The Wilmington morning star., 1941-01-17
Dempsey Peases Crowd In Role of Referee
THREE AMATEUR
BOUTS MAKE HIT
Former Champ Throws No
Punches; Marsh Wins Bout;
Opener Ends in Draw

Some thousand or more people
crowded into the exhibit building at
Legion stadium last night in the
hopes Of seeing Jack Dempsey, the
one-time king of the heavyweight
fighters, throw his famous right at
some unruly wrestler.
Jack didn't throw a single punch,
but he started to several times and
the crowd was apparently well salts
fled with the results.
Along the wrestling line there was
just about all to be asked for, the
battling boys of the burping trade
mixed up the proceedings plenty
enough. There were f%isticuffs, COM
edy, Glowing, groans and graphing.
And out IF that emerged a winner
in Tiger Joe Marsh, the 220-pounder
from Omaha, who was awarded the
verdict by Dempsey who disqualified
Chief Little Beaver, the Cherokee In
dian, who was the near target for
the Dempsey right.
The other graphing bout ended in
a draw, after Jack Reeder and big
Bill Bartush had won one fall each
and the time a out.
Outside of the appearance Of the
fistic hero, three amateur boxing
bouts by youngsters training for the
Golden Gloves drew the biggest ap-
plause. The little boys really boxed,
the bouts, which ended in draws. be-
ing battles of give and take all the
way through.
Johnny Odum and Phil Batson,
both S0-pounders, put on a classy g.
hibition in the opening bout, which
was followed by a set-to between
Clifton Benson and Walker Watson,
114-pounders, who slugged their way
through three one.minute rounds
with much gusto.
The bout which saw the most &C
ton, however, was the final match
between j. P. Jenrette and Reggie
Sykes, both 118 pounds, who slugged
and punched the whole time. This
one really had the crowd on edge.
w I'LL Ruuy Ald1 LII ISlSl GSlllS DOL
tush, 23O, and Reeder, 220, mixed it
up in a lengthy affray of slow-mo-
ton most of the way, with Bartush
taking the first fall in 3S minutes
with a series Of body slams and leg
locks. Reeder conceded the loss of
the fall. Most of the time during
this heat the two grapplers were
tied up in a knot resembling a pref
eel and most of the crowd yawned.
Reeder came back fast in the
second heat and used the same
methods-body slams and leg lock-
to pin Bartush in % minutes. TIL
Commute time limit being up the
match was declared a draw.
Little Beaver, the villain again,
and Tiger Joe put on a nice show
in the finale. There were aero
battles and fist %flinging and Demp-
sey stepped in several time to sep
arate the two and warn the Chief
for his eye-gouging and general
manhandling tactics.
Marsh came out the victor in the
first heat, ginning Little Beaver in
% minutes with a series of cody
slams. But the Beaver came back
in the second round to use the old
body slam technique and a leg lock
to pin Marsh in 10 minutes. After
six minutes of grY ppling in the third
cat, Dempsey cooked a right over
the Chief and disqualified him,
awarding the match to Marsh.
The champ then left the ring to
attend to ~autographjng chores and
the Chief glowered darkly in the
center of the ring.
Shelton Walker was the an
announcer and referee on the box
ing bouts and Charlie Register was
the time-keeper fer the whole
matches.
Dempsey, who autographed at
least 200 pieces of paper for both
youngsters and adults and posed
for several pictures, was given a
rousing cheer most of the way
through. He made a short a IN
the center of the rins and promised
to make another visit to Whining
ton.