Jack Johnson first arrived in Philadelphia in 1903 to begin his campaign to gather enough Eastern publicity to force heavyweight champion Jim Jeffries into a match with the title on the line. Johnson had garnered the ?Colored Heavyweight Championship? earlier that year. Jeffries, who had met black fighters before he became champ, promptly drew the ?color line? after winning the title.
Philadelphia at the time was the busiest fight center in the nation with a dozen different venues running weekly shows and the Quaker City was reputed to be the country?s most ?open? large city to black boxers.
On May 11, 1903, Johnson made his initial appearance in Philly against the ?old trial horse,? Joe Butler at the Washington S.C. located at 15th and Wood Streets and it turned out to be quite a conspicuous debut that he probably remembered the circumstances surrounding it up until the moment he died.
Leaving the ring after knocking out Butler, Johnson was pounced on by local white boxer, Harry Burke, and hit over the head, from behind, with a large glass water bottle, leaving him with a gaping scalp wound that bled profusely. This was a follow-up to a dressing room altercation before his fight with Butler, when he had refused to lend Burke a towel. Burke was promptly arrested on the spot and Jack was taken to a local hospital for repairs.
In spite of this Johnson continued to fight often in Philly, in fact Jack was to fight more times in Philadelphia (17) than any other city during his career except for his home city of Galveston, Texas.
He next took on an early ?White Hope? Sandy Ferguson and followed with bouts at other local venues against Black Bill, Jim Jeffords, Joe Jeannette, Jack Monroe, Morris Harris and others to keep his march going to force his deserving title shot.
After Jeffries retired from the ring (refusing to engage Johnson), Jack tried to keep his quest for the crown alive and gaining publicity any way he could. He took a handicap fight with the celebrated Italian immigrant Joe Grim (Saverio Giannone). Where but in Philadelphia could a Joe Grim have been a hero? Joe was a 150-pounder known as ?Boxing?s Iron Man,? who survived frightful beatings at the hands of the game?s most powerful punchers. In July 1905, thousands of Italian fans waited anxiously outside the National A.C. at 11th and Catherine Streets in the ?heart of Little Italy,? for word of the outcome of his bout with the 205-pound Jack Johnson and celebrated far into the night when word was flashed that Grim had lasted the six-round limit because Johnson had failed to knock him out, officially.
The fact that Grim lay unconscious in ring center after suffering 16 knockdowns and bleeding profusely did not deter the exhilaration of the spectators and the milling mob outside the arena. The referee?s count had only reached six when the final bell was rung over the prostrate Grim, and thus saving thousands of dollars in wagers for his countrymen. And costing Johnson the large amount he bet that he would KO Grim.
Johnson continued his march for the title, including a KO of the ancient ex-heavyweight champion, Bob Fitzsimmons, at Philly?s Washington A.C. and finally reaching his goal by securing a title match with current champ, Tommy Burns in far off Australia and at long last capturing the crown in December of 1908.
Johnson?s first important match as champion was the following May, back in Philly, at the National A.C. against the erudite light heavyweight champion known as ?Philadelphia? Jack O?Brien, who co-promoted the fight with Jack McGuigan. Despite Johnson winning the newspaper decision, the match and the financial arrangement left a sour taste in Johnson?s mouth for many years. Johnson was offered 45% of the receipts OR $5,100 in cash by O?Brien, to be paid before the fight. Miscalculating what the fight would draw, Johnson accepted the pre-fight cash payment over the percentage and O?Brien?s 45% allowed him to walk away with $6,200 after the money in the till was counted from the packed house of a $22,500 payoff and after McGuigan and O?Brien took their promotional share. Afterwards whenever Johnson would run into O?Brien their greeting was cordial but cold and brief.
Johnson visited Philadelphia often before he died in an auto accident in 1946. He saw many of his friends from the old days, and contrary to Ken Burns? agenda, he formed close relationships with Herman Taylor, ?Diamond Lew? Bailey, Walter Schlichter, etc., and it was always a big event to the Philly locals when he arrived back in town. But he was especially close with Baron Dougherty. For his book ?THE BARON OF LEIPERVILLE?The life and Times of James F. Dougherty,? the author, Rich Pagano, interviewed the Baron?s two surviving daughters, both in their 90s but still lucid and sharp. They relayed to Pagano a moving tribute to the friendship between the two men, that whenever Johnson and his wife would visit the Dougherty estate in Ridley Park, Dougherty would insist that Johnson?s sleep in the master bedroom and use the Dougherty?s bed as a gesture of respect and warmth to honored guests in their home.. The ladies also said that ?Mother? was not so enthusiastic as the Baron for this special gesture of their friendship.
