The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-16


teenth--and fnal--chapter of a Sc
ries of articles which Mr., Corbett is
writing concerning the pugilistic life
of Jack psey--the best loved
fighter in the history of the ring)
The descent of Jack Dem psey from
the pugillstc heights was almost as
rneteoric a. had been his rise Up
to the middls|bf 1889 he Was looked
upon as absolutely unbeatable. Sixty
two men had faced hirn--and not one
could whip him Jack ruled supreme
In his division and had gone beyond
II, defeating men who outweighed
him from twenty to fifty pounds. He
was the marvel OF the prize ring and
the Idol of sport loving America.
The kuell OF Dempsey sounded with
the impact OF the foul pivot punch
delivered by George LeBlanche. From
that day on the "Nonpareir' no longer
fought as he had In his earlier days.
His sublime confidence in his own
ability was gone. No fighter can be
=. success without absolute belief In
himself The defeat az Dempsey at
the hands OF Fob Fitzsirnmons in 1891
was the fnei blow to Dempsey's pride
and Jack never afterward showed
anything approaching the form or
other dayFa
When Fitzsimmons beat him, Jack
retired from the ring for nearly two
Years and then, when his funds ran
Low. he took on Mike Keogh IN four
rounds in Portland. Dempsey out
Eointed his iival who vas nothing
,orc il:y fUb. On September T.,
fSn4 Jac' aEai7 fought Australian
Etilv Mccarthy The contest Went
twenty rounds tn q drAU. or Jan-
uarv Is. 1898, the ''NonpareiH' foI\lt
lie last ha'lle Of his memorable ca
reg" sad r. brought to him defeat at
40 heads Of Tommy Ryan I'M three
rounds.
; short v bile 8ftcrWsrd the Non
parpii" t"ols sick and quick consuIap-
ton desel9red, Friends. knowing ne
was almost broke arranged pun
lie benefit which was put on IN New
York on Lane 6. 1895. Jack appear
..d there-.for the last time IN Puu-
lic. A lltIle later he driited Ia the
Pacific cos y aud went into obscur =
;tv. Fer rcrs.' months friends trlad
- locate him 0ut 10 40 avail IhN
,snxt -aue tacv hal concerning lack
44a,.,,.&.- fa-e- from Portland, ore
o~- November !. 1875 in the form OF
"a ar've rows dispatch. which read
~Jaf, Dea,psev. former mido 'e-
wEigNt t6htaNt"N or ~" N"i fN' p ''
here today of tuberculosis, pennies
and eleno.
81 sb4r Ve= mortal cf III" enc 3
nrieh1-- ", ~rior Was lad 70 rest n
Oregon Ye.rs afterwart search
was etarie = for his grave. l'ut over
"a lopr stretch of tilne no one could
r.,d ill., txea ne spot Ihat contained
eu ~ v-fe enrthNs ~ the best Ave
tcH..Y srrf p-!z7 rlar ever knew haH
.3ie. .,,eace1 ,4d than there IAN
,asrer III = san Francisco paper th's
r.aa.l uhsca mnsr take its place
afnonr thc masterpieces or pa'h"S4
The SnrosrcIi's Grave.
t-av r,, In enc vsfIds Of Oregon.
on q 3oucl.- mountain side
where r'alun7oie's mighty wsters
3nlf ,fovyn to the ocean tide;
where +he 81 mt Ar aud ctdar
Ave .auaEed IN the wave
. 'argtnvrn with FRS ard lieheaSs
founa poor DefnTsey's grave
found no marble monolith.
Ne broker shaft or stone
Recording s5&t, Victories
Tats ,rre.r,lshe,I victor won
~, rnse M .haurock could : find
No mortal here TO tell
Nxaere sleeps iu this foreaeen Ffot
Tn Immortal Nonpare'"
a Winding ondpo canyon r@@'
Thai v1ortsls seldom tread
tcodo NO this lionel, mountain
To this deser; Of the dead
A,d the Westero sun Was SINKING
In Pacific golden wave,
And these solemn pines kept watchihs'
over poor Jack DempseEs grave
Forgotten bv ten thousand thFoats'
THAI Murdered his acclafni'
f.onyntte,, bv- his friends ana foes'
who cheers his very meme.
<oblivion wraps his faded form.
put ares hence shall save
~, memory Of that Irish lad
i In, ellis poor Dempseys grave
OH p'srne. why sleeps thy favored son
in wilas. In woods, in ~eeds',
And shall he ever thus $leep on
inferred his valiant deeds
.rip strange New York should thus
forget
Yta "laravezt Of the brave,
,,s in the. wiids Of OREGON.
T-on,arked. leave Dempsey's grave