1901 Ogden's Guinea Gold Peter Jackson. Very rare card. It's a shame that a lot of the photos that match up with these cards just aren't available, lost to time.
Joe Jeannette, another black heavyweight great that was shut out of a title shot due to the racism of the era, black fighters back then were forced to fight each other over and over because of it. Jeannette fought Jack Johnson seven times, Sam Langford fifteen times, Sam McVey five times, Black Bill ten times, Battling Jim Johnson nine times. He holds wins over Jack Johnson, Sam Langford, Kid Norfolk, Sam McVey, and Georges Carpentier (one of the only whites to fight him), racism of the day aside, that's one hell of a resume. From what I've read, Jeannette was a big fan of Sam Langford and mimicked his style, developing defensive techniques that were elusive and effective. Opponents considered Jeanette, whose style reflected the "inside punching" style of the times, a dangerous inside boxer whom few wished to fight. The guy certainly had power, he knocked out 66 of his opponents. Great fighter. This is my favorite Joe Jeanette card, the 1911 T9 Turkey Red Cabinets Joe Jeannette.
Joe Jeannette went 49 rounds with Sam McVey in 1909, one of the most brutal fights in boxing history, a fight that saw the canvas absolutely soaked in blood. On April 17, 1909 in a return bout with Sam McVey in Paris, France the fight lasted three-and-a-half-hours, and 49 rounds, the longest boxing match of the 20th century, and one of the greatest marathons in boxing history. Although McVey began the fight strong and looked like a sure winner, knocking down the usually sturdy Jeannette 27 times, and almost knocking him out in the 16th round with a right uppercut to Jeanette’s jaw, he weakened greatly by the 19th round. Jeanette took control, knocking down McVey, a boxer (who had only been stopped once in his career, by Johnson), 19 times. After the 49th round, McVey could not rise from his stool at the call of time and Jeannette was declared winner on a technical knockout. This won him the “World Colored Heavyweight Championship,” as Jack Johnson had defeated Tommy Burns for his heavyweight title the previous December.
Joe Jeannette overcame unbelievable punishment to win the Black heavyweight championship when Sam McVey stayed in his corner before round 49 (of a fight to the finish) began at the Cirque de Paris in Paris, France on April 17th in 1909.
Reports said McVey looked strong early in the fight and absorbed punishment in order to put Jeannette on the deck numerous times—some reports said as many as 27 times. McVey was also staggered and sent down himself. Both fighters were allowed to breathe oxygen from balloons between rounds, and despite the knockdowns, Jeanette was the fresher of the two and able to show his skills.
As rounds went on, McVey's began to swell badly and his eye closed. Blood stained the canvas. Around the 40th, McVey had very little energy remaining and Jeannette's uppercut began to stand out in the action.
A Paris newspaper described rounds 48 and 49:
"Jeannette, who wants to end it all, still finds the strength to worry Sam. Unfortunately for him, he can no longer strike with sufficient vigor, so Sam again pulls out of this dangerous step.
Jeannette, happier in close combat, lands several uppercuts that Sam no longer has the strength to parry. All in all, very few shots were scored in this round, which was still all to Joe Jeannette's advantage.
At the sound of the gong announcing the 49th round, Sam shakes hands with Joe and declares his retirement.
Sam is unrecognizable. His left eye completely closed, his face battered; he's no longer a human figure. Joe Jeannette receives an indescribable ovation.
His supporters carry him in triumph, and, frankly, he has well deserved this acclaim, for he was, during this historic and unforgettable evening, a model of courage."
After the historic bout, Jeannette accepted McVey's gloves as a sort of souvenir.
1915 Ogden's Cigarettes Joe Jeannette. I've been trying for quite some time to find a photo that matches up to a 1915 Ogden's, but the fact is, this issue tweaked the heck out of the images of the fighters on these cards, put shirts on them, things of that nature, but I think this is the photo of Joe Jeannette they used for the image on the card.
Ok, that's it for the Joe Jeannette cards, it's a shame I can't even find a scan for his 1931 Evaristo Juncosa Chocolate card, it's just too rare. Music break, great song and a really fun video.
