The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-02

Carpenter. The weights were of
ficially announced as follows:
Carpenter, ia pounds; Demp-
sey 1873.
This was two pounds lighter than
the figure Dempsey hoped to be
when he got into the ring. Promo
ter Tex Richard crawled into the
ring and warmly shook hands with
both fighters. Harry Er.le, the ref
cree, was attired in white flanne.s,
white canvas shoes and a white
short with a soft collar. He nerv-
ously paced the center of the ring
while the gloves were being tied
on.
Ringside, Jersey City. N. j., July
2.-(By the Associated Press.) y
The carnival of blows, for which
tens OF thousands massed today
about little 1S-foot ring in Jer-
sey City, opened at 1910 with pre-
liminary bouts that served as cock
tails for the feast-the battle be-
tween Jack Dempsey Of America
and Georges Carpenter of France,
for the heavyweight boxing title OF
the world.
The first bout was between
Mickey belmont and Jack Curtin.
In accordance with the New Jer-
sey boxing law. no decision was
rendered by the referee at the end
of the first preliminary between
Johnny Curtin and Mickey Del
mont. featherweights, but Curtin
was generally conceded to have
outpointed belmont.
Crowd is Quiet.
The crowd was extraordinarily
quiet for a fight crowd. During
the first bout there was hardly a
sound but the clang of the gong
and the thud of blows.
There was a sigh of relief as the
bout ended. The crowd arose and
stretched after it's first faster.
The second bout, between Packy
O'Gatty and Frankey Burns. ban
tamweights, followed Immediately.
Between rounds there encircled
the ring a plump lad Of some one
hundred pounds, with the benign
features of cherub in white
ducks. He bore aIoft sign pro-
claiming the round.
Sprinkle at 1:15.
The crowd still was apathetic.
munching its lunch as the prelim-
inaries wendell their weary way
through the program
At lis it began to sprinkle.
The rail bird with nothing but
the wide, wide world behind him
was the only man who dared raise
an umbrella.
In a few minutes the sprinkle
ended. Women in sport clothes,
some of them wearing flowers,
sighed with relief. Close around
the ring were several girls appar-
emily about IS, whose interest then
turned from their summer frocks
back to ring events. Most Of the
time these Goth century maidens
sat with their eyes glued on the
squared circle. 1t was evidently
their first fight
Announcement was made at 1880
that "the house was sold OUT
meaning that the 91,600 seats were
occupied.
Just before the third prelimin-
airy bout started Governor Edwards
entered the arena Hail the chief"
cried the announcer through the
amplifier, and the crowd hailed"
showing its first enthusiasm of the
day.
Frankey Burns had an advantage
on points in the second eight-round
preliminary. The third prelimin-
airy brought together Joe Metrsnga
of New Orleans and Babe" Her
man of California. They are fea-
therweights.
That patch of blue sky always
consigned to the tai1ors for a pair
of sailors pants appeared at 1870.
The referee stopped the Herman
Metranga bout in the fifth round
when Metranga was hanging help,
lessly on the ropes.
The fourth bout was between
Dick Griffin, Fort Worth, Texas,
and Benny Coster, New York, ban
tamweights.
AS the afternoon began to get a
Iife-sized start, the mercury
stretched a bit when the human
heat of 81 500 packed into the arena
added its calories to that Of the
sun, thoroughly yelled by clouds.
About 2 O'Clock the crowd began
shedding its coats and it soon be-
came a shirtfsleeve party.