Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-08

The first thing Dempsey did was
TO looG down to Murray, who was
sitting with the newspaper writer's.
1t so happened that Morris finish
had come right in front of Murray.
Il told you I'd hang him on the
ropes for you, Mr.. Murray. Little
longer than / expected to he or the
Just the same. Didn't l tell you that
/ was big enough"
Murray, of course, was too much
overjOyed to say anything. He could
only scratch his head in appreciation.
He had put over the greatest fight OF
his whole career as promoter, but
how close he came to blowing 1t, lie
let it go on under protest and from
that day to this he has thanked his
lucky stars that he didn't call in the
cops and have Dempsey and myself
pinched for trying to obtain money
under false pretenses.
This fight was Demsey'S first APP
pearance in the East following the
fight in which John Lester Johnson
outpOinted him In 10 rounds. We
had made good in first-rate fashion.
flooded the country with the stories
of that fight. 1t went all over the
world.
Offers Start to Flow In.
Offers began to pop in on US by
the hundreds. l hoped him right on
a train for Chicago. l wanted to get
within shouting distance of Jess Will
lard now. The Carl Morris victory
had been a convinCer in many ways
and we made the most of it. The
old ballyhoo was tuned up to it's
sweetest pitch. Posters and dodgers
hit every boxing center in the country.
Right In the middle of it l got
wire from Charley Murray asking me
to call him back on the lOng-distance
phone. He had an offer. | called
Charley up and he wanted to match
Dempsey with "Gunboat" Smith. He
offered us 10 per cent. Big-hearted
Charley. He'd give you a glass OF
nice fresh milk for a Jersey COW,
Fifteen per cent and we we're a riot
in his town,
We got what we wanted, for he
wanted us badly We took the match.
Jimmy Johnston was managing the
Gunner at that time and Jimmy felt
SO sorry for us. We were going to
ruin a bright prospect. 1 ought to
be ashamed of myself. Twas. The
Gunner would be so soft. If we
could whip him when Dempsey was
green, how about now? SO they met.
Folks still talk about it up in Buff
falo. 1t was one of the greatest
crowds that they ever had in Buffalo
up to that time and for years aft
erward.
The Gunner was knocked wriggling
In just one minute and some few
seconds. He was on the floor and
out before some of the bigbugs had
properly arranged their overcoats
and become seated. Many Of them
Ln1 hot IaD IN fnr
their seats when Jack put the crush
er on.
That fight put Dempsey on the
map in the East. The Gunner had
a rep on the Atlantic coast. and when
Dempsey Smacked him down in a little
over minute the rest was easy. The
old ballyhoo for fair now. | worked
on Willard. / did everything in my
power TO smoke that bird out. In
every manner, shape and form / chal-
ienged him. He must fight Dempsey.
The public demanded it, | said, and
I kept saying it.
I told them that it would only re-
1uire meeting to prove that Demp-
sey could lick TINS big fellow in a
round. 4 few more victories like the
Gunner smack over and there would
be a general outcry for Willard to
come forward with some word of
what he intended to do. I knew
Jack could lick him. The ballyhoo
wasn't the bunk now. l had seen
Willard fight and l knew that Jack
could take him without any trouble.
The thing to do was to spread the
alarm. Make Willard feel our pres
ence. That was the thing to do. He
would become the laughing stock of
the world if we pounded him hard
enough SO / whipped West on
transforming tour. That's the best
channel for ballyhoo.
Copyright. 1926N