Sam Langford statue or trashy paper weight?

[D. Bergin]

Ok, I pulled the trigger on this on Ebay. Not really expensive but almost immediately developed buyer remorse LOL!

It appears to be solid lead. Only stands 3 1/2" inches tall but weighs in at slightly more then 3 lbs..

It's really primitive craftsmanship. Almost folk art like. From a mold you can clearly see the seams on.

Says "Sam Sam" on the front, which I don't quite get. The original seller thought it commemorated one of the Sam Langford / Sam McVey fights, which I'm not really convinced of. Maybe one half of a pair, if his assumption is correct?

Looks to be a date on the front: August 24th, 1912???? (I'm really not at all sure on the "1912" part).

Langford and McVey never fought on an August 24th...........but they fought a ton of times and it may have been a "projected" date at one time, I suppose.

The image does appear to be a caricature, but it does bear a remarkable likeness to the racist newspaper cartoons of Langford done back in the day.

Only August 24th fight that Sam had as far as existing records happened in 1911 against Tony Ross in New York.

Another theory. Maybe it's August 1924. Sam fought a lot in Southern California and Mexico in 1924. It could be a primitively made trinket from that area. The item came in a box that indicated the seller I purchased it from picked it up from a Goodwill facility located in Los Angeles, though I'm not sure that's proof of anything, almost 100 years down the road.

Maybe it's just some strange, possibly weirdly racist knick-knack that has nothing to do with boxing, or anything else of general interest.

Curious what anybody else thinks about this.

[mdube16]

Yes I am thinking this is not boxing but rather a "Sambo" bust.

[sthoemke]

Another one for sale:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Ameri...-/222827417907

[D. Bergin]

Thanks guys. Interesting. Mine looks to be from a bit of a heavier metal and slightly more crudely made.

I wonder what the significance of the date on the bust is.

[sthoemke]

Mystery solved:

"Sam Sam Day, a festival for employees was held on August 24, 1912. This event was named after Samuel Torrey, a longtime Beverly physician, and Samuel Gentlee, a Beverly undertaker. "

https://beverlyhistory.pastperfecton...7-264757470130

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by sthoemke

Mystery solved:

"Sam Sam Day, a festival for employees was held on August 24, 1912. This event was named after Samuel Torrey, a longtime Beverly physician, and Samuel Gentlee, a Beverly undertaker. "

https://beverlyhistory.pastperfecton...7-264757470130

Ah, awesome! I thought I had done every possible combination of internet search I could do. Thank you.

At least I know the origin of this, even if it's not what I hoped. Lots of additional info also linked off of that page.

Interestingly, Beverly, Massachusetts would have been in the vicinity of Langford's regular stomping grounds for most of his life, though he was busy touring in Australia on that particular date.

Also, "The United Shoe Machinery Athletic Association"! I want to know more about THAT group.

[D. Bergin]

Looks like the U.S.M.A.A. had a baseball team, as listed and pictured in the 1919 Spalding Baseball Guide.

There was also a "SAM SAM Cup" baseball tournament, it looks like.

https://books.google.com/books?id=r-...usetts&f=false