"Langford Astonishes All By Beating Champion Gans"

Gans had what appears to have been 3 wives. We note in the book that Gans' lawyer drew up the paperwork to have the Goldfield Hotel transferred to Martha J. only days before he died. Madge was his second wife, Martha considered the third. Gans son from his first wife died of TB also, a few years after Gans, and is buried next to him.
Yes, as you know from reading the old newspapers, almost everything about his life is tragic in Shakespearean proportions: his treatment at the hands of the media, the way the boxing establishment exploited him, and to hear him talk about his inevitable doom--makes him all the more heroic in my estimation. What challenges that man had to face over two decades! Not to mention the conditions under Jim Crow for which a black man had to step into the ring to fight white men. Sad, but very heroic.

I'm not sure if you are asking me a question about McVey?

 

He had 4 wives.

First he got divorced with.

Second (Mary Beulah) died of consumption on March 18, 1896 (he was to meet Frank Erne several days before that happened, but he left the training camp to be with her during her last days, thus he failed to make the stipulated weight and Erne refused to fight him).

Married Madge Watkins, April 8, 1900 (next-day Baltimore Sun mentions it was his third marriage), and adopted her two children, James and Julia.

And his last wife, Martha.

There is no mention of any other kids being with him at the time of his death ("his two children, James, 16 years, a six-footer, and Julia, aged about 15, children by his former wife, Madge Gans").

Maryland's law not allowing direct transfer of property to close relative sounds weird to me.


No, the question to McVey wasn't for you.

 

apparently langford was far from the finished article. he was very amatuerish and just very strong.

when he asked a former middleweight, (i've forgotten the name) how he did, the guy responded "plenty strong but didnt know a thing" and when langford asked him to teach him, the middleweight said he will for a fee.

he then taught him defense, feinting, drawing and more.

this shows why he is easily p4p # 1 All time! he has the most amazing achievements

 

IMO, Gans had trouble with pressure fighters, and Langford was a pressure fighter.

 

Langford was a pressure fighter, but he wasn't a rusher/swarmer in this fight. Where did you see a pressure fighter per se, who is content with jabbing with his left most of the fight?


Boston Journal

His right was also always ready to drive and followed the left quickly on the jab and his most effective attack was to poke his left to the head and then swing his right over. Gans avoided several vicious swings by timely ducking and his ring science pulled him out of several bad places.

His favorite style was to get in close and hook his right to the head and he drove Langford to cover with the maneuver. The bout lacked the fire and aggressiveness that have characterized other affairs, as the boys made it a stand-off test, not taking any chances at mixing it too often. Langford was more inclined to force matters, but could not prevail upon Gans to catch the fever and he stuck to his task of outpointing the champion.

 

Boston Journal

Sam Langford of Cambridge, the conqueror of Joe Gans, was saved a humiliation last night in his bout with Jack Blackburn of Philadelphia, at the Central A. C., as he clearly lost, by an agreement that the result should be a draw if both were on their feet at the end of twelve rounds.

The talent received a big surprise by the showing of Blackburn, who was underestimated because of Langford's victory over the lightweight champion, and the Cambridge boy entered the ring a big favorite. The bout had only gone a few rounds when it was plainly evident that Langford was up against a hard game and had tackled a proposition that looked too big for him. Blackburn's awkward style did not create much of an impression in his favor, but it had the effect to tie Langford up and make him look like a second-rater before the end of the journey was reached.

From a hard-hitting point of view the bout had few attractions, as neither man was willing to cut loose, but would lead and clinch and take plenty of time at breaking away.

Blackburn started in at an easy gait, simply holding his own, countering hard on Langford every time he came in, but as the distance lessened the Philadelphia colored lad saw he had the advantage in jabbing with his left and operated his right on Langford's head. Langford was only prominent in the first half dozen rounds, when he managed to work his strongest suit, a left jab and right cross. It took Blackburn several rounds to solve the combination, and then he played the same trick, only in a superior form, and Langford found himself beaten at his own game.

Blackburn grew more confident as he saw that he had Langford on the hip, and modified his attack by jolting viciously with either hand when close enough. Langford appeared almost completely lost by Blackburn's constant improvement, and although not in any danger of losing decisively, could not even up the lead the visitor obtained.


Pawtucket Evening Times

Another sure thing-on-their-feet a draw--was pulled off at the Lenox Club last evening, in the bout between Sam Langford of Cambridge and Jack Blackburn of Philadelphia. It was well for Langford under the circumstances that this agreement was made, otherwise he would have undoubtedly lost the decision. In the 12 rounds in which the pair boxed Blackburn had all the better of it. He showed better than Langford did when he won over Gans. Blackburn has also won from Gans.

Blackburn stipulated that the decision should be a draw if the men boxed the distance without a knockout. After the first few rounds he was all over the recent winner from Gans. He tried him out thoroughly, and then sailed in. He was as shifty as a champion, and his in and out work was fine. Graceful and quick on his feet, he had an advantage over Langford in being able to hit while on the move. As a blocker and in the general knowledge of the science of the game he was Langford's superior. The hard hitting local boy was lost on account of Blackburn's clever blocking.

