Albersheim's 2014 Winter Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/20/2014
James J. Jeffries (HOF - D. 1953) was the heavyweight Champion of the world. His greatest assets were his enormous strength and stamina. Using a technique taught to him by his trainer, former welterweight and middleweight champion Tommy Ryan, Jeffries fought out of a crouch with his left arm extended forward. He was able to absorb tremendous punishment while wearing his opponents down. On his way to the title in 1898, Jeffries knocked out Peter Jackson, the great black boxer whom John L. Sullivan had refused to fight, in three rounds. On June 9, 1899 in Brooklyn, New York he defeated Bob Fitzsimmons to win the Heavyweight championship of the world. Six years after retiring, Jeffries made a comeback on July 4, 1910 at Reno, Nevada. He fought champion Jack Johnson, who had staked his claim to the heavyweight championship by defeating Tommy Burns at Rushcutters Bay in Australia in 1908. The fight, which was promoted and refereed by legendary fight promoter Tex Rickard, and became known as "The Fight of the Century", soon became a symbolic battleground of the races. The media, eager for a "Great White Hope", found a champion for their racism in Jeffries. He said, "I am going into this fight for the sole purpose of proving that a white man is better than a Negro." A furor was created at the fight, as a ringside band played, "All coons look alike to me." The fight was stopped after the 15th round when Jeffries' corner threw in the towel. Jeffries made no excuses at the time. After the bout Jeffries acknowledged, however, that not even in his prime could he have defeated Johnson.
We offer a canary colored certificate of victory for a Bill Cooper who defeated his opponent in "an Amateur Boxing Bout." It carries the bold pencil signature of the man whose School of Boxing presented this approximately 8" x 10" document - James J. Jeffries. Great item!
Letter of Authenticity from Richard Albersheim