Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-09-23
GREATEST CROWD EVER PRESENT.
AT FIGHT Sees DEMPSEY'S TRY.
AT Come BACK end IN FAILURE

SOLDIERS FIELD, CHICAGO,
Sept. % H9-Gene Tunney success
fully defended the worlds heavyweight
championship tonight against SEN
sational challenge from, Jack Demp-
Sey when he carried off the judges
decision in g ten round match before
a record breaking crowd of 10000
that paid $2,8O0,000 to see the slash
ing battle.
Tunney came back to win the
fight with a brilliant rally in the
last two rounds after being knocked
down for count of nine in the
seventh round by a smashing right
to the jaw, followed by left.
Dempsey seemed to have the title
in his grasp at these stages of his
smashing attack had Tunney in re-
treat, but the champion backing to
the defensive, weathered the storm
until his head cleared.
There. was much dispute about the
ringside over the length of the count
of Tunney'S knockdown, some claim
ing it was slow starting and that
the champion actually was on the
floor as long as IL seconds. Outside
of the seventh round and a few
briefly sustained drives at oJTler stages
Dempsey was out boxed and outfought
by Tunney who seemed to be much
the faster and Stonger.
The challenger was a target for
Tunney'S sharp right crosses. He
was staggered in the fourth round
and in the tenth was on the verge
of going down under heavy barrage,
The old mauler kept plunging in but
he was too tired to last. Both eyes
were bleeding profusely from cuts
and his resources almost expended.
SOLDIERS FIELD, CHICAGO,
Sept. % (Pj-The comeback trail of
Jack Dempsey led to the title door
of Gene Tunney tonight for ten
round shot at the heavyweight
championship Gene won at Philadel-
pIlia last fall. Close to 10000 per-
sons, the greatest crowd ever to wit
ness a boxing show, gazed from the
darkness of Soldier field on the tiny
platform of light where the fistic
king and contender battled for a
purse of $1,450,000
Dempsey was first in the ring,
coming through the ropes at 9:55,
as the crowd cheered rather weakly,
taken by surprise. A host of public
officials, including Governor Small
of Illinois,, the members of the Illinois
state boxing commission, George Getz,
theoret:cal promoter Of the battle,
anG Tex Rickard, behind the huge
spectacle, were being greeted by the
crowd at the time.
Dempsey, apparently tuned to top
notch pitch, danced about the ring
11ervously awaiting the champion He
shook hands with several of the
writer's in the nearby seats and spoke
a word or two over the radio. When
Jack spotted Gene Normile, his
former mentor, he reached over and
gTaSped his hand. Dempsey was at
1872 1-2 pounds for the major effort
of his colorflll career. Tunney
189 IL. Both were in perfect con-
EDITION with Dempsey two pounds
lighter than the night the former
& champion conquered Jack Sharkey in
New York to inaugurate his come
back campaign. A rousing ovation
greeted Tunney, the champion, when
he; climbed through the ropes at 10
p. m. Dempsey Immediately stopped
dancing in his corner to race around
the ring and shake Genes hand
The champion smiled "hello jack
and then turned to grin confidently
at his friends about the ringside
Dempsey came back to his corner to
be greeted by his handlers. Leo P
Flynn, his manager; Jerry Luvadis,
his trainer, and Gus Wilson. Tunney
had his manager, Billy Gibson, in his
corner, along with Jimmy .BrunSOn
and Trainer Lou Fink.
AS Dempsey stripped off his white
Woclen robe and sweater beneath,
the crowd burst into a cheer. At
the sight of the former champions
sunbrowned torso, 1.-the and beauti-
! fully muScled.
Gene remained IN his bathrobe CT
navy blue silk trimmed with red,
while the gloves were placed on the
fighters hands, Both had been tapped
before entering the ring.
Jack Sharkey who lost on knock
out to Dempsey this summer, was
introduced from the ring, along with
Paolino Uzucudun Spanish contender
for the heavyweight crown. The
judges were George Litton and Shell
don Clark
The trio were tapped for duty by
members of the state athletic com
mission after the warriors entered
the ring.
The battlerS donned their bathrobes
again, Tunneys blazing with the
symbol of the marine corps on the
back and both went to the center
Of the ring for final instructions. The
handlers rubbed both brislzly during
The talk
AS the time for the main bout
approached scarcely a vacant patch
in the vast cXpanse was apparent but
the outlook from. the ringside was
handicapped hy q haze Only the
Flouts and rulnblings emerged from
the outer darkness.
1t was an orderly crowd, taking its
preliminary entertainment quietly for
the most part and reserving its vocal
p;wers for the main engagements.
A vocal chorus from some obscure
place in the concrete stands broke
out into song at intervals. 1t was
by the announcer of one
of the preliminaries who politely re-