One hundred years ago today, on 02-July-1921, heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey defended his title against French war hero Georges Carpentier. Dempsey was accused of being a slacker because he did not serve. Boyle's Thirty Acres was an arena built for this fight. It was used for other fights until it was torn down in 1927.
DEMPSEY WINS IN FOURTH
AMERICAN CHAMPION KNOCKS GEORGES
CARPENTIER OUT WITH RIGHT HOOK
76 SECONDS AFTER ROUND STARTS
Frenchman Loses "Battle
of Century" to Yankee Bulldog.
BY HENRY L. FARREL.
(United Press Staff Correspondent)
Ringside, Jersey City, July 2. -- Jack Dempsey
proved himself the greatest fighting machine in the world this
afternoon when he knocked out Georges Carpentier, the idol of
France, in the fourth round.
Two vicious rights to the jaw ended the Frenchman and brought the
fight to a dramatic climax when it looked it might go many more rounds.
After one minute of the fourth round Dempsey crashed his right to Carpentier's jaw and the
Frenchman went down in a heap near his own corner. He took the count of nine, with the slanty-eyed
Descamps looking at him from his corner in absolute terror. Dempsey stood three paces away from the
prostrate Frenchman, poised with his right hand ready to finish the fight . Carpentier arose with an
effort He had hardly straightened himself when Dempsey with his jaws gritted together, his bearded
face bristling with a look of savage ferocity, crashed his right again to the jaw after one minute and 16
seconds. The Frenchman fell to the floor with a thud that rocked the ring. He was obviously out
The count was unnecessary.
Dempsey stood over him again, apparently unwilling to be fooled by a gong like he was in Toledo
two years ago. He seemed to snap out of deep thought when Kearns, his hair standing on end like
waves, rushed to him and threw arms around him.
Jack Picks Up Georges.
Kearns tried to get the champion back to his corner but Jack pushed him aside, leaned over and picked
up Carpentier, holding him in his arms until the frantic Descamps climbed through the ropes and
dragged the Frenchman to his corner. Carpentier was out for fully three minutes. Even when he left
the ring nearly 10 minutes later, he could not hold himself erect. He smiled when Dempsey approached
him and shook hands with his left glove on the Frenchman's shoulder.
"Carpentier is a fine boy and gave me a tough fight. I am going as soon as I can," Dempsey said to
the press bureau.
Dempsey won the fight with his terrific body punches. He found in the first round that he could take
the vaunted right hand punch of the Frenchman, and he waded in, fighting a typical Dempsey fight,
pounding the Frenchman's head. Dempsey's punches were quite obviously wearing down the Frenchman.
In his corner after the first round Carpentier recovered and came back in the second to fight a
running battle. In the middle of the second round be got a staggering right flush to the champion's
jaw. It rocked the champion up against the ropes and the crowd yelled like maniacs when he followed
his advantages with rights and lefts to the Jaw. The Frenchman perhaps lost the fight at this
point. It was plain to see that he lost heart when he found himself lacking the punch to put the
champion out when be was going.
Carp Tries Running Fight.
In the third round Carpentier continued his running fight. He feinted twice, dancing and running
away from Dempsey to the ropes. The third time Dempsey showed his speed and cracked Carpentier with
a terrible left as he tried to get away. Carpentier was missing with his right. He was taking a
desperate chance to win with one blow. Dempsey with ever so slight a motion of his head would turn to
the right and left and the blows of the Frenchman slid off the champion's wet head. Carpentier landed
two rights flush to Dempsey's jaw, and the champion laughed. Dempsey retaliated with another
cruel body punch. The Frenchman looked at the French section of the press box and smiled feebly. He
was bleeding from the eyes, his mouth was open and the blood was running from his cut lips. His left
eye was closing rapidly. It was strikingly apparent then that he could not last much longer. Starting
the fourth round Jack Kearns yelled from Dempsey's corner, "Go after him now, boy; you've got him."
Both Are Cheered.
