Byline: James Knickerbocker 

The sweltering heat beat down on the spectators. Boisterous, merriment pervaded throughout the stadium. The thick, familiar, sweet, and greasy aromas of concession food circulated through the air. The sound of heavy, violent punches landing contact with human flesh reverberated from the ring. The crowd applauded and hollered with enthusiasm.  Anticipation filled the stadium as the match’s end was inevitable, and just like that, in the blink of an eye, and a unanimous decision, it was over. Once the stadium emptied the silence was deafening and in this place that just mere days before held so much excitement the somber reality began to set in that the clock had run out on Shelby’s 15 seconds of fame. Shelby itself had been delivered a knockout of its own. 

This July 4th marks the centennial celebration of the Dempsey-Gibbons fight. The city of Shelby plans to celebrate this event by hosting multiple events throughout the day. Community Development Director, Lorette Carter stated, “The day will involve a Car Show at 10:00 am, a fireman’s picnic at the local fire hall from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, followed by a “Dedication to Champions Park.” Later in the day, there will be an open house hosted by the museum board, and boxing matches at the Marias Fairgrounds at 3:00 pm. To close out the celebration there will be a street dance at 7:00 pm and fireworks at 10:30 pm.”

In an effort to commemorate the Dempsey-Gibbons centennial anniversary, the City of Shelby is collaborating with Shelby Public Schools to educate the students about how the fight moved to Shelby and the impact of the fight. Shelby High School Math Teacher, Sanna Clark explained, “Lorette Carter will be visiting our school to teach us about the history of the fight, and the students and staff could potentially participate in community service to help prepare for the celebration.”

The Dempsey-Gibbons fight was a defining moment in Shelby’s history. Clark stated, “The Dempsey-Gibbons fight was deemed a really important moment in sports history. People have compared it to Shelby hosting the Super Bowl.” The truth is, the result of the Demspey-Gibbons fight on Shelby’s economy was arguably the biggest setback in Shelby’s history. Some may ask if the comeback was bigger than the setback. The upcoming celebration is in and of itself the answer to that question. 

The aftermath of the Dempsey-Gibbons fight was considered one of the biggest economical disasters in boxing history: “Four different banks around Shelby went bankrupt from hosting the fight,” Clark said. According to the Shelby Backgrounds history book, before the fight, naturally, the ticket prices were set according to the anticipated number of ticket buyers in an effort to not only pay Dempsey the $300,000 he was promised but possibly turn a small profit. However, the grandiose plan when compared to reality, could not have been more of a contradiction. Only 7,702 spectators paid to watch the fight, and an estimated 13,000 spectators watched the fight for free. After the fight, the profit totaled roughly $80,000 which figuratively speaking was a real punch to the gut of those who had held such high hopes that this fight would be the ticket to Shelby’s success. 

In the aftermath, the Dempsey-Gibbons fight was regarded as the biggest economical disaster in boxing history, but it assisted in populating Shelby. Shelby High School Study Hall Teacher, Sharol O’Brien explained, “My grandfather came to see the fight, said he didn’t have enough money to leave town, so he stayed and worked in the oil fields.”

The Dempsey-Gibbons fight also impacted the infrastructure of Shelby. After the fight, the stadium was torn down and the lumber was used to build houses, stores, schools, churches, etc. The contractor and owner of Knickerbocker Construction, Guy Knickerbocker said, “It was reused in the construction of buildings throughout town. It would have been a huge waste not to."

The importance of celebrating the Dempsey-Gibbons centennial celebration stems from its historical significance. Shelby hosted a fight to attract tourist attention but was instead tasked with overcoming the economic adversity that ensued. City Events Director, Carter explained, “You know it’s important because I think we all need to remember our past as we move into the future. From where we came from, and how our community was built, and so this is a great way for all of us to realize how colorful, and how creative people were back then. So there is a really colorful history and an even brighter future.” 

We strongly encourage you and others to learn the importance and history of the fight. As well as how it shaped our community into the way it is today.