The Great White Hopes: The Quest to Defeat Jack Johnson [Paperback]

Graeme Kent (Author), Harry Carpenter (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 25, 2007

In 1908 talented black US fighter Jack Johnson won the heavyweight championship of the world from the Canadian Tommy Burns. There was an immediate storm of protest. Writers, including Jack London, and politicians feared the accession of the fearless and outspoken Johnson would threaten white supremacy. It was predicted f{ accurately f{ that his reign would lead to civic unrest and race riots. Over the next seven years, more than 30 white fighters tried to beat Jackson, lured by the prospect of fame and a quick buck. It was not until 1915 that Jackson lost his crown, and during the years in between an extraordinary human drama was played out on the boxing world stage. Graeme White tells the full story of the Great White Hopes for the first time.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

GRAEME KENT was the head of educational broadcasting and textbook production in the Soloman Islands, a headteacher for 18 years, a scriptwriter and producer for the schools broadcasting department at the BBC. He has written more than 40 non-fiction and fiction books. He has spent years collecting material on the White Hopes from contemporary newspaper accounts and court records.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: The History Press (April 25, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 075094613X
• ISBN-13: 978-0750946131
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,660,677 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very very good, October 13, 2006

By 

Peter (Melbourne Australia) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Great White Hopes: The Quest to Defeat Jack Johnson (Hardcover)

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was a tremendous read full of stories of the myriad characters from the turn of the century.

Jack Johnson is the central figure in the book but not the main character. The author takes the tack of looking at the white hopes who were groomed to take the crown from Johnson. These fighters tended to be big but technically clumsy and the ones who were unfortunate enough to get into the ring with Johnson tended to have a hard time of it.

Being a fan of photos, I would have liked some more pictures to be in the book but that is a minor quibble.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ring Of Hate, November 13, 2006

By 

Bicycle Day - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Great White Hopes: The Quest to Defeat Jack Johnson (Hardcover)

Artist Andy Warhol would have run out of supplies if he needed to paint the mostly tomato cans that were vying to be the Great White Hope.

In an interesting angle, author Graeme Kent profiles many of the white boxers that were battling to be the heavyweight contender to dethrone the great champion, Jack Johnson. The trail spans the globe; the United States, Canada, England, France, South Africa and Australia. Hate fueled by racisim has no boundaries.

The pretenders came from all walks of life - eveything from pro wrestlers to those who had their past created by their promoters - and oftentimes competed in tournaments to crown the "White Heavyweight Champion." There are fixed matches, unscrupulous cornermen, a match highlighted by a biting incident, gloves filled with material so the punches were like puffs and several deaths inside the ring.

The irony is the hate grew to such levels in the United States that quality black fighters had to leave for Europe to have any chance of getting an opportunity to compete, while white European fighters were coming stateside to try and build their reputations inside the ring and with the media.

Kent presents excellent background information on the history of the era, along with following up on what happened to many of the fighters later in life.

Johnson looms large in the story, but is not the focus of the book. The section on Jess Willard alludes to Johnson's later contention that he took a dive to drop the belt in a deal to return to the United States and not face the trumped-up federal charges that had forced him to flee the country.

Kent pretty much dismisses the "dive," citing Johnson's declining ring skills and age. I contend that Johnson was tired of living abroad and the pressure of having a government and racist society made him pursue the only means to bring this period of his life to a close; agree to lose the title.

Willard emerged from the mass of white fighters, but could hardly be considered championship-quality. His career was nearly over when he quit in the ring during a match and had an opponent die in another fight. He was not considered a great title holder then and his lack of skills were exposed when Jack Dempsey defeated him for the crown.

Though black fighters could possibly compete for championships in the lighter weight divisions, the victory by Willard closed the door on black heavyweights having a chance for ring immortality until the emergence of Joe Louis.

Johnson had the savvy to become the greatest heavyweight champion ever, but he could not defeat a larger opponent that still plagues society today.

3.0 out of 5 stars Too much on nobodies., July 13, 2011

By 

J. Rodeck (Guam) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Great White Hopes: The Quest to Defeat Jack Johnson (Paperback)

Interesting bios of Victor McGlagen and Jess Willard. But too much equal time to nobodies. And why a whole chapter to Georges Carpentier? He didn't even fight Jack Johnson. For boxing fanatics only.