Up next, James J. Jeffries, aka "The Boilermaker", aka "The California Grizzly." Whoa, he's got quite a few cards so we could be here for a while. First off, he's one of the greatest heavyweight champions in boxing history, built like a brick $hithouse with a granite chin, he was a rough customer, hence the nickname "The California Grizzly", due to his immense physical size, his ferocious and rugged fighting style, and a legendary reputation for possessing grizzly-like strength and durability in the ring. Known to absorb devastating punishment while wearing his opponents down, he would sometimes famously emerge from brutal fights looking more battered than the opponent he just defeated. Nobody ever beat him in his prime, he reigned as the lineal World Heavyweight Champion for roughly six years, holding the title from June 9, 1899, until his retirement undefeated in May 1905. He used a highly durable, aggressive crouching style characterized by a low, forward-leaning stance with his left arm extended, face protected by his right forearm, and heavy, punishing inside fighting, he paired this rough-and-tumble approach with deceptive speed, immense stamina, and legendary one-punch knockout power. Just a brutal, brutal fighter. This is the 1901 Ogden's Cigarettes Series A James J. Jeffries. This set has so many different variations and backs that I get confused trying to cover it so I'm just not.
1901 Ogden's Cigarettes James J. Jeffries with a British Labour Clause back. If I'm not mistaken, I think this is the rarest variation. It's a god-awful scan of the card and I apologize for that, but it's the only one I could find and it's such a rare card that I have to post it.
1910 V153 Robertson Candy James Jeffries. This card is extinction-level rare. This set is the exact same as the 1910 American Caramel except they were issued by a Canadian candy company, Robertson.
1946 Kid Herman James J. Jeffries. These cards are a lot like exhibit cards but they're made of a tougher cardboard material, they were issued in three different variations, black, blue, and red, the blue and red are incredibly difficult to find, especially the red. The backs of these cards are blank.
The 1946 Kid Herman cards were issued in paper packaging, you could pay a quarter and get a package with some cards, here is a photo of the packaging (top row, far left) and some of the cards from the set that was sold at auction a while back. Notice there are no red color variations in the lot, like I said the red are extremely rare.
I need a music break, how about a little Jeff Healey, this is one of the most beautiful songs ever made. If you're not familiar with Jeff Healey, he played the character Cody (often referred to as Phil Cody) in the 1989 film "Road House" starring Patrick Swayze. He was the leader of the house cover band at the rowdy bar, the Double Deuce. In addition to his acting scenes with Patrick Swayze, he and his real-life musical group, The Jeff Healey Band, provided a lot of the film's gritty live music. Jeff Healey was blind, he lost both of his eyes to retinoblastoma—a rare form of eye cancer—before he was one year old. Dude could play the hell out of a guitar.
Can't find the photo that matches up with this card, but it's a cool one, 1923 Burstein Isaacs name in Capital letters James J. Jeffries. The capital letters variation can be difficult to find.
Up next, Jack Johnson, aka "The Galveston Giant." First black world heavyweight champion in boxing history, held the title for over 7 years, from December 26, 1908, to April 5, 1915. Jack Johnson pioneered a revolutionary, slick defensive counterpunching style built on agility and technical mastery rather than raw brawling. He utilized advanced tactics like the shoulder roll, parrying, and catching punches to neutralize opponents, intentionally tiring them out before turning aggressive in the later rounds. His unique approach completely changed how heavyweight boxing was played. Instead of eating punches or engaging in brawls, Johnson used head movement, footwork, and a relaxed guard (often with his hands low) to dodge blows and make his opponents miss wildly. He was one of the earliest "sweet scientists." He read opponents, studied their micro-movements, and turned their aggression and ego into a weakness. When things got tight, Johnson excelled at stifling opponents inside. He controlled their arms and created openings for devastating uppercuts and hooks. He frequently started bouts cautiously, often punishing his opponents over the course of the match rather than actively seeking a quick knockout. He would wear them down and become more aggressive as the fight dragged on. Because Johnson's defensive-minded tactics were so far ahead of his time, they often frustrated both his opponents and the press. His style heavily influenced future legends, with Muhammad Ali famously citing him as the architect of the defensive, counterpunching blueprint. He's a pioneer and one of the greatest to ever do it, period. This is the 1910 E79 Philadelphia Caramel 27 Scrappers Jack Johnson and Tommy Burns.
