The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-05
JACK FAILS TO HEAR
BELL WHICH STARTS BOUT


The men returned To their corners
and Dempsey continued to look every
where bus at Willard. Something
went wrong with the bell 1t was on
Wtllards side of The ring and it gave
off a feverish light tinkle when War
ren Barbour the former amateur
hravN weight champion, who was the
official tmne keeper, gave 1t a tug.
willard heard il and started to
leave his corner Then he saw that
Dempsey Was sjill leaning against the
ropes opposite him his back to the
ring and he realized that Jack had
not heard IT. Willard glanced ex-
peeJautly at the fimekecper Barbour
gave another yan& and again the bell
.tin&lea sofetiy.
" Hard once more started forward,
but stiN Dempsey did not hear. He
stood paving his feet on the canvas
and leaning our over the crowd From
seat nearby his camp Jester, Max
Naplan, fellow from Long Branch
\ J.. whore Dempsey used TO train,
was making an uncar,hly outcry. Jess
nodded and smiled in most polite
manner and finally Dempsey turned
as he bell tinkled and Jack under
stood that the fight was on
They advanced toward one an
other Dempsey crouching slightly and
his shoulders moving in that curious
"shimmy' style which he has made
his Own Willard was fairly upright
willard made the first leadit landed
lightly Dempsey paid no attention.
I but kept marching in. Willard dabbed
+ az HIM slightly several times without
much effect.
DcmpGev walked around crcuched
and Ssh 81 nying'' as if studying this
81 = n hpfnrp Thgn
suddenly fhe Coloradoan began slash
/ ing out. Dempsey hits without appar-
ent direction. He sees a target in front
I uf fttrr ana he tcetns- hitting and
keeps hitting and he hits with deadly
force He was half ping as he hit
. at WIZARDS jaw, towering above him.
I First the left hand. then the right
went swinging upward, His FIRST lead
was for broad white body spread so
! invitingly before him and his fists
i seemed to sink in as they landed. Then
/ the attack shifted to higher ground,
/ SO TO speak Wallard seemed to have
no sense of location whatever as he
tried to stave off the first rush OF the
: challenger which he had been told 10
( expect and which had come Just as
predicted.
JACK PLAYS FIRST ON
STOMACH THEN ON JAW
Dempseys fist fairly thudded
/ against less stomach. then suddenly
{ brown sinewy arm with glove at
I the end shot upward to- Winards Jaw
| and the champion seemed to crumple
up in the very middle. His gigantic
! body pumped to the floor.
The crowd went stark mad, Hats
/ few into the air and the pine crater
/ on the banks of Maumee bay where
| the men we're fighting erupted with
! "A terrific volume OF human voices But
Willard was not down for good. He
! was on one knee, listening intently to
I ollie Pecord as the refree counted
4 Willard knew what he vas doing then
! all right He asked the referee what
( the count was and got on his feet be-
! fore nine as Pecord raised his voice
I to inpart the information.
And now the wildcat was loose,
! Dempsey swarmed UP 10 the gigantic
| form of the kansan Now willard
!. was on the ropes. his great weight
: eausin: them to sag deeply. Now he
! was half under them A haze had set
1 tied in his eyes. He had the look OF
t man gazing through mist. Now
! you couldn't see tho right eye at all.
| Now the blood began yelling from
cuts on his face and slowly trickling
down his cheeks.
! Seven times the champion was down
/ On tnN moor IOF the count IN the nrSt
round After that round he was not
| legally down again. according to
Queenshcrry fights.
! He brought UP in the first round sit
! ting in that neutral corner. smiling
! that simple smile. as have related.
/ which was the moment the crowd
! thought the thing was all over
/ Philadelphia Jack. O'Brien. the old
/ dancing master of the nstic game.
=, he v,ror "a
| head of a big crowd of on-coming wild
1 eyed Dempsey enthusiasts and was
shaking Jacks hands and congratulate
| Ing him when theyNpushed him aside
SO that the fight might go on.
BIG FELLOW TOTTERs OUT
TO ANSWER THE BELL
| Some have suggested that Dempsey's
leaving the ring might have constituted
/ 2 technical infringement Of the rules.
but no one would have the nerve TIC
advance such technicality after that