Addsion Thatcher's Autograph Book of Participant's at the Willard v. Dempsey Fight. One the Earliest Dempsey Signatures Dated July 5, 1919 the Day After He Became Champion!

Addison Q. Thatcher's

Autograph Book

A truly historic rememberance of the Willard-Dempsey fight. The fight that ushered in the Roaring Twenties and was the dawn of big money boxing.

This incredible autograph book belonged to Addison Thatcher, owner of the Toledo Athletic Club and the man who was responsible for Tex Rickard holding the heavyweight championship of the world in Toledo, Ohio.

First and foremost it contains what well may be the earliest known signature of Jack Dempsey as Heavyweight Champion,

dated July 5-19 the day after he defeated Willard.

Additionally, there is the signature of John Dempsey, Jack's ill fated brother, who would become addicted to heroin and ultimately murder his wife and take his own life.

Professor Billy McCarney, who had managed to secure the concession rights to the fight. When explaining that McCarney did not actually intend to run the concessions himself but was going to merely resell the rights, John Lardner was quoted as saying " Prizefight men enjoy the romance of business-i.e. the profits-but do not care for the sordid details of bookkeeping."