1909 Ogden's Cigarettes Jack Johnson. Pretty sure this is the photo they used for the artwork on this card, I don't think that this series used images that match up 100% with the cards.
1910 T218 Champions Jack Johnson with Tolstoi back. These cards were issued with three variation backs, Mecca, Hassan, and Tolstoi, the Tolstoi is the rarest back. This is one of the most beautiful cards I've ever seen, the fight pose is so real, Johnson looks as if he's about to jump out at you, and the beautiful blue background.
Comments
1901 Ogden's Guinea Gold Peter Jackson. Very rare card. It's a shame that a lot of the photos that match up with these cards just aren't available, lost to time.
Another 1901 Ogden's Guinea Gold Peter Jackson.
Joe Jeannette, another black heavyweight great that was shut out of a title shot due to the racism of the era, black fighters back then were forced to fight each other over and over because of it. Jeannette fought Jack Johnson seven times, Sam Langford fifteen times, Sam McVey five times, Black Bill ten times, Battling Jim Johnson nine times. He holds wins over Jack Johnson, Sam Langford, Kid Norfolk, Sam McVey, and Georges Carpentier (one of the only whites to fight him), racism of the day aside, that's one hell of a resume. From what I've read, Jeannette was a big fan of Sam Langford and mimicked his style, developing defensive techniques that were elusive and effective. Opponents considered Jeanette, whose style reflected the "inside punching" style of the times, a dangerous inside boxer whom few wished to fight. The guy certainly had power, he knocked out 66 of his opponents. Great fighter. This is my favorite Joe Jeanette card, the 1911 T9 Turkey Red Cabinets Joe Jeannette.
Joe Jeannette went 49 rounds with Sam McVey in 1909, one of the most brutal fights in boxing history, a fight that saw the canvas absolutely soaked in blood. On April 17, 1909 in a return bout with Sam McVey in Paris, France the fight lasted three-and-a-half-hours, and 49 rounds, the longest boxing match of the 20th century, and one of the greatest marathons in boxing history. Although McVey began the fight strong and looked like a sure winner, knocking down the usually sturdy Jeannette 27 times, and almost knocking him out in the 16th round with a right uppercut to Jeanette’s jaw, he weakened greatly by the 19th round. Jeanette took control, knocking down McVey, a boxer (who had only been stopped once in his career, by Johnson), 19 times. After the 49th round, McVey could not rise from his stool at the call of time and Jeannette was declared winner on a technical knockout. This won him the “World Colored Heavyweight Championship,” as Jack Johnson had defeated Tommy Burns for his heavyweight title the previous December.
Joe Jeannette overcame unbelievable punishment to win the Black heavyweight championship when Sam McVey stayed in his corner before round 49 (of a fight to the finish) began at the Cirque de Paris in Paris, France on April 17th in 1909.
Reports said McVey looked strong early in the fight and absorbed punishment in order to put Jeannette on the deck numerous times—some reports said as many as 27 times. McVey was also staggered and sent down himself. Both fighters were allowed to breathe oxygen from balloons between rounds, and despite the knockdowns, Jeanette was the fresher of the two and able to show his skills.
As rounds went on, McVey's began to swell badly and his eye closed. Blood stained the canvas. Around the 40th, McVey had very little energy remaining and Jeannette's uppercut began to stand out in the action.
A Paris newspaper described rounds 48 and 49:
"Jeannette, who wants to end it all, still finds the strength to worry Sam. Unfortunately for him, he can no longer strike with sufficient vigor, so Sam again pulls out of this dangerous step.
Jeannette, happier in close combat, lands several uppercuts that Sam no longer has the strength to parry. All in all, very few shots were scored in this round, which was still all to Joe Jeannette's advantage.
At the sound of the gong announcing the 49th round, Sam shakes hands with Joe and declares his retirement.
Sam is unrecognizable. His left eye completely closed, his face battered; he's no longer a human figure. Joe Jeannette receives an indescribable ovation.
His supporters carry him in triumph, and, frankly, he has well deserved this acclaim, for he was, during this historic and unforgettable evening, a model of courage."
