Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-04-06
COWBOY OF KANSAS SETS A
TERRIFIC PACE FOR NEG
RO WHOSE STAMINA GIVES
OUT IN 10Th ROUND.
Mill GOES FOR 1WEN1Y-sDX
Soldiers Have to Protect Fighters
From Crowd Which Storms
Ring After Decision.
WILLARD CHAMPION.


WILLARD CHAMPION.
Ringside, Havana, April 5-Jess
Willard, the Kansas cowboy, is
the heavyweight champion pusi-
list Of the world. He knocked
out Jack johnson, the black cham.
pion, in the twenty.sixth round Of
their championship bout here TO-
day.
'Ringside, Oriental Park. Havana,
April 5.-Before mammoth crowd OF
enthusiastic spectators, less Willard,
the white Hope heavyweight of
Kansas, wrested from Jack Thomson,
the negro champion, the premier hon
or OF the pugiiistic world.
Blows Less Powerful.
The blows grew perceptibly less
powerful as the fight progressed, until
at last he seemed unable or unwilling
to continue. He stopped leading and
for three rounds of the bout there was
little more than a series OF poses In
the twenty-fifth round Willard got
out his swinging right hand smasbes
to Johnson's heart This was the be.
ginning of the end. When the round
closed, Johnson sent word to his wife
that he was all in and told her to
start for home.
She was on the way out and was
passing the ring in the twenty-sixth,
when the singing blow to the body
and the right to the jaw caused John
son to crumple on the floor where
he lay partly outside the ropes until
the referee counted ten, and by rails
ing Wizards arm proclaimed the cor
onation of the new heavyweight king.
w. Did johnson Lay Down? 81! .
There was much discussion tonight
among tile fans as to whether John.
son really was knocked out or laid "
down. Certainly he was not put OUT
in the sense of Inconsistencies. The
concensus Of opinion is that Johnson
knew there Was no possibility Of wia-
ming, so when he was knocked down,
chose to take the count rather than
rise and stand further punishment
TISntjn9 u 6uStneS6.
Johnson often stated that fighting
is business and he would not fool.
ishly submit to repeated knockdowns
when he found his master. The Sec
end after Welch. the referee, counted
ten, johnson quickly got up. A mo.
ment later the spectators rushed the
ring. For an instant it seemed as If
trouble was threatened. but so or
more of several hundred soldiers sta
toned about the arena jumped into
the ring and formed circle around
the victor and the vanQuished.
'' Under Escort Of Military.
Under escort of the soldiers, vii.
lard and Johnson left the ring and
went to their dressing rooms, amid
hysterical cheering of crowd made
wildly enthusiastic by the victory of
the white man. Willard was escorted
back to the city by troop of Cuban
cavalry. He was cheered wildly.
Wizards car was preceded by other
autos. which by agreement. carried
"hite flags. Tonight the white man
is the hero of the island. but Withal
is modest champion. He takes his
victory philosophically and apparent
ly is not surprised at the outcome.
Neither pugilist showed evidences OF
q battle. Willard'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 heavywheights has been
cleaner or less brutal.
johnson an Exile.
Jack Johnson, an exile from his
own country, lost the claim to the.
title Of heavyweight champion of the
world, to Jess Willard, the Kansas
cowboy. the biggest man that ever
entered the prize ring and the white
nope" who finally made good
Johnson, his wife and little group
of friends will sail Wednesday for
Martinique, enroute to France, where
Johnson proposes to settle down to
he life of farmer. raising pigs and
chickens. He is through with the
ing. Willard is returning to the
United States to win the fortune de-
lied him when johnson got 100000
before the fight started, Willard TAX
ng only small share of the net, re-
,eipts. His exact share is unknown.
roday's fight was without parallel
n the history of the ring. For %
ounds Johnson punched and pounded
Willard at will.
Although considerable money is in
light, wagering was not heavy, as
'ohnson men sought even money.
While Willard adherents asked for
dds. At twenty minutes past twelve
t was apparent that the fight would
CONTINUED on Page Eight.)