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This photograph shows Jess Willard before a boxing match. Willard, a native of Pottawatomie County, Kansas, became the world heavyweight boxing champion on April 5, 1915, when he defeated defending champion Jack Johnson in a twenty-six round match in Havana, Cuba. The "Pottawatomie Giant" as Willard was known in the boxing world, had a career of twenty-five wins, but was unable to defend his title to challenger Jack Dempsey on July 4, 1919 in Toledo, Ohio. After the loss, Willard's boxing career came to a close and he pursued a new profession in movies and vaudeville shows. On December 15, 1968, Willard passed away at the age of eighty-six in Los Angeles, California.
Date: Between 1915 and 1919
Item Number: 456222
Call Number: Jess Willard documents & photos., Box photo collections #17, Folder Willard, Jess Coll. #17
KSHS Identifier: DaRT ID: 456222
Business and Industry - Occupations/Professions - Actors
Business and Industry - Occupations/Professions - Athletes
Collections - Photograph
Community Life - Recreation and Sports - Sports - Boxing
Date - 1910s
Objects and Artifacts - Communication Artifacts - Documentary Artifact - Photograph
People - Notable Kansans - Willard, Jess, 1881-1968
Places - Counties - Pottawatomie
Type of Material - Photographs
http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/456222