What do the hand motions of the ring announcers in the 30s fights mean?

I wonder if your talking about the famous announcer Joe Humphreys who was a long-time institution around the boxing arenas in New York? He started announcing in the 1890s, so when you see him, you are really experiencing a window into the past which gives an idea how fighters were introduced in the New York arenas prior to the use of microphones. He was slow to adapt to the microphone and even refused to use them for some of the big fights well up into the 1930s. He used a lot of gestures to convey the meaning of what he was saying throughout the auditorium. In a large stadium for an important fight, spectators in the far reaches of the auditorium might not be able to hear him, but they could see him. So he would point to the corner or to a dignitary and wave a program or his notes or even his straw hat to indicate who he was introducing while at the same time he was shouting the person's name at the top of his lungs. If the crowd became noisy, he would yell at them with all his might to shut up and also move his outstretched arms up and down with palms down like a politician motioning a crowd to be silent, and he would not continue with his announcement until the crowd complied. At the end of the fight, there would be no announcement about the scoring. The only indication of the winner would be Humphreys pointing to the winner's corner with the scorecards or his hat in hand. If the fight was a draw he would extend his arms together in front of his chest and give a quick, sweeping motion outward and parallel to the ground like a baseball umpire calling a runner safe at home.

I don't know if this helps. As I say, it was a holdover from the old days when there were no microphones or when the sound system was too weak to reach to the upper galleries in a large auditorium or stadium.

 

I was editing while you were "liking" it, so you should probably read it again.

 

That guy always cracks me up when I see him.

Who needs a microphone when you're introducing fighters in Yankee Stadium? Everyone just be quiet! And even though that boy is colored, let's give him a big round of applause. (LOL)

He went kicking and screaming into the 20th century.

 

Yeah, Humphreys was definitely from a prior era even in 1935. His introduction of Joe Louis prior to the Max Baer fight is painful to hear. To think he thought he was being gracious is almost beyond belief.

 

I recall seeing a fight - although I can't recall which one - where Johnny Addie, who was the new MSG announcer brought Joe Humphries up into the ring for a tip of the hat to bygone years by having him announce the principals. Humphries was quite old and was recovering from a heart attack but still bellowed into that 'new-fangled microphone thingie that seemed to be the rage but I'm sure it won't last.' I know its out there on youtube, but again, I can't remember the fight. Anyone recall seeing this?

 

Kas, this was the one I was referring to. Thanks, man. I love the way he was announced as a recent victor over the Grim-Reaper. Classic.

 

Just for the record, it was Harry Balogh, a really classy announcer during the '30s, '40s and into the very early '50s, who introduced Humphreys for a cameo appearance at the Louis-Baer fight. Humphreys could no longer handle the full-time announcing duties because he had been sidelined with a stroke. I think he died not too long afterward. His introductions can be heard and seen on several other films during the early '30s. I think maybe the second Sharkey-Schmeling fight is one?? Not sure about the others.

Balogh, by the way, justifiably thought himself to be something of a celebrity. At least to my mind, he had just the right touch in seasoning his introductions to meet the gravitas of the moment without hogging the stage himself. In this regard, he and the older Jimmy Lennon were in a class by themselves, IMO. In the mid-'40s or so, Balogh thought his work was worth more than he was getting paid so he asked Mike Jacobs for a raise, and Uncle Mike decided to cut him down to size and show him who was boss. He stopped using him in favor of Johnny Addie, I believe it was, and as a result Balogh never again introduced the fighters at Madison Square Garden or St. Nicholas Arena, which were both controlled by Jacobs' 20th Century Sporting Club. After that, you can occasionally see him introducing the fighters on early kinescopes from the smaller fight clubs in New York City. The last (most recent) fight I remember seeing Balogh announce was the Joey Maxim-Floyd Patterson bout in 1954 from the Eastern Parkway Arena.

 

Thanks for the correction and the history on Balogh. Very interesting what goes on behind the scenes.

 

@KasimirKid - superbly informative posts in this thread.

 

Harry Balogh is a favorite. Same with Johnny Addie. I really liked Chuck Hull's voice. But he wasn't very animated. Jimmy Lennon Sr. and Jr. were/are great. I met Jimmy Lennon Jr. Nice guy (as he appears).