By David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com
It was in August 1975, when traveling back to visit my relatives in various locations in the state of New Mexico, I ventured north for an unbelievable experience, a visit to the birthplace of Jack Dempsey, Manassa, which is located in the southern part of Colorado, in the “San Luis” Valley .
Upon my arrival, I located a log cabin-style house in the middle of town, that was actually moved to this city park location in July 1966, and was refurbished in honor of Jack Dempsey. The interior walls were lined with photos and mementos of Dempsey’s brilliant career.
The Curator there was so wonderfully nice and was amazed at my focus and interest, that he thinking I lived nearby, offered me a job there as a tour guide. Then he did something that was truly amazing, removing the actual gloves from a display case that Dempsey wore in the Luis Angel Firpo fight (September 14, 1923) so I could wear them while posing for a picture.
Unfortunately, I had a misfortune happen regarding these photos. In November 1983, while moving from my old house to my new house, it started to rain that day and the water got into the U-Haul trailer we
were towing and into my nicely framed photos. I cried and was so upset and disappointed beyond belief. The photo of me wearing those gloves was the one most damaged.
Known as “Kid Blackie” and “The Manassa Mauler”, Jack Dempsey was certainly one of the greatest heavyweights in the history of boxing.
Born William Harrison Dempsey on June 24, 1895, he competed from 1914 to 1927, winning the heavyweight title on July 4, 1919, over Jess Willard by TKO stoppage in round three. In their fight, Dempsey savagely knocked Willard down seven times in the first round.
He reigned as the heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926 with five successful title defenses, against Billy Miske (KO3), Bill Brennan (KO12), Georges Carpentier (KO4), Tommy Gibbons (W15), and Luis Angel Firpo (KO2), before losing the title to Gene Tunney (L10).
In the 1920 Dempsey ranked second only to Babe Ruth among the greatest sports icons in America. He officially announced his retirement from boxing on March 4, 1928, with a career encompassing a total of 80 bouts: 60 wins (50 by knockout), 6 losses, 8 draws, and 6 no decisions.
After retirement, he boxed exhibitions, managed and promoted fighters, and officiated boxing and wrestling matches. Dempsey also served as a Commander in the Coast Guard in World War II and owned a popular New York City restaurant and bar.
Dempsey was an inaugural first ballot inductee into three halls of fame, the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954, the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1980, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
Dempsey died on May 31, 1983, at the age of 87. He is buried at the Southampton Cemetery in Tuckahoe, New York.