Tex Rickard(1870-1929)
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Tex Rickard as a young man was a cattleman and a town marshal in Texas and then a gold miner and a professional gambler in the Yukon, Rickard in 1903 established a casino in the mining town of Goldfield, Nevada. To publicize the community, he promoted a world lightweight title fight in which Joe Gans defeated Battling Nelson on a foul in 42 rounds on Sept. 3, 1906. He then promoted Jack Johnson's successful defense of the heavyweight championship against former titleholder James J. Jeffries at Reno, Nev., on July 4, 1910.
In 1920 Rickard gained control of Madison Square Garden, New York City. On July 2, 1921, at Jersey City, N.J., he staged the first boxing match to attract a million-dollar crowd: Dempsey's four-round knockout of Georges Carpentier. In Chicago on Sept. 22, 1927, Dempsey's unsuccessful attempt to regain the heavyweight title from Gene Tunney drew for Rickard the only $2,000,000 gate in boxing history before the mid-1970s. Throughout his career, Rickard's promotions appealed to prejudice: black against white, draft dodger against World War I hero, and American against foreigner. Much of his press agentry was aimed at women, and he sought socially prominent patrons by organizing numerous bouts for charity. He was probably the first boxing impresario to prove expert at handling large crowds.
In addition to his career as a promoter, Rickard founded the New York Rangers hockey franchise in 1926, which he owned until his death.
In 1920 Rickard gained control of Madison Square Garden, New York City. On July 2, 1921, at Jersey City, N.J., he staged the first boxing match to attract a million-dollar crowd: Dempsey's four-round knockout of Georges Carpentier. In Chicago on Sept. 22, 1927, Dempsey's unsuccessful attempt to regain the heavyweight title from Gene Tunney drew for Rickard the only $2,000,000 gate in boxing history before the mid-1970s. Throughout his career, Rickard's promotions appealed to prejudice: black against white, draft dodger against World War I hero, and American against foreigner. Much of his press agentry was aimed at women, and he sought socially prominent patrons by organizing numerous bouts for charity. He was probably the first boxing impresario to prove expert at handling large crowds.
In addition to his career as a promoter, Rickard founded the New York Rangers hockey franchise in 1926, which he owned until his death.
