FLYNN, LEO P. PROMOTIONAL BROADSIDE (1928-DEMPSEY'S MANAGER)

HISTORY: Leo P. Flynn was an important fight manager and matchmaker at Madison Square Garden in New York during the 1920's.  The origins of the man, even of his name, are draped in obscurity. It is agreed that he came from Providence, R.I., but some oldtimers have said that his real name was McManus. Nevertheless, he became Leo P. Flynn early in life; the P stood for Parnell, he claimed. Certain skills came to him as easily as his name. In Providence he had been a jeweler's apprentice, a bricklayer and an amateur boxer. He came to New York and began to manage fighters. "The first time I ever heard of Flynn he was clipping suckers in the pool halls on 14th Street," a contemporary manager has said. But almost imperceptibly Flynn began to mingle with the boxing mob and, before anyone quite realized it, he had built himself a large stable of fighters. In time, the old pool shark, now prematurely gray, began to gather the trappings of affluence. He was the first boxing manager to own a Rolls-Royce, and one of his fighters usually served as a chauffeur. He bought a large house on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx and gradually dissociated himself from the grimy intimacies of the boxing business. It became an event of sorts when Flynn, a covey of Irish politicians in tow, condescended to visit the gym or a local fight club. When Tex Rickard began to promote fights in Madison Square Garden, he asked Flynn to be his matchmaker. It is said that Flynn accepted the job without pay. However, after 18 of Leo's fighters appeared in main events there within a short time (only one of them won), other managers complained. The boxing commission decreed that he could not act simultaneously as manager and matchmaker, and he departed the Garden. Later, in 1926 when Jack Dempsey split with his longtime manager, Jack Kearns, Flynn became Dempsey's advisor. In addition to Dempsey Flynn managed Bill Brennan, Jack Renault, Dave Shade, Allentown Joe Gans, Newsboy Brown, and many, many more. Offered here is a rare, original promotional broadside of Leo P. Flynn, dated January 25, 1928 listing many of his stable of fighters including Dempsey, Shade, Renault and others.

FULL DESCRIPTION: This is an original, paper, promotional broadside. Bold color and print. Includes the original folds. Has small closed tears on lower left and bottom borders with no paper loss. Clean front and back. Dated at top left Jan 25, 1928. 8 1/2" x 14." Rare, the only I have seen.