Remember when we thought Young Cassius's boot tassles were disrespectful to boxing?
When we thought Joe Namath's low-cut white shoes were controversial?
We talk often about the old timers and today's fighters meeting, but have you ever stopped and tried to envision the event, not just the fight, but from the old timer's POV?
Imagine a1922 Gene Tunney watching Deontay Wilder's ring walk towards him. Would his laughter throw off his game?
In 1928 the NYSAC ruled all fighters had to wear pre-determined red and purple trunks (exceptions were made for champions) to please the cheap seats that complained they couldn't tell the fighters apart.
I wonder if this early NYSAC rule brought about the tradition of the ring announcer identifying the boxers trunk colors.
The rule is definitely why black & white film of the '30s always looks like the fighters are wearing the same color trunks. The red and purple don't show much difference in the translation, but does discern to the eye in real time, (from the cheap seats.)
White and black became the NYSAC mandatory once television began its rise.
While white was usually reserved for the champion, SRR made a big deal, refusing to wear black trunks, in his rematch with Turpin. Polo Grounds 1951.
"His Sweetness" got his way. Champion Turpin wore black.
Oddly enough, both fighters wore dark trunks the year before in London. I wonder if they had any rules?
I think Tunney would have a very different reaction to watching Tyson walk towards him.
. . . torn towel, no socks. --- "Ah S-hit! A black Dempsey; and he looks as brutish and as dumb."
Tunney used to call Dempsey slow and ignorant, when he had the opportunity.
He only became respectful years later. He was jealous, by his own omission, of Dempsey's popularity as early as Boyles Thirty Acres in 1921. Already telling people he knew how to beat Dempsey. Carpentier's right hand that day, the only meaningful punch he would land, would appear in Tunney's arsenal in 1926 Philadelphia. Tunney would say, he saw the flaw that day, that let in the right hand and he would exploit it. Then five years later he did.
Tunney was, in his mind, on a five year mission to beat the 'great Jack Dempsey.' Dempsey was his 'white whale.'
Done meandering.
When we thought Joe Namath's low-cut white shoes were controversial?
We talk often about the old timers and today's fighters meeting, but have you ever stopped and tried to envision the event, not just the fight, but from the old timer's POV?
Imagine a1922 Gene Tunney watching Deontay Wilder's ring walk towards him. Would his laughter throw off his game?
In 1928 the NYSAC ruled all fighters had to wear pre-determined red and purple trunks (exceptions were made for champions) to please the cheap seats that complained they couldn't tell the fighters apart.
I wonder if this early NYSAC rule brought about the tradition of the ring announcer identifying the boxers trunk colors.
The rule is definitely why black & white film of the '30s always looks like the fighters are wearing the same color trunks. The red and purple don't show much difference in the translation, but does discern to the eye in real time, (from the cheap seats.)
White and black became the NYSAC mandatory once television began its rise.
While white was usually reserved for the champion, SRR made a big deal, refusing to wear black trunks, in his rematch with Turpin. Polo Grounds 1951.
"His Sweetness" got his way. Champion Turpin wore black.
Oddly enough, both fighters wore dark trunks the year before in London. I wonder if they had any rules?
I think Tunney would have a very different reaction to watching Tyson walk towards him.
. . . torn towel, no socks. --- "Ah S-hit! A black Dempsey; and he looks as brutish and as dumb."
Tunney used to call Dempsey slow and ignorant, when he had the opportunity.
He only became respectful years later. He was jealous, by his own omission, of Dempsey's popularity as early as Boyles Thirty Acres in 1921. Already telling people he knew how to beat Dempsey. Carpentier's right hand that day, the only meaningful punch he would land, would appear in Tunney's arsenal in 1926 Philadelphia. Tunney would say, he saw the flaw that day, that let in the right hand and he would exploit it. Then five years later he did.
Tunney was, in his mind, on a five year mission to beat the 'great Jack Dempsey.' Dempsey was his 'white whale.'
Done meandering.
Willow The Wisp
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