Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-05
EVEN VIII ARD IS DEL LIGHTED
EEK" APPEARS BEFORE HIS TITLE
Was Champion for Four Years and Now
Says They'll Never Have to Give
Benefit for Me"

Jess Willard. Very we'll; I'll show
them how an old man can fight July
A."
Puzzled Expression Appears.
Half sitting. half leaning on the
canvas after that first jolt into his
there was a daZed, puzzled expression
in his eyes. He could not compre-
bend, but when he laboriouSly Clam
Lereu 10 his feet and was knocked
down, not once again. but SIX times In
the next two minutes. realization of
the fate that was in store for him
Gawned.
They say Willard quit He left the
ring followed by a chorus OF Kisses and
jeers, while such epithets as yellow
ana coward penetrated to his benumb
cd senses.
But Willard did not quit. not in the
generally accepted meaning of the term.
After being numerically battered all
over the ring in the second round. with
his right eye closed, blood streaming
down his body from his forehead. nose
and mouth, and being subjected to repe-
tition OF this treatment from the fast
firing Dempsey in The following round,
he staggered 10 his corner like q drunken
man, prevented from falling only by the
assistance of his aids, and just did not
have the strength to rise to his feet for
me fourth round.
Dempsey's Sun Dawns.
While Wizards place in the sun has
been obscured for III Ilme. that u VIII
liam Harrison Dempsey has just dawn
ed. 1t is doubtful ii there ever was a
champion more popular than this TWEEN
ty-Iour-year- athlete whose meteoric
r!se to thu pinnacle of fame was so fit
tingiy crowned yesterday when he full
filled the fondest hopes of his admirers
by smuggling we'll nigh into unconscious
ness the tallest and heaviest man who
ever held tbs title.
pempseys strongest hold on the pub
lie is that he is q ngnter, pure and SIM
pie, and he will remain an idol if he
fulfills his promise of defending the
championship whenever called upon by
an eligible opponent.
Leaves All to Manager.
This youth will have little or moth
ing to say about how often or who
he fights, however, as he is complete
ly dominated by his manager, Jack
kearns, and is willing to be, as
Dempsey frankly confesses that busi-
ness acumen is completely foreign to
his makeup. Kearns is one of the
affairs. the manner in which he has
piloted the successful aspirant to the
title proving this.
He intends to capitalize to the full
est extent the asset Dempsey now
has for Dempsey. and, Incidentally,
Kearns, and If the new champion is
not exploited on the stage and in
films for many. many months to come
sibIy kill the goose" it will occa-
sion genuine surprise.
Talk of Another Fight.
Talk of another fight for Dempsey
already is heard. with F'renchman
and a Briton as the proposed oppo-
nents. But it will not materialize u,:-
til every dollar that possibly can be
placed to the Dempsey Kearns bank
account.
Aside from the outcome of the fight
itself the greatest surprise in connec-
ton with the holiday exhibition was
the disappointing size of the crowd:
Tex Richard constructed. at cost of
nearly $150,000, an arena capable of
seating $4,000 persons. Only about
half that number were on hand to see
Willard use that famous left-use it
to get up off the floor. 1t was the
cheaper seats. those selling. for $40
to SIS, that were neglected. however.
and with the high-jpriced planks well
patronized the promoter made
worth while profit. but not one third
what the predicted million dollar
gate would have brought.
Dempsey Going to See Mother.
Both victor and vanquished are ex-
pected to remain in Toledo for a few
days. although Dempsey is likely to
dash out to Salt Lake City to see
his mother. The latter tasted the
sweets Of victory last night when he
motored through cheering throngs IN
the streets to prominent hotel,
where he dined with party Of
friends while admiring and curious
hundreds craned their necks at all
the doors and windows to get a look
at him.
Dempsey missed by a narrow mar
gin having placed to his credit in
the record books this line, knocked
out Jess willard, one round" When
Willard went down for the seventh
time in the opening session Referee
Pecord counted the full ten seconds.
and Dempsey. believing. as Pecord
did, that the fight was ended, Jump
ed through the ropes and started for
his dressing quarters.
Neither Pecord. Dempsey nor many
others heard the rinkle of the weak
bell denoting the end of the round
at the count of seven, and the near
champion had to be summoned to re-
turn to officially complete the job
he already had accomplished.
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