Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-03


then silence through which a few
shrill screams from far back in the
darkness could be heard. Then a
crash Of breaking wood as the specta-
tors climbed to their feet on the flin1sy
seats to see---if there would be any
thing to see.
1t seemed hours. Finally the time
keeper, realizing his mission at the
ring, started to count-after a long
interval. The shaggy head of Demp-
sey appeared above the level of the
ring floor. He seemed to be propelled
by many hands. He crawled up pain
fully, clutching 1T the middle rope.
Firpo waited bewildered Then a joy
Gus roar. Dempsey was back in the
ring.
In the corner Dempsey seemed punch
drunk, dazed. What Mulvaney called
the fog of fighting" overcame him.
There was a vacant glare in his eyes
as the combat was resumed. Then the
slaughter of Firpo started and 1t was
repetition of that butchery at
Toledo.
Firpo collapsed to the floor under
rain Of blows, Dempsey charging
like wounded lion. Firpo was up,
dropped and came up painfully
making futile motions with his
right arm. He dropped again and
Dempsey stood close beside him and
a little behind waiting. The
referee seemed dazed and fascinated
by the spectacle.
Once when Firpo had dragged him
self to one knee and was striving to
lift the other he was struck from be-
hind and sprawled on his back again.
Dempsey always was there, lowering
III 1an vrgfll oil fv, Al
eyes. The face of the champion was
savage, tigerish. The teeth showed
through the parted lips.
The watching crowd became frantic
and they tried to surge toward the
ring, smashing benches and ratings.
Firpo was down for the seventh time
Then he made a few SpaSmodic mo-
lions and stretched out absolutely inert
as the timekeeper continued to bawl
the count. The referee, finally SEEM
ing to come out of a trance, moved
over and raised the arm of Dempsey.
His seconds rushed out of the corner
! and bundled him out of the ring.
Policemen beat back the crowds as
they half carried him up one of the
aisles. Then it was that Dempsey
came out of the fog. They told of
screamed, What happened? Tell me-"
That first blow had dazed him. He
had fought almost the entire fight and
had butchered the Wild Bull of the
Pampas on sheer killer instinct while
the fog of fighting was on him.
Winning the Crown.
At Toledo he was Jack the Giant
"A Killer. The dull-minded Jess Will
lard, 6 feet z inches and with arms like
foremasts did not think that Dempsey
ever could hurt him. He had visions
of meeting another little man" who
would be quite as futile as was Frank
Moran, the only man Willard had met
since winning the championship.
A thermometer registered tempera-
ture of 116 degrees at the ringside when
Willard stepped ponderously out of the
corner and paved awkwardly at Demp-
sey who was weaving around him with
catlike grace. Suddenly Dempsey's
fist shot out and the huge bulk OF
willard sagged to the burning hot
canvas.
He sat there on his huge launches
utterly bewildered. First he tried to
of utter idiocy. What played
through his dull mind was, "the
little man has knocked me down.
That's rather funny" He dragged
himself erect and Dempsey was all
around him, battering at his face,
which had become CORY. seven times
did Willard drop or sag helplessly
against the ropes.
He was down and it seemed all
| over. Dempsey bounded out of the
ring. Then they called him back. 1t
was only the end Of the. first round.
The bell had been broken and they
could not hear it. They drenched VIII
| lard with water and sent him back
| to be butchered again. It was useless.
| When once more the bell rang to
summon willard to face his tormentor
for the finish soggy towel came into
the ring instead. After that the crowd
surged in on the new champion. A
solitary, figure staggered out Of the