The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-17
Corbett's Daily Letter
 On Great Sport Topics

(Note-This is the fourteenth--and final-chapter of a series of articles which MT. Corbett is writing concern ing the pugilistic life of Jack Demp- sey-the best loved fighter In the his- tory of the ring).
 The decent of Jack Dempsey from the pugilistic heights was almost as meteoric as had been his rise Up to the middle of 1889 he was looked upon as absolutely unbeatable Sixty-two men had faced him--and not one could whip him. Jack ruled supreme in his division and had gone beyond it, de- feating men who outweighed him from 20 to 50 pounds He was the marvel of the prize ring and the idol of sport loving America.
 The knell of Dempsey sounded with the impact of the foul pivot punch de- livered by George LeBlanche From that day on the "Nonpareir' no longer fought as he had in his anrlier days. His sublime confidence in his own apll- ity was gone. No fighter can be sue cess without absolute belief in him. self. The defeat of Dempsey at the hands of Bob Fitzsimmons in 1891 was the final blow to Dempsey's pride arr. Jack never afterward showed anything approaching the form of other days.
 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 pointed his rival, who was nothing more than dub. On September 1. tn ctrol l;ot, Billy Mccarthy. The contest went 20 rounds to draw. On January 8, 1895 the Nonpareil fought the last battle o' his memorable career, and 1t brought to him defeat at the hands of Tommy Ryan in three rounds.
 A short while afterward the Non- pareil took sick and quick consump- ton developed. Friends. knowing he was almost broke. arranged a public benefit, which was put on in New York on June s, 1895. Jack appeared therefor the last time in public. X little later he drifted to the Pacific coast and went into obscurity. For several months friends tried to locate him, but to no avail. The next news they had concerning Jack Dempsey came from Portland. Ore, on Novem Der 1, 1895, in the form of brief news dispatch, which read:
 Hack Dempsey. former middle weight champion of the world, died here today of tuberculosis, penniless and alone"
 All that was mortal of the once mighty warrior was laid to rest in oregon. Years afterward a search was started for his grave Brt N~ 5s-' stretch of time no one could find it. Even the spot that contained all that was earthly of the best loved fighter the prize ring ever knew had disap- peared. And then there appeared In q San Francisco paper this poem. which must take its place among the master pieces of pafhos;
 THE NONPAREILS GRAVE. Far out in the wilds of Oregon,
 On lonely mountain side,
 Where Columbia's mighty waters
 Roll down to the ocean tide; M Where the giant fir and cedar
 Are imaged in the wave.
 O'ercrown with frs and Kitchens,
 found poor Dempsey's grave. found no marble mOnolith,
 Nc broken shaft or stone,
 Recording sixty victories.
 This yaneusshed victor won: No rose. no shamrock could find.
 No mortal. here to tell
 Where sleeps in this forsaken spot
 The immortal Nonpareil.
 winding wooden canyon road
 That fnortals seldom tread. Leads up this lonely mountain
 To this desert Of the dead. And the western sun was sinking
 Tn Pacifics golden wave. And these solemn hines kept watching
 Over poor Jack Dempsey's grave. :. Forgotten hy- ten thousand throatss