The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-04
DEMPSEY WINNER

fined its efforts to fluttering the flags
on the perimeter of the arena. 1t
did not dip into the bowl of the am
phitheater.
The seats were filling steadily with
crowd which to a man had discard
ed coats and, largely, collars A
Bedouin effect was produced by the
numerous spectators, who covered
their heads with handkerchiefs sur
mounted by their hats.
The temperature in the press seats
was 112 degrees in the sun under
which everybody sat. There was no
shade in which to take a more conser-
vatiYe reading.
A small blaze was started at the
ringside by a cigaret stump. 1t was
e1fingtlished with d pail OF drinking
water, which happened to be at hand.
English WIZ Knockout.
The second preliminary, Just bO6Ure
noon, scheduled to go six rounds. be-
tween ''Wop" English and 'Battling
Wendt. both of Toledo, ended in the
first round, English winning by a
knockout.
At noon the crowd was rapidly
gathering, the arena being about one
third filled. Among the thousands of
/ coatless and collarless spectators was
good sprinkling of women.
The third preliminary, a scheduled
round contest between Tommy
Long of Detroit and Johnny Lewis
Of Toledo. ended in the third round
with a Knockout victory for Lewis
Johnny Rose of St. Paul and Bat
Ting Bellaire of Brooklyn went six
rounds in the fourth preliminary. Rose
was declared the winner on points by
the referee.
100 Degrees in Press Stand.
Up in the squared circle. as if on a
sacrificial altar. the performers in the
preliminaries slugged and slipped.
painted and bled. exposed to the full
fury of the sun. The sweat poured off
them in rivulets as they sought to en-
gage the attention of an almost obliv-
ious crowd. Few even heard their
names as they were announced. Only
their seconds seemed really interested.
At the interval the latter crawled thru
the ropes and sprayed them with
water and cooled their spines and
pulses with ice. At 1915 p. m. the
band had apparently given up efforts
to entertain. The only thermometer in
the press stand rose straight up to 12O
degrees. which was at the top of the
tube. A place was found under the
flooring away from the sun. Here it
dropped back to 100. Again placed
by the side of a telegraph instrument,
lis fervor returned and in ten minutes
it was again at 100. leaving to con-
lecture where it might have gone in
longer tube. Its owner said it was
a guaranteed instrument.
Toledo swarmed with outside enthu-
siastS and the local ones as we'll but
it was indicated early that the expect
ed enormous crowd would not reach
the huge proportions which have been
so freely predicted. Evidence was
seen in the hustle of ticket specula-
tors to get from under at the smallest
possible loss of admission pasteboards
in which they have invested, and also
in the failure of FLOP houses" to do
the land office business they had pre-
pared. -
|; Special trains were limited There
were few run as second sections of
regular trains, but most of the special
train visitors were forced to take their
specials a coaches attached to regu-
lar trains
Willard Still FAF6ritc in Bets.
What customers have arrived, how
ever, have whetted the betting spirit.
Wagers of all sorts were reported
about the city today. Willard was
strong favorite in early bets. A dele
CATION from Kansas. home state of the
champion, announced it had $4,000
to lay at odds of 10 to on the cham
pion, and this was being gobbied up.
Odds of to on Willard were freely
quoted. Dempsey money has had a
lapse and unless a large wad of It
shows early, Willard will have the
backing that belongs to a title holder.
Freak bets abound. All sorts of offers
to wager are being made, among them
an attempt by a New Yorker to lay a
touring car against $1,000 that the
champion will win. Several bets were
placed last night that the champion
would not respond for the sixth round
Odds of 1 to are being demanded for
such bets.
1t was hot in Toledo. Just plain hot
and lots of it. Oldest inhabitants are
around telling visitors they never saw
anything like it. but the sun keeps on
shining. The rosin in the board Rick
ard arena is defending itself in very
poor fashion. Weather forecasts are
TO the effect that there is no hope for
relief, even in the shape of a breeze.
Dempsey welcomes Heat.
Jimmy De Forest. trainer of the
contender for the title, declared YES
terday. he hoped the day would be
blistering hot.
Dempsey is used to the heat and
is stronger. Willard has trained in the
shade. That will give Dempsey a bet
ter chance" said De Forest
Both battlers have reached the very
acme of aiming. They quit work ST.
multaneously, each man resting all
day yesterday. Dempsey was up early
this morning and out for a short walk
He planned to spend the morning sit
ting about a cottage near the scene of
the fight, and to sleep a few hours just
previous 70 entering the ring Will
lard's program was practically identi-
cal.
Whatever was booked to happen to-
day at the arena. it was certain there
would result one of the greatest scraps
in the history of pugilism. Strength
and brawn' are represented in each of
the principals Neither Will go down
easily from a punch. Each has prov
en- his right to be called a game
fighter.
Wizards Size Still Figures.
The size of Willard has had the
effect of splitting the experts badly
in their opinions of the men. There
are quite as many Dempsey adherents
l-prObably more-among the wiser