Quote:
Originally Posted by silent_jay
I'm starting to see that now, read a few books, you can call the mans own words a lie. Imagine how much history would be changed if people just ignored actual facts and went with their opinions instead.
This thread has been all over the place, from MMA not being a sport, which it obviously is...to women being forced to fight in MMA which they obviously aren't...to John L. Sullivan being a coward, which I must say not taking on all comers, he was.....to Slade being black, which he obviously wasn't as you pointed out. I want to back out of it, but it's that fuckin train wreck factor again, I just don't kow what outrageous claims are going to be made next so I have to keep watching and posting.
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Im sorry, but it isnt as simple as that.
If you dont understand the context that John L made those comments you shouldnt quote them.
Can you imagine how much it shook turn of the century America when Jack Johnson won the heavyweight title? White America was horrified, not just that a black man held the greatest title of manliness of the day - but a black man who showed no signs of "knowing his place"!
In my opinion Jack Johnson is the greatest sportsman of all time. But while America is in love with men like Jackie Robinson, who were prepared to be humble and take the jeers of the crowd with stoicism, they arent quite ready to accept a man who lived his whole life as if racism didnt exist, you would openly taunt oppents (black or white), who would sleep with any woman he pleased no matter her colour.
I always read that Joe Louis and his people were furious with Jack for making it harder for the next black champion, but Jack lived his life on his own terms, and no one elses.
In his absolute prime Joe Louis could have gone 100 rounds against Jack Johnson and not laid a real punch on him.