Battling Nelson Respect

[QueensburyRules]

- - Ring wrote a celebratory obit for Mogens Palles who passed at age 88 that was an interesting Denmark perspective of boxing, but then they blew it in stating he was the only person from Denmark in the HOF, when in fact Battling Nelson was the first.

In pulling up Nelson's record to research, I was amazed that 99 fighters in boxrec have used his name for their ring careers, perhaps a record that will never be broken, but I won't verify.

Anyway, Nelson was huge mainstay early 20th century, chockful of HOF fighters on his resume. Here he is in retirement with Joe Choynski, one of the fighters knocking out Jack Johnson before he became champ.


Bat_Nelson_and_Joe_Choynski.jpg

[Willie Pep 229]

In 1910, just after the JJ-Jeffries voilence occured, Uncle Joe Cannon (Speaker of the House) wanted to stop a reform bill, The Smith Bill. Which would have made boxing akin to prostitution and ended all prize fight film presentations at the local level, i.e. boxing would now be considered as obscene, legally.

Uncle Joe called for a congressional investigation. He stacked the speakers with pro-boxing witnesses and they reassured the nation that prize fighting was good clean fun; muscular Christianity.

One key speaker was Battling Nelson.

The farce ended with Uncle Joe and Battling Nelson stripping down to shirt sleeves and sparring on the capitol lawn, much to the delite of the newspaper boys.

The Smith Bill was voted down; Uncle Joe represented a disrict in Michigan.

P.S. Two years later, after the Fynn fight, and with Uncle Joe having been squeezed out of power, the anti-transportation of fight films act (Sims Act) was passed. (July 30th, 1912) This time it was a Southern racist move with the reformers tagging along as 'us tooers.' The Sims act did not affect local presentations, only interstate distribution. The plan was to 'starve the Negro out of the championship.' Their words. They had him reduced down to fighting in East Las Vegas, New Mexico. (The only State willing to accept the Flynn fight.) Now they just needed to stop JJ from making any money off film presentations in the big cities, and they would be able to starve him out. The Taft/Wilson administrations didn't want to wait and the AG office went after him with the vaguely written and misused Mann Act. Sorry for the long digression.


So is Battling Nelson's legacy tarnished by the one fight that never happened?

[QueensburyRules]

In 1910, just after the JJ-Jeffries voilence occured, Uncle Joe Cannon (Speaker of the House) wanted to stop a reform bill, The Smith Bill. Which would have made boxing akin to prostitution and ended all prize fight film presentations at the local level, i.e. boxing would now be considered as obscene, legally.

Uncle Joe called for a congressional investigation. He stacked the speakers with pro-boxing witnesses and they reassured the nation that prize fighting was good clean fun; muscular Christianity.

One key speaker was Battling Nelson.

The farce ended with Uncle Joe and Battling Nelson stripping down to shirt sleeves and sparring on the capitol lawn, much to the delite of the newspaper boys.

The Smith Bill was voted down; Uncle Joe represented a disrict in Michigan.

P.S. Two years later, after the Fynn fight, and with Uncle Joe having been squeezed out of power, the anti-transportation of fight films act (Sims Act) was passed. (July 30th, 1912) This time it was a Southern racist move with the reformers tagging along as 'us tooers.' The Sims act did not affect local presentations, only interstate distribution. The plan was to 'starve the Negro out of the championship.' Their words. They had him reduced down to fighting in East Las Vegas, New Mexico. (The only State willing to accept the Flynn fight.) Now they just needed to stop JJ from making any money off film presentations in the big cities, and they would be able to starve him out. The Taft/Wilson administrations didn't want to wait and the AG office went after him with the vaguely written and misused Mann Act. Sorry for the long digression.


So is Battling Nelson's legacy tarnished by the one fight that never happened?

- - What fight that never happened is attributed to Nelson?

[Willie Pep 229]

- - What fight that never happened is attributed to Nelson?

Packey McFarland

[QueensburyRules]

Packey McFarland

- - Never heard them mentioned together, so how does that tarnish Nelson? Don't be coquettish now.

[Willie Pep 229]

- - Never heard them mentioned together, so how does that tarnish Nelson? Don't be coquettish now.

OK - let me refresh my memory first. Joe Gans gets caught in the middle but I'll get back to you. They were suspose to fight at least that's what McFarland felt.

[QueensburyRules]

The farce ended with Uncle Joe and Battling Nelson stripping down to shirt sleeves and sparring on the capitol lawn, much to the delite of the newspaper boys.

- - Now who would you have sparring a stripped down today's Uncle Joe on today's capital lawn?

******?

[Willie Pep 229]

- - Now who would you have sparring a stripped down today's Uncle Joe on today's capital lawn?

******?

If they wanted to BS the public today who would Congress bring in?

Can you imagine the likes of Mayweather Jr. or Tyson Fury testifying before Congress on behalf of prize fighting?

Damn is there a spokes person out there?

Maybe Lennox Lewis? I know you thing he is a intellectual farce but I can see him being able to read 'the shot' and offer up the right dialouge.

My God there are some really wonderful possibilities we could release on an unexpecting public. Duran?

What we don't want now is someone with a heavy 'russian' accent so don't pitch Usyk. Wilder is too ignorant and now we know AJ can't control his temper.

When they rescinded the Sims Act in 1939 they first brought in a parade of fighters, Dempsey and Tunney included, who all promised a frightened America that Joe Louis was a nice 'colored boy' and that he wouldn't act like Jack Johnson did.

Who should be prize fighting's spokes person today?

[QueensburyRules]

If they wanted to BS the public today who would Congress bring in?

Can you imagine the likes of Mayweather Jr. or Tyson Fury testifying before Congress on behalf of prize fighting?

Damn is there a spokes person out there?

Maybe Lennox Lewis? I know you thing he is a intellectual farce but I can see him being able to read 'the shot' and offer up the right dialouge.

My God there are some really wonderful possibilities we could release on an unexpecting public. Duran?

What we don't want now is someone with a heavy 'russian' accent so don't pitch Usyk. Wilder is too ignorant and now we know AJ can't control his temper.

When they rescinded the Sims Act in 1939 they first brought in a parade of fighters, Dempsey and Tunney included, who all promised a frightened America that Joe Louis was a nice 'colored boy' and that he wouldn't act like Jack Johnson did.

Who should be prize fighting's spokes person today?

- - Would've had Marv testify had not Big Pharma snookered him. Mike Spinks is a credible witness. Jesus Chavez would be another.

The Ks and Usyk would be incredible international spokesmen as homeowners living here part time.