I didn't post on this one last night like I had planned 2, although I did watch it. This will be a shorter post than any of the previous ones that I've done, quite simply cuz I had less thoughts on it, which is rather unusual considering the fight when the full 15 rounds. I did have three things about the fight I wanted 2 bring up though. 1. Does anyone know the story of how this fight bankrupted/ supposedly bankrupted Shelby, Montana? 2. Before the 5th round, a slide went up. It said that Gibbons rocks Dempsey w/ a straight left. I was watching, and although Gibbons landed a few good lefts, I never saw Dempsey get rocked in that round. I would like 2 know if anyone disagrees w/ me on this. 3. In a slide before the 6th round, it said that it has been claimed that Dempsey fouled Gibbons while in the ropes. It all happened really fast, and not the entire thing was caught on camera, so it was a little hard 2 make out. It looked 2 me like Dempsey hurt Gibbons, who started 2 reel, and Dempsey hit him while he was turned away. I don't really know if that's exactly what happened, so I don't know if I think Dempsey fouled him or not. Did anyone think they saw this part clearly? Do they think Dempsey fouled him, or no? Verdict: Waste of time. Yawn of a match. More interesting to read about really.
From what I recall, they basically agreed to terrible terms to pay Dempsey, paying him stupid amounts. They also paid him in multiple installments, where if they failed to make the later ones the fight was off, and they'd lose the previous ones. They struggled with the later installments, so as well as paying tons of money, they got rubbish ticket sales because the fight looked like it was going to be cancelled late. But I've seen slightly different tellings and that was just from memory, so someone will probably correct me later in this thread.
If only someone had written a good book on the subject... https://www.amazon.com/Shelbys-Folly-Dempsey-Shakedown-Boomtown/dp/080324004X
Included in Moyle's book on Miske is the story of Gibbons, the next day, showing reporters extensive bruising around his groin and upper legs from all the fouling. Moyle's take seems to be that Dempsey fouled a lot in that fight.
The ticket sales were actually strong and the fight would have made money but Kearns kept threatening the promoters that he would pull it if the final payment wasnt made in a timely fashion. He did this at the eleventh hour which caused a wave of cancellations from both ticket holders and special trains (which caused further cancellations). This domino effect ruined the gate. Dempsey went on with the fight and accepted terms to take his final cut from the gate receipts. If they had just agreed to do that quietly and not have Kearns telling anyone who would listen that they were going to walk Dempsey would have made more money and the town wouldnt have been bankrupted. Thats why Kearns was so hated by the town and had to hire a special train to make a quick getaway immediately after the fight. Instead of working with the promoters in good faith he kneecapped the promotion and hurt everyones bottom line as a result. Only he and Dempsey came out ahead and they still didnt make the full amount they were promised.
Essentially a shitty venue combined with, as mentioned, ridiculously high terms to pay Dempsey. Everything was overly priced and the people were not having it. Supposedly most spectators didn't even pay to get in. Gibbons fought for free apparently. I'm not sure if that's true because the same source says he got paid $7500 https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Jack_Dempsey_vs._Tommy_Gibbons I haven't watched the fight in a little bit but Dempsey could definitely have fouled Gibbons. Was pretty common back in those days.
Something I came across at an estate sale. The guy had tons of Montana boxing memorabilia. A friend of mine got the bulk of it. I think that @GeorgeCrowcroft would have had an interest in the posters and programs from the Roger Rouse v Bob Foster fight.
No one would have ever heard of Shelby, Montana if it weren't for Dempsey and his promoter. It was an oil town back in the day.
Excellent post .. beat me to it ... good book ... the story gets a bit flat as it really becomes about business but it is very knowledgable ..
Hey Bob .. as I remember it it had some but was really more about Kearns and how he wanted to circumvent Rickard and do his own bout w Dempsey and a lot of the beg hid the scenes for the most part ..
