign goes way beyond the pale, sorta like slipping the pitcher a mickey or a very lively non standard ball. Poor Ralph Branca had to live with being the goat of that series for most of his life until the cheating was confirmed around 2001. We can't blame Thomson for doing what all players are paid to do, taking their cues from the coaches. Sign stealing also helped Mays break out of his rookie slump. Nobody had to guess a pitch, instead they were fed the information by what they supposed were genius code breaking coaches. Thomson batted .500 for that 3 game series with an OB% of .545 and SA of 1.300. The players could not have known about it. Likely only Durocher and a couple of coaches were in on the operation since it stayed a secret for so many decades, and let's face it, it was a great shot Thomson hit, but sadly tainted with the stain of one of baseball's most crooked miscreants in the HOF, Leo the Lip, The C-Note, The All American Out.

Bobby Thompson, Leo, and most all the rest are gone, but Branca now in his 90s at least has some relief to his torment of losing that game. Here he is dejectedly walking off the field with Jackie Robinson making sure that Thompson touches homeplate. That could have been the Dodgers celebrating but for Leo, but he serves the purpose to understand how dirty sports can be. Liston was overdosed a week before he was due to give his 2nd Congressional testimony before congress.

It happens.

[APerno]

The Giants had to close a 13 1/2 game gap after the All-star break - that is when the cheating supposedly began - I wonder if their comparing home game v. away games batting avg. would tell us anything. If the cheating was effective it should show up in the home-away stats.

[APerno]

I was surprised that Sea Biscuit's victory over War Admiral was not on the list or Upset's upset of Man 'o War - they may not have considered horse racing a "sport' ??

[Chuck1052]

The United States beating England by a score of 1-0 in the 1950 World Cup may have been the greatest upset ever in the history of football (soccer). Yes, Uruguay beating Brazil in the 1950 World Cup Final may have been an upset, but it wasn't close to being on the scale of the U.S beating England during the same competition.

Considering the results of the 1950 AP Poll in regards to the bout between Jack Dempsey and Luis Firpo being chosen as "The Most Dramatic Sports Event of the Half Century," it is little wonder that Dempsey was chosen as the best boxer of the half century over Sugar Ray Robinson or Joe Louis in a poll. The sports events and figures of the 1920s seem to stand out in the minds of the people voting in such polls.

- Chuck Johnston

[Crease]

To be fair, i would have given it to Jesse Owens.

[Ric]

I was surprised that Sea Biscuit's victory over War Admiral was not on the list or Upset's upset of Man 'o War - they may not have considered horse racing a "sport' ??

I don't know why they wouldn't, given that in those days chess was covered in the sports pages.

[Senya13]

What gives it some credibility is that the people voting for it could probably remember most of these events actually happening. If they did not see it live, they could have seen newsreels, listened on radio,etc. and seen how people were reacting to it shortly after it happened.

Absolute majority (like 99%) of reporters who were covering boxing at the start of the century were gone by 1950. So the poll's results regarding boxing biggest events are pretty meaningless.