The evening world., 1919-10-02
Dempsey Admits He Was Lucky
to Knock Out Willard and
Thereby Win Championship.

beat Jess willard at Toledo
last July Unexpectedly. A
least he said as much last might
vhlle In q confidential mood. He
tald us that he walked into the rinl
sn that eventful day prepared TO los,
with the belief that II wouldn't hurt
his pugilistic reputation II he did
In other words. he felt that he had
nothing to lose and all to gain. He
knew. or rather felt, that Willard
was q big, tough, strong fellow, and
that his only chance lay In his land
ing a good, hard punch. He tried
with all the strength in his system
and put II over. and was tickled silly
whom the giant OF n man went 20 the
1oor with n foolish expression on his
fAca Up to that time, according 20
what Jack tells us, he had no more
Intention or hope OF winning tho
heavyweight championship than the
man In the moon has tonight.
Tho foregoing is what we gathered
last night At a dinner at which Mr..
Dempsey was the host, assisted by
his manager, Jack Kearns. Although
he doean't look II, Dempsey right now
II In no condition to fight anybody.
He has just recovered from an OPP
erAtion on his nose which has not
proved satisfactory. Ever since, the
heavyweight champion has been both
ered with headaches and nose bleeds
which rob him OF all ambition to
even boz In a gymnasium. Accord
ing 20 himself he In In need of al
most continuous sleep. In fact, when
awake he is all out Of sorts.
TACK KEARNs, who manages
Dempsey. thinks the champions
next night will be with Beckett,
the English sensation. Kearns says
he has under consideration fabulous
cfers for Dempsey's services in Eng
land. but up 20 date he hnn't seen
it 10 answer them.
At present Dempsey has q profit-
ablo engagement with q circus, and
up 20 the expiration OF that contract
he can't zee his way clear 70 make
any new engagements. Dempsey
himself wants TO night and physically
he looks able 70 deliver the goods. As
10 lay stretched out on n couch at
fhe Ciaridge he looked NJ and ready
" tackle anybody. He seemed very
much interested In tho reports about
1~@o AaaaggN WhO CAulO UuCk from
<ho war with the A. II. II, heavy
weight championship hanging on his
belt He wanted TO know II Tunney
was q good fighter, and Expressed a
desire to have him down At Long
Branch at his training quarters. wo
told him that Tunney might llol6 him
y q year or 20 and rob him OF ais
championshtp. 70 which Jack prompt
" replied that he didn't care as long
an9ene happened 10 be n good Amer
loan soldier. Tunney, by the way, IA
ne most logical successor 20 Demp-
eey In the country at tho present
tina
IT looks like n sure thing now that
II G New Yorker will get a chance
I. at the bantamweight champion
ship on Thanksgiving Day, iAttie
Doe Lynch. the classy all-round
boxer who distinguished himself
abroad. not only a. a fighter for
Uncle Sam but by winning the de-
cinica from Tommy Noble and foslng
. match to Jimmy Wilde that even
the English critics admitted he
should have won, Is the boy who'll
probably give Manhattan Isle the dis
nncton Of housing another worlds
champion after turkey day.
Lynch's march to the title appears
% be clear sailing now, as Pal
noore's apparent reluctance to meet
him In the proposed twenty round de-
ctsion bout at New Orleans, Oct. 20
which would prove a semi final m ths
Thanksgiving Day match. leaves
Lynch standing out as the king ~
the bantams, especially as he knocked
out KID Williams, the former cham.
| pion. from whom Herman got nj,
Nkttle on a twenty-round decision.
ADominick Tortorich, the New Or.
lea.ns promoter, wired Eddie Mead
Lynch's shrewd manager, some tlm,
u have Herman signed to de.
Eend his title with any opponent
may. select Thanksgiving Day.
This date is the opening Of our
race meeting. To secure the loci-
eel opponent for Herman I am
anxious OF staging an slimina.
elon contest between Lynch and
Moore for 20 rounds, Oct. 20. and
will ask you TO wire me your very
best terms"
Mead signed not only for the Moor
bout but for a Herman match som
time ago, but, according 10 Mea,
Moore hasn't signed yet, ana MI,
the proposed date of the match. oc
20. less than three weeks away
looks AZ though Pal doesn't care !
meet the sensational local bantar
Judging by their comparative SHOW
ing against Jimmy Wilde, Iync
would be a moral certainty aFSin,
the Memphis star. as his superiI
punching ability gives him a big ed,
He already has won a decision ov,
Pal Moore. Moreover. the fact m,
Lynch decisively defeated Chamnir
Herman at Waterbury. last Ish,
Day. strengthens his right to a titul,
match.
(oMMANDER RoSS'S Billy Ke,
again proved that he is a wo,
derful sprinter over a distaD
Of six furlongs at the opening OF n
Laurel meeting by capturing the Ca
ital Handicap. With an impost OF i
pounds he defeated George w. Iof
Pnpp, which took the place from
ArthuPs Charlie Leydecker. PET
Piper. another good sprinter, w
fourth, with Star Hampton and bod
being "other alsOs."
W. y. Applegate's Jack Hare
won his FIRST race of the year az /.