On July 27th, 1918, Jack Dempsey asserted his claim as a legitimate challenger to Jess Willaird's championship with a quick, brutal KO over the towering Fred Fulton. Nearly a year later, Dempsey won that title in the earlier known recorded footage of "The Manassa Mauler." HOWEVER ...
In an article of the fight by the Washington Post dated July 28, 1918, the author says in the eighth paragraph down:
"Moving pictures of the contest were taken, and they will be presented to the government of the United States soldiers and sailors at home and abroad."
So I would have to assume that footage WAS recorded and either was lost or destroyed. Who knows, maybe the film of the fight is sitting tight in a wooden crate like the Ark in Raider's of the Lost Ark.
Can anyone shed some light on this mystery? Maybe Barry?
I have uploaded the article here for everyone to see:
http://www.freewebs.com/riddickbowe/Dem ... 201918.pdf
Jack Dempsey vs. Fred Fulton Filmed
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UpWithEvil
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 102
- Joined: 24 Oct 2005, 11:35
The Fulton fight joins a handful of other filmed events featuring the young, prime Dempsey that have disappeared.
Dempsey's title match against Billy Miske was also filmed. In fact, I have a short piece of the footage in my collection - it shows Miske walking through the crowd to the ring and end when he steps on the ring apron. Total running time is less than 30 seconds. One of his KO wins over Gunboat Smith was also filmed, as was at least one round of Dempsey sparring with none other than Harry Greb in 1920.
Dempsey's title match against Billy Miske was also filmed. In fact, I have a short piece of the footage in my collection - it shows Miske walking through the crowd to the ring and end when he steps on the ring apron. Total running time is less than 30 seconds. One of his KO wins over Gunboat Smith was also filmed, as was at least one round of Dempsey sparring with none other than Harry Greb in 1920.
I had heard of the Miske fight but never the Fulton, Gunboat Smith, or Harry Greb sparring session being filmed. That opens up a lot of possibilities for some lucky SOB finding a rare gem in his or her basement.
Is it possible to find out what fights the Library of Congress has preserved? I know the Jim Jeffries-Gus Ruhlin rematch is preserved by the Library of Congress because that is what the opening sequence says on my copy, at least for the training sequence.
While on the subject of "lost" fights, has there ever been any attempt to get the Carmine Vingo fight from the Marciano family? The 15-30 second highlight is widely available and apparently the Marciano family owns it. Maybe a petition for its release could gain us some ground? I know it might sound a little silly but it couldn't hurt.
Is it possible to find out what fights the Library of Congress has preserved? I know the Jim Jeffries-Gus Ruhlin rematch is preserved by the Library of Congress because that is what the opening sequence says on my copy, at least for the training sequence.
While on the subject of "lost" fights, has there ever been any attempt to get the Carmine Vingo fight from the Marciano family? The 15-30 second highlight is widely available and apparently the Marciano family owns it. Maybe a petition for its release could gain us some ground? I know it might sound a little silly but it couldn't hurt.
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perrycarter
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 108
- Joined: 20 Nov 2002, 16:47
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UpWithEvil
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 102
- Joined: 24 Oct 2005, 11:35
Jeffries-Johnson footage has been around since the time of the fight in 1910.UpWithEvil wrote:Try their website, every year another dozen-or-so items are added to their film restoration archive. Jim Jeffries vs Jack Johnson was added in 2004 or 2005, along with footage from the San Francisco earthquake.Is it possible to find out what fights the Library of Congress has preserved?
The Library of Congress ONLY contains material that has been COPYRIGHTED.
Marketers of copyrighted materials must send them to the Library of Congress.
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UpWithEvil
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 102
- Joined: 24 Oct 2005, 11:35
The Jeffries vs Johnson footage was added to the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress in 2005:
http://www.loc.gov/film/nfr2005.html
You can read the official statement at the Library of Congress website.FILMS SELECTED TO
THE NATIONAL FILM REGISTRY,
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS - 2005
Jeffries-Johnson World's Championship Boxing Contest (1910)
http://www.loc.gov/film/nfr2005.html
'lost'footage
I think a good place to look for lost fight footage would possibly be Juarez, Mexico(or some border town),or maybe somewhere in South America.
The Fred Fulton fight was so short it surprising it was not included on a newsreel that they played before the main atteaction in the world's cinema.
The Fred Fulton fight was so short it surprising it was not included on a newsreel that they played before the main atteaction in the world's cinema.
Re: 'lost'footage
Any idea of timeframe or what cinema?Brutu wrote:I think a good place to look for lost fight footage would possibly be Juarez, Mexico(or some border town),or maybe somewhere in South America.
The Fred Fulton fight was so short it surprising it was not included on a newsreel that they played before the main atteaction in the world's cinema.
world's cinema
Jack Demsey was a sensation already when he knocked out Fred Fulton in 1918.
You know,those old news reels like pathe, When they would send them out to isolated military bases
like up in Alaska, afterwards they usually kept the reels because it cost more to send it back to Hollywood or Fort Lee New Jersey(Hollywood East)
then it was worth.
I read where they found some old reels in a old abandoned Army base swimming pool frozen in Alaska about 20 years ago,but there wasnt any fight footage among it.
You know,those old news reels like pathe, When they would send them out to isolated military bases
like up in Alaska, afterwards they usually kept the reels because it cost more to send it back to Hollywood or Fort Lee New Jersey(Hollywood East)
then it was worth.
I read where they found some old reels in a old abandoned Army base swimming pool frozen in Alaska about 20 years ago,but there wasnt any fight footage among it.