Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1935-09-07
|lEETpeRY rs. GRBONs AT sHELBY

DEMPSEY VS.. GIBBONS AT SHELBY
ON July 4. 1928, Is years ago, Shelby,
a citv with q population Of 537, aroused,
amused and flabbergasted the world by
staging the 15-round Dempsey GIBBONS
boSino match for the heavyweight
chamDfonship Of the world. The Shell
nv Fiasco" proved to be decided sue
cess emotionally. though financially It
was q headache, the loss amounting 70
xIOO GOO. Dempsey was given the oe-
cision. The fact that Gibbons stayed
the limit was hailed by some as mora
victory for the challenger, though ne
was second best on anyones score caLu.
There was nothing else TO DO out give
Denpsev the decision, which Referee
Jimmy Dougllerty did unhesttatingly.
Douaherty was brought on from phil
adelphia TO offictate. Besides Trans
uortatfon he was to get 5000 Tor his
afternoons work
He settled for half that amount.
The crowd was prof Gibbons. The
gallery hoped to see Tommy win py
Knockout. keep away from a KNOCKOUT,
win on points; win on foul or stay
tha limit and wished all the bad luck
IN the world for the champ. II was
nj a great fight. Dempsey, while ne
won. was content TO establish. keep ana
pile I'D a lead. Jack was mhd-ma
Cd. showing none OF his Wanted rlng
viciosHness. He didn't throw any steep
blows" he wasn't IN danger from any
slant tattoo on Toms kidneys and used
the rabbit punch as his alternating
weapon to wear down his man.
The champ was an r-whelming
favorite to win by q kayo in the battle.
II was the first time that any cnal-
Ienrer meeting the champ was still on
his feet az the finish since Dempsey
became champion. Dempsey won IL
rounds. while Gibbons danced and hop
stepDed around the ring, occasionally
slipping q right or left to Dempseys
face, then eluding danger by going lnto
q clinch or backing away.
Gibbons waged defensive fight, sell
dom assuming the aggressive, oeCeE-
mined only to stay the limit ne qlo.
giving the crowd its only SatlSlylns
thrill. AS the bout neareo us enc
Gibbons seemed thoroughly exhausted.
TOO many body and rabbit punches had
taken the starch out Of him. AS he
came out for the last round Tommy
was visibly all Ia. It Is doubtful II ne
co1Ild have gone on much further. he
was a hero TO the crowd though he lost.
Dempsey, weight 1856; Gibbons l78.
poor direction, naismanagement, mis-
understandings, gantzations, truS-
teeships, citations, subpoenas. accuse
tons. denials, and other screwy items
nearly wrecked the show, though y
was certainly badly bent. The bout
was arranged months before July 4. The
arrangements were Satisfactory 20 cham
plou and challenger; articles were sign
ed: training camps set up; pupuclty
woe Treating wfSie-spread 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 was q hum
dred grand. Kearns broke into print
with q verbal barrage, threatening to
call Of the show. In few days the
money was paid, 30 everything was
lovely again or was until the second
800 600 YVES due, three days before the
fight The payment was not made ;,
aTd again Kearns called off the fight.
Conference occurred every few min
1rkeg. The promoters announced that
fSe fight would SO on. Keaxns insist
~ that II wouldn't. Numerous at
tempts we're made 70 straigthen the
tangse.
Ygae bankers moved inland out.
Then group Of 20 Montana sportsmens
faeadsd BIZ Gems Lane 81 Lewistown,
Msaema6 themselves @ 200 each, 50
fhssssfaNeve 8ac0m0 in@en1zment was re-
sss8slsa6 @aaA xwnasnksa For. Kearns de-
esIaraH kfsn fHazma 5nskadHmenk Of 100000
sksmsah# ~ NaRnAmARA@ Dm &aAy 4th or
elise and he wM@ azEga maad, mean, mer-
canMxy ems a6s
Another psea7 was heard rom