Article:Jack Johnson in Mexico - Revision history

Rowdytimothy at 14:22, 5 April 2009

2009-04-05T14:22:17Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:22, 5 April 2009
Line 19:		Line 19:
	Before the exhibition news articles had predicted it would be a landmark event for sport and explained that it would not be a bloody spectacle or fight to the death, but rather a contest of strength, stamina, and agility, suitable for all "virile amateurs."		Before the exhibition news articles had predicted it would be a landmark event for sport and explained that it would not be a bloody spectacle or fight to the death, but rather a contest of strength, stamina, and agility, suitable for all "virile amateurs."

	The Johnson/Roper match "would initiate in Mexico this sport of physical energy and rigorous application of rules." Advertisements for the exhibition included a list of the ~~Marquees~~ of ~~Queensbury~~ Rules that would be used. The bout was filmed, and the boxers' performances were said to "contrast the agility and strength of the black man and the knowledge and elegance of the white.		The Johnson/Roper match "would initiate in Mexico this sport of physical energy and rigorous application of rules." Advertisements for the exhibition included a list of the Marquess of Queensberry Rules that would be used. The bout was filmed, and the boxers' performances were said to "contrast the agility and strength of the black man and the knowledge and elegance of the white.

	When Roper arrived in New Orleans, he said he had paid Johnson a lot of money for two months of training and instruction that he received in Mexico and that Johnson was in great shape.		When Roper arrived in New Orleans, he said he had paid Johnson a lot of money for two months of training and instruction that he received in Mexico and that Johnson was in great shape.

Ric: typos

2005-03-28T15:36:45Z

typos

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:36, 28 March 2005
Line 1:		Line 1:
	==~~Arival~~ in Mexico==		==Arrival in Mexico==
	Johnson and his wife Lucille left Spain on the steamship Esperanza in late March 1919 and arrived in Veracruz on the 24th of that month.		Johnson and his wife Lucille left Spain on the steamship Esperanza in late March 1919 and arrived in Veracruz on the 24th of that month.

	Johnson's own reporting of his travel was confused: he reported leaving Spain on March 28, 1919.		Johnson's own reporting of his travel was confused: he reported leaving Spain on March 28, 1919.

	In his first Mexican interview in Veracruz, Johnson stated that he had thrown his 1915 fight with Willard in Havana, with the understanding that he would be allowed to return home to the U.S. for a rematch. This admission		In his first Mexican interview in Veracruz, Johnson stated that he had thrown his 1915 fight with Willard in Havana, with the understanding that he would be allowed to return home to the U.S. for a rematch. This admission did not inspire great confidence that his future bouts in Mexico would be fought honestly. Johnson's promoters said they had telegraphed Willard offering him 30,000 dollars and expenses to come to Mexico to fight Johnson, with Johnson's earnings to be donated to the Red Cross.
	did not inspire great confidence that his future bouts in Mexico would be fought honestly. Johnson's promoters said they had telegraphed Willard offering him 30,000 dollars and expenses to come to Mexico to fight Johnson,
	with Johnson's earnings to be donated to the Red Cross.

	Newspapers referred to the proposed Johnson/Willard bout as the "barbarous spectacle of boxing." On 31 March, a sportswriter reported that Johnson was then the hottest topic in sport and also alluded to the possibility that the		Newspapers referred to the proposed Johnson/Willard bout as the "barbarous spectacle of boxing." On 31 March, a sportswriter reported that Johnson was then the hottest topic in sport and also alluded to the possibility that the city authorities, leery of the sport's legitimacy, would not permit boxing exhibitions in Mexico City.
	city authorities, leery of the sport's legitimacy, would not permit boxing exhibitions in Mexico City.

