New-York tribune., 1919-07-05
Dempsey Battsrs Oppo-
nent With Ease i'm Short
est Title Bout ON Record

parked around the arena
Tommy O'Boyle, local bantam, and
Solly Epstein furnished the first bout.
I The rAferee. Tommy Bodkin. called, it
draw after SIX fairly fast rounds. A
band located high among the $40 seats
of the north side began TO tootle patri-
otic airs.
A few women appeared early and
took up strategic point of the ladies'
section, high up on the west side. This
section was rooted over with canvass.
The mere men further down sat under
the blaze of the sun and stewed i'll the
heat waves.
The crowd began assembling in an
orderly and patient fashion. The bet
ting in the forenoon had not changed
to any extent. More Willard money
arrived during the night and the cham
pion remained slight favorite There
was TO feverish gambling, however.
Wop English, local lightweight,
knocked out Whirlwind Wendt, an
other local favorite. in the first round.
A right hook to the jaw caused the
whirlwind to subside suddenly and
heavily to the canvas.
BY noon there were about $4,000
people in the arena. The observation
balloon made another ascension and
hovered over one corner of the ring.
rolling about like flowing white ele-
phant that had been up all night at
one of the wide open bars.
There was some mild excitement
when the arena caught fire near the
ring. A cigarette butt tossed into a
1t was extinguished by splitting c-nrle
of bottles of near beer into the flames.
Johnny Lewis knt lsed out Tommy
Long in the third round of a bout that
was scheduled for SIX. Lewis a.ew
blood from Longs nose in the fixsc
round and he continued to bleed pro-
fusely until he dropped for the count
IN the third round. Johnny Dunn Of
Cleveland, who has just returned from
the A. E. f, refereed this bout
Some one brought a thermometer
down to the ringside., The pcrspirat en-
broke out afresh with the correspond
ents when they were informed that
the temperature was l01. BY o'clock
the crowd started to come in earnest.
A few women came into the $50 sec
tion and took refuge under Japanese
parasols. The slight breeze that swept
over the arena in the morning died
down and the heat became almost in
| toierable The arena was SO large that
the $4,000 then present looked like a
mere handful. Whole sections of $40
seats were vacant, but the medium
priced seats were we'll tenanted.
Johnny Rose was given the decision
over Battling Pellire after six rounds
OF rather monotonous milling. Pei
lire's second rnassaged him with Il.
chunk of ice between rounds to the
envy of all those outside the ring.
The man With tae thermvmctct has
}ust thrown it away. On last reading
it was 10 with the mercury still
c!imh hing.
Maximo Gomez. former President of
Cuba, arrived with large suite. com
planning bitterly in two languages be7
cause the scalpers in New York took
hlm for $75 a seat. This remambrapce
seemed to spoil the entire day for the
former President.
Many Women Present
By 2:30 o'clock there were close "a
$4,000 people in the arena, and the
only bare spots seemed to be in the
ten-doliar sections. The section set
apart 1or women was fairly well
filled.
IN the fifth preliminary Jock Malone.
the St Paul weIterwcigSt. easily out
pointed Navy Rostan, of the Great
Lakes Training Station. Malone was
one of Dempsey's sparring partners
and looks and boxes like Mike Glib
bons. Hostan received almost every
blow in the game with his face, grin
ming foolishly as he made vain at
tempts to land one Wild swing
The captive military balloon broke
loose from its moorings, horered over
the ring, then drifted out over Lake
Eric. The military observers lost
Iheir chance to see the fight The
traditional panorama picture Of the
crowd was taken at 230 O'Clock while
the ba'iosnises were gradua descend
ing into Lake Erie some miles from
the arena.
Before three o'cloch practically all
Of the more expensive seats were
filed, while the ten-doilar sections re-
NAMED as bare as Mother Hubbards
cupboard. A squad Of Major a. j.
DreXel Biddle's marines, with their
bayonets fixed, came to the rjngsidc
to stage drill.
Major Eiddle and Tex Rickard, the
two Judges, arrived a little before
three. Rickard announced that both
willard and Dempsey had received
their money yesterday Willard got
100000 in Victory Bonds and Dempsey
got he SGT 800 which was agreed upon
Carl Tremain was given the decision
over Frankie sMason. It was fast
and even match but few were watching
the sine.
Just before the main event Major
Biddle's squad of marines invaded the
ring and went through some of the
bayonet evolutions, jabbing, parrying
anG thrustins &t imaginary ljschesr
Five minutes to four there was
fiutter in the crowd, followed by
burst OF cheering. Jack Dempsey
swung down the aisle and climbed into
the ring.
The bronzed young contender was
dressed in white tights, with an Amer
lean flag belt
a few moments later Jess Willard,
clad in blue tights, entered the ring.
The champion walked over to the cor
ner where Dempsey sat under a big
umbrella held by Bill Tate Willard,
towering over Dempsey, stuck out his
hand as the crowd cheered. Jess tnen
retired to hts corner, where another
big umbrella was held over him.
Dempsey looked serious. Willard 3
mouth was open and his jaw sagged.
but he grinned confidently as Tex
Rlckard. Major Biddle, William 4.
Gavin and Adam Empie, of the Board
OF BoXlng Control, c.ut.ered uo 70 fhe
ring.
tmpie carried picture of the Gun
and belt that viii be given to the vim
ner by the Board of Boxing Control.
willard was seconded by Ray Archc..
Waiter Monahan, Jack Hempei and Jus
0'Neii In Dempsey corner were
Jack kearns, Bill Tate and Jock sd;..
lone. Both men wor, soft handag =
NI =. - l.