Jeannette Vs McVey
"O Star, teach those who are not in the trenches.... Discipline!
"Would that all men, that all women might know that there is
something above Numbers, above Force, above even Courage, and that is
PERSEVERANCE! A few years ago there was a boxing match between
Sam Mac Vea and Joe Jeannette that will remain famous in the history of
the sport. Mac Vea was a heavyweight, strong, all muscle: a veritable
black giant. Joe Jeannette, light, well proportioned, all nerve: a mongrel
of the best sort. The match was epic. It went on for forty-nine rounds and
lasted three hours. At the third round, and again in the seventh, Sam Mac
Vea threw Joe Jeannette, and his victory seemed assured. But little by little
Joe Jeannette revived, pulled himself together, defended himself, and
through sheer nerve, began to attack. At the forty-ninth round, shoulder to
shoulder, panting, dripping wet and covered with blood they struck the
last blow. The resources of Sam Mac Vea were exhausted, and through the
very assurance of his adversary he felt himself beaten.... Suddenly the
great giant lifted his arms and gave way, saying: 'I guess I cannot.'...
"Thus shall we soon see Germany fall to the earth, saying brokenly, 'I
cannot.'...
"O Star, teach those who are not in the trenches...to be game!"
Stéphane Lauzanne
"Would that all men, that all women might know that there is
something above Numbers, above Force, above even Courage, and that is
PERSEVERANCE! A few years ago there was a boxing match between
Sam Mac Vea and Joe Jeannette that will remain famous in the history of
the sport. Mac Vea was a heavyweight, strong, all muscle: a veritable
black giant. Joe Jeannette, light, well proportioned, all nerve: a mongrel
of the best sort. The match was epic. It went on for forty-nine rounds and
lasted three hours. At the third round, and again in the seventh, Sam Mac
Vea threw Joe Jeannette, and his victory seemed assured. But little by little
Joe Jeannette revived, pulled himself together, defended himself, and
through sheer nerve, began to attack. At the forty-ninth round, shoulder to
shoulder, panting, dripping wet and covered with blood they struck the
last blow. The resources of Sam Mac Vea were exhausted, and through the
very assurance of his adversary he felt himself beaten.... Suddenly the
great giant lifted his arms and gave way, saying: 'I guess I cannot.'...
"Thus shall we soon see Germany fall to the earth, saying brokenly, 'I
cannot.'...
"O Star, teach those who are not in the trenches...to be game!"
Stéphane Lauzanne
Jeannette's most famous fight occurred on
April 17, 1909, when he met McVey in Paris.
The pair had fought a lackluster bout there
two months before. The dissatisfied crowd
had showered the ring with programs and
other debris, and rumors began to circulate
that the two had treated the fight as a mere
exhibition. Eager to dispel that notion,
Jeannette and McVey agreed to fight to the
finish with no round limit. The resulting
battle was one of the greatest marathons in
boxing history. McVey scored the first of his
27 knockdowns in the first round. In the
sixteenth McVey countered a Jeannette
uppercut with a right to the jaw that most
likely would have finished Jeannette-had he
not been saved by the bell.
Jeannette went down in the next round, the
21st time in seventeen rounds that he had hit
the canvas. Looking beaten after nineteen
rounds, Jeannette miraculously revived and
seized control of the fight. As the bout moved
past the 40-round mark, Jeannette began to
floor McVey with regularity, but still could
not put him away. In the 42nd, Jeannette
dropped McVey seven times. Finally, after
49 rounds, McVey could not continue.
Despite having been knocked down 27 times,
Jeannette had triumphed in this unbelievable
test of endurance, courage, and boxing
ability. This fight underscores Jeannette's
Indomitable Will.
April 17, 1909, when he met McVey in Paris.
The pair had fought a lackluster bout there
two months before. The dissatisfied crowd
had showered the ring with programs and
other debris, and rumors began to circulate
that the two had treated the fight as a mere
exhibition. Eager to dispel that notion,
Jeannette and McVey agreed to fight to the
finish with no round limit. The resulting
battle was one of the greatest marathons in
boxing history. McVey scored the first of his
27 knockdowns in the first round. In the
sixteenth McVey countered a Jeannette
uppercut with a right to the jaw that most
likely would have finished Jeannette-had he
not been saved by the bell.
Jeannette went down in the next round, the
21st time in seventeen rounds that he had hit
the canvas. Looking beaten after nineteen
rounds, Jeannette miraculously revived and
seized control of the fight. As the bout moved
past the 40-round mark, Jeannette began to
floor McVey with regularity, but still could
not put him away. In the 42nd, Jeannette
dropped McVey seven times. Finally, after
49 rounds, McVey could not continue.
Despite having been knocked down 27 times,
Jeannette had triumphed in this unbelievable
test of endurance, courage, and boxing
ability. This fight underscores Jeannette's
Indomitable Will.
Joe Training
For McVey
Joe Jeannette
Dan McKetrick
Manager
Rocking Horse
April 17, 1909
April 15, 1907
February 20, 1909
December 11, 1909
April 27, 1915