The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1921-07-05
LITTLE INTEREST IS
TAKEN IN PRELIMINARIES

RlNosiDE, JERSEY CITY, July 2
The carnival Of blows for which
tens Of thousands had massed today
about "a little 10 foot ring In Jersey
City opened at 1870 with preliminary
bouts that served az cocktails for the
feast. The battle between Jack Demp.
sey Of America and Georges carpen.
tier Of France for the heavy weight
boxing title of the world.
The First Bout
The first bout was between Mick.
ey belmont and Jackey Curtin, feath-
erweights.
After sitting for hours in a wooden
pit beneath a lowering sky the army
of spectators shrugged the kinks out
Of their backs polished their glasses,
and prepared to view the worlds
greatest arena.
When champion ana challenger lat
er usurped the stage it will be under
the gaze of the most remarkable fight
crowds ever assembled-a crowd that
came from the four corners Of the
earth, a crowd that embraced nota-
bles in every walk of life, a crowd in
which thousands of women waited
az eager eyed as men for that text of
strength Of skill which would come
when the champion of the old world
met the champion Of the new.
The first preliminary, an eight
round bout was put on early in an ef-
fort by Promoter Rickard to clean up
the preliminaries to permit an early
start of the champion bout.
An airplane circled low over the
stands taking pictures as the gong
sounded
Curtin ls Favorite
In accordance with the New Jer.
sey boxing law no decision was rem
dered by the refree at the end Of the
first preliminary, but Curtin was gen.
orally conceded to have outpointed
belmont.
The crowd was extraordinarily qui-
ct for fight audience. During the
first bout there was hardly sound
but the clang of the gong and thud
of blows. There was sigh as of re-
lief as the bout ended. The crowd
arose and stretched after it first tast-
er.
The second bout between Packey
O'Gatty and Frankly Burns, bantam
weights, followed Immediately.
At Ills it began to sprinkle; the
railbirds were the only ones who
dared raise umbrellas. In few min.
utes the sprinkle ended.
Just before the third preliminary
sbout atarted Gov. Edwards entered
the arena.
Hail to- the Chief" cried the an.
nOuncer through the amplifier, and
the crowd hailed" showing its first
enthusiasm of the day,
Announcement was made at 1880
that "the house was sold out" mean
ing that the 91,6O0 tickets were occu-
pied.
| Frankey Burns had an advantage
on points in the second eight round
preliminary. The third preliminary
brought together Joe Metranga of New
Orleans and Babe Herman of Cali.
fornia. They were feather weights.
The referee stopped the Herman
Metranga bout in the fifth round when
Metranga was hanging helpless on
the ropes.
The fourth bout was between Dick
Griffin, Fort Worth, Texas, and Ben
ny Cofter, New York, bantamweights.
This bout was stopped in the sixth
round when GOfter was kneeling on
the ring floor.
Light heavy weight, Gene Tunney
and Soldier Jones were the principals
in the fifth bout.
At 2:15 there arrived at the ring
side for Dempsey great floral horse
shoe inscribed Success"
1t was composed Of red carnations
ana gladllolaS.
The fifth bout was stopped in the
seventh round when Soldier Jones
was hanging in helpless condition
on the ropes.
At 2:55 p. m. it was announced that
final preliminary had been eliminat-
ed.
At 1857 Carpenter entered the ring.
Dempsey came in two minutes later
Carpenter wore long gray bath
robe over his fighting trunks. Demp-