1920's Sports | Dempsey, William "Jack" Harrison 1895-1983

HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

Accomplishments.

In 1950 Jack Dempsey, a member of the Boxing Hall of Fame, was selected, in a nationwide Associated Press poll, as the Fighter of the Half Century. Dempsey had come to stand for the poor, small man's triumphant battle against giant opponents and gigantic adversities; as such he was an embodiment of the 1920s pursuit of and admiration for success. After winning the heavy-weight championship in 1919, Dempsey in 1921 attracted the first $1-million boxing gate on 21 July 1921 and drew four more million-dollar-plus bouts in the course of the decade. He fought six championship bouts in seven years, losing only to Gene Tunney, who defeated him twice. His career as a fighter over, Dempsey became an icon of American boxing and, as a restaurant owner in New York City, remained a favorite with literary, movie, and political celebrities.

Early Life.

Dempsey developed his fighting...