Jack Johnson's Springfield,IL Cyclone Benefit Exhibition (1925)

[Caractacus]

I remember reading in Jack Johnson's autobiography IN THE RING AND OUT (published July 1927)
on page 241 ,were he wrote that he helped to raise funds for the victims and destruction caused by a Cyclone in southern Illinois
at the Elks Lodge in Springfield Illinois . (The Tornado occurred March.18. 1925)
along with raising funds he said that he also paid with his own money another 'well known boxer" a substantial sum,
together with
all this boxers expenses to appear in the boxing exhibition with him.
anyone know who the other well known boxer was
that appeared with Jack Johnson at the Elks Lodge in Springfield ?

https://www.sangamoncountyhistory.org/wp/?p=8426

[Duran1970]

Sam Langford?

[Caractacus]

you asking me ?That's what I wanna know.
I seriously doubt that Jack Johnson would have paid a "substantial amount of money"
to some "Palooka"to appear in the exhibition with him.
It must have been either a past or present well known pugalist.
I doubt if it was Jack Dempsey or an up and coming Gene Tunney .
Perhaps it was George Godfrey or even Harry Wills,maybe Battling Norfolk ?

[Caractacus]

maybe author Adam J. Pollack would know.
at what point in Jack Johnson's career
does his book cut off at ?
( I've never seen his books)

[Caractacus]

[klompton]

This Tornado wiped out several towns where I live. Its always been a big story here. It struck Murphysboro (10 mins from me) just as the local school let out and killed a bunch of kids in the process of leveling the town.

I dont think Johnson participated in this exhibition. It was held in late March at a time when he was in Wisconsin on a wrestling/boxing tour.

[Duran1970]

I have read somewhere of Johnson and Langford having a few exhibitions but I think Sam was in mexico around that time... I know Johnson and battling siki had an exhibition in late '23.

[Caractacus]

well sheyatt,of course Jack Johnson particpated in the Tornado disaster relief benefit
why would he write about in his autobiography (page 241)that he did if he didn't then ?
He probably had to drive his Haynes Touring Car real extra fast to get there.on time tho.

[SolomonDeedes]

Got a flyer for that event here:



Presumably the famous boxer he mentions would be Jimmy Barry, though whether Johnson actually stumped up any cash to get him there is another matter.

[Caractacus]

Jimmy Barry ? he was 55 years old and still probably 5 ft 2" tall in 1925
(Jack Johnson was 47 years old and probably still 6 ft 1" tall in 1925)

https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/46200

(no wonder Jack Johnson didn't mention the name of the well known boxer in his book,
I just wonder if Jimmy Barry did not pay the substanial fee to Jack Johnson who then of course donated
that to the benefit too)

[Caractacus]

well sheyatt,of course Jack Johnson particpated in the Tornado disaster relief benefit
why would he write about in his autobiography (page 241)that he did if he didn't then ?
He probably had to drive his Haynes Touring Car real extra fast to get there.on time tho.

BTW also in his autobiography Jack Johnson mentions that five times he had overturned his car and it was demolished
( 4 times in 1925 alone including a roll over near Elgin Illinois were he was thrown from the car
knocked unconicious and recieved 20 stitches in his scalp.The 3 other men in the vehicle were unhurt)

[SolomonDeedes]

Jimmy Barry ? he was 55 years old and still probably 5 ft 2" tall in 1925
(Jack Johnson was 47 years old and probably still 6 ft 1" tall in 1925)

Well, they didn't box each other. According to the Illinois State Journal, Barry boxed Johnny Connors, who was a local man and a contemporary of his at bantamweight, and Johnson boxed a Chicago heavyweight named Jimmy Marshall.

[Caractacus]

well that makes sense,Would you know whom Jack Johnson boxed in an Exhibition at Bridgeport CT
around that same time
to help raise funds to build a new Sanatorium for WW I veterans there who were still suffering from wounds and tubercuoisis and other ailments ?
( which he also mentions in his autobiography)

[SolomonDeedes]

well that makes sense,Would you know whom Jack Johnson boxed in an Exhibition at Bridgeport CT
around that same time
to help raise funds to build a new Sanatorium for WW I veterans there who were still suffering from wounds and tubercuoisis and other ailments ?
( which he also mentions in his autobiography)

No luck on that one. I looked in the Bridgeport local papers but the only exhibition they mention was with Hugh Ross in 1922, and no suggestion that there was anything charitable about it!

[Caractacus]

well maybe that exhibition could have been in 1924,because also in his autobiography Jack Johnson mentions that he wrecked one of his cars when he was driving( at top speed) between Bridgeport and New Haven CT IN 1924.
The Touring car over turned several times was demolished but no one was hurt.

[Caractacus]

1922,
that very well could have been the year.
That is the year that 2 hospitals in Bridgeport CT
were used and began a civil contract with the US Veterans Bureau for the hospitilization of veterans of the World War
Bridgeport Hospital( 100 beds)-contract started May.27.1922
St. Vincents Hospital( 10 beds)-contract started July.10.1922.
and as far as the exhibition he did in Bridgeport that year,
as with the case of the 1925 Tornado benefit
the newspaper would have preferred to write up something more "Salacious"
concerning Jack Johnson,if they were to give him any newspaper copy.