Jack Dempsey Days: Honoring a Forgotten Fight that Forged a Legend

In the shadow of Cripple Creek’s gold mines, amid the grit and glory of 1915, a young man stepped into the ring and into history. His name was William Harrison Dempsey — Before Nov. 1915 Jack Dempsey was known as Kid Blackie; we are celebrating the Lyric Opera House by hosting a tournament in honor of boxer beginnings we celebrate a century of champions as well as the humble beginnings of the start of the last century of boxing. Harry's (William Harrison Dempsey) brother had signed up to fight George H. Coplen as Jack Dempsey that night in Cripple Creek, but well before then he had wired his brother. "Got fight. Come quick." Under the flickering lights of the Lyric Opera House, Kid Blackie faced off against the burly and battle-tested George H. Coplen, a decorated World War I veteran and local favorite for the first time ever as Jack Dempsey!

Dempsey won that night — not just the fight, but a new identity. It was here in Cripple Creek that Kid Blackie truly became Jack Dempsey, the “Manassa Mauler,” who would rise from these rugged beginnings to become the Heavyweight Champion of the World just four years later in 1919.

Yet despite his legacy and the global fame that followed, this pivotal moment — the fight that sparked it all — has been nearly lost to time, buried beneath the dust of the mines and the shifting tides of history.

Jack Dempsey Days is our effort to change that.

We’re bringing the story back where it belongs — to the streets of Cripple Creek. Through a community boxing tournament, historical exhibitions, and celebrations of the town’s rich past, we aim to honor Dempsey’s roots, inspire the next generation of fighters, and remind the world that greatness often starts in the most unlikely of places.

This is more than a festival. It’s a tribute to grit, transformation, and the enduring spirit of the West. It’s for the underdogs, the fighters, and the dreamers. It’s for Cripple Creek.

Join us in bringing Jack Dempsey’s forgotten origin story back to life — and help us build something that will inspire for generations to come.

Jack Dempsey Days 2026

Help us celebrate all the contributions of Jack Dempsey AKA Kid Blackie