Evening star., 1927-09-23
Champion Takes Nine in Sew
enth. but Opponents Say
Time Was Longer.
BOXING COMMISSIONER
MAKES RINGSIDE RULING
Marine Comes Back in Final
Rounds to Stagger Challenger.
Jack Dazed After Bell.
BY ALAN j. GOULD.
Associated Press Sports Edit OF

Tunney today began his second years
term of Office as heavyweight cham
pion of the world, but only after the
hackers of his conquered opponent,
Jack Dempsey, had vigorously de-
manded a recount Of the vital mo
ments in their spectacular battle at
Soldier Field.
The stalwart, handsome Marine re-
peated his victory of exactly year
and by the same verdict, a decision
at the end of 10 rounds. But this time
he came within a second Of being
knocked out and off the heavyweight
throne-dumped, dazed and shaken to
the floor in the seventh round for a
count of nine that actually, in the
opinion of ringside observers, took
from II to Is second to reach.
The receipts of the fight were $2,65s,-
$50, the record gate of pugilism. Pro
moter Tex Rickard announced today.
The gate was $763, $50 more than the
battle of the Sesqui, at Philadelphia
last year.
1t was his greatest triumph finan-
cially and competitively. The receipts
topped the Demsey Carpenter gate by
81 ,032 ,0S0 and the Firpo battle by ST.
576,070.
Verge Of Knockout.
Tunneys hand was raised in tri-
umph, decisively earned by stirring
rally through the last three rounds
that had Dempsey on the verge OF a
knockout himself in the final round.
The champion was still champion and
lighting like one at the finish, but it
Ic 1ao de nf
fortune were with him, that but for
the break" in the seventh round, and
the Interpretation Of the Illinois Box
ing Commissions knockdown rules, he
might have been counted out and seen
his million-dollar crown pass back to
it's old wearer
Knocked down by sudden. furious
and two-fisted assault in the first min.
ute of the seventh round, and holding
the ropes groggily as he sat on the
floor, Tunney was saved from q pos
sible knockout by an official ruling
that compelled q halt in the count
Until Dempsey had gone to the
"farthest corner"
Count Held Delayed.
Instead OF the count being started
and continued uninterrupted, as in the
old prize ring rules, from the time
Tunney hit the floor from the ef-
fects of vicious righthand smash
and short left hook, the toll was de-
layed several precious seconds while
the referee waved Dempsey to dis
tant corner.
At the count of nine Tunney got
up to back off hastily and circle In
full retreat until his faculties cleared.
but he had already had the benefit OF
at least three and possibly five or six
additional seconds in which to pull
himself together. Dempsey's handlers
hotly asserted he should have been
counted out: that Dempsey was
robbed" OF a knockout victory that
would have made him the first ex-
champion to regain the heights. But
Tunney's handlers declared their man
was simply profiting by the rules;
that he was ready to get up at nine
whenever that count was reached;
that, as a matter of fact, he started
to arise at 1--WE" but stayed down
to get the benefit of the long count
on advice from his corner.
Jolted and Jared.
So far as the rules are concerned,
they were subjected to various inter-
pretation. but Boxing Commissioner
Paul Prehn, at the ringside, made 1t
clear that no actual count was pos
sible, under them, until Dempsey was
not in a corner well away from his
fallen foe.
However close call he had, what.
even break" he benefited by in this
seventh round, there was no question
in the minds of observers that other
wise Tunney was master. He out.
pointed Dempsey for the first half of
the fight and after weathering the
old warriors most furious bid for
victory. outfought. outboxed and out.
generated the challenger in the clos
ing three rounds.
Tunney met and vanquished a
Dempsey that was far different
fighter, more dangerous puncher
and more flaming spirit than the
uncertain, fioundering figure that was
toppled from the f1stic throne year
ago. The champion. jolted and Jared
as he never has been before and as
he isn't likely to be again without
losing, had the stamina, boxing abil-
ity and courage to pull himself back
from the brink of disaster, to batter
his way to victory after it seemed
that one more solid wallop would
have ended his reign as king.
Ovations for Both.
At the finish there was a mighty
ovation for the gameness, for the un-
quenchable spirit of one of the great
est battlers of all time, Dempsey; but
there was as great il not greater
tribute to the blond. blue-eyed giant
who came back to slash and cut his
foe into semi-helplessness at the end.
1t was the tribute of the worlds
greatest and costliest fight crowd to
thrilling bout and it's brilliant ac-
tors. 1t came from a throng that
numbered close to 100000 and that
paid approximately $2,700.00O, figures
that surpassed anything the golden
era of the ring has known. 1t was
the climax of Tex Richards mightiest
promotion venture in the country's
biggest sports arena. spectacle that
daZzled the eye with its vast expanse
and brought the great and near-great
of the Nation together as they never
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