"Langford Astonishes All By Beating Champion Gans"

The fight was made at 138 pounds, Gans weighed in at 135 1/4, Langford at 140 or a trifle above that, possibly was whole 145 pounds at ringside.

Boston Globe - Langford was better from 3rd round on.

Boston Journal - first three rounds Gans', two Langford's, three even, seven Langford's

Pawtucket Evening Times - in six of the 15 rounds Langford easily had the better, the rest were about even.

Associated Press - first three Langford was too cautious, rounds 4-8 they were evenly matched, the rest Langford's.

Baltimore Sun - 1-3 Gans, 4-6 Langford, 7-8 even, 9 Langford, 10 even, 11-15 Langford

NY Sun - 1-3 nothing done by either, 4-5 Gans, 6 Langford, 7-8 even, 9-15 Langford

 

Boston Globe

"Gans, according to the club physician was not in the pink of condition. Both boxers were subjected to a minute examination before they entered the ring. Gans' stomach bothered him not a little."

"Gans learned a good lesson. Experience has now taught him that even a champion cannot engage in bouts with such regularity and yet maintain his speed and stamina. On Monday night Gans boxed six rounds with Dave Holly at Philadelphia, and, although he whipped Holly, he admitted himself last night that the exertion sapped his vitality."


Boston Journal

"Gans looked the limit of fineness when he entered the ring and his stiff bout at Philadelphia the night previous kept him somewhat tied up"


Pawtucket Evening Times

"Gans' defeat is not to be marvelled at for he, like other champions, has been taking risks every day by touring the country and meeting all comers when out of condition. Gans wasn't at for last night's fight. He had fought Dave Holly at Philadelphia the evening previous and showed the results of the battle. He was soft all over and claimed that his stomach wasn't right. He certainly wasn't the Gans who put Frank Erne away so easily and annexed the championship. The dusky champion was slow and his noted punch apparently did no harm to Langford. Gans' defeat will teach him a much needed lesson and one that other champions will do well to note."


Baltimore Sun

"Gans was outpointed and did not appear at all up to his usual form. It was said after the bout that he had been severely attacked with stomach trouble this afternoon, hence his poor condition."


Boston Herald (quoted in Baltimore Sun a couple of days later)

"The surprising feature of Gans' work was his all-around slowness and the absence of power in his punches, although he repeatedly landed hard on Langford. In the ring Gans was as good as ever and received very little punishment. He simply lay back during the contest and like many champions depended upon his title to again win for him, but the Criterion Club makes a point to declare winners on their merits and thus Gans' defeat."


Gans caught a cold while in Boston too, so that his fight with Jack Blackburn was first postponed from Dec 19 to Dec 21, then cancelled altogether, Gans was threatened with pneumonia.


Al Herford in NY Sun, Dec 15

"I do not wish to detract from his reputation, as he is a very good man. But he should not take credit for a thing which does not belong to him. Gans was not in as good shape as he has been in other important battles, but excuses are odious, and we don't care to make them. If Langford is sincere he can have a fight without much trouble."

 

I don't recall reading Gans' words, Gans was in bed for days and then the fight was a thing of the past. Langford's memories are in Clay's book.

 

I took this from Coxcorner his atricle about Gans:

Gans had fought a no decision bout with black welterweight Dave Holly in Philadelphia (Gans won the newspaper decision). This means that Gans had to travel by train up the eastern seaboard from Philly to Boston for a fight the very next day. Gans admitted that fighting two days in a row and making the trip had sapped his stamina. Nevertheless, Gans dominated early in the fight before fading from lag in the later rounds and losing a close decision. Fleischer penned, (1938, 164-165; 1939, 130), “Gans opened up the first round with a triple left hook. As Sam drew back after the third blow, Gans quick as a flash, sprang forward and landed a terrific right to the jaw, and from that point until the fifth round, Langford seemed scared stiff and did his utmost to avoid infighting.”

The Boston Globe described events in the following manner, “Langford was clever and the aggressor but he had a wholesome respect for the power behind Gans right glove. And Gans proved early in the bout that his good right hand was his stock in trade and ever after that Langford managed to keep his right hand in readiness to stop any lead at which the champion might make…both blocked so well and slipped rushes so dexterously and sparred so gingerly that the bout became monotonous”, Dec 9 Globe. In other words it was a chess match. This fight is considered as the only fight the real Gans lost in a period of more than ten years. Considering it was his second fight within 24 hours in cities 300 miles apart and the quality of his opposition, Gans did very well indeed.

 

I'd not listen to what Fleischer had to say on this fight. Although I don't have that volume of Black Dynamite, but based on what Clay Moyle sent me a few days ago what he used in writing his book, Fleischer's description of the fight is completely false, as compared to 7 different next-day writings I have.

 

Gans literally had a fight the day before like mentioned and traveled the day of the Langford fight to show up. He obviously took it very lightly and was surprised by Langford ... I alays read the fight was close but a true win for Langford. INteresting that Langford says Gans was the greatest fighter he ever fought...

 

Bravo to Senya for all the research on their fight! It's really amazing that Gans fought such good fighters on consecutive days in different cities.

 

I didn't know your were reading this forum, Amazon says I should be receiving your book on Gans some time next week (previously estimated delivery at second half of December).

 

I don't presume to know anything like as much as ome posters on here about Gans ,but I remember reading a quote from a trainer who worked with Gans ,he said Gans did not take care of himself ,and that" his sex life drained him".

 

As you can tell this was my first post. I'm impressed with your research, Senya, as well as many of the responses on this forum. Thank you for buying the Joe Gans book--I really hope you enjoy it. Several years of hard work across the country went into the making of that book. I came to feel as if I were a part of Gans' family. Thank you, McGrain, for the warm welcome. I look forward to future chats.
Colleen

 

Did you find/interview any of his relatives? I have no idea what happened with his two wives and with Madge's son and daughter.

I felt very-very sad when I was looking through issues of Baltimore American from early Aug 1910.


mcvey
Do you recall where did you read that or who that was?