Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1915-04-09
Jess Willard
Wins Title
Defeats Jack Johnson for Cham
pionship Of the World Last
Monday at Havana, Cuba
26 Rounds and Knockout.

Havana, April Slack John
son, exile from this country, lost
the claim to the title of heavy
weight champion of the world, to
Jess Willard. the Kansas cowboy,
the biggest man that ever entered
a prize ring. the white hope"
finally made good. Johnson and
his wife, and a little group of
friends. will sail Wednesday for
Martinique, enroute to France,
where Johnson proposes to settle
down to the life of a farmer,
raising pigs and chickens. He is
through with the ring.
Willard is returning to the Uni
ted States to win the fortune de-
MED him when Johnson got $780,
before the fight started, Willard
taking only a small share Of the
net receipts. The exact share is
unknown.
Unparalleled Fight
Today's fight is without paral-
lei in the history of the ring. For
20 rounds johnson punched and
pounded Willard at will but the
blows grew perceptibly less pow
erful as the fight progressed, un-
til at last he seemed unable or un-
willing to continue. He stopped
leading, and for three rounds the
bout was little more than a series
Of poses.
Hits to Johnson's Heart
In the 18th round Willard got
his swinging right-hand smashes
to Johnsons heart. 1t was the
beginning of the end. When the
round closed Johnson sent word
to his wife he was all in, and told
her to start for home. She was
on her way, and was passing the
ring in the 18th when stinsine
blow to the body and a right tc
the jaw caused johnson to crum.
bic to the floor. where he lay
partly outside the ropes until the
> referee counted 10, and by
raising Willard's arm, proclaimed
the coronation of new heavy.
weight king.
Was he Knocked Out?
There is much discussion to.
night among the fans as to wheth.
er johnson was really knocked
out or laid down. He was Ger.
tainly not put out in the sense oi
unconsciousness. The consensu.
of opinion is that Johnson knew
there was no possibility of win.
ming, so when knocked down
chose to take the count rathe,
than rise and stand further pun.
: ishment. Johnson often stated
that fighting is business which
he would not foolishly submit to
repeated knock downs when he
found his master.
Gets Up At Once
A second after Welch, the re.
feree, counted 10, johnson quick.
ly got up. A moment later spec.
tators rushed into the ring. Fo,
an instant it seemed as if trouble
threatened, but so or more of the
: several hundred soldiers station.
ed about the arena jumped into
, the ring and formed a circle
around the victor and vanished.
Crowd Cheering Hysterically
Under the escort of the sol.
} diers Willard and johnson left
the ring and went to the dressing
> rooms amid the hysterical cheer.
> ing of the crowd, made wildly
enthusiastic bv the victory of the
white man. Willard was escort.
ed back to the citv by troop OF
Cuban cavalry. He was cheered
wildly. Willard's car was preced.
ed by other autos, which by agree
ment carried white flags.
Tonight the white man is the
hero of the island. With all he
is a modest champion. He takes
the victory philosophically, and
apparently is not surprised at the
outcome. Neither pugilists show
ed evidences of the battle. Will
]ard's lip. ear and cheek showed
slight abrasions, but at no time
was there more than three drops
Of blood in evidence. No finish
fight between heavyweights has
been cleaner or less brutal.
* >: .. * y y * * * X * *
* Mayor Brinton is desir- =
| y mo nc commission form =: