September 1927 – As our late friend Frank Reading would say, “This fight was one for the ages!” The famous “The long count” bout between Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey was held at Soldiers Field in Chicago in front of a crowd of almost 105,000 onlookers. It was a famous boxing rematch, as Tunney defeated Dempsey in a 10-round unanimous decision to retain the world heavyweight title.
It earned the moniker of “Long Count” because when Tunney was knocked down in the seventh round the count was delayed due to Dempsey’s failure to go to and remain in a neutral corner.
Whether this “long count” actually affected the outcome remains an unanswered question as he may have hurt his own cause. The fight had a record gate total at the time of $2,858,660.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
Gene Washington: Through the Banks of the Red Cedar
In this episode, I talk to Maya Washington about her book and documentary –
The Miracle On Ice (America’s Version of David Vs. Goliath – From The 1980 Olympics)
America’s first President, George Washington, was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, on February 22,
The Playoff Runs of the 1972 Cleveland Browns and 1978 Houston Oilers
At this time of the year, the NFL playoffs are on the minds of
The Adventures, Calamities, and Hijinks of the Stanley Cup
Of all the championship trophies in North American sport, none has the beauty and
A Short History of March Madness (NCAAB Tournament)
The National Collegiate Athletic Association Basketball (NCAAB) tournament, known as March Madness, has a
The Men Behind The Best Football Nicknames (Early Chicago Football)
In professional sports, we have experienced a wide spectrum of clearly memorable nicknames. For
Beyond Broadway Joe: The Super Bowl TEAM That Changed Football
In this episode, I talk to Bob Lederer about his book – Beyond Broadway
Super Bowl XXX (Steelers vs. Cowboys): An Ultimate Recount of the Game
Today we have Super Bowl XXX, which was held on January 28, 1996, at