The ring article on dempsey

Hold on now. My understanding is that Dempsey did not in fact "try" to enlist during 1917-1918 but that a witness from Great lakes Naval Training Center (John Kennedy) came in as a witness on behalf of Dempsey in this respect and there has been some allegation by researchers that this testimony may well have been bought or given as a favor and was not entirely truthful. Regardless his testimony hinged on the supposed fact that Dempsey approached him privately about joining the navy and that before Kennedy could get the paperwork ready the secretary of the navy suspended volountary enlistments. This little fact pins down Dempsey's supposed change of heart to August of 1918. Less than three months later the war was effectively over. There is certainly no physical evidence that Dempsey EVER tried to enlist and indeed his May 1917 draft card asks an exemption on behalf of his wife and mother as being their sole support (despite him being listed as an unemployed carpenter and despite the fact that it was proven in court that Dempsey's two brothers, a sister, and his father had worked in 1917). So in mid 1917 he didnt want to join the effort and by mid/late 1918 he was being criticized for not joining the effort and taking pictures supposedly working in the shipyards (which he wasnt) and suddenly he has a change of heart.

The idea that Dempsey "contributed" $330,000 in war bonds (which the actual transcipt correctly states that was several different charities connected with the war effort, not just war bonds) is a MASSIVE stretch. First of all Dempsey didnt "contribute" any of that money. He lent his services to a handful of exhibitions for various causes (not all of which were associated with War Bond drives). These cards were typically stacked from top to bottom with talent, so the idea that Dempsey was pulling all of those ticket buyers in is ridiculous, he wasnt even a major draw until mid 1918. And on one occasion Dempsey refused to fight for charity when his opponent was deemed to tough (an aging Joe Jeanette). Dempsey contributed his services, nothing more nothing less and he certainly didnt draw the lions share of those $330,000. Guys like Benny Leonard and many many others had a hand in that as well. Guys who were a lot better known than Dempsey at that point.

I think the facts clearly point to the idea that Dempsey and Kearns were protecting Dempsey from the war in an effort to hunt down a title shot or at least paydays.

Furthermore, there was evidence supporting the claims that Dempsey worked in the whorehouse where Maxine was employed and at least one of his biographers has suggested the possibility that he was used to "break" virgins before being sent to work in the cathouse. Indeed, a lot revisionists have tried to debunk the letters Maxine had which painted Dempsey as pretty unwholesome character sexually but the fact is that these letters were handed over to the grand jury, their authenticity of having been written by Dempsey was never question, and anecdotal information suggests they were indeed pretty graphic. That being said, frankly I dont care.

 

I dont know if Id use Kahns book as a historical reference. He wrote A Flame of Pure Fire with Dempsey's mummified dick in his mouth.

 

You really have a problem with Dempsey don't you??

To everyone else:

Does anyone know if there's any mention of the Flynn dive thing in any great depth too??

 

No, I dont have a problem with him but some seem to think he could do no wrong and that he was completely infallible. Just like your "Flynn dive" comment. If you listened to Dempsey nuthuggers youd think he was some teatotalling, celibate, who won WW1 single handedly, never lost a fight, and beat every man (white or black) that would face him. The truth was far different and has been clouded by 80 years of hero worship.

 

Dempsey is a huge favourite of mine, but of course he avoided going to war.

1918. His career starts to really pick up, he's on the brink of a title shot and riches. He's been poor all his life.
He's hardly going to rush to the trenches of France and Belgium, is he ?

 

Exactly. I don't really care if dodged the draft or if he worked in cathouse. I just think its silly for people to lie about it or perpetuate lies to make him seem like a knight in shining armor. Its like wyatt warp. Some people refuse to believe he was anything other than a one dimensional western law man who always wore white, always got the bad guy, and never did any wrong. When in fact he was much more complex than that and. As a result more interesting.

 

It was always rumored by detractors that Earp ran whores and was a pimp. There was never any solid evidence other than anecdotal accounts until a year or so ago when records were found detailing with a period of Earps life that had been lost to history. It was found he was living in Peoria and running a ***** house. Case closed. Of course there are other allegations, more serious, against him but in my opinion these have never been proven conclusively although there is enough circumstantial evidence to say he wasnt exactly true blue.

I also get the impression that Kearns basically had a tight reign on Dempsey early on. I think Dempsey asserted himself more as the years went and well before their break though although I think in matters that were none to flattering Dempsey was willing to play on Kearns earlier domination and blame him for things that later on Dempsey could have and would have overruled. Kearns became something of whipping boy. Not that he didnt deserve it but in some regards Dempsey could easily share in the blame.

 

Aye cos fighting a nation which is attempting to take over most of Europe is the same as fighting in another nation's Civil war eh?


Ali KO1 Dempsey