Dempsey, wide open, sneering at the Frenchman, did go into him, and knocked him out.
Dempsey was given a tremendous ovation. The hostility of the public toward him on account of his war
record was expected to bring him perhaps the jeers and boos that he got when he beat Bill Brennan last
winter.
Carpentier also got a great reception. He surely was a good loser. He smiled wanly at the
crowd and walked rather dejectedly from the ring. The vast crowd of more than 90,000 lingered in the
seats despite threatening rain clouds, to see Bill Miske and Jack Renault, the Canadian sparring
partner of Dempsey, go through the semi-final.
Carpentier entered the arena at 2 o'clock. He went immediately to his dressing room.
Carpentier's arrival was unnoticed by all save nine of the ninety-one thousand odd spectators. They
raised a cheer but the midget demonstration soon was over.
The challenger looked as dapper as ever. He was wearing a gray suit with a cap to match.
The challenger lost his way on reaching Boyle's Thirty Acres. He stood outside puzzled as to which
way to take. Two guides went out and piloted them in. Francois Deschamps, the Frenchman's manager,
entered the arena chattering to himself, with Parisian abandon, and gesticulating as he marched to
the dressing room a few feet ahead of the challenger.
Jack Dempsey left for the arena from the home of William C. Heppenheimer, bank president and millionaire
sportsman, where he spent the night, at 2:35 o'clock this afternoon.
Champion Cheered.
Dempsey was given a rousing cheer by a crowd of several thousand persons as he emerged from the house.
Escorted by Chief of Police Bentley. the champion entered an automobile and preceded by a
squad of motorcycle policemen, he was driven to the arena through a lane of cheering admirers.
Dempsey smiled and waved his hand in friendly greetings to the crowd.
Enters Arena Unseen.
The champion entered one of the Tremont entrances of the arena, virtually unobserved at 2:40 p. m.
A large crowd that had gathered on Montgomery street expecting him to enter the saucer on that side, was
disappointed.
Dempsey reached the arena at 2:50.
At 2:55 p. m. it was announced that the final preliminary was eliminated.
At 2:57 Carpentier came into the ring and two minutes later Dempsey came in. Carpentier wore a
long gray bathrobe over his fighting trunks. Dempsey came into the ring in his white silk fighting
trunks and a maroon sweater coat. He greeted the French challenger with a friendly "Hello, Georges,"
when he shook hands in the center of the ring. Joe Benjamin, Hayes, Jack Kearns, Mike Traut and
Bernard Dempsey, the champion's brother, were in Dempsey's corner with Manager Kearns in charge.
Descamps, Journee and Eddie Ledoux were in charge of the Carpentier corner. Manager Descamps
went to Dempsey's corner and demanded the right to examine the hand bandages. He excitedly pushed
Dempsey's seconds away and watched carefully as the tape was wound around Dempsey's wrists.
Mayor Hague of Jersey City and officials of the Jersey boxing commission were introduced from the
center of the ring. While this was going on, Carpentier kept constantly looking at one of
two airplanes soaring overhead. Governor Edwards of New Jersey was called into the ring and
introduced. Bill Brennan was introduced and challenged the winner. There was a delay of a few minutes
while Dempsey's hands were being bandaged in the presence of Descamps, Carpentier's manager.
With this over, a new pair of eight-ounce gloves were tied on Dempsey's hands by Manager
Kearns.
Descamps laced the gloves on Carpentier. The weights were officially announced as follows:
Carpentier, 172 pounds; Dempsey 188.
This was two pounds lighter than the figure Dempsey hoped to be when he got into the ring.
Promoter Tex Rickard crawled into the ring and warmly shook hands with
both fighters. Harry Ertle, the referee was attired in white flannels,
white canvas shoes and a white shirt with a soft collar. He nervously
paced the center of the ring while the gloves were being tied on.
