The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-05


 (Note: This is the second of a series of articles which MT. Corbett is writing concerning the pugilistic life of Jack Dempsey--the best loved pugilist in the history of the ring. The next install- mont will appear tomorrow)
 The story of Jack Dempsey's entry into the professional prize ring Is one of the real romances of pugilism. He had no thought of being other than first-ciass wrestler until April [, 1883. And then fate intervened and Jack got his chance to demonstrate his marvellous natural ability as a boxer.
 Ed Mcdonald. then conspicuous in the fight world, had been matched to meet warrior fer purse of $10o, which had been put up by Staten Island (N. YJ sportsmen. On the night that the con- test was to take place and Mcdonald was ready to enter the ring it was dis covered that his opponent, fearing beating had run out of the match There was nothing to do but to find an other opponent immediately, for McDon- aid or to disperse the crowd and so dis appoint 1t.
 seyera, pugilists prominent in that era were among the audience. But all Of l them refused to face Mcdonald. They knew of McDonald's prowess and they feared him. When the Mcdonald suppor- | ters had about exhausted the list of pos sible candidates, Mcdonald happened to notice Jack Dempsey among the crowd. 1 Mcdonald, who was mighty anxious to fight SC that he could get the $10o took 1 it upon himself to approach Dempsey. | How would you like to fight me to- whom he had met year or so before and whom he knew fairly well. l "I never fought professional fight" 1 answered Dempsey. But I would like to try"
 | "Au right" responded Mcdonald. " ou | jump into the ring and fight me to- night. purse of s1Oo has been put up. You do the best you can and make l good showing and I'll give you s2o out of the purse that I'll win. Furthermore, I'll be as gentle with you as I can and I won't knock you out until about the sixth round.'
 l D6IlpScy SiIliCo OifS SA AAAS ~ as he replied:
 Mcdonald, I'll fight you tonight. But not under the conditions you name. Yol said the purse was s100, winner take all Those are the only conditions unael which I'll fight you. And want to tel you that I don't like the idea of being knocked out. So if go on with you, you can be sure that I am going to try tt avoid knockout aud that r m going t1 try to beat you"
 Mcdonald laughed and answered.:
 "All right if you want to take { chance on the winner-take-all propo
 sition, you're on. Go back to the dress ing room and I'll get pair Of trunk
 and as soon as you get dressed for tn' ring we'll go to it.'
 The memory of the Jack Dempsey E'
 Mcdonald fight will live alwoys wit
 nounced that the youthful wrestler
 weighing 13O pounds. would take on tn
 great Mcdonald, who beamed 160, a way
 of pity swept through the crowd. The. , felt that the youngster was being led | ! slaughter; that he had been lured int r trap and was due for merciiess beat . ing at the hands of Mcdonald, who wa
 fierce, aggressive type of fighter and . terrific hitter.
 Imagine the surprise of the crowd an
 the astonishment of Mcdonald whe < the youngster exhibited natural clever ness in the first round which exceede that of Mcdonald. Imagine the deligh
 of the audience when it came to recog
 nize before five rounds of the fight ha ended that Mcdonald had met a ma oi who appeared his master; that tn , | under dog" fighting his first real rin
 battle had more than an even chanc : to beat his veteran rival