Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-22
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.
Sports Editor of The Star,

NEW YORK. July 22.-The grand
old dope has taken another one on
the whiskers. Stopping Jack Sharkey
in less than half the scheduled dis
lance of their affair at Yankee Sta
dunn last night. William Harrison
Dempsey added one more to the list
of upsets that has grown TO formi.
dable length in the recent annals OF
sport6om.
"Thev don't come back" "Youth
must be served" These trite savings
have been employed since the memory
of man.
They probably are of the earliest
vintage in wise cracks, and 1t is con-
ceded they have served we'll. But 1t
Was demonstrated in thoroughly con-
vincing fashion to some $1,000 paying
guests at the most capacious bail PARK
in the country that such things as
adages need not to be taken too serl-
ouslv by a pugilist feeling an honest
urge to regain lost laurels and
wholly understandable ambition to add
another million or so TO his bank bal
ance. In sending Sharkey TO the can
vas limp and spent in less than MIN
1lte of the seventh round after ter
rife body punching that was spread
over the six preceding sessions, VIII
H. Dempsey gave that chatter about
youth an awful jolt. because at 81,
an age accounted old pusillcucaliy.
he had most artistically polished or
a battIer at least eight years his
junior
Stages Real Comeback.
And in overcoming this obstacle TO
his chance to regain the crown ne IoSt
to Gene Tunney at Philadelphia last
Fall w. H. Dempsey made more prog
ress along the return route TO the
heights than any Of his tltleholdlns
heavyweight predecessors. from Jonh
/, Sullivan on through to Jess WI.
lard. Dempsey has not come back ali
the way-not vet. He has his con-
uueror of that rainy night in the SEES
ouicentennial Amphitheater to dispose
of before he again can ascend the
throne, but in knocking out Sharkey IN
c1ean-cut. decisive fashion the former
champion proved to the satisfaction or
his legion of admirers that the man
who was bested by the reigning king
was not the real Dempsey, but phys
ieally i'll and mentally sick athlete who
never should have essayed battle then.
In view of the outcome here. the
winking and wagging that followed
his sorry showing in Philadelphia Witl
be resumed with increased emphasis.
but on the strength OF what he has
lust shown that Sesqui thing can be
tossed out and a new survey of the
situation made when he squares on
with Tunney again next September.
How the experts, a class to which
this reporter makes no claim of mem
bershfp, Will account for the very
thorough licking Sharkey received
from Dempsey will make fairly in
teresting reading for many day, as
a backfire of this caliher can't be ex-
planned away nonchalantly nor dis
posed of with the usual alahis.
Wrong About Sharkey.
A great majority of the learned
gentlemen of fistiana, including such
astute students as Benny Leonard.
Jimmy = Johnston, ScotNy Montieth,
Sid ferris, ct al, staked their pro.
fessional regulations on the boastful
Bostonian to win for a wide variety
of reasons. principal among which
were his youth, greater boxing skill.
superior speed and preponderance of
stamina. They credited Sharkey with
possessing real class as ringman,
one who knew the fine points of the
game and possessed the ability to put
them in execution. They hailed him
as rising youngster who combined
a formidable punch with his finesse
and absolute confidence in himself to
top it off. Dempsey. on the other
hand, was rated as has-been, stiff
puncher still, but burnt out by years
of soft living. and unable to carry on
for more than few seconds at a
time. Largely as a result OF their
keen estimates Sharkey was installed
as favorite with the first bet recorded,
and with the approach of the melee
+la I= hnt xcf
hours before they entered the ring
the talkative tar was quoted at to
and even to to win.
Those of the prognesticating gentry
who are pro -Sharkey, or rather were
until last night, undoubtedly will con-
centrate on the. refrain: 'He didn't
fight his fight" and from all we had
been led to believe this seemed to be
the case
Thought Good Boxer.
It was .hruited about among those
supposedly in the know that next to
conversation boxing was the best
thing the former. sailor did. 1t was
agreed that instead of trying to slug
, it out with a puncher Of Dempsey's
propensities Sharkey would hold him
off with left jabs, would utilize the
feint, sidestep, body sway and hea j.
roll, strive TO make his opponent miss
and even climb bike if necessary to
wear him down and await the time
when he was short of wind and the
power of his wallops had been lost IN
arm WEAKNESS, before stepping III 10
do some failing on his own account.
Sharkey did nothing OF the KIND.
From the opening gong, when ne came
out with a left jab that was one OF
&c hn
Sharkey apparently made no effort to
utilize his talents in a sparring way
except in the fifth round, the only
one he earned in our estimation, tor
that first was about even and the
others went to Dempsey, although by
varying margins.
Dempsey went about his business
In a grim, determined way. SAID
business consisted of short Joits 10
the nlidriff, mixed with an occasional
straight right to the heart ana upper
cut to the chin. The ex-champ dld II
bit Of bobbing now and then with inc
old swaying cruch, and when ne ala
take time off from shooting Waiiops
at his almost stationary foe by com
pelling him 10 miss a variety or japs
hooks and swings the experts fnusL
have been amazed at Sharkey,s IN
ability or disinclination, or whatever
it was, to keep Dempsey at bay.
The latter kept boring in with a
two-handed attack and as early as the
third round it was apparent that
Sharkey was feeling the effects OF the
tattoo being beaten on his ribs. But
II was in the fifth that the one-time
seaman, first class, must have realized
this was one battle where he couldn t
make deeds parallel words.
Foeman of Real Mettle.
He landed several wicked wallops in
this session at, least two of them
seemingly right on the button. But
Dempsey failed to. sag visibly and
when he saw that his choicest am