ALS, one page, 6 x 9.25, St. Regis Hotel letterhead, November 26, 1936. Burns writes to Nat Fleischer, editor and publisher of The Ring magazine. In full: “Enclosed find photos taken yesterday of Bobby Carrington, Bill Buxton & myself. I have written on the back of each photo. I have Kilbane up in the mountains at present, and I am only sending you one of him, I’ll send you some of him in boxing pose when he returns. Best wishes, Merry Xmas & a happy new year to you all.” Horizontal fold, scattered wrinkling and creasing, and a small tear at the lower left corner, otherwise fine condition.
Burns, the only Canadian-born world heavyweight champion boxer, had retired from the ring a wealthy man in 1928, only to see his fortune wiped out by the 1929 Stock Market Crash and the Great Depression. By 1936, he was working a variety of jobs, including insurance salesman and security guard. Judging from this letter, the former champ still kept one foot in the ring. At the time, Carrington was an up-and-coming pugilist who had 11 unimpressive contests in Canada between 1937 and 1938. Kilbane was undoubtedly retired featherweight champ Johnny Kilbane, who for some reason had been sent “up in the mountains” by Burns. Interesting connection between some of the ring’s most famous—and not so famous—names. Pre-certified Steve Grad/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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