A knock down

Bellows, George, 1882-1925 · [ca. 1916–1921]

A prize-fight in New York. (Bellows) / Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion, won his title from Jim Jeffries in Reno in 1910. He downed "The White Hope" three times in the fifteen round fight. The poised fighter in this [drawing] is Jack Johnson; the enervated "white hope" is Jim Jeffries. The flamboyant Johnson brought out the worst expressions of bigotry in his fellow countrymen. His liaisons with white women led to his indictment under the Mann Act for abducting one of them across state lines for illegal purposes. He was sentenced to a year and a day but preferred self-exile to imprisonment. Afraid that if he fought in the United States he would be jailed, Johnson to defend his title in Cuba on April 15, 1915. This time a "white hope" won. Jess Willard, six inches taller, twenty-five pounds lighter and four years younger became champion after twenty-six rounds. According to rumor, the fight had been fixed. A photo showed Johnson on his back being counted out while shading his eyes with his hand. (Mason)