Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-05
WILLARD FIRST
CHAMP TO FAIL
REPLY TO BELL
When Gong Sounds at Opening of
Fourth Round Big Fellow Re
fuses to Leave Corner.

after three rounds, during which
he was knocked down seven times
and punched into a bloody mass
al ound the face. He was whipped
from the jump and never had a
chance with the tremendous and
c1cionic Dempsey All Of the
6enockdowns occurred in the open
ing round.
willard actually was counted out
once, the last time he went down.
But he was saved by the gong,
which rang a few seconds before
Referee Ollie Pecord had finished
the count. Pecord in his excite
ment stepped over to Dempsey and
lifted his hand in token of victory.
Dempsey rushed back to his cor
ner, ducked under the ropes and
started to scamper down one of
the long aisles-
Jack Kearns, the Dempsey man
ager, had entered the ring during
the mixup, and heard the time
keeper, Warren Barbour, shouting
that Willard had not been counted
out before the bell rang. Then
there was a mad scramble. Kearns
and a couple of seconds rushed
down the aisle and brought Demp-
!. sey back.
Jess Has Silly Smile.
Willard, who had been punched
dizzy, was sitting in his corner with
a silly smile and did not know what
it was all about. He answered the
bell mechanically Then they went
ahead without much to ruffle the
situation.
Dempsey's long, swinging left
hooks did the business. They mad
boxed cautiously for about min
ute in the first round when Jack
let one of them fly that meant bust
ness. He followed it with a snort
right and the two wallOps knocked
Willard dizzy. He sank to his
launches for the first knockout he
ever had received.
He did not know it, but there was
more to come.
= Jess looked up at Pecord with a
dazed grin and took the count the
first time. Dempsey was on him
like a battering ram and hitting
him with everything. There is no
use trying to describe all the
punches used in scoring the next
six knockdowns-
Jess Mind Blank.
Jess took a count a couple OF
times and on the other. occasions
got up quickly because he did no.
know what he was doing
His mind was a complete blank,
his legs were unsteady and it was
painfully evident that the cad was
in sight.
Jess smiled family and was nail
ed with a volley TO the chin that
s6filed him for the seventh and last
time. Jess was sitting on the ring
mat when the bell rang unheard
and was assisted to his corner
where they man. ged to push him
out for the next round.
What a pasting he got for the
next two rounds. His right eye
was closed and his face and lips
and nose bruised and@bleeding. Hit
ting him was like swatting : blood
soaked sponge.
All over the ring he reeled during
that mad second round, which must
have seemed an hour long to him.
He staggered from pillar to post
with his relentless enemy banging
away with fuzzy and accuracy. Jack
would switch his attack to the
stomach occasionally, but did not
appear to bother Jess much in that
region. Dempsey licked the giant
with punches from the chin up.
When the bell ended the second
stanza, Wizards seconds worked
mad1y on the bum eye.
The Last Round.
Jess came forth after the minutes
rest to take another horrible pum-
melting. Around and around they
went, Jess occasionally pcking out
Nais great arms in an attempt to
dad a real punch. But the steam
was gone and Dempsey did not even
shake his head when Willard was
firing at him.
One Willard right uppercut ap-
parentIy shook up Jack, but he was
going great just few seconds
later. At the bell Willard lum-
bered toward his corner and was
seen to stagger just before he sat
down.
A brief consultation with his sec
onds and they sent out word that
he had taken a sufffciency.
1t is the first time a worlds
champion ever lost his title by re-
fusing to answer the bell.
Willard could have gone further,
but at that he would have been
wasting time.
When he quit he was strong
enough to walk out and shake
hands with his conQueror.
Thus easily and quickly was a
new heavyweight crowned.
Both Confident at Start.
The fighters uttered the ring a
few minutes apart.
Jimmie Mclaughlin, the arena
builder, tested the ropes while the
ring master sprinkled rosin on the
canvas to keep the rivals from
slipping.
Dempsey, entering the ring at
1886, wore white tights and had
bath towel over his shoulders. He
cooked quietly confident and smiled
as the throng cheered him.
willard numbered in few sec
onds later with blue tights and
nothing in the waySof a bath robe |
1t was too hot.
Jess walked right over to- Jacks |
corner, shook hands with him and |
they examined each others band
ages.
Jess had an American flag
around his belt
Manager Jack Kearns, Jimmy De- |
forest, Jack Malone and Big Bill |
T1ofz were in DemDse corner