Historical Markers of Carson City


Nevada Landmarks Home Page

*HM 243*


-- Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight --

Location: Carson City
Directions: Marker located at intersection of Musser and Harbin Streets

Location: 1
Visibility: 2
Accessibility: 1
Marker type: St (M)
   

NOTES: This is a highly residential area that is out of the 'tourist row'.
Please take care not to disturb this quiet neighborhood.

Right in front of the Sheriff's Office. I'd follow the sign if I were you.

Description:
On March 17, 1897, at an arena located on this site, Carson City played host to Nevada's first world championship prizefight, a fourteen-round thriller in which the reigning heavyweight titlist, James J. "Gentleman Jim" Corbett, was dethroned by Robert Fitzsimmons. The Nevada Legislature had only recently legalized prizefighting and the match became the object of scathing criticism from the press and pulpit of other states, but fight fans by the thousands came in.

Promoter Dan Stuart put on a clean show and demonstrated that boxing need not be brutal or crooked. Other states were soon to liberalize their own prizefight laws and the sport began to assume a degree of respectability it had not enjoyed in the past. In later years, Nevada was to be the scene of several other world championship fights... but it was this one that started it all.

~ After a recent visit, as of 2008, this marker is now gone!
Please visit my "Missing Markers" page for details ~

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