The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-05
CROWD STAMPEDES
IN MORNING RUSH
Crashes Gate in Effort to Gain
Early Admittance to
Toledo Arena.
TWO KNOCKOUTS SCORED
English Stops Wendt in 90
Seconds and Lewis Puts Long
to Sleep in Preliminaries.
TWO KNOCKOUTs SCORED
Special D,spotch 10 THE Sun.


TOLEDO, Ohio July with a blax-
ing sun shining from the clear sky and
a light though grateful breeze from the
southwest cooling the perspirlng throngs
the rush OF thousands for the arena be-
gan at o'clock this morning. In
limo usire", Fords, jitneys, buses and
street cara the mobs who have con-
gested Toledo streets and hotels for
weeks past began to head for the ring,
where the title fight is to be staged.
Transportation facilities were taxed
to the utmost. The one street car line
mob Of visitors and home folks. all OF
whom were here for the sole purpose Of
watching massive Jess Willard defend
his heavyweight ring laurels against
boyish Jack Dempsey. Toledoites never
saw so many strange or other faces in
the history Of the thriving burg.
BY the time the ticket sellers and
gate keepers arrived at the arena just
before o'clock this morning they had
to force their way through a crowd OF
growing individuals, who even at that
hour were showing impatience for a seat
on the inside. The main attraction was
not to start until 8 o'clock in the after
noon, but eight hours before that there
were 10000 persons elbowing each other
and fighting to get in the arena.
Crash Through Gates.
When the gates were opened promptly
at O'Clock there was a wild stampede
that carried ticket sellers along. 1t was
the time honored custom of crashing
the gate" that might have had serious
results had not additional help been
rushed TO the scene and the mob quieted.
For time the huge enclosure seemed
practically empty, as the few thousands
in the back seats seemed lost in space.
A great Government blimp foated
lazily over the arena and the strains of
brass band stationed at a remote spot
in the arena came indistinctly toward
the ringside. With the lapse of time the
crowds, hurrying and scurrying, peopled
the seats till there was a sprinklng OF
spectators in every section of the arena.
The people who bought $40 seats and
reached the arena early were in tho
clover They got the full benefit of the
breeze that swept over the top row of
seats.
The moving picture staff also had o
cool position in a perch elevated forty
feet above the arena floor The first
official to appear was Jack Sicily, al
ternate referee, who sought shady
place and awaited the chief event.
Draw Followed by Knockout.
Promptly at 1915 the opening bout
was staged. The contestants were Soliy
Epstein OF indianapolis and Tommy
boyle or Toledo, both bantams The
Hoosier outboxed the Toledo boy from
start to f'n!sh, but Tom Bokdin, the ref-
cree, called the contest a draw. There
We're some Kisses and catcalls, but no
other demonstrations.
The second pair entered the ring al
ten minutes to -. They were Wop Eng
lish and Whrlwind Wendt. both of
Toledo. This resulted in the first knock
out or the day. Tho men had been box
ing less than twenty seconds, when Eng
lsh swung his right, connected with tho
Whirlwind's jaw and put him down with
q thud Wendt had TO be carried to hia
corner and it was five minutes before
he was able to leave the ring. Some
of the onlookers called attention to the
fact that the Wop looked like a small
edition OF Dempsey.
The ring 10 the solidest looking struo-
ture ever seen in q boxing arena Heavy
hardwood timbers formed the foundation
and the canvas seemed TO be well
padded. The added strength Of the struc-
turc was due TO the knowledge of tho
builder that 1t would have TO support
quarter Of l ton when Willard and
Dempsey entered the ring
Another X. o. I'm Third Bout.
The third pair of preliminary boxers
we're lightweights. Johnny Lewis Toledo
a. C.. and Tommy Long. Detroit Ath-
letic Club, were the contestants. The
referee was Danny Dunn OF Toledo.
Long took a severe be citing from Lewis
and bled freely from nHss and mouth.
due to Lewis's active left hand labs.
Long was fioored in the second round
and took a count OF six. lie was weak
when hc reached his corner, but came
out for the third. Lewis soon put him
to the canvas and Long was counted out
for the second knockout Of the day.
The fourth pair entered the ring at
~ 10. At this time the arena was about
half filled. Johnny Rouse Of st Pau
and Battling pal,irie were the contest
ants. They fought q tame bout with
Rouse having the better os the poor
work.