AP Poll: Dempsey-Firpo fight chosen as the ‘most dramatic sports event of the half century

Summer 1951, New York City

Of the 374 Associated Press sports writers voting, 70 chose the Dempsey-Firpo fight as the ‘most dramatic sports event of the half century.’

The leading events selected were:

1.    Dempsey-Firpo prize fight, The Polo Grounds, New York ::: 1923 ::: 70 votes ::: [Dempsey-Firpo]

2.    Babe Ruth calling his World Series homerun, Wrigley Field, Chicago ::: 1932 ::: 66 votes ::: [Chicago Tribune, "Did Babe Ruth's called shot happen?"]

3.    Dempsey-Tunney prize fight ('the long count fight') Soldier Field, Chicago ::: 1927 ::: 43 votes ::: [Dempsey-Tunney, The Long Count Fight]

4.    Lou Gehrig’s Farewell Address at Yankee Stadium, The Bronx :::1939 ::: 23 votes ::: [Lou Gehrig's Farewell Address]

5.    Grover Alexander’s strikeout of Tony Lazzeri, 1926 World Series, Yankee Stadium, The Bronx ::: 21 votes ::: [Grover Cleveland Alexander Remembers: 1926 World Series, Game 7]

6.    Notre Dame’s victory over Ohio State, Columbus, Ohio ::: 1935 ::: 17 votes ::: [Notre Dame's First Game of the Century]

7.    Red Grange’s feat against Michigan, Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois ::: 1925 [sic]* ::: 13 votes ::: [Chicago Tribune, "90 Years Ago: Red Grange's amazing game"]

8.    Babe Ruth’s Farewell Address at Yankee Stadium, The Bronx ::: 1948 ::: 13 votes ::: [Babe Ruth's Farewell Address]

9.    Floyd Bevens’ near no hitter in the1947 World Series, Ebbets Field, Brooklyn ::: 12 votes ::: [Old Baseball Photos and Essays, "Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, NY, October 3, 1947"]

10. Joe Louis knockout of Max Schmeling, Yankee Stadium, The Bronx ::: 1938 ::: 12 votes ::: [Louis-Schmeling]

11. Jesse Owens in the1936 Olympics ::: Berlin, Germany ::: 9 votes ::: [History, "Owens wins 4th gold medal"]

12. Dempsey-Willard prize fight, Toledo, Ohio ::: 1919 ::: 6 votes ::: [Dempsey-Willard]

13. Bobby Jones’ Grand Slam in golf ::: 1930 ::: 5 votes ::: [Our Georgia History, "Bobby Jones wins the Grand Slam of golfing"]

14. Black Sox World Series Scandal ::: 1919 ::: 4 votes ::: [History, "The Black Sox Baseball Scandal"]

15. Jim Thorpe returns 1912 Olympic medals to King of Sweden ::: 1913 ::: 4 votes ::: [UPI, "Jim Thorpe's Olympic Medals Restored"]

* The Illinois-Michigan game actually took place in October 1924, not 1925.

Of the top 15 events four involved prize fights, three of which featured Jack Dempsey ::: six involved baseball, but with only three involving actual play, two farewell addresses, and one scandal ::: two, football ::: two, track and field (Olympics)::: one, golf.

Sea Biscuit's match race victory over War Admiral 1938, and Upset's upset victory over Man O' War, 1919, were not included in the vote.