Omaha daily bee., 1919-07-05

son Dempsey, Friday became the
worlds champion heavy weight
boxer.
To all intenets and purposes he
whipped the huge Jess Willard, IA
vorite in the meager betting in one
round. Dempsey thought the ref
cree had announced him winner and
actually left the ring. Br! he was
called back and the butchery con-
tinued for two rounds more when
Jess, sitting in HIS corner with be-
wildered look on his swollen coun-
tsnance, failed TO respond to the
gong for the fourth round
1T was no use to continue, said
the ex-chdmpion my strength
went from me in the first round"
Appears Much Surprised.
He sat there, apparently the most
surprised man in the United States
at the moment. His right eye was
closed and his right cheek swollen
and blue with bruises. Bleed COW
cred his body and his arms hung
so helplessly over the ropes that it
seemed as if a child might give him
further abuse without arouslng his
interest.
Dempsey was breathing hard
when the fight ended, but it was
from exertion and not from punish
ment. He escaped almost unhurt.
but as he had been using his arms
like trip-hammers on the anatomy
of his opponent for nine crowded
minutes, in sun that sent Their
mometers to ITO degrees, his heart
was still pumping at high pressure
and he appreciated the breathing
spell.
In the first few seconds of the
contest it looked as if the experts
who had been assigned to keep de-
tailed account of all blows struck
might come measurably close to
doing so, but it was only for a frac-
ton of a moment After that the
experts did we'll to count Jacks
blows, let alone, take note of how
each was made. The challenger
knocked the big fellow down FIVE
times in the first round and had him
hanging helplessly on the ropes or
draped over his own shoulders most
of the time when he was not taking
advantage Of the count.
Thought Fight Was Over.
The crowd thought the fight was
over in that round. Willard was
down for the fifth time and the
count was apparently about given
up when the gong sounded. 1t was
a modest gong which couldn't make
itself heard by so many people, and
even Dempsey didn't get it. He
crawled through the ropes and was
headed out onto the shoulders of
screaming fans when the truth was
broken to him and he was hauled
back.
Such fighting as the Kansas
ranchman produced was placed on
exhibition at the onset. He had
stood in his corner a picture Of con-
6dence. His smile seemed that of
one who had a brief and not unpleas-
ant task before him. He certainly
was all set to 60, for just before time
was called he was heard to have re-
marked, Let's get this thing over"
He measured the attendance,
which disappointed estimates by
about so per cent, with an apprais-
ing eye.
Dempsey Appeared Nervous.
Dempsey presented contrast.
None of the confidence of his train
ing camp statements appeared in his
bearing. The man across from him
outweighed him 10 pounds and
looked as big and impregnable as
metropolitan bank building. The
mood of the challenger was plainly
thoughtful and more than one ring
side gazer whispered, "He's licked
right now"
When they were introduced Jess
sauntered over with the cordial man
ner of one desiring to reassure
youngster and took his hands in the
friendliest way. Jacks handshake
was friendly, too, just then, but it
was the last token of friendship
from those gloves. A minute or so
later they were using Willard for
chopping block and some in the
crowd were crying, Stop it, stop it;
it's plain murder"
Dempsey's first effective blows.
and the ones which apparently set
tied Wizards fate, were right over
Jess shoulder to the jaw, left to
the body and a right to the jaw. Jess
staggered. His eye was closing and
he reeled, and the challenger, with
all the energy of his pulsing youth.
began hitting him at will.
The attendance was below expee-