Evening star., 1926-09-24

said he did not class with the
did not have fighting heart. Thu
much OF psychology and too little Of
on. they sneered and saeered. these
experts. until il seemed little short OF
manslaughter to let the battle begin.
hut In a pelt!ng rain, with 1870 600
souls yelling like maniacs and paying
not the slightest heed to the soaking
downpour. these experts heard him
proclaimed the new champion of the
world They heard II and they hadn't
an alihi left. All they could do was
say that Gene Tunney did not knock
Jack Dempsey out He did everything
else, and If the fight had gone Is
rounds. as under the New York law.
Dempsey hvould have cola psed under
the hattering. smashing attack of the
former marine. who learned to he stout
of heart end Coura eeols IN the fields
OF Flanders and France
The fying fists of tho fighting
marine beat tattoo on Dempsey's
head and face until his featuree looked
like go much raw hees Time and
time again the champion reeied
against the ropes and II seemed that
Tunney with another punch could
put him out But the challenger
seemed to hold hack at the critical
moment Perhaps 1t was too much
caution. Perhaps II was because he
was told he was winning an over
whelming victory on all the inner
points OF the roped arena. But what
ever It was, there was not a moment
Of doubt a. 10 what the judges deci.
sion would he. They were unanimoes
in proclaiming the new king OF
fistiana.
Brings New Luster.
The roar which shook the massive
concrete stadium at the SesQuiceDtcn-
nial Exposition grounds was tribute
such as no boxer ever received before.
Gene Tunney has brought a new
luster to The prize ring. IT is O luster
which many OF the experts could not
understand. The ha ndsome marine
has fought his way to the top, and
while fitting his body for the tasks
which intervened he at no time neg.
lected the development OF his mind.
The experts even sneered at his read
ing. They thought il joke that a
would-he champion should also be a
student. They laughed at Genes
fataism In his belief that his hour
OF victory was at hand.
Above ell else, the experts insisted
that TunneN would not stand and
fight the champion. He didn't stand.
He took the lead IN virtually every
one OF the 10 rounds The champion
Weaved and hobhed and ducked, lust
as the experts said he would. Sut
every time he wesved. every time he
hohbed and every time he dpcked he
ran afoul OF Tunnev's fist. Dempsey
never saw so many fists in oil his ring
career. Never before had he fought
man Of Tunney's brain, Drawn,
cIeverneSs and stamina
The writer. who In not an expert.
after visit to the camps of both
champion and challenger. said that
the pugilistic world was Que for the
surprise OF it's life The writer said
there was p psychology which was
working against Dempsey and q pull
which was urging Turney on to new
marvels Of the ring. The writer golfed
and lunched with the n~w champion,
and caught his infectious spirit, his
logical reasoning. and came to q full
realization OF his superb physical con-
ditiOn. The writer was convinced that
Tunney would beat Dempsey II the
fight went beyond three or four
rounds.
Training Camp DeriAed-
The experts laughed at the training
camp OF the challenger. They aaid it
was a joke. They had been carried of
their feet by the show" which Demp-
sey was staging At Atlantic City.
Genes camp in the Pocono Mountains
was not spectacular. But ia was clean
and decent and unpretentious. and
vas Just what the challenger wanted.
There was talk that the challenger
was becoming boastful and vainglorl-
Gus. But II was pointed out in these
dispatches that Gene merely lent him.
self to the "ballyhoCing" OF the game,
and that the statements sent out in
his name were not a part OF his real
self
The new champion is not only
worthy OF his new title. hui he will
lift the game To a higher standard
than il has ever known before.
The setting for the passing OF the
champion was most spectacular. 1t
WAS the greatest crowd ever gathered
about fighting ring. The sea OF
faces which showed out OF the dark
ened recesses Of the immenae arena
seemed to belle the statement that
only 10000 were present. 1t looked
as II the multitude must number
million at least. Patiently the great
throng waited throughout the usual
preliminary bouts. Low clouds were
scudding overhead, hut TO thought Of
rain entered single head, Yet almost
a. soon as Tunney and Dempsey
climbed through the ropes and began
10 bandage their hands. the skies
opened and the rain came down. As
the hell sounded for the final round
It Was downpour, Neither fighter
appeared to mind The crowd. trans
fixed by the spectacle II was witness
ing. confident new champion was
heing made. sat utterly oblivious to
the elements.
When that great cheer came out OF
ho oil great
stadium. rising tier on tier. II recalled |
anoth great cheer which came out |
of the inkv vastness. It was the
cheer which arose from ell London
the night the first Zeppelin raider was
brought down in flames. II WAS q
cheer which burst with the fury or
pent up thunder. 1T carried its. own
eXultant message.
Crowd Shifts Favor
The moment the tenth round was
over and while the judges were writ
Ing down their choice, a dozen per- |
sons jumped into the ring and slr'
rounded Tunney. Dempsey's corner |
wss deserted save for the champion
himself and one Of his faithful sec
onds. So quickly does the favor of
the popula ce change. SO certain was
the crowd of the coming decision.
Dempsey himself was among the first
TO greet Tunaey. The two men long |
have admired each other
1t was Dempsey himself who nrst
told the experts they were under
rating the ex Marine.
The tenseness which gripped the |
sea Of humanity as the fsht bega n |
was rigid and heart stopping. The
bell tangled. The crowd waited for |
the panther to spring upon the lamb.