Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-07-07
Jim" MORRISEY
TELLS HIS
ABOUT BIG FIGHT
Harrisburg Box
ing Enthusiast Was Num-
bered With Spectators

James Morrisey, Jr., is home from
Toledo. He was one of the $4,000
spectators who witnessed the pass
ing of Jess Willard a. champion
heavyweight of the world. Jim" as
he is known, is a member of the
Philadelphia division police depart
ment and we'll known in sporting
circles. He was at the big fight for
the Harrisburg Telegraph and here
is his own story:
Jack Dempsey is now king of the
pugilistic world. and is entitled to
his laurels. A greater fighter never
lived. In his battle with Jess Will
lard on July 4 the Utah boy fought
the most sensational battle in his
career. He battered Jess Willard,
looking like a human being into a
bleeding and awful mass. and did it
in three rounds. Wizards showing
was the most pitiful OF any cham
pion of all times. Dempsey was the
most remarkable fighter in the his
tory of pugilism.
Throughout the nine minutes OF
fighting Willard never landed a solid
blow upon Dempsey. Through those
nine minutes Dempsey hit Willard
with such terrible force that long be-
fore the second round was over the
crowd was ~shrieking Stop it, The
sound of the first gong had hardly
died away before Dempsey launched
a terrible attack that quickly closed
Wizards right eye, smashed his
nose, cut his lips. WIZARDS face vas
a bloody mass and his body one big
splotch of red. 1t was not a tight,
just a slaughter.
Two Blows Brought Answer
The first two blows that Demp-
sey landed vas Wizards finish. The
challenger lodged several blows of
the champion and then rushed in,
ripping a mighty left to the stomach.
and followed with a flashing right
to the jaw. Five times this work of
Dempsey was repeated and Ave times
Willard was down in the first round.
Referee Picord was evidently dazed
for he overlooked his right TO end
the fight right there, which he
should have done.
But Dempsey was not to be de-
MED a real victory. Another ripping
left went into Wizards stomach and
down he went again. He came up to
be met with a Volley of blows hat
sent him back helpless into the
ropes. Pecord, the referee, did not
begin to count and there, according
to many ring critics, pulled a bone,
for the rules are that when a mar is
helpless and hanging on the ropes
with his heels off the ground, he
can be considered a knockout vic
TIM Dempsey stood off waiting and
no n knew for what. But at last,
Willard, his face a smear of blood,
dragged himself from the ropes and
tried to fall into another clinch.
Dempsey sent a right crashing to
Lthe head. Willard dropped again,
but dazedly climbed to his feet and
staggeed across the ring. Dempsey
followed and dropped him a fifth
time. Once more Willard got UP
only to be dropped by. two lefts in
the stomach and a right to the head.
And then came a very peculiar incl
dent while the crowd shrieked in de-
lirium. And while Willard groveled
at his feet, Ollie Pecord, the referee,
began to toll off the count. He
seemed to have reached the fatal
ten for he stopped counting and
pushed Dempsey back into his cor
ner. At once pandemonium broke
loose.
THE crowd assuming that Demp-
sey had won with a knockout went
insane. The crowd surged towards