Jack Johnson: Part One

By J.J. Parkerc

To some, Jack Johnson was uppity.

To others, he was a troublemaker.

He was really an extraordinary man who wanted to be treated like a normal man.

But White America wouldn't do it....

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664111240

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Copyright © 2021 by J.J. Parker.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 10/12/2021

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Quote

He faced the world unafraid, and there wasn’t anybody or anything he feared ... but that was his undoing. – Irene Johnson (wife of J.J.)

Sources

Jack Johnson (boxer). Wikipedia. 2016. Web. 9 Sept. 2016.

Roberts. Randy. Papa Jack: Jack Johnson and the Era of White Hopes. New York: The Free Press, 1983. Print.

Suster, Gerald. Champions of the Ring. Jack Johnson, pp49-74. London: Robson Books, 1992. Print.

The War on Jack Johnson: Boxing’s First Black Heavyweight Champion Versus the World, by Jack Slack. Fightland Blog. 2016. 13 Sept. 2016.

Ward, Geoffrey C. Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004. Print.

Setting

Galveston; Chicago; West Coast; Australia; Europe; Cuba.

Time

1899-1910.

Beat Sheet for JJ, Part I

Prologue: In Chicago, in late 1914, in a boxing promoter’s office, a reporter discusses boxing with Jack Curley, the promoter. They reminisce about heavyweight champion Jack Johnson, who’s now on the lam from a Mann Act conviction. They recall a time in 1899 when a skilled but youthful Johnson is knocked out mainly because he’s ravenously hungry. Fans booed, and the promoter didn’t pay Johnson the 10 dollars he earned. JJ begged for money after the fight from Curley (wasn’t the promoter then), and dashed off to eat. Returning to the present, Curley tells the reporter that the winner of a White Hope tournament is giant heavyweight Jess Willard. Johnson will fight him, but not in the USA (where he’d be arrested as a fugitive). Curley says Willard is an awkward boxer, but too big to be KO’d. However, JJ misses America, Curley says, and that might distract him.

Act I, Sc. 1: In a Chicago saloon, in 1899, a youthful Curley and George Siler, boxing editor of the Chicago Tribune, discuss fistic newcomer Jack Johnson, who recently defeated four white men in a battle royal. Curley indicates that JJ has lots of potential, because he knocked out all the whites within a minute. Johnson is due to fight Klondike Haines, a tough fighter, in Chicago, but Curley bets on JJ.

Act I, Sc. 2: A veteran boxer, Frank Childs, punishes the less-experienced JJ while sparring in a Chicago gym before the Haines fight. Nonetheless, Johnson isn’t knocked down, and keeps punching. Jack is staying with Childs for free as payment for sparring with him. Childs’ home is a ramshackle place, and JJ sleeps on the floor. But when Childs’ wife arrives, he kicks out Jack. A destitute Johnson searches for a place to spend the night. He crouches under a building’s doorway during a rainstorm. A cop orders him away for loitering. Through the rain, Jack dashes to Lincoln Park, to shelter under a statue. His life is in shambles, but he vows to continue boxing as his profession.

Act I, Sc. 3: In a hick Indiana town, a naive Jack Johnson is conned into owing the rent of a white man who’s skipped town. But that night, Jack too flees.

Act I, Sc. 4: Galveston, Johnson’s home town, April, 1900 – Jack is offered a boxing match with an impressive opponent. But an underweight Johnson weighs 50 pounds less than the projected opponent. Yet JJ wins the match, earning a hundred bucks, a huge sum to him. But instead of taking it home to his poor but hard-working mom, he spends it on sleazy dancing girls.

Act I, Sc. 5: Galveston, September 1900: a terrific hurricane devastates the town and Texas coast, killing many people and animals. Jack helps his father dig out a neighbor’s house buried by debris. But then his mother tells Jack that he needs to resume fighting to earn money. So he does, beating an aging white pugilist for a grand – which he blows in a seedy bar. Promoter Curley offers Jack another battle royal, for more money, which he accepts, for he’s underweight and underfinanced, as usual.

Act II, Sc. 1: In Chicago, December 1900, a white Texan convinces Curley to match Johnson with Joe Choynski, a tough light-heavyweight from California. In Galveston, February 1901, the two boxers fight. Joe tricks Jack, then knocks him out. Nonetheless, police arrest the pair for boxing in a prohibited mixed-race bout. They spend the night in jail, and learn to respect and perhaps like each other. A sympathetic sheriff lets them skedaddle at night, as long as they return to jail in the morning. Then, he requests that they put on boxing exhibitions in their jail cell, so the sheriff can charge admission.

