1910 Jim Jeffries vs. Jack Johnson Full Ticket

Sold For:

$1,800

Year:

1910

Auction:

2017 Fall

Lot #:

2533

Category:

Boxing/Golf/Other Cards or Memorabilia

Exceedingly rare full ticket to the historic World's Heavyweight Championship bout between Jack Johnson and Jim Jeffries held in Reno, Nevada, on July 4, 1910. Graded GOOD 2 by PSA. This is one of only 9 full examples for this fight ever evaluated by PSA. Three are graded at this level, with only 3 graded higher. The 1910 bout between Jack Johnson, the champion, and Jim Jeffries, the challenger and former heavyweight champion, was one of the most important boxing matches in history because of its social and political implications. Johnson was a black man, and when he defeated Tommy Burns for the World Heavyweight Championship in 1908 it set off a firestorm of indignation among the white masses, who bristled at the notion of someone other than a white man holding the title. When Jack London publicly called for a "Great White Hope" to take back the title, a number of white fighters valiantly tried, but failed, to restore the "white man's honor." Finally, in desperation, the call went out to Jeffries, the former champion who had retired six years earlier. Ironically, Jeffries had refused to fight Johnson years earlier precisely because he was black. This time, however, he was swayed by public opinion to take on the mantle of the "Great White Hope." When announcing his return to the ring, he stated, "I feel obligated to the sporting public at least to make an effort to reclaim the heavyweight championship for the white race. . . I should step into the ring again and demonstrate that a white man is king of them all." While that played well with the press, he was more likely (or at least additionally) motivated by a guaranteed $100,000 purse, a $10,000 bonus and the subsequent movie rights. Billed as the "Fight of the Century," the two finally met on July 4, 1910, in Reno, Nevada. Unfortunately, the many who attended hoping to see Johnson finally defeated were greatly disappointed. Johnson toyed with Jeffries for most of the match, unmercifully pounding him round after round until finally, after three brutal knockdowns in the fifteenth round, Jeffries' corner men entered the ring and stopped the fight. The "Great White Hope" had been defeated and another small step in the battle for racial equality had been achieved. The ticket (6.5 x 2.75 inches), which features portrait images of both fighters (as well as the two promoters), displays light toning and has been downgraded by PSA because of small areas of paper loss on the reverse from its having been removed from an album. Excellent in its overall appearance. Reserve $500. Estimate $1,000/$2,000.