Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1919-07-09
THE NI4W WORLD CHAMPION.
Jack Dempsey Took HOnors Easily
from jess Willard.

| came the world champion heavy
| weight boxer. ,1
TO all intents and purposes he
whipped the huge Jess Willard, ia
vorite in the meagre betting, in one
| round. Dempsey thought the referee
had announced him winner and actu-
| ally left the ring. Bat he was called
back and the butchery continued for
| two more rounds, when Jess, sitting
in his corner, with n bewildered look
on his swollen face, failed to respond
to the gong for the fourth round.
ut was no use to continue" said
the ex-champion. "My strength went
from me in the first round" He sat
there, apparently the most surprised
man in the United States at The mo-
ment. His right eye was closed and
his right cheek swollen and blue
with bruises. Blood covered his body
| and his arms hung so helplessly over
| the ropes that 1t seemed as If a child
might give him further punishment
| without rousing his interest
Dempsey was breathing hard when
| the fight ended, but It was from ex-
ertion and not from punishment.
The new champion, whose full voting
| name is William Harrison Dempsey,
csc .sped almost unhurt. but as he had
been using his arms like trip ham,
meTs on the anatomy Of his oppo-
! nent for nine crowded minutes in Il
sun that sent the thermometer to
10 degrees, his heart was pumping
| at high pressure, and he appreciated
the breathing spell.
Veritablo Rain OF Blows.
In the first few seconds Of the
contest 1t looked as II the experts
who had been assigned to keep de-
tailed account Of all blows struck,
might come measurably close to do
ing so, but 1t was only for fraction
of a moment. After that tho experts
did we'll to count Jacks blows, let
alone to take note of how each was
made. The challenger knocked the
big fellow down Ave 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 advan-
tage of the count
The crowd thought the fight was
over in the second round Willard
was down for the seventh time, and
the count was apparently about to
end when the gong sounded. 1t was
a modest gong which could not make
itself heard before so many people,
and even Dempsey did not 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 ranch
| man produced was placed on exhibit
tion at the onset. He had stood in
his corner a picture OF confidence.
His smile seemed that Of one who
had brief and not unpleasant task
before him. He certainly was all set
to go, for just before time was called
he was heard to remark:
Lets get this thing over"
| He measured the attendance.
which disappointed estimates by
about SO per cent, with an appraising
eye.
Dempsey presented contrast.
None OF the confidence OF his train
ing camp statements appeared In his
bearing The man across from him
outweighed him 40 pounds and look
ed az big and impreEnable as a met
Of the challenger was plainly
thoughtful, and more than one ring
side gazer whispered: "He's licked
now"
When they were introduced Jess
sauntered over with the cordial man
ner Of one desiring to reassure
youngster, and took his hands in tho
fTiGndiiest way. Jacks handShake
was friendly. too, just then, but 1t
was the last token Of friendship from
those gloves. A minute or so after
ward they were using Willard for
chopping block, and some in the
crowd were crying. "Stop it! Stop
1T! 1t is plain murder"
Three Powerful Blows.
Dempseys first effective blows,
and the ones that apparently settled
Wizards fate, were a right over
Jess's shoulder to the jaw, a left to
the body and 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.
When Dempsey was proclaimed the
winner the crowd surged onto the
mat in the wild scramble to shake
the hand Of the new champion. At
times some Of them toppled over
on to the telegraphers and report
ers just below, who were struggling
in the mad disorder to report what
had happened. Police eventually dis
persed them by hustling Dempsey
away. Willard was taken to an auto
mobile and disappeared from view
OF the crowd, which then itself be-
gan the task Of covering the four
miles from the arena to, the city as
best they could by street car, auto
| nj