The Black Press Salutes Harry Greb in Death

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Surf-Bat, Aug 13, 2012.


Page 1 of 3
  1. Surf-Bat

    Surf-Bat Boxing Addict Full Member

    6,736
    97
    Jul 20, 2010
    The black press could be ruthless in chastising white fighters who avoided black fighters. One fighter who managed to win their admiration was Harry Greb, as this eulogy clearly shows:

    "We write this not in the spirit of appreciation of the fallen fighter's prowess, per se; the records will attest to that. We rather refer to Harry Greb's interpretation of AMERICANISM, as the name is reduced to practice. After becoming champion...he always subscribed to the theory that all men deserved a chance; that all men's challenges were to be treated in the same way; accepted if logical or rejected for just cause or reason, but the question of color was never the basis of rejection, the views of his manager [George Engel] to the contrary notwithstanding. During his career he fought Kid Norfolk three (sic) times, Jack Blackburn once and Tiger Flowers three times and it is reasonable to assume that the only reason he did not fight other colored men* was because he was not called upon to do so. The record of Harry Greb goes down into history as a credit to the game of boxing and to the honor of America.

    Contrasting Greb's career and his interpretation of what constitutes a world's champion with the pussyfooting of most white fighters and sport writers, colored America may well stand at ATTENTION at the tomb of Harry Greb and truthfully say: "THERE LIES AN AMERICAN".

    --The Pittsburgh Courier, 10/30/1926

    *he actually did fight several others like Allentown Joe Gans and Willie Langford.
     
    Surf-Bat, Aug 13, 2012
    Surf-Bat, Aug 13, 2012
    #1
  2. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

    61,563
    46,160
    Feb 11, 2005
    I heard there was a similar response after May 31st 1983.
     
    Seamus, Aug 13, 2012
    Seamus, Aug 13, 2012
    #2
  3. AlFrancis

    AlFrancis Boxing Junkie Full Member

    9,812
    843
    Jul 25, 2008
    A man ahead of his time!
     
    AlFrancis, Aug 13, 2012
    AlFrancis, Aug 13, 2012
    #3
  4. Surf-Bat

    Surf-Bat Boxing Addict Full Member

    6,736
    97
    Jul 20, 2010
    Maybe the hot weather here in L.A. is making me obtuse for the moment. Explain?:oops:
     
    Surf-Bat, Aug 13, 2012
    Surf-Bat, Aug 13, 2012
    #4
  5. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

    71,579
    27,231
    Feb 15, 2006
    Klompton told me that Greb was an admirer of Harry Wills.
     
    janitor, Aug 13, 2012
    janitor, Aug 13, 2012
    #5
  6. WhyYouLittle

    WhyYouLittle Stand Still Full Member

    1,372
    21
    Jul 13, 2012
    :thumbsup

    Cool stuff.

    Ironically Greb didn't always got along with the mainstream press. The coolest thing is he fought black men in every stage of his career, not just when he needed to (and the ones I know were all tough - don't know Willie Langford, though).
     
    WhyYouLittle, Aug 13, 2012
    WhyYouLittle, Aug 13, 2012
    #6
  7. Pachilles

    Pachilles Boxing Addict Full Member

    6,294
    28
    Nov 15, 2009
    biggest pair of balls in the history of sport
     
    Pachilles, Aug 13, 2012
    Pachilles, Aug 13, 2012
    #7
  8. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

    25,429
    9,413
    Jul 15, 2008
    Very telling that a guy with three hundred fights fights three black men and is a hero of an era ... shows just how many fighters used the color line to their advantage ... I am a firm believer that if there was no color loine the history books would read very differently ...
     
    he grant, Aug 13, 2012
    he grant, Aug 13, 2012
    #8
  9. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

    61,563
    46,160
    Feb 11, 2005
    Of
    Have you so thoroughly reviewed Greb's record to determine that only 3 men of color ranked among Greb's opponents? And further could it possibly be that Irish, Germans and Italians proportionately dominted the sport as African Americans did in later decades? Upon which philosophy do you base that the landscape of the sport would be drastically different?

    And I'm no stating that I disagree with you.
     
    Seamus, Aug 13, 2012
    Seamus, Aug 13, 2012
    #9
  10. dpw417

    dpw417 Boxing Junkie Full Member

    9,461
    348
    Jul 13, 2007
    That is certainly high praise...and it is certainly well deserved by Harry Greb. Greb deserves the utmost respect of all boxing fans...what a fighter. Thanks for posting.
     
    dpw417, Aug 13, 2012
    dpw417, Aug 13, 2012
    #10
  11. SLAKKA

    SLAKKA Boxing Addict Full Member

    3,829
    25
    Jun 4, 2009
    Ive always found Harrys second to last fight vs Allentown Joey Gans particularly inspiring as Harry was so old blind and battered by then, and AJG was a young hellva fighter.
     
    SLAKKA, Aug 13, 2012
    SLAKKA, Aug 13, 2012
    #11
  12. turbotime

    turbotime Hall Of Famer Full Member

    42,552
    3,755
    May 4, 2012
    What a man. :happy
     
    turbotime, Aug 13, 2012
    turbotime, Aug 13, 2012
    #12
  13. Danmann

    Danmann Well-Known Member Full Member

    2,427
    20
    Oct 30, 2011

    I was wondering same thing, what happened on that day?
     
    Danmann, Aug 13, 2012
    Danmann, Aug 13, 2012
    #13
  14. Danmann

    Danmann Well-Known Member Full Member

    2,427
    20
    Oct 30, 2011
    OK, Jack Dempsey died.
     
    Danmann, Aug 13, 2012
    Danmann, Aug 13, 2012
    #14
  15. brnxhands

    brnxhands Boxing Junkie Full Member

    9,905
    11
    Sep 1, 2011
    goat
     
    brnxhands, Aug 14, 2012
    brnxhands, Aug 14, 2012
    #15
Page 1 of 3