After the historic bout, Jeannette accepted McVey's gloves as a sort of souvenir.
1910 T219 Joe Jeannette with Red Cross Tobacco back. Very rare card, I was lucky to find a scan of it.
Music break, an absolute classic from the 90s.
This is one of my favorite sets, 1922 Felix Potin Joe Jeannette.
1912 Cohen, Weenen & Co. Gray back Joe Jeannette. Can't believe I found a scan of a Gray back variation, very rare card.
1915 Cope Bros & Co. Joe Jeannette.
1910 Red Sun Cigarettes Joe Jeannette. Another rarity.
1910 Khedival Surbrug Joe Jeannette.
1911 W.D. & H.O. Wills Joe Jeannette with Red Scissors back.
1915 Ogden's Cigarettes Joe Jeannette. I've been trying for quite some time to find a photo that matches up to a 1915 Ogden's, but the fact is, this issue tweaked the heck out of the images of the fighters on these cards, put shirts on them, things of that nature, but I think this is the photo of Joe Jeannette they used for the image on the card.
I'm not sure what company issued this card, but it's one of the coolest Joe Jeannette cards I've seen, I do know it was issued in Spain.
Helmar Brewing Co. Famous Athletes card #41 Joe Jeannette.
Ok, that's it for the Joe Jeannette cards, it's a shame I can't even find a scan for his 1931 Evaristo Juncosa Chocolate card, it's just too rare. Music break, great song and a really fun video.
Up next, James J. Jeffries, aka "The Boilermaker", aka "The California Grizzly." Whoa, he's got quite a few cards so we could be here for a while. First off, he's one of the greatest heavyweight champions in boxing history, built like a brick $hithouse with a granite chin, he was a rough customer, hence the nickname "The California Grizzly", due to his immense physical size, his ferocious and rugged fighting style, and a legendary reputation for possessing grizzly-like strength and durability in the ring. Known to absorb devastating punishment while wearing his opponents down, he would sometimes famously emerge from brutal fights looking more battered than the opponent he just defeated. Nobody ever beat him in his prime, he reigned as the lineal World Heavyweight Champion for roughly six years, holding the title from June 9, 1899, until his retirement undefeated in May 1905. He used a highly durable, aggressive crouching style characterized by a low, forward-leaning stance with his left arm extended, face protected by his right forearm, and heavy, punishing inside fighting, he paired this rough-and-tumble approach with deceptive speed, immense stamina, and legendary one-punch knockout power. Just a brutal, brutal fighter. This is the 1901 Ogden's Cigarettes Series A James J. Jeffries. This set has so many different variations and backs that I get confused trying to cover it so I'm just not.
Here's a 1901 Ogden's Cigarettes James J. Jeffries Series F.
1901 Ogden's Cigarettes James J. Jeffries with a British Labour Clause back. If I'm not mistaken, I think this is the rarest variation. It's a god-awful scan of the card and I apologize for that, but it's the only one I could find and it's such a rare card that I have to post it.
1910 T219 Red Cross Tobacco James J. Jeffries. Very rare.
1910 T218 Champion Athletes James Jeffries (arms folded). Just a beautiful example of a card that's over 110 years old.
1910 T223 Dixie Queen Prizefighters of the Past and Present James J. Jeffries / Tom Sharkey.
A beautiful example of the 1910 T223 Dixie Queen Prizefighters of the Past and Present James Jeffries / Tom Sharkey.
1910 T225 Khedivial / Surbrug Prize Fight Series Jim Jeffries.
1910 V153 Robertson Candy James Jeffries. This card is extinction-level rare. This set is the exact same as the 1910 American Caramel except they were issued by a Canadian candy company, Robertson.
1910 E-UNC Candy James J. Jeffries.
Look at this bad mama jama, 1909 James Jeffries playing cards Joker, grade a freakin' PSA mint 9. Just wow.
1911 T9 Turkey Red James J. Jeffries.
1911 W.D. & H.O. Wills Jim Jeffries with Red Scissors back.
Let's get a music break in here, remember hearing this song on the radio back in the early 90s and being blown away.
Ah heck, let's get one more in here from the satellites, underrated band, and Dan Baird has a great frontman voice.