	Johnson was met at the train station in Mexico City by an excited crowd of more than 2,000 people. A band played bullfight music and his fans screamed "Viva Johnson" and "Bravo Jack," as they tried to get close enough to touch		Johnson was met at the train station in Mexico City by an excited crowd of more than 2,000 people. A band played bullfight music and his fans screamed "Viva Johnson" and "Bravo Jack," as they tried to get close enough to touch the ebony hero. A reporter who interviewed him in his hotel was as impressed by Johnson's wardrobe as anything else. He described Johnson's baggage as equal to that of an operatic tenor's; the 18 trunks contained "90 suits, 50
	the ebony hero. A reporter who interviewed him in his hotel was as impressed by Johnson's wardrobe as anything else. He described Johnson's baggage as equal to that of an operatic tenor's; the 18 trunks contained "90 suits, 50		pairs of shoes, and the entire output of a necktie factory."
	pairs of shoes, and the entire output of a necktie factory.

	== Bob Roper ==		== Bob Roper ==

John: John Johnson in Mexico

2005-03-28T13:15:50Z

John Johnson in Mexico

New page

==Arival in Mexico==
Johnson and his wife Lucille left Spain on the steamship Esperanza in late March 1919 and arrived in Veracruz on the 24th of that month.

Johnson's own reporting of his travel was confused: he reported leaving Spain on March 28, 1919.

In his first Mexican interview in Veracruz, Johnson stated that he had thrown his 1915 fight with Willard in Havana, with the understanding that he would be allowed to return home to the U.S. for a rematch. This admission
did not inspire great confidence that his future bouts in Mexico would be fought honestly. Johnson's promoters said they had telegraphed Willard offering him 30,000 dollars and expenses to come to Mexico to fight Johnson,
with Johnson's earnings to be donated to the Red Cross.

Newspapers referred to the proposed Johnson/Willard bout as the "barbarous spectacle of boxing." On 31 March, a sportswriter reported that Johnson was then the hottest topic in sport and also alluded to the possibility that the
city authorities, leery of the sport's legitimacy, would not permit boxing exhibitions in Mexico City.

Johnson was met at the train station in Mexico City by an excited crowd of more than 2,000 people. A band played bullfight music and his fans screamed "Viva Johnson" and "Bravo Jack," as they tried to get close enough to touch
the ebony hero. A reporter who interviewed him in his hotel was as impressed by Johnson's wardrobe as anything else. He described Johnson's baggage as equal to that of an operatic tenor's; the 18 trunks contained "90 suits, 50
pairs of shoes, and the entire output of a necktie factory.

== Bob Roper ==

In his first exhibition, on June 22, Johnson toyed with a smaller man named Bob Roper for 10 rounds-to the audible disapproval of the fans who had come to see a display of Jack Johnson power. Seated near the ring, Mrs. Johnson quietly watched the bout, and "don Jack, whenever he could in the clinches, cast loving and tender gazes at his beautiful wife." During the fight, some spectators expressed their disappointment with Johnson's defensive performance by screaming insults at him, producing a disturbance that was quelled by the police.

One reporter theorized that Johnson had not wanted to use up Roper, as he was his only visible opponent for future matches.

Before the exhibition news articles had predicted it would be a landmark event for sport and explained that it would not be a bloody spectacle or fight to the death, but rather a contest of strength, stamina, and agility, suitable for all "virile amateurs."

The Johnson/Roper match "would initiate in Mexico this sport of physical energy and rigorous application of rules." Advertisements for the exhibition included a list of the Marquees of Queensbury Rules that would be used. The bout was filmed, and the boxers' performances were said to "contrast the agility and strength of the black man and the knowledge and elegance of the white.

When Roper arrived in New Orleans, he said he had paid Johnson a lot of money for two months of training and instruction that he received in Mexico and that Johnson was in great shape.

== Jerry Smith==
In August, Johnson fought Jerry Smith in the Venecio Theatre in Tampico with bets supposedly as high as 10,000 pesos. Smith was so much smaller than Johnson that the crowd began protesting as soon as he appeared. Johnson spent the first two rounds laughing, and the screams of the crowd for their money to be refunded and the promoter to be imprisoned led to the fight being stopped by the municipal president and the police commander. The ticket sales were
impounded and taken to the city treasury.

== Tom Cowler ==

In late August, the English boxer Tom Cowler was in Mexico City and challenged Johnson to a mid-September match.

In early September, Johnson appeared in court again, this time as the accuser. He said he had invited Cowler to Mexico, given him a 600 dollar advance, and was already advertising their bout, when he learned that Cowler
had run out on him. Johnson found out that Cowler had caught the train for Laredo and wanted the Mexican police to capture him before he could leave the country.

