The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-06-23

IN 1917 Dempsey, a young, un.'
known, awkward and hungry
heavyweight, appeared in a four.
round contest in Oakland against
the California clown. Willie Nee.
han. It was the first four-round
appearance Of Dempsey. and ham.
and.egg money was his portion.
The fight was refereed by young
sporting editor OF an Oakland news.
paper, Gerald Beaumont.
q In 1924 Dempsey returns to Oak.
land, no longer the unknown,
awkward heavyweight, no longer
wondering where his next meal
is coming from, but the champion
OF champions, whose cash on
hand and property holdings az.
gregate at least million dollars.
In 1924, Beaumont, If not the
worlds champion. writer of sport
short stories, is entitled to at least
a draw with any of the logical con.
tenders, over any distance. AS far
as this writer's newspaper decision
on the argument goes, Beaumont
can have the decision, any time he
starts.
When Dempsey, the movie &C.
tor, and Beaumont, the author, are
together this week, it is quite pos.
sible that they will talk about the
fortunes, past and present.
In 1917 Beaumont, the struggling
sporting editor, with the usual,
grief Of headlines, of wondering
how many ads and how much news.
space he was going to have for
his final edition, and Of other gray.
hair developers for sporting editors,
had as much intention Of taking
the place Of the late Charles E.
Van Loan as Dempsey had Of gain.
Ing q heavyweight championship,
million dollars, and a place in
the motion picture world.
Beaumont probably found inspira.
tion for plenty of fiction in the
early days Of the Dempsey fighting
career. 1T Is a fact, however. that
the most dramatic episode of the
champion-to-be's four-round career
took place not in one of the sew.
eral bouts Beaumont refereed, but
In an engagement in the ball park
at San Francisco, the night that
Dempsey fought Gunboat Smith.
Dempsey, at the time, was be-
ing advised not only by Jack
kearns, who had taken him in
tow a short time before, but by
Spider" Kelly, one of the few
truly great seconds the ring has
known. The Spider" a rough,
tough, crabby Old-timer, was sat.
isfied. with Dempsey's ability in
every line, but the one that was
most important, according to the
standards Of Kelly.
"Could he take it?"
GunbOat Smith was sent for to
find out.
II there was one thing Gunboat
Smith COULD do, 1t was hit with
the right hand. And early in The
fight he landed on the young and
not over.experienced Dempsey. The
youngsters knees sagged, almost
touched the floor. And then, with
a savage shake Of the head, and
his teeth barred in the fighting
snarl that has since become known
WhOiCNCA LAShLltlB LdCGS dQOrIl
sport pages, Dempsey Strengthened
up, and started CHASING The
Gunner.
Over in a corner Of the ring,
high above the roar of the home
town rooters for Dempsey, rose. the
shril, voice Of Spider" Kelly: "HE
CAN TAKE TIP
Messrs. Willard, Carpenter and
Firpo, who have since leveled on
the Dempsey chin, and had cause
to regret 1t very shortly after.
ward. will testify that the "Spi.
der" knew whereof he spoke,
though neither Kelly nor Kearns,
imaginative as the latter is, could
have forseen the heights to which
Dempsey would climb. the wealth
and the glory that would be his.
Beaumont. IL asked. would prob.
ably admit THAI not even one Of