The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-08

ring. The next instalment will appear
tomorrow
Jack Dempsey fought his first ring
battle on April T. 1888. From that
time until tho spring Of 1885 he en-
gagged in twenty-five contests in the
East. Not one defeat was charged
against him. The showing was all the
more remarkable because Dempsey
then a lightweight. fought men rang
ing well up into the middleweight
-snks. II was his theory that good
nghter should be able to whip any
foe that chose to try conclusions with
him.
In the spring OF 1898 Dempsey was
offered a match with Charles Bixamos
who had made a great reputation IN
New Orleans Jack accepted and the
bout was put on in the Crescent city
the frst ring appearance of Dempsey
outside OF the New York district. IL
was Denpseys fight from start 70 mn
ish. and Bixamos went down-and
stayed there IN the fifth round inns
victory served only to odd greater
prestige and greater fame to the name
Of Jack Dempsey.
The boxing fans along the Pacific
slope then began to implore Dempsey
10 fxbt In that section, Several spien-
ala offers were made to him. Demp-
soy at once jumped on train and
went to San Francisco and took on
men as fast az they could be sent
against him, In rapid succession ne
whipped Tom Barry. Tom Cieary. JACK
keenan,. Billy Manning and Tom Nor
ION. The story of hts night with kee-
nan shows better than anything else
the fact that Dempsey loved boxing
more than he loved the money that II
would bring him.
Keenan,. then a pueilsttc idol i'll San
Francisco and one of chc foremo st
bsttlere OF that era, got into an arEn-
ment one afternoon with Dempsey IN
hotel lobby.
Dernpsey, for time, didn't pay any
attention to the Eneerlug remarks
made by Keenan,. That made Keenan,
all the louder in his denunciatton OF
the Eastern fighter. He climaxed
matters by declaring before Inc
crowd thai Jack Dempsey was g
coward-that Jack Dempsey was
afraid to meet him. Jack smiled as
ne answered;
"Oh. 40 you're challenging r4e. oh
Well, that's something that Interests
me You think you are better mar
THAN ! am, Let's Jump into hscR
right away and so out into the hills
and settle this thing.
keenan,. bit taken back by Dem p
Beys abrupt acceptance OF the ehal'
lenKe, then insisted that he wouldn''
nght unleen there was a eide bet anf
at once fourished 81 900 roll of bill'
which he happened TO have In hi
possession keenan, probably figured
that Dempsey didn't have that mucf
money with him and that he had III
friends in the crowd who would stake
him TO 81 goo Dempsey. iT the cain
way that wRs his. looked al keenan,
roll. smiled and said
so you want to bet that money tina
you can whip me-"
y certainly do" retorted Keenan,.
I don't like to see you waste you
money" lack returned. III W" fgh
you'll set good licking ard II doesn'
seem QUITE fair for ma 10 taks you
money and give you a beating he
sides
put up. or shut up" snee~ed Kse
nan
And then Dsmpsey TO the eurpris'
Of keenan,, dug down into mis- pocket
- and succeeded in extracting $1,000
He turned this over 10 ono OF the ny
ISLANDERS and said
You're the stakeholder Here's m,
$1,000 Now grab off keenan's an'
some along with us and Wen ga RICH
out into the hills and settle this httl
argument right away"
There was nothing left for keenal
20 do but to. accept. The money wa
posted, two hacks were coumandeere'
and the party Of nine, including tn
fighters. tourneyed into tho hills out
side OF the city. When a seciudet
spot had been reached, the two me-
Jumped out NJ the convcvances. tool
of their coats and shirts and withou
erv preHulnary went TO H.
The fight lasted just two rounds
Dempsey opened M with n furiou
attack in the first round end raine
4 vouev Of blows upon 4 c head an