Flynn KO's Dempsey--Ringside Report

I phoned the Salt Lake City Public Library and asked for all their newspaper reports on the Jim Flynn-Jack Dempsey fight of February 13, 1917. A librarian, Michele Widera, was kind enough to send me xeroxes. One is easy to read. One in very poor condition. I begin with the one which is easy to read. I will post it in sections as I am typing it and so will waste less time if something goes wrong:

SALT LAKE TRIBUNE--February 14, 1917

JACK DEMPSEY FLATTENED OUT IN 25 SECONDS

Jim Flynn Makes Quick Work of It at Murray; Local Man Unprepared for Onslaught

Jack Dempsey of Salt Lake lasted about twenty-five seconds in his match with Jim Flynn of Pueblo last night at Murray.
During those twenty-five seconds Flynn punched Dempsey twice on the right side of the head, twice on the left side, broke down Jack's gaurd with his right and put the finishing touches on with a steaming wallop with his left to the jaw.
Dempsey was out half a minute. When he began to regain consciousness in his corner he evidently thought he was still in a pugilistic encounter, for he put up a strenuous battle with those who were trying to bring him around.
Although Dempsey well knew that it is Flynn's way to start from the instant the gong sounds, hurling himself into the fray with all the speed and strength of which he is possessed Jack apparently made no preparation to meet that first onslaught. He looked like a man dazed by the swiftness with which things moved, and he was as helpless before those two rushes of Flynn as though he were but a child.

Taken By Storm

Those who have seen Dempsey fight have always admired his ability to take punishment but usually the punishment came in the course of a battle, and to have it come all at once, like a bolt of lightning, was too much for the local scrapper. Perhaps Dempsey could have made a better showing had he been able to weather the going for three or four rounds, but he certainly was helpless before the tornado which caught him right at the start.
During the few seconds the fight lasted Flynn made two attacks. At the beginning he bent his head downward and bored in whaling away with both hands. Then there was a wee bit of a lull, during which the referee tried to do some separating and next came the onslaught with its two blow finish.

(end of part one--to be continued)

 

Flynn ko's Dempsey--Salt Lake Tribune, Feb 14, 1917--Part 2

Happened To Jim Once

Flynn himself is no stranger to the lightning knockout. Along in 1907, when Flynn and Joe Walcott were matched in San Francisco almost the identical end was put to the fracas as that which occurred in Murray last night. In the San Francisco affair Walcott and Flynn had no sooner shaken hands and separated than the negro let fly with a haymaker which put Flynn out for about thirty minutes.
Prior to the appearance of the men, Kid Egan and Slim Murphy gave a poor exhibition in four rounds. They were followed by Johnny and Alex Bratton, 9-year-olds, who sparred three one-minute rounds, and furnished all the sport that was seen at Murray last night. Those midget twins are wonderfully clever, and whack away at each other with a lusty ardor. They are equipped with soft gloves, and there is no fear of damage to either.

A Tedious Wait

Following the Brattons the spectators settled themselves back for the main event. They they unsettled themselves because the main event didn't show up. For forty-five minutes the fans who had paid from $2 to $5 for seats waited with noisy impatience. The delay, it developed later, was due to financial arguments in the box office. During the tedious wait a couple of firemen gave a three-round exhibition, and a good one, at that.
Naturally the crowd was much disappointed at the speedy termination of the thing that was to have been a fifteen-round go, but none of them doubted that Flynn's whirlwind tactics gave the veteran an easy victory, and they charged their disappointment to profit and loss and let it go at that.
Ernie Wright of Murray was the referee in the preliminary bouts and Ralph Armstrong was the referee for that part of the main event which took place. Jim Stanley was the announcer and announced on such rare occasions as the crowd would allow him to talk.

(end of article--typed in full)

*on the firemen giving an exhibition--this bout was partially a benefit for a fund for firemen killed or injured in the line of duty.

 

The second article, from the Deseret Evening News, is very difficult to decipher--I managed it only with a strong magnifying glass. Much of this article deals with the politics of the fight. The reporter claims the fight violated the law and scolds the sheriff for not stopping it, but it does contain a couple of excellent paragraphs describing the fight.

Deseret Evening News, Wednesday, February 14, 1917

FLYNN GETS KNOCKOUT OVER JACK DEMPSEY

Officers at Ringside Make No Effort to Enforce Law--Juveniles Allowed in Preliminary--Firemen Duped by Promoters--Staged as "Benefit."

In violation of the state statute the Jim Flynn-Jack Dempsey prize fight was staged last night in Murray, ending in a knockout when Flynn landed a terrific left to his opponent's jaw in the first round after 25 seconds of fierce fighting. Dempsey was insensible for several minutes and when brought back from the land of nod he evidently thought he was still in the prize ring and attempted to slug his seconds.

(the next two paragraphs deal with the legal issues this reporter raises and have nothing to do with the fight directly. Paragraph four returns to the fight)

During the time the men had been in the ring after shaking hands, Dempsey was hit twice on the left side of the head and twice on the right and the finish punch which closed the short but brutal contest between (illegible--I believe two words)
After being hit twice, Dempsey appeared dazed and he was helpless as a baby against the final rain of blows. Dempsey appeared ready to do battle at the opening gong, and rushed in with all his speed but the hammer punches ended his aspirations to be a winner.

(The reporter then returns to the theme of the fight being illegal. This is the concluding paragraph)

Sheriff John S Corliss said that while he was not there himself a number of his deputies were. The sheriff said he had instructed his men to stop the fight if it became brutal or if it assumed the phase of a prize fight in violation of the law. The reports he had recieved were to the effect that the affair was over so soon that there was no time to decide as to the merits of the contest and his deputies had told him they had no time to take action. Whether or not it was a violation of the law, he was unable to say.

(You can see the weird twilight zone area boxing occupied in that era. Thousands attended the fight. The trolleys ran extra cars to bring fans to the fight and take them home. It was partially a benefit for the fire department, although this reporter complains that the firemen only got $250 our of a $5000 gate. The sheriff lets it go on and gives out a classic "political" comment covering his own ass no matter what side of the fence you were on)

 

I also asked the library for any reports they had leading up to the fight and any on the fight or any controversy it stirred in the days after the fight. There was a preview on Feb 13, 1917 in the Salt Lake Tribune. It takes up a full column. It contains a couple paragraphs on the two sides agreeing to Frank Armstrong as a referee, comments by the promoter on the expected gate, and how extra trolleys would run to transport the crowds, and predictions by the two fighters.

Flynn said last night "I wish I could be as positive of everything else in the future as I am that I am going to win this battle." He is so sure of victory that he is ever ready to back up his belief with some spare change. "That's gotten to be my business of late--teaching these young fellows boxing lessions," he concluded.

Dempsey is not inclined to boast, but considers himself faster than Flynn and as having a better punch. He points to the fact that he stood up before sluggers like Wild Bert Kenney, John Lester Johnson and others and that therefore he is not worrying about Flynn's attack. "Stepping stones, that's what you call them, isn't it? Well, that's what this bout is going to be for me tonight," said Dempsey.

(The only real prefight analysis is in this paragraph)

Young Peter Jackson, a good judge of boxing, who has trained with both men, predicts a great battle and advises Flynn not to take Dempsey too lightly. Although he worked with Flynn for this go, he likes Dempsey's chances and says a great deal will depend on how good Flynn is today and how much much punishment Dempsey can stand and combat against.

The librarian informed me that "There was no mention of the fight in either newspaper after February 14, 1917."-----there does not seem to have been much post-fight controversy in Salt Lake City.