The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-06-03

loomed again in the sun-swept ri
tered, buffeted, hopelessly heater
upon the crumbled ruins of DIRE
Georges Carpenter was beaten
by Tommy Gibbons, beaten in
every one Of the ten rounds the
battle lasted; beaten thoroughly
and beyond any question Of doubt.
But at the finish, bloody, battered
weary to the point Of exhaustion,
Georges Carpenter bowed not to
Gibbons, but to the inevitable.
Georges Carpenter fought brave.
Iy and well. He fought courage
ously, but he fought hopeIessly. In
his soul there still burned the fire
OF an unquenchable will that sent
him into the horror Of the trench
as a soldier Of France.
In his bosom there still beat
the fighting heart that asked no
quarter and sought no mercy.
But the body was weak. The
muscles and nerves refused to
answer the call to action and
Carpenter failed.
Out Of that battle of Saturday,
looming larger than the accomplish
ment of Gibbons, standing out over
the superb work of the ST. Paul
boxer, and pushing into the back
ground the lesser thrill of the
Frenchman's frenzied hopelessness,
there doomed one fact.
AS a fighter, Georges Carpenter
Is through!
Years and the constant strain of
battle have taken their toll. The
grace and smoothness which won
the acclaim Of boxing experts every
where still exist. The famous
Carpenter smile, reaching into the
hearts and sympathies of pugilistic
fandon, still are there. So is the
personality. But the punch Is gone
and the stamina that carries men
through the test Of terrific punish
ment.
. AS a drawing card and a person.
atty, Georges Carpenter is still
powerful, but the day Of his pugil-
istic greatness is past. The years
OF his triumph are behind him.
This writer, remembering vivid.
" that last impression Of a
beaten, broken Carpenter huddIed
on the stool in his corner, his face
bloody, his eyes dazed, his shout.
ders slumped and bowed, has no
desire to detract from the accom-.
plishment Of Gibbons. The st.
Paul man fought cIeverIy and
scientifically. He fought system
atiCalIy and with the cold pre-
cisiOn Of q man who followed to
the letter the detail of q previous.
" arranged campaign.
His timing was perfect; there was
no wasted energy, no wasted blows.
But the fact still remains that
Tommy Gibbons on Saturday faced
but the empty shell o6 the Carpen-
tier that was.
Not once was Gibbons in danger;
not once was he forced to exert
himself. From first to last he was
the master scientist, completely con-
trolling a situation that was in
evitable.
Going into that battle, Gibbons
realized that he had only enc thing
to watch-that was the Carpenter
right. This he did, with a defense
that was impenetrable. Time after
time in those early rounds, Car
pentier swung, swung viciously and
with all his strength, but always
Gibbons slipped away, ducking, turn
ing. evading the punches. And with
each miss you could see the French
mans confidence oozing with his
strength, until finally there was.
written into every line Of his face
the hopelessness and futility which
his heart knew.
Then in the seventh round
there came the unfortunate slip
and the apparent Leg injury which
left Care ntier limBing and help
less. M.Ay fans there at the
ringside listed that Carpenter
was unhu that he only realized
his hopeless IS and was making
a play for slic sympathy.
This writer %nnot subscribe to
that view. r Aer he would take
the more chat yAhle attitude that
the injury waA~VAal. But it was
unfortunate. AnG detracted from
the tragic glory VT a pugilistic
passing. Fight fans the world over
would prefer to see their broken
heroes go to their pugilistic OBJ
livion with colors flying.
And Saturdays crowd, sensing
the end, called constantly for a
knockout. But the X. o. never
came. Perhaps Gibbons lacked that
necessary punch. Perhaps he felt
compassion for the broken, battered
opponent who faced him. Unlike
Dempsey, Gibbons lacks the cold
ferocity that permits him to con.
tinue the fury of his assault against
an opponent already battered to
helplesSness.
At any rate, the knockout for
which the crowd cried was not
Forthcoming. And as result
Georges Carpenter stood there at
the finish, bloody Of face, wavering
and staggering on legs that could
scarcely maintain the weight of his
body, while there rang in his ears
the unfeeling cheers for his con.
queror, which were the knell Of his
own pugilistic greatness.
Now, experts declare, Tommy
Gibbons, by virtue Of that victory
is in line for another Dempsey
battle. Already the champion has
issued formal challenge. But the