Ringside, Jersey City. N. J., July 2. -- (By the Associated Press.) --
The carnival of blows, for which tens of thousands massed today
about a little 18-foot ring in Jersey City, opened at 12:10 with
preliminary bouts that served as cocktails for the feast the battle
between Jack Dempsey of America and Georges Carpentier of France,
for the heavyweight boxing title of the world.
The first bout was between Mickey Delmont and Jack Curtin.
In accordance with the New Jersey boxing law, no decision was
rendered by the referee at the end of the first preliminary between
Johnny Curtin and Mickey Delmont, featherweights, but Curtin
was generally conceded to have outpointed Delmont.
Crowd is Quiet.
The crowd was extraordinarily
quiet for a fight Crowd. During
the first bout there was hardly a
sound but the clang of the gong
and the thud of blows.
There was a sigh of relief as the bout ended. The crowd arose and
stretched after its first taster.
The second bout, between Packy O'Gatty and Frankey Burns,
bantamweights, followed immediately. Between rounds there encircled
the ring a plump lad of some one hundred pounds, with the benign
features of a cherub in white ducks. He bore aloft a sign
proclaiming the round.
Sprinkle at 1:13.
The crowd still was apathetic munching its lunch as the preliminaries
wended their weary way through the program.
At 1:15 it began to sprinkle. The rail bird with nothing but
the wide, wide world behind him was the only man who dared raise
an umbrella.
In a few minutes the sprinkle ended. Women in sport clothes
some of them wearing flowers sighed with relief. Close around
the ring were several girls apparently about 18, whose interest then
turned from their summer frocks back to ring events. Most of the
time these 20th century maidens sat with their eyes glued on the
squared circle. It was evidently their first fight.
Announcement was made at 1:30 that the house was sold out
meaning that the 91,600 seats were occupied.
Just before the third preliminary bout started Governor Edwards
entered the arena. "Hail the chief," cried the announcer through the
amplifier, and the crowd "hailed," showing its first enthusiasm of the
day.
Frankey Burns had an advantage on points in the second eight-round
preliminary. The third preliminary brought together Joe Metranga
of New Orleans and "Babe" Herman of California. They are
featherweights. That patch of blue sky always consigned to the tailors for a pair
of sailor's pants appeared at 1:30.
The referee stopped the Herman-Metranga bout in the fifth round
when Metranga was hanging helplessly on the ropes.
The fourth bout was between Dick Griffin, Fort Worth, Texas,
and Benny Coster, New York, bantamweights. As the afternoon began to get a
life-sized start, the mercury stretched a bit when the human
heat of 91,600 packed into the arena added its calories to that of the
sun, thoroughly veiled by clouds.
About 2 o'clock the crowd began shedding its coats and it soon
became a shirt-sleeve party.
FIGHT BY ROUNDS
ROUND ONE -- They were sent away at 3:18 p.m. Carpentier landed a light left and clinched. Carpentier
landed a right. They fought at close range in a clinch. Dempsey led a short left to the head. Carpentier
missed a right but connected with a left hook. Dempsey punished him, beating him unmercifully.
Carpentier was groggy and bleeding at the nose. Dempsey missed a right swing but beat Carpentier as
they clinched. Carpentier fell through the ropes trying to avoid a punch. He flew into Dempsey when
he crawled back into the ring.
ROUND TWO -- Carpentier. backed away and Dempsey poked him with a right to the jaw. Dempsey followed
after him, beating him around the head with rights. Carpentier was short with the left hook.
But he staggered the champion with six rights and lefts to the jaw. Dempsey staggered back a bit and
split the Frenchman's left eye with a hook. The cut was under the eye. Carpentier missed a right swing.
Dempsey missed a right swing. They exchanged body punches in the clinch as the bell rang.
