Jeannette,Langford,McVey.Would They Have Defended Against Johnson?

[Ivich]

If the situation had been reversed,and any of the three named been world champ,would they have defended against Jack Johnson,or taken the easier ,more profitable fights against white challengers?

[The Old LefHook]

I believe they would have found the same forces aligned against them as Johnny did, and done the same.

[JAB5239]

I t hink they would have defended against him. Johnsons ego was huge. He didnt want another black champion so he refused even though there were offers a plenty.

[Marchegiano]

I don't know much about Jeanette and McVey outside of their records and dealings with specific people, but Sam Langford was a team player and Jack Johnson was not.

Jack pissed off the guy who looked out for him early in his career. Sam's a part of a long line of Black Canadians helping other Black Canadians do well.

I could see Sam fighting Jack in Latin America or Europe easy enough.



That said, something not often brought up when we talk about the colorline era; 1915 is the birth of the second version of the KKK and the year "The Birth of a Nation" dropped. The original Klan did not wear white or burn crosses. We all grew up with the burning crosses as part of our history but I reckon those sorts of displays were quite influential back then, when they were new. Also this Klan introduced the pyramid scheme aspects of the Klan.

By the 1920s the Klan's main focus was Catholics and Prohibition, not so much blacks, ***s, italians, russians, etc. To the point where counter clans formed like The Knights of The Flaming Circle, whose main objective was to protect Catholicism in the US...again, not so much ethnic as much as religion at this point.,


By the 30s the Klan was nominal at best and I think Braddock became the first Catholic champion. Of course not long followed by Marciano. Wouldn't be shocked if the Irish boys were catholics I just don't know. Sully, Corbett.


Basically, what I'm driving at is there's more truth behind Jack's era being anti-black than Dempsey's era. I don't think Langford would have let that stop him though, and JJ has a nice long history prior to being champion of being no great to his fellow black man. Like Dempsey, I believe JJ's excuse is an easy logical excuse but not nearly as binding or cuffing as he and others pretend it was.

Quack quack

[travestyny]

Winning the heavyweight championship was like winning the lotto. They were all going to use it to make as much money as possible. So if the money was there, they would have fought.

[Willie Pep 229]

Jeannette had strong ties to NY. He would have been both manipulated and simultaneously would have had plenty of options. He wouldn't have needed Johnson.

Langford on the other hand would have likely fell victim to a greedy promoter and would have been put in the ring with a parade of 'white hopes' until they used him up.

I doubt either ends up in the ring with Johnson.

In playing these 'what if' games the rules usually say you change only one fact. This means JJ would be as obnoxious to whites as be was in the OT, and I don't see him getting a shot at anyone's title.

The fight would have to take place outside the States which to me pretty much means only Langford.

(IMO Jeannette would wear his crown in NY and likely only fight in MSG (Bowl). If the law forbid it (NY) they wouldn't have let him and all that money venture too far from the northeast, certainly not out of the country. "They" being the NY power brokers.) ***

Back to Langford: Without JJ's victory over Burns (which now belongs to Langford in the new timeline,) it is not unreasonable for JJ to go unnoticed and he wouldn't have had the political clout to force the fight, not even likely IMO to get a shot at Langford Paris.

Me thinks only geeks like us would even know JJ's name today.

I know nothing about McVea's career.

*** I am aware Jeannette in the OT fought in Europe a few times but once champion in the NT, he vacations in Europe and fights in the NY area only.

[travestyny]

What's also interesting....

Would they want to give a chance to someone who has already beaten them? In some instances, apparently beaten them pretty badly.

[Willow The Wisp]

Sewing plenty of threadstarting seeds there buddy. Quantity over.......Well I'll participate. None of the black heavyweights had a whole lot of leverage towards who promoters would put up funds to put them in against, I'd guess, much less influence over which local city councils would welcome the events. But my answer officially would be "How would I know?". Johnson, regardless of these lost opportunities while champion, was a slightly better heavyweight than the other three, if only just.

[Ivich]

I t hink they would have defended against him. Johnsons ego was huge. He didnt want another black champion so he refused even though there were offers a plenty.

Johnson signed to defend against McVey and Langford in Australia the fights were pulled due to public opinion.
Johnson twice signed to defend against Jeannette,both times the fights were vetoed by the NYAC.History shows that if his price ,$30,000, was met Johnson was willing to defend against anyone.Please post an offer of $30,000 to defend against any of the three named that Johnson turned down.

[Ivich]

Sewing plenty of threadstarting seeds there buddy. Quantity over.......Well I'll participate. None of the black heavyweights had a whole lot of leverage towards who promoters would put up funds to put them in against, I'd guess, much less influence over which local city councils would welcome the events. But my answer officially would be "How would I know?". Johnson, regardless of these lost opportunities while champion, was a slightly better heavyweight than the other three, if only just.

Just trying to make it worth logging on.I've been away for 2 weeks and not much seems to have happened during that time.If I'm monopolising the forum with poor posts presumably they will soon be relegated due to lack of response?
I think Johnson proved he was more than ,"slightly better ,"than the other three myself.