Greatest hits

[infrogmation]

PBS has been running promos for the latest Ken Burns doccumentary, about boxer Jack Johnson. The promos keep calling him "forgotten" and touting the special along the lines of 'you've never heard of him, but...'

I don't follow boxing at all, but he's one of the maybe 5 boxers I know a little about anyway. I'd assumed he had a "Babe Ruth" factor-- meaning he was someone from the history of the sport that even folks with no interest in the sport have more likely than not heard of. And anyone who was world champion I assume would be known to those who do follow boxing history. Does it strike anyone else as strange that they're calling him "forgotten"?

Comments

[pentomino.livejournal.com]

I never heard the name. I only hear about pre-Mike Tyson boxers in movies, usually in barroom or barbershop arguments.

[mcmatz.livejournal.com]

I think these days, anyone who is not known to the 35-and-unders is considered to have disappeared from all recorded history. I notice a vast difference in historical references between me and my husband who is 6 years younger. I knew who Jack Johnson was because of the 1970 film "The Great White Hope" with James Earl Jones and Jane Alexander. Folks my spouse's age tend to remember Jones as Darth Vader.

--Madeline

[tomscud.livejournal.com]

I'd never heard of him, though I'm not really a boxing fan.

For calibration purposes, guys I have heard of from long-ago (pre-Cassius Clay): Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Archie Moore, John Sullivan and "Gentleman" Jim Corbett. And that's about it.

[tomscud.livejournal.com]

Dammit, now I can't remember if Rocky Marciano was the guy from the movies or the real life one. Ignorance on parade, I guess.

[valiant-200.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of him.