Act II, Sc. 2: In March 1901, in their 23rd day of daytime captivity, Choynsky and JJ have their case dismissed by a judge. Jack heads to Denver, where several well-known boxers train. He impresses a trainer, and is hired (for $10 per day and all the food he can eat) as a sparring partner for Tom Sharkey, a top heavyweight contender. But Johnson is so good defensively that Sharkey can’t punch him in the ring. Jack is fired as sparring partner and demoted to camp dishwasher. However, his overseer is a white racist. So Jack decides to move to California, which has plentiful boxing matches and many top boxers, since boxing, not dishwashing, is his true profession.

Act II, Sc. 3: In San Francisco in November ‘01, Jack and three boxer friends want to view a championship bout, but lack funds for tickets. So the night before, they sneak inside the arena. There a security guard spots JJ, who makes an excuse and gets away. The four pals do see the fight, which features champion Jim Jeffries, who wins. But Jack’s not impressed, and says he can beat the champ – if only Jeff would agree to fight a colored boxer.

Act II, Sc. 4: In December, in an Oakland gym, JJ spars with Kid Carter, a white heavyweight. Johnson makes Carter look bad, though Kid has won impressive fights. Afterward, Jack tells a reporter that some day he’ll beat Jeffries, but the reporter says the champ will never fight him. Then, in more sparring, JJ again toys with Carter, who has his trainer fire Johnson.

Act II, Sc. 5: In Spring 1902, Jack Johnson has moved to Los Angeles. He meets a matchmaker looking for an opponent for Jack Jeffries, the champ’s younger brother. Johnson talks the matchmaker into signing him to face the brother, who has lots of fans in L.A.

Act II, Sc. 6: May 1902, L.A.: Jack Johnson faces Jack Jeffries in the ring. World Champ Jim Jeffries is his brother’s second. Johnson easily wins the opening rounds, battering the outclassed Jack Jeffries. In the 5th round, JJ knocks out the journeyman. He boasts to the champ that he can lick him too, but Jim Jeff ignores him.

Act II, Sc. 7: In December, in L.A., Jack is arrested for not paying hotel and store bills. His promoter saves Johnson from jail by paying the debts with money Jack earned in the ring.

Act II, Sc. 8: In February 1903, an arena in L.A., JJ boxes Denver Ed Martin for the Negro heavyweight championship. In a dull match, Johnson ekes out a 20-round victory as fans boo. Afterward, Jack tells a reporter that Jim Jeffries should fight him, or not be considered the true heavyweight champ.

Act III, Sc. 1: Spring 1903, downtown L.A.: Jack tells a reporter why he spends so much money on fancy clothes and jewelry.

Act III, Sc. 2: On July 4, 1903, in Montana, Jack Johnson seconds Jersey Joe Walcott, the welterweight. Walcott wins. That night, at a bar, both drunk, they decide to go to a closed dog race track. There, they let loose rabbits and the dogs, so the canines may prey on them. The night watchman catches the men, and they’re tried in court. A judge runs them out of town.

Act III, Sc. 3: April 1904: Jack fights Sam McVey, again. Johnson easily whips the aging veteran.

Act III, Sc. 4: In October, after KOing Denver Ed Martin, Jack says he wants to box Jim Jeffries next.

Act III, Sc. 5: Late Fall, 1904, San Francisco: a well-dressed Jack Jeffries follows Jim Jeffries into town. They speak, posturing. Jack challenges Jeff to a championship fight, anywhere. Jeff responds by saying, he’ll street fight Johnson in the bar’s cellar: first man up the stairs wins the bet. A wary Johnson declines.

Act III, Sc. 6: Early 1905, in San Francisco, JJ discusses the champ, Jim Jeffries, and how to beat him. He tells a reporter to publicize that Jack wants to fight Jeff and top contender Marvin Hart, and believes he can whip them both. To goad the white racist Hart into fighting him, Jack taunts him as Hart trains. Then Hart agrees to box Johnson in March. During the fight, JJ easily outboxes the smaller but aggressive Hart. However, Hart lands more punches, as Johnson concentrates on evading and blocking his opponent’s. In the 11th round, tired of JJ’s passivity, the crowd gets behind Hart, chanting for him to win. After 20 dull rounds, the referee awards Hart the fight, since he was the clear aggressor and Johnson didn’t try for a knockdown. A ringside Jeffries is satisfied, since he now won’t have to fight Johnson, as Hart is the top challenger. But Jack is angry, thinking Hart was given the decision because he is white and Jack isn’t.

Act IV, Sc. 1: After the Hart match, JJ complains to a reporter that he should have won, that he outboxed Hart in every round. In his locker room, though, Hart says he deserved to win because he outfought Johnson. The next morning, in his kitchen, heavyweight champion Jim Jeffries reads a newspaper account of the bout. He tells his fiancee he’s sick of writers saying he should fight Jack Johnson, although he claims he could pound that fancy Dan into the canvas. But, since his farm is doing well financially, Jeff decides to retire from boxing at age 29 – to lead a quiet, nonpublic life. Then, a fight promoter decides to pair Hart and another white heavyweight contender, Jack Root, for the vacant title.

