Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-07-06
y BY KID GRAVES.
Former Welterweight Champion.
SPORTING EDITOR OF THE BEE.

| io'eao' w., july o.-lLedSeQ WIZ
service')-What y predicted in thes,
columns some time ago, that tn.
winner of the Willard-Dempsey bat
tie would be the most popular cham
pion the world has ever known, wa.
doubted perhaps by some of oul
readers very much. Just the same
in Dempsey's case, it proves to b.
the fact. From all accounts, wher
Jack went into the dining room O.
the Secor hotel Friday night for &
bit OF lunch, he was at once greeted
by a great crowd of fight fans ant
hardly able to make his way to the
table. The walters finally dispersed
the crowd.
IL AS | predicted on this page q
week ago. the bout proved history.
making event A crowd, larger than
any which ever before attended a
boxing contest, was ready to watch
this fray. Some 10000 fans. were
seated in the Bayview arena when
the men entered the ring.
Result a Surprise.
The result of the bout was dis
tinct surprise, but the dyed-in-the-
wool fight fan, whether winning bets
or losing them, were all pleased.
1t was a beautiful exhibition oil
courage on the part of both men
and gameness unparalleled on the
part of former Champion Willard
l expect it to result in boxing being
brought to the front again all over
the country. Legislatures in every
state in the Union will have boxing
measures before them for considera-
with a new champion, winning his
ptitle under such sensational circum-
stances, the popularity of the game
was given great boost and it is
very likely that boxing bills will be
passed in every state.
Clean Life Won Fight.
For one thing. Dempsey's victory
is an apt illustration of what clean
living and an ordinary natural life
will do for young man. Without
his clean mode of life, Dempsey
would have never reached the con-
dition in which he was in Friday,
nor would he have had the endur-
ance and the staying power, that
allowed him to continue after less
had landed three of his famed left
jabs to the head.
Discouragenent is not in his vo-
cabulary and the more Willard hit
him, the more anxious he became to
land a crushing blow himself.
| When Willard won the title from
Jack Johnson at Havana four years
ago. the same thing applied, but it
was considered that Jess had won
because he possessed such marve-
lous physical advantages. No
thought was given to the clean life
he must have led to enable him to
reach the point of perfection which
made him the winner.
| Boxing to Boom Again.
The fight and the result marks the
making Of new champion and the
passing Of an old one, who years ago
had been the favorite of the sporting
world. After he had regained the
title for the white race again by
beating Jack Johnson, who had dis
graced the game and everything
connected with it. Immediately after
Wizards victory, boxing took a
boom, but owing to his inactivity,
it slowly slumped until it was al
most on the same level as before
Jess had become the "hope of the
white race" With the browning of
a new king, the sport is bound to
take another boom. Dempsey him
self may help this along by carrying
out his avowed program of meeting
all contenders.
Discredits Fulton.
Reviewing Fridays battle for a
time, Dempsey proved to the sport
ing world that he really is power
full puncher and that all his knock
outs were not the result of padding a
record. 1t also proved beyond a
doubt that Fred Fulton had abso-
lute1y no foundation for his story
that his fight with Dempsey was
framed" 1t was victory of in
| domitable spirit, courage and ag-
gressiveness. Jack tore into his big
ger opponent with determination
that cannot be denied He would
not let Wizards weak attempts to
stop him with a left jab hinder him
in the least. He continually bore in
! taking all that the champion cared
to send his way and finally came
through with his own wonderful
left hook that decided the battle
early in the first round. The defeat
of the former champion was pitiful
in some respects.
He appeared in the ring at the
start Of the bout with such an air
of confidence. He smiled the smile
of champion. He didn't appear to
know what defeat meant. His
smile was frozen on his face. 1t
grew broader as he landed let's and
rights easily on Dempsey and stayed
there when Jack caught him with
the unexpected left hook that spelled
victory for him. Jess was unable to
erase the smile. 1t made him look
pitiful when he tried to rise after
the first backdown.
Fought Like Tiger.
He staggered as he arose and
Dempsey was on him like tiger.
Battering~Jess with both hands
across the ring he found the open
ing for his left again and let it go
with full swing. 1t caught Jess
on the side of the head and he
sprawled on the canvas He arose
only to be floored by right cross.
Once more he staggered to his feet
in dazed condition. but managed
to cross the ring again. When near
1 H., = q 10