July 2, 1921: Boxing's 1st Million-Dollar Gate

Boyle's Thirty Acres, July 2, 1921.

The little square in the middle is the boxing ring.

Fire laws? We don't need no stinkin' fire laws.

July 2, 1921: For the 1st time, a professional prizefight takes in more than $1 million in gate receipts. The era of the "Million-Dollar Gate" is on.

Jack Dempsey won the Heavyweight Championship in 1919, but he hadn't served in World War I. In 1920, a photo was produced showing Dempsey working in a shipyard, which should have ended the controversy right there. But someone noticed that he was wearing patent leather shoes in the photo, making some people think the photo was staged to take the curse off him.

Soon, evidence came to light that he had tried to enlist, but, despite being a very strong man for his size (he'd be classified as a cruiserweight today), the Army had classified him "4-F": "Registrant not acceptable for military service." This classification is nearly always applied to a person who fails either the physical or the psychological examination upon enlistment or reporting for the draft.

But some people still weren't satisfied. This became especially controversial in 1921, when he defended his title against the Light Heavyweight Champion, Georges Carpentier, a French pilot who had been awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Médaille Militaire. The contrast between the much-decorated Carpentier and the "slacker" Dempsey was staggering.

Professional boxing would still be illegal in the State of New York, not just the City of New York, for 2 more years. So George "Tex" Rickard, boxing's leading promoter, decided to put the fight as close to Midtown Manhattan as possible. He found a plot of land owned by John F. Boyle, a mile south of Journal Square in Jersey City, New Jersey, only 6 miles from Midtown Manhattan. There, Rickard built what was intended as a temporary structure, wooden bleachers to seat 90,000 people, calling it "Boyle's Thirty Acres."

The fight was a sellout, and generated $1,789,238, about $29 million in 2022 money. It was no contest: Dempsey knocked Carpentier out in the 4th round. Much of the crowd booed, but Carpentier showed no hard feelings. He kept the Light Heavyweight Championship for another year, and lived until 1975.

It wasn't until Dempsey was "robbed" in the "Long Count" fight against Gene Tunney in 1927 that he became a near-universal hero. He lived until 1983.

The year 1927 would also see the end of Boyle's Thirty Acres, having hosted boxing champions such as Dempsey, Benny Leonard and Jim Braddock, a Hudson County resident who would win the Heavyweight Championship in 1935. The site is now mixed residential and industrial.

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July 2, 1921 was a Saturday. Football, basketball and hockey were out of season. These baseball games were played, all doubleheaders:

* The New York Yankees swept the Philadelphia Athletics at the Polo Grounds, 6-4 and 14-4. Bob Shawkey won the opener, with 2 home runs by Frank "Home Run" Baker. Both were former A's. Carl Mays won the nightcap. Babe Ruth went 3-for-7 with 2 walks and 3 RBIs, but no home runs.

* The New York Giants swept the Brooklyn Robins (as the Dodgers were known from 1914 to 1931) at Ebbets Field, 8-1 and 7-4.

* The Washington Senators swept the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, 4-1 and 7-3.

* The Boston Braves swept the Philadelphia Phillies at Baker Bowl in Philadelphia, 6-4 and 3-2, the latter in 10 innings.

* There was a split at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Pirates won the 1st game, 5-2. The St. Louis Cardinals won the 2nd game, 6-3.

* The Cleveland Indians swept the Chicago White Sox at League Park in Cleveland, 6-4 and 11-10. Tris Speaker went 4-for-7 with 2 walks and 2 RBIs.

* There was a split at Cubs Park in Chicago (renamed Wrigley Field in 1926). The Cincinnati Reds won the 1st game, 4-2. The Chicago Cubs won the 2nd game, 6-2.

* And the Detroit Tigers swept the St. Louis Browns at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, 4-1 and 7-6. Neither team's superstar, the Tigers' Ty Cobb or the Browns' George Sisler, played in either game.