Act IV, Sc. 2: In the elimination bout, which Jim Jeffries referees, Hart KOs Root. JJ, who observes, is depressed, for he thinks he could whip either boxer – should he be allowed a chance.

Act IV, Sc. 3: In Philadelphia, in July 1905, Jack beats club fighter Joe Grim, who, though pummeled, cannot be knocked out.

Act IV, Sc. 4: In August 1906, Heavyweight Champ Marvin Hart fights Tommy Burns. The challenger wins a controversial 20-round decision. But after the fight, the Canadian Burns says he’ll defend his new title against any contender, no matter what race, including Jack Johnson. But Burns indicates he’ll fight the white boys first, which Jack interprets to mean Burns will duck him. So JJ resolves to dog Burns, follow him to all his bouts, and taunt him until he agrees to box Johnson.

Act IV, Sc. 5: The day after Christmas 1906, Jack sails on a ship to Australia. He goes with Sam Fitzpatrick, his new manager, and Alec McLean, a Fitz associate. The next month they land in Sydney, where JJ will train. In March, Jack wins an easy bout. He lets the press know he longs to fight heavyweight champion Burns.

Act V, Sc. 1: Jack has returned to California, because Burns won’t fight him yet. It’s Spring 1907. Burns is to box Bill Squires in California, and JJ visits Burns at his hotel near his training camp. Johnson says he’ll fight Burns, bare knuckles, unofficially on the hotel lawn for a bet of $700 to the winner. Burns ignores him. When Burns leaves for his daily run, Jack tells onlookers that Burns is running away from me. In July, after Jack KO’s an aging Bob Fitzsimmons, he’s considered the top contender for Burns’ title. In August, he fights a pro wrestler, Kid Cutler. Jack effortlessly KO’s him. He rubs in the result to the ringside John L. Sullivan, a racist who predicted that Cutler would win.

Act V, Sc. 2: In November, in San Francisco, JJ fights Jim Flynn, a young white boxer whom Burns had knocked out. Johnson is way ahead in points in round 10, when Flynn head butts him. But Jack is not hurt, although he is annoyed. He KO’s Flynn in the next round.

Act V, Sc. 3: Jack appears in vaudeville, as he shadow boxes, spars, dances, speaks lines from plays, and brags about how he’s the world’s bext boxer.

Act V, Sc. 4: In London, April 1908, Jack, his manager, and Jack’s girlfriend Hattie appear. At a ritzy sporting club, Fitpatrick arranges a bout for Johnson with Tommy Burns for $12,500 to the winner. But Burns declines, saying his fee is $30,000 – which he thinks Jack will never be able to raise.

Act V, Sc. 5: In Paris, in June, while awaiting a Burns fight that he will attend, Jack Johnson – dressed like a dandy – tours the sights. During Burns’s fight, Jack derides the champion. Afterward, Johnson tells a reporter that Burns won’t fight him because he knows he can’t beat the larger and stronger fighter. Next, Jack and his manager sail to Perth, Australia. A promoter named Mac McIntosh says he can gather the $30,000 needed for Burns to fight Johnson. Jack is happy, but chastened to learn he’d earn only about $5,000 even if he wins. A tentative date for the match is set for the day after Christmas 1908.

Act V, Sc. 6: In Sydney, November 1908, Jack impresses reporters with his quickness cornering wild animals released on a hotel lawn. He claims he’ll easily beat Burns in the championship match after Xmas. In a contentious meeting with Burns and the promoter, the ring size is set, as are the number of judging officials and the referee: McIntosh, the promoter.

Act V, Sc. 7: In Sydney, 20,000 people pack an outdoor stadium while 30,000 others surround it, looking down from trees or poles. Jack Johnson is to box Tommy Burns for the heavyweight world championship. In Jack’s dressing room, he tells Mac, the promoter/referee, that he should be paid before the fight. But McIntosh pulls a loaded revolver and demands that Johnson enter the ring without being his due cash. There, Jack complains to the referee about Burns wearing elbow bandages. In the fight, JJ dominates early, but carries Burns, refusing to knock him out so he can instead taunt him and humiliate the white champion in public before dispatching him. Finally, by round 14, the referee and local cops can tolerate no more abuse by Jack of the defenseless Burns. The ref halts the fight, awarding it and the championship to Johnson by technical knockout.

Act VI, Sc. 1: At Former Champ Jim Jeffries’ farm in late 1908, he receives mail from white racists urging him to fight, and beat, Jack Johnson for the good of the caucasian race. Jeff thinks it over, then tentatively resumes training for boxing. Fat and out of shape, he’s awkward