Tex Rickard

George "Tex " Rickard ( January 2, 1871 in Missouri when George Lewis Rickard, † January 6, 1929 in Miami, Florida) was an American boxing promoter.

He started as a cowboy and then gold diggers and hotel owner in Alaska, where he first met Jack Kearns. Almost by chance he came to boxing and organized in 1906 the struggle between the black lightweight Joe Gans and the popular Danes Battling Nelson, the hitherto most lucrative fight with a turnover of just under $ 70,000. In 1910 he organized the comeback of the undefeated former champion in the heavyweight James J. Jeffries against the unpopular new world champion, the colored Jack Johnson. For this alone, the film rights were already worth over $ 100,000, the entry $ 270,000.

In 1919 he organized the coronation of the new stars Jack Dempsey in a fight against Jess Willard. Against Georges Carpentier revenues were $ 1,789,238. Five years later came 120 757 Spectators ( $ 1,895,733 ) for the title win against Dempsey Gene Tunney. The rematch at Soldier Field in Chicago attracted 104 943 spectators, admission $ 2,658,660. He also managed the construction of a new Madison Square Gardens.

In 1926 he was offered a franchise in New York, which was supposed to compete with the New York Americans. According to him, the team initially Tex's Rangers was called, but then played as the New York Rangers. Together with Conn Smythe he built the team, but since he did not trust in the team put together by Smythe, he dismissed him and took Lester Patrick, who won the Stanley Cup with the selected Smythe players. Modeled after the Madison Square Gardens he also left the Boston Madison Square Garden building, which was then set only briefly Boston Garden.