The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-09-13
VS.. GIBBONS AT SHELBY

On July 4, 1928, 10 years ago, Shelby
q citv with a population OF 537, arOuSeu
amused and flabbergasted the world oy
staging the 15-round Dempsey GlDpoti
boxing match for the
championship of the world. Inc onei-
by Fiasco" proved to be a oeclueo SUI #
cess emotionally, though financially II
Was a headache, the loss amounting u
sim 000. Dempsey was given the oe,
cision' The fact that Gibbons stayeG
fine limit was hailed by some as Eloi la
Victory for the challenger, thougn ~
was second best on anyone's score caIu
There was nothing else to 40 p9C gaoe
Dempsey the decision, Wrlcn fte.etSs
Jimmy Dougherty did uIlne sana pSii-
oGei6hia to officiate. Besides rams.
nortation. he was to get 5000 Tor ms
Afternoons work.
He settled for half that Duh
The crowd was pro-Gibbons. The
gallery hoped to see Tommy WIN py =
Knockout. keep away from a @
Mn On POINTS: win on a foul or Stay
The limit. and wished all the bad luck
~ the world for the champ. u was.
Mt a great fight. Dempsey, Wtule aS
won. was content to establish, Keep anu
pile up a lead. Jack was mla-mn Inc
ed, showing none OF ms sro vau anT 1sleep
V1HlOlESnESS. Il A4S -,
hiows:" he wasn't in danger from any
tossed by Tommy. Jack played 2 con,
slant tattoo on Toms kidneys ana USE
the rabbit punch as his ALTERNATING
weapon to wear down his man.
The champ was an over-whelming
fovorite to win by a kayo in the battle.
II was the first time hat n Gnai a..
lenger meeting the champ was SUI! oa
his feet at the finish since Dempe5y =
became champion. Dempsey w9i honH
mi while Gibbons danced ana mop
stepped around the ring, occasionally
slipping a right or left to DEMPSEY
face, then eluding danger by going into
a clinch or backing away.
Gibbons waged a defensive fight, sell
dom assuming the aggressive oetSt1
mined only to stay the limit. ne olo,
giving the crowd its only satisfying
thrill. AS the bout neared its enc
Gibbons seemed thoroughly
Too many body and rabbit punches q
taken the starch out of him. AS ne
came out for the last round, Tommy
wax visibly all in. It is doubtful II ne
could have gone on much further. he
was a hero to the crowd though he lost.
Dempsey weight 1856; Gibbons 178.
Poor direction, mismanagement, mis-
understandings, reorganizatlons, trus-
teeships, citations, ~subpOenaS, accusa-
lions, denials, and other screWy items
nearly wrecked the show, though it
was certainly badly bent. The bout
vas arranged months before July 4. The
arrangements were Satisfactory to cham
pion and challenger; articles were sign
ed; training camps set up; publicity
was creating widespread interest; all
was serene and regular until 10 days
before the big event was to take place,
and then hell broke loose. The first
payment to Kearns and Dempsey of the
$4,000 guaranteed then fell due, and
was not paid. The amount vas a hun
dred grand. Kearns broke into print
with a verbal barrage, threatening to
call of the show. In a few days the
money was paid. so everything was
lovely again or was until the second
500, 900 was due, three days before the
fight. The payment vas not made,
and again Kearns called Oft the fight.
Conferences occurred every few min
utes. The promoters announced that
the fight would 60 on. KearnS insist
ed that it wouldn't. Numerous at
tempts were made to straigthen the
tangle.
The bankers moved in-and out.
Then q group of 20 Montana sportsmen,
headed by Gene Lane of Lewistown,
assessed themselves & 5000 each, so
Dempsey's second inStallment was re-
ceived and receipted for. Kearns de-
clared the final installment Of $4,000
should be forthcoming on July 4th or
else-and he was sure mad, mean, mer-
cenary and stubborn.
Another precinct was heard from.