JO Sports Inc.
HISTORY: JESS WILLARD (December 29, 1881 – December 15, 1968) was an American world heavyweight boxing champion billed as the Pottawatomie Giant who knocked out Jack Johnson in April 1915 for the heavyweight title. Willard was known for size rather than skill, and though held the championship for more than four years, he defended it rarely and was in person reserved. In 1919, when he was 37 years of age he lost the title in an extremely one sided loss by declining to come out for the fourth round against Jack Dempsey, who became a more celebrated champion. Soon after the bout Willard began accusing Dempsey of using something with the effect of a knuckle duster. Dempsey did not grant Willard a return match, and at 42 years old he was KO'd, following which he retired from boxing, although for the rest of his life continued claiming Dempsey had cheated. Ferdie Pacheo expressed the opinion in a book that the surviving photographs of Willard's face during the Dempsey fight indicate fractures to Willard's facial bones suggesting a metal implement, and show he was bleeding heavily. The matter has never been resolved, with contemporaneous ringside sports journalist reporting by the NYT that Willard spat out at least one tooth and was "a fountain of blood" increasingly discounted in favor of a view that he had only a cut lip and a little bruising. Offered here is an original, rare, souvenir pennant of Jess Willard issued when he was World Heavyweight Champion and appearing on the Sells Floto Buffalo Bill Shows. Circa 1915. The Sells Floto Circus was a combination of the Floto Dog & Pony Show and the Sells Brothers Circus that toured with sideshow acts in the United States during the early 1900s. Frederick Gilmer Bonfils and Harry Heye Tammen owned the first outfit as well as the Denver Post, and the "Floto" name came from the Post's one-time sportswriter, Otto Floto. During the 1915 season the circus featured Buffalo Bill Cody and world heavyweight champion Jess Willard.
FULL DESCRIPTION: This is an illustrated, felt, souvenir pennant picturing Willard in full fight pose. White tassels at the end. No tack holes. Color has faded somewhat although print and image are bold. Some light spotting. No tears. Minor edge wear. 28" long plus tassels. Exceptionally rare, the only example of this pennant we have seen.
