I shook the hand that shook the hand of John L. Sullivan!

Bob Fitzsimmons?

 

It could have just have easily been the sailor who unlocked the cabin that Sulivan was locked into for working himself on a ship, or any number of people who unlocked him from whatever had been restraining John L after he had became a nuisance when he was drinking. It could have been the man who picked him up from the railroad after he fell from a train blind drunk.

john L really could party.

 

Jim Corbett?

I know it was a rather common saying among irish-americans.

 

I shook Larry Holmes hand back in the 90's sometime. I know I shook the hand that punch the person who punch the person all the way down to Sullivan lol. But base on Holmes, has he shook hands that lead to the great John L?

 

Wonder if the link was broken early on.
Did Sullivan, or those that followed, actually “shake” Jack Johnson’s hand, given their prejudices?
Johnson fought 2 of them, but did they shake his hand, difference, there, in customary, touching gloves.

 

Has anyone licked the man who licked John L. Sullivan?

 

If it`s about, who invented an idiomatic expression, then I got nothing (I`m not a native English speaker)

If it`s about a famous person, who could say it, then my personal attempt:
I (Muhammad Ali) shook the hand (of Nat Fleischer) that shook the hand of John L. Sullivan!

 

Gene Tunney?

 

I think it is a way of explaining the lineal belt in a colorful fashion- And also a cheery song.

 

This might be stating the obvious ( maybe ) but isn't it that it was anybody that shook the champs hand , then shook that persons hand ?

 

Some one said it pre covid pandemic, as "i elbow bumped, the elbow that elbow bump bumped John L Sullivan, whilst wearing a mask and sanitising my hands afterwards" doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

Always was led to believe the phrase originated in a vaudeville song lyric of the era.

 

You could almost certainly link Holmes to Sullivan somehow.

There is a photograph of Sullivan shaking hands with Jack Johnson, so that shortens the distance to you a bit!