Dempsey, Jack (1895–1983)

views updated

Jack Dempsey (1895–1983)

During the 1920s, professional fighter Jack Dempsey—nicknamed the "Manassa Mauler" after his hometown of Manassa, Colorado—was king of the boxing ring. He also was a controversial figure, at once beloved and despised. His participation in one of his sport's most famous and contested matches not only cemented his legend but transformed him into a hero, a mantle he held for the rest of his life.

While still a teenager, Dempsey was boxing as an amateur under the name "Kid Blackie." He eventually turned pro and became the heavyweight champion on July 4, 1919. He knocked out Jess Willard (1881–1968) in the third round, and Willard suffered a broken jaw, two broken ribs, and four missing teeth. The day after his victory, however, sportswriter Grantland Rice (1880–1954) accused Dempsey of evading the military draft. Although Dempsey was found innocent in court, much of the public viewed him negatively because of the publicity surrounding the charge.

Dempsey's 1921 bout against Frenchman Georges Carpentier (1894–1975), a decorated World War I (1914–18) combat pilot, was billed as a battle of good versus evil. It was the first boxing match to be broadcast on radio and the first to take in $1 million at the gate. It was fought before ninety thousand fans, the largest audience ever to witness a live sporting event to that date. Dempsey won over the crowd with a third-round knockout of his challenger.

Dempsey held the title until September 23, 1926, when he lost it to Gene Tunney (1897–1978) on points in the tenth round. His rematch, held a year later, became one of the most celebrated boxing matches ever. In the seventh round, Dempsey sent Tunney to the floor with a powerful left hook. However, Dempsey did not immediately go to the neutral corner of the ring as the rules required, which led the referee to restart the count. Tunney got up at the count of "nine," which actually would have been "fourteen" had Dempsey immediately retreated. Tunney survived the match and was awarded the win in a ten-round decision. It was Dempsey's final professional match, as he retired immediately afterward.

Dempsey won sixty of his eighty bouts, with six losses, eight draws, and six "no decisions." Fifty of his victories were knockouts, and twenty-five came in the first round. He was truly one of boxing's greats.

—Rob Edelman