The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1923-07-05
tom GIBBONS HERO
OF Is ROUND SCRAP
ASTONISHES FIGHT FANS BY RE-
MANNING ON FEET AT END
OF BATTLE
VICTORY FOR DEMPSEY
loser IN BAD SHAPE AT FINISH
CHAMPION RECEIVES PUN
ISHMENT

Shelby, Mont, July 4.-The whole
sporting world was wrong-with the
exception of that courteous, smiling
individual, Tommy Gibbons of St.
Paul.
The challenger, to the astonish-
ment of the $4,000 spectators in the
sun baked arena on the edge of this
oil boom town, was on his feet, still
fighting, at the end Of his scheduled
15-round heavyweight championship
battle today with Jack Dempsey,
when almost everybody expected him
to be knocked out in six or seven
rounds.
Dempsey, the champion, was an
overwhelming favorite to win by a
knockout early in the battle.
Referee Jimmy Dougherty of Phil
aadelphia awarded Dempsey the deci-
sion when the gong changed ending
the fifteenth round, but Gibbons, who
did not get cent for fighting the
champion, left the ring with moral
victory. 1t was the first time that
any fighter had managed to face
Dempsey and still be on his feet at
the finish since he became champion.
Gibbons has a reputation, made in
86 fights, of having never been
knocked of his feet. That reputa-
stion is still good. Dempsey had him
dizzy and weary probably half doz-
sen times today but failed to knock
him out.
The fight made an entirely differ
cent ending than any spectator ex-
pected. Even the enthusiastic Glib
bons protagonists, shouting encour-
sagement to their fighter, had not the
slightest idea he would last more
than seven or eight rounds. In fact,
it was the concensus of opinion that
four or five rounds would find Tom
my on the floor, knocked out,
Tommy, master boxer, and con-
sstantly on the lookout for the, knock
out blow, danced and hop-stepped
around tn ring, occasionally slipping
u right or left to Dempsey's face and
then eluding danger by clinching or
stepping backward.
Toward the last Gibbons seemed to
be fading fast and repeatedly went
into clinches with the champion. In
the last round it appeared that his de-
lenses were failing and many ex-
pected a knockout. The champion,
seeing the condition of the challen-
ger, furiously slashed at his head and
Dody, but Tommy hung on and
clinched and sidestepped until the
saving grace of the final bell.
Dempsey was never in danger in
a round of the fight, although Glib
bons cut and slightly blackened the
champions right eye in the opening
round and Dempsey brought blood
once or twice from the challenger,
neither was marked to any appre-
ciable extent.
A majority of the newspaper ex-
perts at the ringside gave Gibbons a
shade in the fifth, eleventh and thir-
-teenth rounds, the remaining IL be-
ing accorded Dempsey without argu-
ment. Neither the champion nor the
challenger were ever off their feet,
although once Gibbons nearly fell
through the ropes and was helped
back by Dempsey.
Although Gibbons was the UNI
doubted favorite of the crowd, not a
word of dissehsion was heard over
Referee Doughterty's decision. It
had previously been rumored about
that if, by any chance, the fight went
the limit, there would be riot if the
decision went to Dempsey. State and
local police and many deputy sher-
lifts were on hand but there was no
disturbance at any time.
Referee Dougherty did not hesi-
tate an instant after the bell Of the
fifteenth round sounded in raising
Dempsey's hand. Gibbons, his face
somewhat blood-smeared and lips
and nose bruised, smiling extended
his hand to Dempsey. Then he trot-
ted to his corner where he received
a deafening ovation, and the crowd
of Gibbons admirers rushed toward
the ring. The police and deputies
did not attempt to interfere as it
was seen that everyone was good
natured and all merely wanted to get
a closeup glimpse of Tommy
Elbowing his way through the
cheering spectators, Chief Curly
Bear, of the Blackfeet Indians,
climbed into the ring. The Indians
recently adopted Tommy as brother
of the tribe.
The tall chief, resplendent in
feathers and rainbow hues lifted his
eagle-tipped war bonnet from his
head and placed it on that of Glib
bons, while the crowd yelled itself
hoarse.
The wife of Mayor Jim Johnson OF
Shelby hurried to the ring and threw
her arms around the challenger. Hun
dreds tried to shake hands with him.
He smiled broadly at the demonstra-
ton, while his seconds removed his
gloves.
While the championship battle was
a surprise to the fight fans, it was
more than amazing to Jack Kearns,
Dempsey's manager. Kearns was
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