Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-28
JACK DEMPSEY IS CAME
ALMOST BEYOND BELIEF
Challenger's Ring Career Proves
That He Can Stand Great Pun.
tshmcnt, Corbett Says.
ABLE TO TAKE
In Fight With Sudcnberg, Giant
Westerner Was Floorcd Seven
Z Times in First Round, But Finally
Won Decision.
BY JAMES j. coRnETT.

BY JAMES j. CORDETT.
When 1t comes 20 Eamencss you can
gamble on il that Jack Dempsey Will
assay 100 per cent.
Some persons have been speculatin s
as to whether or not Dempsey Will
stand up under any punishment that
Willard can pass out. They claim that
tho utah Mauler" never has been pu,
to real test, and that. therefore. there
is no telling what he will do If the
s giant champion begins to hammer him
with sledg ohamner blows.
Those who argue along these lines
are not familiar with Dcmrsey's early
career; they do not know that in that
era before he became really clever
ringman Dempsey tackled some mighty
tough foemcn. who frequently tested
the fearlcSsncss and the courage of
Dempsey. And Jack never WAS found
wanting.
Dempsey has demonstrated Eamcness
has shown. But don, misunderstood
me in that statement. | do not mean
that Willard if put TO the test. would
not show up supsrlhiwcly in ring cour-
age. But big Jess never has had a
chance to demonstrate just what he
would do when forced 10 take an awful
pummelling.
Jess Fought Smaller Men.
Willard, throughout his entire ca
reer, has tackled men smaller than
himself. Carl Norris. Jack Johnson.
Frank Moran. Tom Mcylahon. Gunboat
Smith-all of them were from two 10
4 six inches shorter than the champion,
and from thirty 10 sixty pounds lighter,
And so Willard always has gone into
j his battles with the advantage OF
height, weight and reach in his favor,
distinct advantage for him.
Dempsey. the other hand. has
mixed it for the most part with men
And when YOU are forced to spot"
an adversary many pounds in bulk and
many inches in height and reach. it
shows courage right at the outset. 1t
on huge men like Fulton and Morris
and fight them he did.
Most small men, lighting giant,
would have been 4 bit cautious in at
tack. They would have been content
10 feel out" the other fellow first.
But against every foeman OF that sor;
Dempsey showed his utter fcarlessness
by rushing in with but one thought in
mind-to mix it. toe to toe. lie didn't
wait for Fulton to come to him. he
went out after Fulton, unmndful Of
the supposed menace of Fultons great
left iab. He rushed Carl Morris, and
he has rushed and battered away at
every man that ever cared TO try con-
illusions with him.
Can Take Awful Lnclng.
That is one form OF courage. There
is another and that is shown when
man who is taking an awful lacinS
gels UP every time he is dropped and
. 4
is'tnat type Of warrior, too. He never
has shown anything Of that so". IN any
Of his battles through the past
essary. He didn't let his antagonists
stay around him long enough to hit
and hurt him. lie swirled upon them
like tornado, and struck them down
even before they had chance TO set
themselves for an offensive movement
But II wasn't always that way.
There was an era in the career OF
DeMlnSCS when he less nf
a dub And ia those days his game
ness was tested TO the limit, and not
Sudenbers, somsthtme like three years
Z aGc, is Zip OFF as 10 what Dempsey
can take In the way OF punishment and
I still keep on after more.
Dcmpiey MAS u be cinner then while
: SudenherS was being touted around
4 The West As coming champion. A
3 big, powerful fellow. Win terrific
punching power with fair amount
OF science and renowned ability 10 take
I pounding, Sudenberg was cons idercd
q ,opn ,S,sl, through he West. He
ping them al!-unt!s'- JatK Dempsey
fought HIM.
Dropped TO Mat with Right.
Dempsey, natural rusher. hurled
himself At SudenberG with The tap OF
the first gong was met with a swing
ing riEht-hander ana dropped 10 Tie
mat He stayed there sin seconds or
So CLIMBED 10 MS feet and then tore
. 'NbNHptlS E5lI. mere was
hurry OF blows, and Sudonberg caught
Dempsey In the stomach with left
hander and on the jaw with a wallop-
inE risht The crash Of fist against
Jaw Was aud!brl all around the ring
side il seemed like good night" for
DEMPSEY, But at the count OF eigh,
he was UP and dshtiu. again
Il Suderberg dropped Dempsey exactly
seven times in that first round He
hit Jack Win every h!ng but Inc
buildins Orders. lie mad dempsey ONT
N "a Il.
.ered hls nose out % shape and had
transformed the Utah Mailer into s.
plt,tul- l9ok,ng human. - the gong
ended the nrst round Dempsey sag
gered toward his corner fbon h,lr
turned ana with 4 Gr,ll on his ghastly
fiooklns face SAID to Sudenberg:
Pretty soon !til he my turn
Through the second sudenberr con.
tinued batierluS Dempsey lie tried
Tor a kn2ck"nt with an earnestness
fsit sure that each time he dronped
DEMPSEY II would be tile last FOR JACK,
Bnt always the younsster managed 10
70 NE 'ee'' Ana he did more.
Did Not Aucmp, To Cunch.
Most men, srossy and dazed, as va.
Dempsey, would have PLAYED II safe
and attempted 10 cinch along Bu,
not Pempsey. lie simply wouldn't stop
ter how often Endenhers hit him. or
nov often he dropped him. Dempsey
wonldn't Gull his rushing tactics.
gaf Ihe d!splay OF courage by Dempsev
eventually broke tho heart Of Snden.
berg. He became convinced that JacL,
wasn't quite human; that there Nss
ssomethinG OF the supcrmsn about .his
MELLOW who had taken enough hlowe 10
stop dozen men, but who wouldn,t
Enait, Ana as Sudenberg slowed I'm.
Bempsey began TO cut loose. ''
l aon't rccai! just how many times
Johnny noored me in those car1,,
rounds, but ! evened up things ii,
}TiEht relates Jack. "a sort OF tired
&htm out by letting him hit me. and
~ Epess ] dropped him whole lot more
yff1mes than he had dropped men Anv
way. the referee must have though,
40 Ter when the ten rounds had on6e !
y. he gave me the decis ION ID - .---..- !,