Big Fight at Goldfield Nevada, 1906 (Nelson vs. Gans)

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Object Details

Description

Postcard commemorating the “Big Fight at Goldfield Nevada”. On September 3, 1906, lightweight boxers Oscar Nelson and Joe Gans fought an epic 42 round battle in the remote mining town of Goldfield, drawing over 6,000 spectators and helping to establish Nevada as the nation's boxing capital. In a racially charged contest, the African American Gans defeated the white Nelson.

Gans, “the Old Master”, was America’s first black boxing champion, holding the lightweight title from 1902-1908. The Goldfield bout was preserved on film and was a popular movie attraction at the time.

Date made

1906

ID Number

1982.0568.184

accession number

1982.0568

catalog number

1982.0568.184

Object Name

postcard, boxing

Physical Description

paper (overall material)

Measurements

overall: 5 3/8 in x 3 3/8 in; 13.6525 cm x 8.5725 cm

Associated Place

United States: Nevada, Goldfield

See more items in

Culture and the Arts: Sport and Leisure

Data Source

National Museum of American History

name of sport or game

Boxing

level of sport

Professional

web subject

Sports

Subject

African American

Metadata Usage

CC0

Link to Original Record

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-8434-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record ID

nmah_665237