Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-06-17
Some Interesting
Dope on French
Heavy Challenger


pentier, challenger of Jack Dempsey,
is one of the most unusual boxers
who ever competed for the heavy
weight championship. In tempera-
ment and intelligence there has been
none like him among asprants for
heavyweight honors1 He will be out
weighed by Dempsey when they clash.
Other physical measurements may al
SO appear to be to the disadvantage
of the Frenchman but the essential
item of courage will not be included
in these shortcomings.
Carpenter, born in the coal mining
district of Lens, France, fought as a
youngster of II years and progressed
steadily through the various weight
classes, meeting the best boxers of
France, England and America until
he now stands near the pinnacle in
pugilistic sport.
A survey of the opponents Carpen-
tier has met in the ring and sketches
of several battles in which he revived
from q count of nine to outpoint or
knock out his rivals in subsequent
rounds convinces one of his ring
courage. He has fought among others
Joe Jeanette, Frank Klaus, Billy
Papke, Jeff Smith, Harry Lewis,
Bombardier Wells, Joe Beckett and
Gunboat Smith. Some of them he
met when a youth in his late teens.
His fights with Frank Klaus and
Billie Papke when he was only IS are
declared to have been the most grill
ing in his career. In victory or defeat
throughout his ring campaign,
Carpenter has been guided by Fran
co.'s toward the heavyweight cham
pionship goal which he will endeavor
to reach at BoyIe's Thirty Acres in
Jersey City on July 2. The list of
opponents Carpenter has met is more
impressive than that of Jack Demp-
sey's rivals. In ring experience,
Carpenter is by far the older.
The first battle with Bombardier
Wells at Client is declared to have
been one of the most impressive ex-
hibitions of courage by. the young
Frenchman who was outweighed
many pounds. He took the count of
nine in the first round, to come back
and knock out his opponent in the
fourth. Before they met the second
time, he predicted Wells might last
one round but the Englishman was
knocked out in less than one minute.
Harry Lewis, in the fourth round of
a bout, broke two bones in his right
hand, hitting Carpenter on the cheek
bone with a smash that cut a deep
cash under the eye. Carpenter came
back to outpoint Lewis in 20 rounds.
When he lost a Is round decision to
Joe jeanette, Carpenter was sent to
the mat two or three times but re-
fused to stay and dropped the negro
twice for the count of nine.
But this anomaly of the boxing
game has done his most important
fighting outside the ropes. The cock
pit of an army combat plane has seer
his most thrilling engagements and
greatest demonstration of courage.
Cited for heroism several times in
the world war, Carpenter wears the
Croix de Guerre and the Military
Medal, of all decorations. the most
priced by the French soldier.
Comrades of Carpenter relate how
they had watched him thousands of
feet in the air attacking an enemy
or swooping low over a Boche camp
or airdrome while German anti-air-
craft guns tried to make sieve of
his plane Often, they say, they
mournfully uttered goodbyes to the
youth, only to see him few minutes
later climbing out of the ship wear
ing the smile that spectators at Jer-
sey City undoubtedly will see when
he enters the ring to meet Dempsey