JEFFRIES, JAMES J.-JACK MUNROE ORIGINAL PHOTO (1904)

HISTORY: On August 26, 1904 at Mechanic's Pavilion in San Francisco world heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries defended his title against Jack Munroe. Jeffries stopped Munroe in the 2nd round. In December 1902, Jeffries and Munroe boxed a four-round exhibition in Butte, Montana. There was a crowd of 8,000 at Mechanic's Pavilion in San Francisco. The gate receipts were $35,000. The purse was $25,000, with Jeffries getting 75% and Monroe 25%. Jeffries had been ringside for Munroe's scrap with Tom Sharkey. The champion, covering the fight for a newspaper, remarked on how Sharkey had hurt Munroe early and failed to follow up. Jeffries would take advantage of Munroe's slow start when they met. Munroe's manager, Harry Pollock, later claimed that someone from the Jeffries camp doped an orange that was given to Munroe prior to the first round. "Jeffries is the greatest fighter that ever entered the ring and tonight he put up the best fight that I have ever seen," Referee Eddie Graney said after the fight: "I don't know where they are going to find a man to beat him." Jeffries retired from boxing following his win over Munroe, but he returned to the ring to face Jack Johnson, the first black World Heavyweight Champion, on July 4, 1910, and lost by a 15th-round TKO. According to the San Francisco Call it was a terrific left hand blow to Munroe's stomach in the first minute of round one that decided the miner's fate. The Los Angeles Herald reported the following on August 27, 1904: Like the veriest amateur in the prize ring, Jack Munroe of Butte, Mont., went down and out before Champion James J. Jeffries tonight in the second round. The man from the mining district made such an extremely sorry showing that the great throng in Mechanics pavilion roundly hooted him as he protested to Referee Graney against the decision that had been given in favor of the champion. The two giants had not been in the ring two minutes when it was foreseen that the aspirations of Munroe would be quickly disposed of. The miner was scared and awkward and Jeffries in the first round had him twice on the canvas taking the count. Jeffries directed his bombardment against the stomach of his opponent and each shot was followed by a blow on the jaw that sent Munroe to his knees. Jeffries went back to his corner after the opening round with a sneer and a laugh on his swarthy face, while Munroe's seconds busied themselves with smelling salts and restoratives. When the two came together for the second round the laugh on the champion's visage changed to a look of determination that boded ill for the miner. Forty-five seconds after the gong sounded Munroe was lying on the floor, a bloody, bruised mass of humanity, with Jeffries standing over him, ready if necessary to put the quietus on the championship ambitions of his adversary. The miner was too dazed to rise to his feet and the time keepers counted him out, but the husky man from Southern California did not understand that the victory was already his, nor could Munroe realize that his pugilistic star had so early set, and the two men in a moment or two were facing one another and Jeffries landed a terrific blow on the jaw of his staggering opponent. It was at this time that Graney came forward and ordered Jeffries away, telling him that the fight was ended in his favor. Munroe tottered to his corner with blood streaming from his face and fell into his chair dazed and helpless. His seconds immediately began working on him to freshen him, and when he came to a realization that the fight had gone against him he arose and, going over to Referee Graney, began to make a protest. The huge crowd understood from his protesting gesticulations the purport of his talk to Graney and a mighty volume of hooting, jeering and hissing gave evidence of the sentiment of the spectators, many of whom had placed bets on the miner that he would stay at least double the number of rounds before the champion. The fight demonstrated, if nothing else, that the world has yet to produce a pugilist who will displace James J. Jeffries as champion. Offered here is an original, first generation photo depicting the two fighters shaking hands before the beginning of the fight.

FULL DESCRIPTION: This is an original, first generation photo. Bold, clear image. Small hole at top left away from images. Two closed tears on edges. Not creased. Clean with no staining. 4 3/4" x 6 3/4."