The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-02-14
Corbett's Daily Letter
On Great Sport Topics

~. CORBETH
, manded the fight on the ground that
Reagan had twice fouled Jack. The ref
cree, after some elaboration, refused to
grant 1t, ruling that the fouling was ac-
cidental
Dempsey was in a condition such as
would have been an excuse for SO men
out of 100 to stop fighting. Efforts TO
staunch the flow of blood were unavail-
ing. 1t was squirting out in a constant
stream. But as time was called for the
second round, the lion-hearted Dempsey
Immediately walked to the center OF the
ring and resumed battling.
Reagan, feeling that he had Dempsey
at disadvantage, resumed his rushing
tactics. Reagan purposely fell into
clinches, throwing all his weight on
Dempsey He roughed Jack in every
way possible; used every trick possible.
But his efforts to down the stout hearted
warrior were unavailing and JACK, de-
spite his terrible handicap, fought on
and on to the amazement OF the spec
tators and the CONSERVATION of Reagan.
When the fourth round began more
troubles were added to those of Demp-
sey. The incoming tide had flooded the
beach, forcing the fighters to battle in
the icy water up to their shoetops A
round later the water was up to their
kf.ees. At the end of the eighth It was
waist deep--and carrying with 1t the
winter chill. Then the referee called
halt and with several spectators, located
another ring on dry ground
During the slight intermisson, Jack s
hackers tried to staunch the flow of
blood from his gaping leg wound, but
without success. Then, realizing that
Jack was in terrible pain and apparently
growing weaker and weaker, they tired
to get him to quit But the "Nonpareil
smiled through his pain wracked fea-
lures as he replied:
mo, boys-no, no. I'll whip him yet
And he did.
With the resumption OF the contest
Reagan continued to rush the crippled,
weary Dempsey. But Jack, using his
wonderful brain. and his amazing clev-
erness, was able to get out of the way
of most of Reagan's terrific swings for
his jaw and the vital spots of his body,
The gameness of the "Nonpareil' was
sublime In that fight Jack Dempsey
displayed courage that no man ever has
eclipsed. The never say die spirit
ruled him and although faced by dis
heartening odds, he battled on-and on.
Through IS rounds Reagan fought ag-
gressiveiy, when, weared by his own
efforts, he was forced to fall back on
the defensive. And then Jack Dempsey,
making a remarkable rally. began where
Reagan had left off. Through the next
eight rounds he was the aggressor and
gradually wore down Reagan to point
of exhaustion. In the forty-fourth he
sent Reagan down with three solid
smashes to the face. And then came
the forty-fifth-and last round of the
sensational contest.
Reagan came up staggering Tor the
call of time in the forty-fifth to be met
with a hard Highlander to the face.
Dempsey followed with another right to
the same place as Reagan clnched. Then
Dempsey threw him to the ground once
more whereupon Reagans second
jumped into the ring and yelled:
stop the fight; we give in for Johnny
Reagan
How many rounds do you think pres
ent day fighter would wage after he had
received six-inch cash in his leg-a
cash from which the blood gushed almost
continuously for nearly two hours?
(To Be Continued Tomorrow