We were mad about sport 100 years ago, too!

IF you were hoping to escape a barrage of sports news in the papers this weekend, The Northern Echo of 100 years ago will provide no refuge.

The front page of July 4, 1921, is dominated by Australia’s impressive performance in the Test match at Headingley, but there is also a ringside report from the “fight of the century” in New Jersey between Jack Dempsey and George Carpentier for the world heavyweight title.

This was the first $1m dollar fight and the first to be attended in large numbers by women, as Frenchman Carpentier was a big favourite – even though he lost in round four to the much heavier Dempsey.

And if that wasn’t enough sport, the Echo’s front page reports that the Wimbledon title had been won by Bill Tilden, who the previous year had become the first American to take the championship.

Tilden is regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, although his reputation suffered towards the end of his life due to sexual misconduct.