1930 Singleton & Cole James J. Jeffries, these cards can be a bastard to find.
1946 Kid Herman James J. Jeffries. These cards are a lot like exhibit cards but they're made of a tougher cardboard material, they were issued in three different variations, black, blue, and red, the blue and red are incredibly difficult to find, especially the red. The backs of these cards are blank.
The 1946 Kid Herman cards were issued in paper packaging, you could pay a quarter and get a package with some cards, here is a photo of the packaging (top row, far left) and some of the cards from the set that was sold at auction a while back. Notice there are no red color variations in the lot, like I said the red are extremely rare.
1948 Leaf Gum James J. Jeffries, look at this card, a cream back graded a PSA 8, just wow.
Check this out, a 1948 Leaf Gum James J. Jeffries wrong back error card, it has a Tommy Loughran back, ridiculous rare.
2010 Ringside Boxing Round One Turkey Red James J. Jeffries.
2010 Ringside Boxing Round One Gold /9 James J. Jeffries.
1951 Topps Ringside Jim Jeffries, a beautiful example.
1910 Pet Cigarettes James J. Jeffries and 1910 Kopec Cigarettes James J. Jeffries, both ridiculous rare.
1910 Red Sun Cigarettes James J. Jeffries.
I need a music break, how about a little Jeff Healey, this is one of the most beautiful songs ever made. If you're not familiar with Jeff Healey, he played the character Cody (often referred to as Phil Cody) in the 1989 film "Road House" starring Patrick Swayze. He was the leader of the house cover band at the rowdy bar, the Double Deuce. In addition to his acting scenes with Patrick Swayze, he and his real-life musical group, The Jeff Healey Band, provided a lot of the film's gritty live music. Jeff Healey was blind, he lost both of his eyes to retinoblastoma—a rare form of eye cancer—before he was one year old. Dude could play the hell out of a guitar.
Can't find the photo that matches up with this card, but it's a cool one, 1923 Burstein Isaacs name in Capital letters James J. Jeffries. The capital letters variation can be difficult to find.
Up next, Jack Johnson, aka "The Galveston Giant." First black world heavyweight champion in boxing history, held the title for over 7 years, from December 26, 1908, to April 5, 1915. Jack Johnson pioneered a revolutionary, slick defensive counterpunching style built on agility and technical mastery rather than raw brawling. He utilized advanced tactics like the shoulder roll, parrying, and catching punches to neutralize opponents, intentionally tiring them out before turning aggressive in the later rounds. His unique approach completely changed how heavyweight boxing was played. Instead of eating punches or engaging in brawls, Johnson used head movement, footwork, and a relaxed guard (often with his hands low) to dodge blows and make his opponents miss wildly. He was one of the earliest "sweet scientists." He read opponents, studied their micro-movements, and turned their aggression and ego into a weakness. When things got tight, Johnson excelled at stifling opponents inside. He controlled their arms and created openings for devastating uppercuts and hooks. He frequently started bouts cautiously, often punishing his opponents over the course of the match rather than actively seeking a quick knockout. He would wear them down and become more aggressive as the fight dragged on. Because Johnson's defensive-minded tactics were so far ahead of his time, they often frustrated both his opponents and the press. His style heavily influenced future legends, with Muhammad Ali famously citing him as the architect of the defensive, counterpunching blueprint. He's a pioneer and one of the greatest to ever do it, period. This is the 1910 E79 Philadelphia Caramel 27 Scrappers Jack Johnson and Tommy Burns.
1910 E79 Philadelphia Caramel 27 Scrappers Jack Johnson.
1909 Ogden's Cigarettes Jack Johnson. Pretty sure this is the photo they used for the artwork on this card, I don't think that this series used images that match up 100% with the cards.
1910 E75 American Caramel Black back Jack Johnson.
1910 T218 Champions Jack Johnson with Tolstoi back. These cards were issued with three variation backs, Mecca, Hassan, and Tolstoi, the Tolstoi is the rarest back. This is one of the most beautiful cards I've ever seen, the fight pose is so real, Johnson looks as if he's about to jump out at you, and the beautiful blue background.
1910 T218 Champions Side View Jack Johnson with Hassan Cigarettes back.
1911 E80 Philadelphia Caramel Jack Johnson.