The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-27


 gamble on it that Jack Dempsey VIII assay 100 per cent.
 Some nersons have been speculatlng as to whether or not Dempsey Will stand up under any punishment Una Willard can pass out. They claim Una the Utah Mauler' never has been put to a real test and that, therefore, there is no telling what he will do ii the giant champion begins to hammer nm with sledge hammer blows. Those who argue along those lines are not familiar with Dempsey's early career: they do not know that in that era before he became really clever 1 ringman Dempsey tackled some mighty tough foremen who frequently tested the fearlessness and the courage of Dempsey. And Jack never was 1ouno wanting.
 Dempsey has demonstrated gameness far beyond anything that Willard ever has shown But don't misunderstood me in that statement. l do not mean that Willard, if put to the test, would not show up superlatively in ring cour- age. But big Jess never has had chance to demonstrate just what ne would do when forced to take an awful pummelling
 Willard. throughout his entire ca reer. has tackled men smaller than him. self. Carl Morris, Jack Johnson, Frank Moran. Tom McMahon, Gunboat smith all If them were from two to six inches shorter than the champion and from 30 to 60 pounds lighter. And so Willard always has gone into his pat ties with the advantage of height weight, and reach in his favor-Ta dls- tinct advantage for him.
 Dempsey on the other hand, has mixed it for the most part with men either taller or heavier than himself. And when you are forced to "spot" an z versary many pounds in bulk ana nAny inches in height and reach, II SLOWS courage right at the outset. II required courage for Dempsey to take ou huge men like Fulton ana MOTIFS and fight them as he did.
 Most small men, fighting a giant uld have been bit cautious in at k-they would have been content tt ..feel out" the other fellow first. Bu aeainst every foeman of that sor Isampsey showed his utter fearlessnes ts rushing in with but one thought II l nd-to mix it, toe-to-toe. He didn' Mait for Fulton to come to him; n saat out after Fulton, unmindful of tn x 3posed menace of Fulton's great lei jao He rushed Carl Morris and he ha rushed and battered away at every ma that ever cared to try conclusions wlt h m.
 That is one form of courage. Ther is another and that is shown when man who is taking an awful lacln gets up every time he is dropped an keeps boring in for more. Dempsey that type of warrior, too. He never ha shown anything of that sort in an of his battles through the past ] months simNy because it wasn't nee essary He didn't let his antagonist sta around long enough to hit and hun him. He swirled upon them like to1 nado and struck them down even befor they had a chance to set themselve for an offensive movement
 But itswasn't always that way. Ther was an era in the career of Dempse when he was more or less of a du And in those days his gameness wa tested to the limit-and not foun wanting His fight with Johnny Suder berg something like three years az is a top-off as to what Dempsey ca take in the way of punishment an still keep on after more.
 Dempsey was a beginner then, whi Sudenberg was being touted around u west as a coming champion. A bl powerful fellow, with terrific puncl ing power, with a fair amount science and renowned ability to tal a pounding. Sudenberg was considert a topnotcher through the west He w; taking on all corners and whippir them all-until Jack Dempsey fougl him.
 Dempsey, natural rusher, hurl' himself at Sudenberg with the tap the first gong, was met with swingir right handler and dropped to the ma He stayed there six seconds or $ climbed to his feet and then tore Sudenberg again. There was a fur of blows and Sudenberg caught Dem sep in the stomach with left hand and on the jaw walloping right. T crash of fist against the jaw was aut ble all around the ringside. It seem like 'goodnight'' for Dempsey. But the count of eight he was up an fighting again.
 SudeAberg dropped Dempsey exact seven times in that first round. He Jack with everything but the buildi girders He had Dempsey cut a bleeding, had closed one eye, batter his nose out of shape and had trar formed the Utah Mauler" into pi full looking human. AS the gong end the first round, Dempsey staggered ward his corner, then half turned a