This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/24/2014
ADDENDUM: Circa 1900 date has been updated to circa 1910 on account that Everlast was founded in 1910. In terms of provenance, James Jeffries was a longtime friend to Bill Schroeder and Paul Helms and a frequent visitor to the HAF museum. He was a recipient of many Helms awards and was a member of the Helms Hall of Fame. A copy of an original photo of Jeffries (late in life) celebrating his birthday with Schroeder and Helms is included with this lot. All of the Jeffries items featured in this auction were donated to the HAF directly by Jeffries himself.
These antique circa 1910 Everlast boxing shoes were worn by World Heavyweight Boxing Champion James J. Jeffries, who won the title from Bob Fitzsimmons in 1899 and held it until August of 1904 when he retired initially with an undefeated record. He came out of retirement in 2010 for an epic bout against the great Jack Johnson on July 3, 1910. It took all 15 rounds, but Johnson prevailed via TKO giving Jeffries the first and only loss of his outstanding career. Jeffries retired for good from professional boxing shortly thereafter. It is believed that Jeffries wore these shoes in training for the Jack Johnson fight or in exhibition competition following his official retirement in 1910. The medium brown high-top leather boots have the EVERLAST tag sewn in one tongue and come with what appear to be the original laces. "L5" is stamped inside the bottom soles of each. The shoes show heavy wear and aging, yet still present beautifully. There is no size tagging, but they appear to be size 12. The shoes were displayed in the Helms Athletic Foundation Museum for several decades.
Includes a Letter of Provenance from the Helms Athletic Foundation/LA84 Collection.