The Fight of the Century

This article was first published in the Spring 2025 issue of American Clubman magazine.

The bad blood had been brewing between the two men for years, so no one was surprised when it finally boiled over into a bout of fisticuffs. Insults were exchanged. Threats were made. Articles were written. At long last, the two fighters would face off in the ring of public opinion, and a champion would be crowned. O’Connor versus Keith.

Like Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier squaring off in The Fight of the Century, Jack O’Connor and Elmer Keith were the hardest hitting gun writers of their era, each man vying for superiority in their shared profession. Their love for firearms was about all the pair had in common. Elmer was a neck-it-up wildcatter and a heavy-bullet-for-caliber man, while Jack was a by-the-book handloader who preferred his bullets light and fast. But the differences didn’t end there. Both men wrote prolifically and were famously popular with their respective audiences, but where Elmer was a high school dropout and wrote like one, Jack was a college professor who wouldn’t have dared to dangle a participle. Their conflict shaped up to be a contest between Everyman and the Almighty. The tension that mounted between the two men was inevitable, and it was only a matter of time before the fight was made. When fight day finally arrived, the atmosphere inside the arena was electric.

“In this corner, wearing red-white-and-proud-to-be-an-American-by-God-blue trunks along with his trademark Stetson, and writing out of Salmon, Idaho, is Elmer Keith, a heavy-handed hand gunner with a professional record of 44-0, each and every one of those victories coming by way of no doubt knockout.“

“And in the opposite corner, wearing wire-rimmed glasses and khaki trunks trimmed in what appears to be beige, and writing out of Lewiston, Idaho, we have Jack O’Connor, a professional pugilist through and through. Jack has a career record of 270-0, winning all of his fights on points and by unanimous decision.“

“The two men meet the referee in the middle of the ring to receive their final instructions, and . . . wait. Wait, what in the world is Elmer Keith doing? We’ve never seen anything like this, folks! Elmer Keith just stood at center ring and lit a cigar. He is now pacing like a jungle cat in a cage and staring daggers at his opponent. Gentleman Jack is paying him absolutely no mind, though. In fact, the second Elmer pulled that stogie out of his shorts, O’Connor walked back to his corner, sat down on his stool, and started reviewing what looks to be a ballistic chart.”

“The bell rings and Keith comes out swinging, throwing one haymaker after another. He’s got O’Connor backed into a corner! That didn’t take long! Elmer stuns his opponent with a left hook and then follows it up with an uppercut to the solar plexus that gets the maximum penetration he loves so much.”

“But now O’Connor is dancing away, bobbing and weaving, his fancy footwork on full display. Elmer expended a lot of energy in that initial blitzkrieg, ladies and gentlemen, and now Jack is tiring out his rival with his textbook technique, plotting each one of his punches on an arc like those of his beloved ballistic charts. My goodness, the man is absolutely picking his opponent apart.”

Round after round the two men fought, toe to toe and trading blows, Elmer Keith swinging for the fences and Jack O’Connor rope a doping his opponent like the wind. When the final bell rang, the canvas was splattered with blood, sweat, and spent brass. Both fighters staggered to their respective stools, completely exhausted. 

“After a heated deliberation, it appears that the judges have arrived at a decision. Their scorecards are handed to the announcer who promptly makes his way to the center of the ring, beckoning both the referee and the two fighters to join him. The men haul themselves off their stools and await the announcement. And here we go, folks. The editor at Guns and Ammo scores the bout in favor of Elmer Keith. Outdoor Life’s head man of course sees it Jack O’Connor’s way.”

“But before the judges’ decision is announced, the two fighters reach across the referee and shake hands. Will wonders never cease! We are now being told, ladies and gentlemen, that this incredible fight will be declared a draw. No winner will be announced, and there will not be a rematch. Apparently, the two men have agreed to squash their beef, owing to the fact that they have found a common ground in their love for the Winchester Model 70 and their hatred for the idiots infatuated with the 6.5 Creedmoor.”

So, who really won the fight? Well, if you’ll set aside some time and read some of their work, if you’ll learn something from Elmer’s vast experience and Jack’s veritable expertise, I think you’ll reach the same conclusion I have: We all did.