WARNING: Some of the below cartoons contain racist imagery and slurs.

We close out our extracts from the January 1912 issue of Cartoons Magazine, with Sports, and Concrete Furniture.

Yes, concrete furniture.

When I spotted the first cartoon above, I at first thought this was a totally fascetious joke. Then I noticed a second concrete furniture cartoon, from a different newspaper, right next to it.

So I checked it out, and yes. Yes, indeed. Thomas A. Edison not only invented concrete furniture (check out this December 9th, 1911 article in the New York Times), but, he had previously invented cement houses, for that furniture to go into.

Click on the above & below pictures, to view them in detail, and read the captions.

Above, three baseball cartoons involving the 1911 World Series Ticket Scandal, in which the American League wanted the New York Giants kicked out of the National League, for having sold World Series Tickets directly to speculators and ticket scalpers, for a kick back.

Below, two cartoons from artist Clare Briggs’ Kelly Pool series.

Finally, we get an early start on February’s African American History Month, with the below page of racist cartoons concerning world heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson. The term “Great White Hope” was applied by boxing promoters, to a series of white opponents — all unsuccessful — that they threw at Johnson. Whites were highly resentful of his victories. The below cartoons, make reference to the return of Johnson to the U.S., from a 1911 match in England.

Next month, we continue with the February issue.

Doug Wheeler

BlackHistory Tigwissel Tuesdays Ole May baseball cartoons billiards pool