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In the wake of Labor Day, here is a striking panoramic photo maintained by the Library of Congress that was made on Labor Day 105 years ago. It shows a crowd of 11,346 on hand in Benton Harbor, Michigan, on September 6, 1920, to watch heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey defend his title against Billy Miske. Dempsey had won the title in July 1919 in Toledo, Ohio, over Jess Willard and this was his first title defense. This was also reported to be the first fight ever broadcast on the radio.
According to an account maintained by the Southwest Michigan Business & Tourism Directory, the fight took place just north of the Israelite House of David grounds in Benton Harbor, not far from where Dempsey trained at Eastman Springs. The Israelite House of David Eden Springs, a theme park operated by the Christian Israelite communal religious colony, featured a number of miniature railroad locomotives carrying passengers on the mile circuit around Eden Springs, in addition to “a very busy vegetarian restaurant, a bowling alley, musical entertainments performed by the Israelite musical bands and orchestras, a greenhouse, an aviary/zoo, a baseball field, and a large auditorium that featured silent movies, theatre plays and Israelite preachers in public services.” According to promoter Floyd Fitzsimmons, total receipts were $134,904, says the account. “Dempsey received 50% and Miske 25%. The fight referee was Jack Dougherty.” But there’s more to the story.
“This fight was Dempsey’s attempt to give Miske a send-off as he was dying from Bright’s disease … a great fighter who only had a few years left to live,” says my lifelong friend Duane Sharp, a Chicago-based actor, talent agent, martial arts practitioner and youth boxer who knows his pugilistic history. “Now the crazy thing about Miske is Billy lost all his ring earnings on a car dealership that went sideways. Then he got kidney disease. After the Dempsey fight he won and lost to top fighter Tommy Gibbons. He was still in debt. He booked one more fight against contender Bill Brennan, KO’d him … and died a month later.” — Adam Bruns
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