Harry Wills and Jack Johnson (1912)

[Caractacus]

I was reading Jack Johnson autobiography IN THE RING AND OUT (published July 1927)
and he had some intersting things to say about Harry Wills in it which I will relate here.
The first mention was when Wills was a sparring partner to him 9for a short time whe Johnson was training to fight Fireman Jim Flynn
scheduled for Las Vegas (New Mexico) july.4.1912.
(page 66)

" I established my camp at Las Vegeas (NM) having in my party as sparring partners and other assistants,
Calvin Represse,Watson Burns,Monte Cutler and George DeBray.
During my training period Harry Wills appeared on the scene,seeking a place as sparring partner.
I engaged him,but he remained only a few days.
He proved wholly unable to stand the grind and was compelled to acknowledge that the ordeal was too much for him,
He returned to New Orleans."

[Caractacus]

Further into the book,Jack Johnson discusses his thoughts on the current boxing scene
(he had picked picked Jack Dempsey to win,but thought he had over-trained for it after being out the ring so long and thought that
the wet canvas hampered his performence
and he now thought that Gene Tunney was the cleverest and best of the current lot)

"Harry Wills continues to interest those concerned in boxing.
Some persons take him seriously,but he never will get a chance at the heavyweight crown,
for he does not deserve to.
Although he has acquired much notoriety, he is but a mediocre fighter.
There are many better then he, which was proved by Sam Langford when the latter defeated him."

(page 254 of In the Ring and Out)

[Caractacus]

Here is Harry Wills account of the sparring session in 1912 (from an uncited source)

" I was still growing but I already had a right hand to the body that I thought I could hit anybody with.
I was working with Johnson one day and sure enough,I nailed him...I got cocky and in the next round
I tried the same thing again.
Old Jack reached down and caught my fist like you catch a ball and grinned at his wife who was sitting at ringside."

[BitPlayer]

Seems like Jack Johnson was quite unfavourable to other black HWs.

He wanted to be the only one to have made it.

[klompton]

Seems like Jack Johnson was quite unfavourable to other black HWs.

He wanted to be the only one to have made it.

This is absolutely correct. Johnson didnt want to share the spotlight with any other African American fighters. The newspapers covered his sparring with a you, green Wills and stated that Johnson was impressed with the newcomer and asked him to stay in camp. It showed a lot of moxie for a guy with a little over a years worth of experience and about a dozen fights under his belt to travel cross country and ask to spar with the champion then show enough to be asked back.

[scorpio83]

Seems like Jack Johnson was quite unfavourable to other black HWs.

He wanted to be the only one to have made it.

This is absolutely correct. Johnson didnt want to share the spotlight with any other African American fighters. The newspapers covered his sparring with a you, green Wills and stated that Johnson was impressed with the newcomer and asked him to stay in camp. It showed a lot of moxie for a guy with a little over a years worth of experience and about a dozen fights under his belt to travel cross country and ask to spar with the champion then show enough to be asked back.

I believed that Johnson didn't want to feel forgotten and avoiding other African American fighters to show that he was the best African-American fighter in his time and this was in Johnson's mind.