Albersheim's 2014 Winter Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/20/2014
Jack Doc Kearns (D. 1963) (HOF 1990) is best known as heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey's manager and spent over 60 years in boxing. Kearns and Dempsey, both rough-and-tumble characters with a zest for life, were partners for six years. In 1917, Kearns and Dempsey met. Though Kearns claimed Dempsey came to his aid in a bar fight, others said that Kearns had seen him fight in New York and was impressed with his crude power. Kearns guided Dempsey to the championship in 1919 with a victory over Jess Willard. He was a master of publicity and was largely responsible for making possible the first million-dollar gate in boxing history when Dempsey fought Georges Carpentier. Kearns' managerial acumen also allowed Dempsey to receive $300,000 for a fight in Shelby, Montana which virtually bankrupted the town. Dempsey split with Kearns after the Dempsey-Firpo fight in 1923. Dempsey and his new wife, actress Estelle Taylor, believed that Kearns had been mishandling the fighter's funds. The parting was acrimonious and involved multiple lawsuits. Although Kearns's greatest success was with Dempsey, he remained active as a fight manager until his death on July 17, 1963. Among the other fighters he managed were Hall of Famers Joey Maxim, Archie Moore, and Mickey Walker. He spent five years in the employ of the International Boxing Club, setting matches. When asked to testify before the Kefauver committee, Kearns positively impressed the panel of senators and did not prove to be directly linked to the organized crime figures who heavily influenced the International Boxing Club. Kearns has also been credited with staging the first fight in Las Vegas-a 1955 bout between Moore and Nino Valdes.
We offer a signature from an autograph album with his photo attached. TOUGH!!!
Letter of Authenticity from Richard Albersheim