This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/14/2024
This animated photograph captures Jack Johnson in the process of receiving his $30,000 prize for defeating James J. Jeffries in what has been called, “Fight of the Century.” The back story of the fight is interesting in that former heavyweight champion Jeffries had emerged from retirement with the specific mission of ending Johnson’s reign as world champion, telling reporters, "I am going into this fight for the sole purpose of proving that a white man is better than a Negro." Charged with racial animosity and much hyperbole by the sporting press, the fight took place on July 4, 1910, in Reno, Nevada. In front of 20,000 spectators, Johnson dominated the former champ, knocking him to the canvas twice, the first time this happened in Jeffries’s career. The fight was called in Johnson’s favor in after the 15th round when Jeffries’ corner threw in the towel, allegedly to prevent Johnson from recording a knockout of the former champ. In this photograph taken at San Francisco’s Metropolis Savings and Loan Bank before the fight, an amused Johnson is shown inspecting $30,000 in $20 gold coins deposited by promoters Tex Rickard and John Gleason as a part of the $100,000 purse. Newspaper accounts of the day ran such racist quips as “The money look good to Jack Johnson, for his lips parted and he grinned as if he were taking a deep bite in a luscious watermelon” (Chicago Tribune, May 4, 1910). The photograph shows toning from age and three of the corners have pieces missing along with some chipping along the edges. A hat has been retouched onto one of the men in the photo and several production markings are found on the left side border. The reverse has a handwritten captions and notations as well as a modern barcode sticker affixed. This piece has been encapsulated and graded a Type 1 by PSA.