The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1919-07-10

the body and a rigrt 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 expect
alton. Seats were built for $4,000
and the estimate was that not more
than half of these were occupied,
spectators lost heavily. They resold
their tickets at anything from five to
fifteen dollars under gate prices. No
betting was reported at the ringside,
nor was there much elsewhere as far
as could be ascertained.
The heat of the day was terrific,
intensified as it was by the vast acre
age of green lumber. During the pre-
liminary bouts, which lasted from l l
o'clock until 2:30 thermometer eX-
posed. as were the spectators and
fighters, jumped to 12o degrees
which was the limit of what the in
strument could record. 1t showed ITO
degrees when Willard and Dempsey
entered the ring.
A Scramble to Dempsey.
When Dempsey was proclaimed
winner the crowd surged into the
mat in a wild scramble to shake the
hand of the new champion. At times
some of them toppled over onto the
telegraphers and reporters just be-
low who were struggling in the mad
disorder to report what happened.
Police eventually dispersed them by
hustling Dempsey away. Willard was
taken to an automobile and disap-
peared from view of the crowd which
then itself began the task of cover
ing four miles from the arena to the
city as best they could, by street
car. automoI.c or on foot.
While the passing of the heavy
weight champion was one of the most
dramatic events of modern ring his
tory, it was lacking entirely in high
class boxing. With the exception OF
the first three snappy left Jabs with
which Willard opened the contest,
the combat was simply a series OF
terrific drives and smaShes virtually
all of which were delivered by Demp-
sey.
The first of these crashing swings
to land on Wizards jaw and body
appeared to completely daze and
take away from the titleholder all
power to either protect himself or
fight back as had been expected by
his admirers. Whether he could have
stood up better under the battering
of Dempsey a few years ago will al
way be a mooted question in the
wears to come when today's battle IS
discussed. 1t cannot be denied now
ever, that Willard was in good phys
ical condition and displayed game
ness up to the moment that his sec
onds persuaded him to relinguish the
championship to Dempsey.
Willard Much Punished
This was demonstrated by the fact
that the Kansas giant received IN
nine minutes Of fighting far more
punishment than did Jeffries at the
hands of Jack Johnson in their nj
teen round bout at Reno and yet was
able to respond to the bell had his
seconds been calloused enough to
send him again to the slaughter.
Even after the disastrous end
ing of the first round Willard flash
ed a momentary comeback in the
second, which for a few seconds led
to the belief among his supporters
that he would weather the storm and
carry the battle along on even terms
for a few sessions at least. 1t was
the last flicker of a spirit which was
stronger than the flesh. Another
sweeping right arm smash that flew
over Wizards shoulder and landed
on his swollen, bleeding jaw, took
the last ounce of resistance out OF
the giant and made his downfall
matter of but minutes.
An analysis of the newly crowned
champion shows nothing new in his
fighting methods. He tore into his
opponent at top speed as always has
been his fighting custom and simply
battered his way to the pinnacle OF
puglism by the speed of his blows
and the overwhelming power that
travelled from the hugh shoulder
muscles down through the brawny
arms and into the clinched fists
armored with five ounce gloves. He
OF Infnn-