Dempsey footage

Let me/us know where and when the books will be published. I'm sure you will clean up in here with purchases, and deservedly so.

 

I know this was a while back but just caught it .. turning down the volume a bit he does bring up the legitimate, definitive question about Dempsey .. is he the greatest myth in the history of the heavyweight division ? I love the man and the saga and all of it but he was highly inactive as champion and did not fight the two biggest challengers of his career in Wills and Greb .. I personally have always said to me he proved more in his Tunney fights and even Sharkey than in victory .. I would not call him a fraud but could he have been protected and extremely well promoted ? It's possible ..

 

In regards to Maxine Cates, just about every document that I have seen shows that she was born about a year after Jack Dempsey.

- Chuck Johnston

 

Sorry to hear that Khan passed but his book on Dempsey was worthless.

 

I say it's likely. Dempsey is one of those American icon's who symbolized something and came to fame in the roaring 20's, which were viewed as good times until the great depression hit. Those who specialize on Dempsey that I have spoken to fall into three categories. Sensitive on who Dempsey didn't fight ( Wills, Greb ). Quick to brag on how Dempsey did vs bigger opponents Jess Willard and Fred Fulton and then just lump them into to modern heavyweights, which to me is absolute malarkey. And finally, for some reason, they are big science fiction fans. I have no idea why, but perhaps the is a reason they fall into the lore so easily and Dempsey has plenty of it.

For whatever reason, controversy surrounds Dempsey's biggest fights. And some of his other fights. Something is up.

Dempsey had Doc Kearns and Tex Rickard on his side. How much this really meant would be a good topic for the book. One could be a con man, the other was great at hyping events. Perfect for boxing.

 

Entertaining,but not the definitive biography by any means.Judging by his previous bios ,I've read on, Johnson,Jeffries, and Fitzsimmons, and the diligent research he does on his subject,I would expect Pollack's forthcoming Dempsey book to be the bench mark one.

 

No doubt he was the best promoted and carefully managed. I’ve read somewhere that Kearns had previously managed Wills. Wonder if there was any truth to that. The rub to me is that I think he had the real,skill set but was under developed from 1919 on.

 

i am certain it will become the definitive Dempsey bio.

 

Kearns did briefly manage Wills.

 

Good information I didn't know that.

 

OK so if he did he certainly had first hand knowledge of Wills talent .. I for one and not one of the folks that simply , conveniently write Wills off as another " big, slow guy tailor made for Dempsey ." I think Wills was a higher caliber fighter who excelled against a very tough level of opposition .. Dempsey is a huge question mark to me and I know I've written this time and again .. there is no doubt to me he was a physically talented fighter , filled with heart and tough as nails but the man was highly inactive, avoided Wills, avoided Greb , etc .. at the same time he was extremely well promoted, marketed and that must have included taking care of enough writers for press , etc .. he is an incomplete ..

 

Thats exactly how I see him.

 

Well you live long enough .. All be well !

 

Still no footage of Dempsey vs Fulton?

 

Sorry, I know this is 5 months old - but what you say here is very interesting!

I always thought (from what I have read), that Maxine Cates was much older than Dempsey - so any chance you could elaborate on this?