Randy Roberts' biography of Johnson mentions Cowler as one of Johnson's opponents, and an inventive and florid Johnson biography by Denzil Bachelor even reproduces conversation that was supposed to have taken place between
the two boxers during their fight, but I saw no evidence that the match ever materialized.

In September, one of Johnson's representatives contacted Jack Dempsey proposing a Johnson/Dempsey fight to be held in the north western Mexican state of Sonora.

While the seriousness of this proposal was open to question, news items such as this one continued to keep Jack Johnson's name before the public.

== Kid Cutler ==

Apparently, Johnson's most successful Mexican exhibition was with Kid Cutler, an old acquaintance whom he had boxed many times. They met in Mexico City's bullfight arena, "El Toreo," on Sunday, September 28, with 3,000 spectators in attendance, and although their fight itself was not considered interesting enough to report at all, a newsworthy event did take place at ringside.

A preliminary bout ended with a controversial action of the referee, Antonio Sarabia. Sarabia left the ring amidst tremendous whistling and yelling from the crowd and was immediately approached and criticized severely by one of the
judges. They argued heatedly, the crowd still going wild, and Johnson and Cutler climbed into the ring, hoping to calm the situation down. The program seemed to be back on track, the two boxers leaving their comers to begin the first round, when two shots rang out. Military and police officers pulled out their pistols. People dove for cover, and bedlam returned to the arena. What had happened was that referee Sarabia had borrowed a pistol from a friend, returned to ringside, and shot the judge who had criticized him. The chief of the secret police, along with General Juan Mérigo, one of the principal figures in the Sanborn's incident, overpowered Sarabia and controlled him until the police could take him away.

== Gus Rhodes ==

Johnson's last exhibition reported in Mexico City was with his nephew, Gus Rhodes, in January of 1920. The program included punching bag and medicine ball work and a show of strength where Johnson was to overcome the combined
force of 20 spectators, 10 with each arm.

It was also reported in January that Johnson had been challenged by Sam Macea (probably Sam McVey) to a 25 round fight with a bet of 100,000 dollars, but there was no indication that any such fight was held.

Johnson made the Mexico City papers several more times before leaving the capital for Baja California early in 1920.

In his last mention in Mexico City papers, Johnson was to referee a bout between two Mexicans on February 21. Another referee was actually used, so Johnson may have already left the city by that date.

He travelled by train, mule, and boat to Baja California, where he opened a saloon and cooled his heels for a few months before giving himself up to US. authorities at the border in July. His own account of the trip from Mexico City is in typical Johnsonian style. According to Johnson, the Yaqui Indians who waylaid the train in Sonora not only had heard of Jack Johnson-he was a great hero to them.

==Timeline==

No serious bouts occurred during this time - no fault of Jacks, either the authorities wouldn't allow it or there were no viable opponents available.

*1919
**June 22nd Bob Roper Mexico City Exh 10
**August 15th/16th Jerry Smith Mexico City Exh 2 Municipal Police stopped contest
**Sept 28th Kid Cutler Mexico City Exh

*1920
**Jan 1st-12th Gus Rhodes Mexico City Exh
**March 24th Arrives in Veracruz.
**March 25th First Interviewed and quoted in the news.
**March 27th Johnson's manager, Luis Andrade, reporter Johnson would fight Jack Dempsey within the next six weeks.
**June 22nd Bob Roper 10 round exhibition.
**August 16th/17th Jerry Smith fight stopped after 2 rounds.
**September 28th Kid Cutler exhibition.

==Sources==

* Johnson, Jack - Johnson is a Dandy: Pages 106-107, 111
* Roberts, Papa Jack: Pages 211
* Batchelor, Jack Johnson and his Times: Pages 165-166
* El Universal 1919
** March 25
** April 15, 16
** June 19, 22, 23
** July 2, 4, 8, 11, 14
** August 18
** September 4, 21, 29
** November 22, 23, 28
* El Demócrata 1919
** June 20, 23
** July 4, 5
** August 21, 30

Article by Stuart Templeton