Extremely rare vintage glossy 8 x 10 portrait of Jack Johnson wearing tights in an imposing full-length fighting stance, signed and inscribed in fountain pen, "To my good friend Lou, with good luck and what goes with it, From Jack Johnson." In very good to fine condition, with scattered creasing, two heavier vertical creases descending from the top edge, and a small stain next to Johnson's head; in spite of its flaws, both the image and the handwriting remain appreciably bold against the blank background. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Accompanied by an original cigarette boxing card.
In spite of his legend, even the great Jack Johnson needed a little “good luck” on his side from time to time. In one of his first matches, an 1899 fight in Chicago against the brutish fighter John Klondike Haines, Johnson was easily bested. They fought to a 20-round draw in 1900 but in a third match-up later that year, Johnson found his lucky charm. He delivered a pounding so powerful that Klondike was forced to quit after the 13th round. Following that bout, Johnson said the experience ‘proved to me that the number thirteen brings me luck, regardless of what superstitions may say.’ An amazing, seldom-encountered signed photo, very rare in this size—this particular pose has accompanied web stories for CBS News and National Public Radio for years and is just the third signed photo of this size that we have ever offered.
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