For the first few rounds, it looked as though Langford would win, for he got to Blackburn often with straight left jabs and right overhand hooks to the head. This combination was Langford's stock in trace, and he certainly placed these blows beautifully for a few rounds. Blackburn, convinced that these were the only punches in Langford's list, took thelead and began forcing the going. He was all around the local boy, hitting and getting away often without a return, jabbing with his left to the face and following with right cross to the head or body.

Blackburn certainly showed brilliantly. He closed in quickly on each punch and covered so well that Langford had not one chance in 10 of hitting him clean. Langford excelled Blackburn in hitting power, but he could not get a chance to land effectively.

Much of Blackburn's work for the first three rounds was in the way of blocking and countering. Langford forced the going, jabbing his left to the head and hooking his right, with an occasional drop to the body. Langford kept right after his man and Blackburn contended himself by countering.

At the beginning of the fourth round, Blackburn rushed and landed twice in a hurry. Langford then became the aggressor and set the pace until near the end of the round, when Blackburn got to him. The next round was all in favor of Langford, but Blackburn cut loose in the sixth and jabbed continually, time and again snapping Langford's head back with sharp jabs. He was around Langford as he pleased, and when the latter tried to get to him, Blackburn either ducked or blocked beautiful.

Blackburn, after this, got in a series of body punches in almost every round and would have won decisively had he had the power behind them that is necessary to stop Langford. All he could hope to do was to outpoint and avoid Langford's hard swings, which he did meet scientifically.

In the last round, Langford, aware of the fact that he was being defeated, tried to set the pace, but Blackburn was never in one place long enough to allow him to do any harm. Langford countered very hard to the body at times with right and left hooks, but it was impossible for him to overcome the lead attained by Blackburn. Although the decision was a draw the crowd made known its verdict by the reception given Blackburn.

 

NY Evening World

BOSTON, Mass., Dec. 24.--The bout between Jack Blackburn, of Philadelphia, and Sam Langford, of this city, which was held at the Central Athletic Club last night, proved to be the cleverest exhibition pulled off in this city for some time. The men were evenly matched, and as a result a grand bout was witnessed. Langford is the man who won a decision from Joe Gans here recently.

The conditions of the match, both men on their feet a draw, deprived Blackburn of a victory, for he had an advantage at the end of the twelve rounds which they boxed, securing his lead by aggressiveness and well-placed jabs. He proved himself to be a very elusive customer, too, and he had Langford guessing.

Blackburn, from the start, forced the hitting and kept Langford working hard to avoid being jabbed. He blocked well at times, but he could not prevent Blackburn from landing. The Philadelphian drove many good punches to the body, mostly rights to the heart, which he followed with stinging lefts to Langford's ehad.

Langford, who is a splendid jabber, did not have his customary success in that direction, as Blackburn either ducked or blocked with great skill. Langford, however, did some good body execution, but he was not able to place any hard blows on the head of the Philadelphian.

Snappy lefts and rights to the body and kidneys were used by Langford with success. Apparently they had little effect, for Blackburn continued his forceful work from beginning to end.

 

Danny Duane, an excellent lightweight (great footwork and blocking skills, coupled with fast hands), used similar tactics to that of Blackburn, having outpointed Langford previously.

 

Another Report.
The Washington Times, December 24.

Sam Langford Gets a Severe Drubbing
From Philadelphia Negro
BOSTON Dec 24 Sam Langford the
colored youth who defeated Joe Gans
the lightweight champion several weeks
ago received a severe drubbing from
Jack Blackburn also colored of Philadelphia
at the Central A C last night. Had the pair not made an agreement for a draw in case in case both were on their feet at the close of the bout the Philadelphian boxer would have recieved the decision.
Blackburn pummelled his opponent severely, and at the end of the tenth Langford was all in. He managed to last out the other two rounds by stalling.

 

i know this is on a tangent but i read in a boxing book "dark sides" thomas hausers had some writings about how subjectable the sport is. expecially rinside sportswriters. the example was on the lines of...

it's pryor-arguello I round 13, the fight is close but still a win is attainable for both men. arguello starts to use his ritgh hand more trying to floor pryor yada, yada,yada,pryor cervantes, kameda...yada.... when alexis found an opening he launches a 1-2 on to the chin of aaron.
a european writer near the neutral corner sees the combination over arguellos back but didnt see pryors head fly back and claims it was (in translation i suppose due to the "all you base" feel about it) "right arguello hand, it close miss in the end of the 13th round"

another writer from behind pryors back sees the combination and the head snap but judges it as a long punch with not enough weight behind it. stating "decent right hand by arguello"

last writer sees it from side on and remark as "the hardest punch ever taken in a title fight"


in this case gans is described as tired but other claim it is langford who is being defencive....pinch of salt anyway.

 

I'm not certain but I think it was Harry Lenny a trainer and cornerman ,from an article in the Boxing Illustrated.

 

McGrain and Senya - absolutely brilliant thread, a really great read :good

 

I'm just copy/pastying from my scrap-books on Gans and Langford.