Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-09-24

uouot as TO what II would be. Dozens
of the more enthusiastic climbed into
the ring and it took a squad of police
to clear it so that the announcer could
put the formal verdict on vocal record
Tunney won eight of the 10 rounds
by so decisive margin that no doubt
was left of his supremacy, the Asso-
ciated Press score sheet showed. None
of the rounds were scored for the
champion and in only two, the sixth
and seventh, was he conceded better
than an even break. In both of these
, it was more a case of Tunney's eau
tiousness than Dempsey's own attack
ing success that affected the scoring.
But for his hesitancy to open UP
and put all his guns into action, Tun-
ney might have won by a knockout
an even more decisive victory. The
challenger was cautious at first be-
cause he feared Dempsey was hold
ing back purposely shifting his GUS
tomary rushing tactics to upset the
Marines plan of battle. But as Tun-
ney found a ready mark for his
blows, as he discovered himself out
punching Dempsey consistently at
close and long range, he became more
aggressive, more confident.
This confidence grew as the battle
progressed through the drenching
downpour but Tunney always was
bit wary. Now and then in such
rounds as the fourth, sixth and Sew
enth, Dempsey connected with solid
smashes to the head, driving in with
a flash Of his old ferocity. But the
spark soon faded from these out
bursts.
The champions downfall, in the
i-,, INT, = e-l,
reminiscent of the defeat of James j.
Jeffries by Jack Johnson in the first
heavyweight battle Tex Richard ever
promoted. Dempsey, like Jefferies,
| went into the ring a big favorite.~ only
to exhibit little championship fight
| ing qualities.
Chiefly because of Dempsey's le-
thargy and Tunney's intermittent
cautionness, the bout had few thrills.
| few spectacular moments of the sort
! that have punctuated most of Demp-
, sey's battles since he dethroned Will
lard on July 4, 1919.
| There were no knockouts nor the
| Semblance of any expect for one OF
| two occasions when the fighters each
J slipped on the soaked and slippery
! surface of the ring.
| Tunney was in command from the
| start. Before the bell had ended the
| first round, with the crowd amazed
! at Dempsey's slowness, the challen-
| ger had begun to seize his opportuni
[ ties. AS the champion swung wildly
| the former Marine worked in his left
! jabs and crossed with solid rights
| that shook him up.
| From then on, with monotonous
| regularity, Tunney beat off Demp-
| sey's ruSheS with jolting blows to the
! head and body. The challenger gave
ground more often than Dempsey but
| it was for strategic purposes, not be-
| cause he was sustaining much pun
! ishment. His right eye was cut in
| one exchange, in the seventh round
and blood flowed from the reopening
| Of cuts on his lips, but these did not
| bother him to any extent. He took
| Dempsey's stiffest punches without
| f1inching and ducked or blocked most
| of the others.
Tex Richards weather luck finally
| failed and for the first time since he
began promoting boxine's biggest
spectacles, but the soaked tens of
| thousands, including many women,
| refused to leave their seats. Many
had come prepared but the big ma
! jority took their drenching smiling
and stuck to the finish to cheer the
| advent Of a new reign in pugilism.
The downpour started lightly at
| first, shortly after Dempsey and
| Tunney entered the ring. During an
| unusually long delay caused by the
! tapping of their hands, 1t increased
| in intensity. BY the time the final
| bell sounded, the two gladiators were
spattered by solid sheets of water.
IT, cnolynd ond Grim l.
| son with Dempsey's blood, literally
| splashed their way to victory.
Ringside. Sesqui- Centennial Sta
dunn. Sept. 23-(P-Gene Tunney
won the heavyweight championship
of the world in a pouring rain here
tonight when he defeated JACK
| Dempsey in savage fight that went
| the ten round limit.
Both Judges were unanimous in de-
claring the blonde ex-Marine the
| winner.
| Tunney came within an ace OF
knocking Dempsey out in the hrst
round when he planted hard rlSh'
to the law Just before the bell rang
The champions knees sagged and
ha went to his corner in distress
Tunney, fighting cautiously, out box
cd Dempsey, retreating before the
| champions crowding attack, whip
| ped vicious punches to the body al
close quarters and nailed the cham
MON with short snappy LETT ana rlgh'
hooks at long range.
Dempsey began to tire quickly ar
ter the seventh round and as they
| stenped out for the tenth, the chaln
MON was a bloddy spectacle with ms
! right eve cut and bleeding ana MS
left eye closed.
The fight with its record preaklns
crowd of 10000 spectators was stag
ed ina downpour Of rain. AS 'n ~
fighters entered the ring big drops o.
! rain splashed onto the canvas. Pc
fore the bout was half fimshed .ne
rain began to fall heavily, SOAKING
the spectators &C
when Tunney was announced a.
the winner, the defeated ana oatteIe :.
Dempsey rushed over and threw po.L
arms around the new champion
shaking his gloved fist warmly.
cts the same old story, the pes,
man won" Dempsey said, as ne
crawled out of the ring. 80
Dempsey did not appear 70 Oe
nftv percent of the ripping tearing Z
febter he was when he defeated Luis
AngeI Firpo in the Polo Grouius
Ithree years ago. That first punch, a
savase right to the peak OF the Gill;