BOXING – 1897 - CORBETT VS. FITZSIMMONS FIGHT FILM
Consisting of two frames, 2 3/8" x 2 3/8", of the 1897 film, showing  fighters in ring, purportedly man in bowler hat in foreground is Bat Materson.
On St. Patrick’s Day March 17, 1897 in Carson City, Nevada heavyweight champion of the world James J. Corbett lost the heavyweight title to Bob Fitzsimmons in what came to be known as “The Fight of the Century.” The event was  Nevada's first legally-sanctioned boxing contest. Enormous crowds and some of America's wealthiest and best-known people were expected, and that included Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson .
The filming of the Corbett vs. Fitzsimmons fight was one of the milestones in motion-picture history. The screening lasted nearly two hours and more than 3 miles of film was used to cover all the preliminary contests and the fourteen rounds of the heavyweight championship fight. The movie was made by Enoch J. Rector, formerly of Edison Labs, who designed a trio of unique motion cameras and paid $13,000 for film rights to the contest. Immediately after the Corbett - Fitzsimmons fight was over, Rector hurried his film into distribution.
Exhibits some wear, overall good condition.                        Sp385