ROUND THREE -- Carpentier ducked a left hook. Dempsey backed into the ropes and hit him with a
short right. Carpentier landed two upper cuts to the body in a clinch. As they clinched Dempsey
punished the invader in the body, Carpentier nearly falling down when he missed a right swing. They missed
lefts to the head and Dempsey punished Carpentier viciously in the infighting. Dempsey landed a left and
right to the head without a return. They exchanged left hooks to the chin. Carpentier's right swing was
short and Dempsey clubbed him on the jaw with left hooks in the clinch. Dempsey battered Carpentier into
a corner with rights and lefts at the bell. The bell saved Carpentier from a knockout. Dempsey's round.
ROUND FOUR -- Dempsey rushed Carpentier to the ropes and a left to the body made him wince.
Carpentier landed a right to the head and tried to hang on. Dempsey crashed a right to Carpentier's
jaw, flooring him. Carpentier took the count of nine and arose. Dempsey crashed his right to Carpentier's
jaw again, knocking him out. Carpentier was out for three minutes. The knockout came 1 minute and 16
seconds after the round started.
HOW THEY GOT UP
(By United Press.)
Dempsey rolled out of a luxurious bed in the mansion of General Heipenheimer, Jersey
City. Took a walk, bathed in a marble bathroom and breakfasted in an oriental room with dim
light coming through stained glass windows.
Carpentier climbed out at 6:30 a. m. at his farm house near Manhasset, took a cold shower
and dressed in a hickory shirt and old gray pants. After breakfast at 7 a. m. he went for
a long walk.
FINAL ROUND IN
LAST THREE BIG
CHAMP BATTLES
Jack Johnson vs. Jim Jeffries, Reno, July 4, 1910. -- Fifteenth
round. Johnson dashed at Jeffries like a tiger with a rain of rights and
lefts. Jeffries went down for the first time in his ring career. He fell
under the top rope over the lower one and onto the overhang of the
platform. He was up at the count of nine, helpless. A short left to
Jeff's chin and he went down again. As the referee counted seven, one
of his seconds put his foot into the ring and Referee Rickard
proclaimed the black man champion.
Jess Willard vs. Jack Jonnson, Havana. April 5, 1915. -- Twenty-
sixth round -- Willard met Johnson as the latter was coming from his
corner and set a long left to the negro's face making his head bob.
Willard smashed a right to the stomach and Johnson clinched.
Referee Welsh broke them and Willard rushed Johnson into a corner.
Willard feinted for the body. Johnson dropped his guard and Willard
swung to the exact point of the jaw. The negro's knees folded up and he
sank slowly to the floor, Welsh began to count the negro champion
out.
Jack Dempsev vs. Jess Willard. July 4. 1919 -- Willard staggered to
the center of the ring apparently dazed. Dempsey smashed at the
champion with right and left, Willard scarcely making any effort to
return. As the bell rang, be reeled back under a straight right to the
jaw. He never came back for the fourth.
AIR RAID SIRENS
WILL GIVE PARIS
NEWS OF FIGHT
Paris, July 2. -- (United Press.) -- The air raid sirens of Paris, silent
since the last time boche aviators bombed the city, will shriek the
news of Carpentier's or Dempsey's victory tonight.
Two millions of Paris gathered in restaurants, theatres, clubs, sidewalks,
cafes and in thousands of homes, will begin listening for the
siren at 8 p. m. (3 p. m. Jersey City time.)
When the whistling begins if it stops at three blasts the heart of
Paris will drop to the depths of despair. But if the tooting goes on,
announcing a Carpentier victory the lid will fly sky-high.
ODDS SHOULD
HAVE BEEN 94
TO 6 ON JACK?
Arena. Jersey City, N. J., July 2 -- The betting odds apparently should
have been about 94 to 6 on Dempsey.
The bleacherites and gallery gods among the fight fans have always been
noted for their keenness and knowledge of the game.
Of the 100 bleacherites in line to-day, polled by the United Press, all
but six picked the champion to win.
WON'T PERMIT
JOHNSON FIGHT
Kansas City, Mo., July 2. -- (United Press.) -- Jack Johnson, negro,
former heavyweight champion, cannot stage a fight here when he is
released from federal prison July 9, Prosecuting Attorney Orr
declared today.