1889-08-27 Jack Dempsey L-KO32 George LaBlanche (San Francisco, CA, USA)

1889-08-28 Daily Alta California (San Francisco, CA) (page 8)

DEMPSEY'S DOWNFALL.
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After Scoring Fifty Victories the Nonpareil is Defeated.
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KNOCKED OUT BY LA BLANCHE.
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The Laurel Wreath Wrested from the Champion Middle-Weight in the Thirty-first Round.
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The new exhibition hall of the California Athletic Club (formerly Armory Hall) located directly opposite the gymnasium of the club, was crowded to its utmost seating capacity last evening, there being fully 1600 persons present to witness the contest between Jack Dempsey and George La Blanche, two of the cleverest middle-weights in the world to-day, for a purse of $5500, the loser to take the $500. These two men had met about two years ago and fought one of the hardest battles of thirteen rounds on record. The fight was for the middle-weight championship of the world and the diamond belt presented by the Police Gazette of New York, which belt was held by La Blanche up to the time of his defeat by the "Nonpareil." The belt has been on exhibition in a Grant avenue tailoring establishment for the past week and has attracted considerable attention. The phenomenal success of the California Athletic Club and its increase in membership, compelled the Directors to seek larger quarters for their monthly exhibitions, and in securing Armory Hall the club adds another peg in the ladder of success, the seats being well arranged and built on the incline running from the north and south sides of the ring, which is thirty-two feet square and elevated from the floor about four feet. There is a gallery in the north end capable of seating about 300 persons, and in the south end private boxes, which will hold several hundred. The reporters' stand is located in a gallery on the east side of the ring, and was built expressly for members of the press, and to the credit of the Directors none others were admitted. Directly opposite, and on the west side of the ring, an elevated gallery has been erected for the time-keepers, and directly over their heads, and in full view of every person, is the dial which points to the expiration of the three minutes fighting time and the one minute rest, according to the Marquis of Queensberry rules.

Prior to the great event of the evening and precisely at 8 o'clock, Billy Jordan, the master of ceremonies, together with Billy Dacey, a clever light-weight of New York, and Jack De Lancy, his friend and companion, made their appearance and boxed four lively rounds. Billy McCarthy and Joe Choynski followed, Choynski going down in the second round and sliding on his ear under the ropes, filling the ear with resin. Gus Brown and Young Frenchy came next and gave a very amusing set-to of four rounds, Brown holding his own with Frenchy. It was 9:25 when Denny Costigan, Dempsey's second, made his appearance on the stage, followed by George La Blanche and Jack Dempsey. After some talk about the gloves, the dispute was settled by a toss-up, Dempsey winning. La Blanche was seconded by John Donaldson of Minneapolis and Paddy Gorman, the Australian, while Denny Costigan and Ed. Campbell of Oregon looked after Dempsey. C. C. Coleman acted as timekeeper for the club, while Ed. Graney looked after La Blanche's interests and Mr. Luxe Dempsey's. H. B. Cook acted as referee. At 9:36 the men shook hands and time was called.

First round--Dempsey came up, pulling up his trunks, and facing La Blanche, smiled at him. After a few seconds' sparring La Blanche was the first to lead, with his left, Dempsey stepping back, and the blow tapping Dempsey's shoulder. The men clinched at the ring side, after La Blanche had worked Dempsey into a corner. Dempsey worked himself out with a poke with his left on La Blanche's face. La Blanche worked Dempsey again into a corner, and swinging his right, caught the "Nonpareil" around the neck, throwing him to the floor, Dempsey going down on one knee.

In the second round Dempsey punished La Blanche about the face with his left. La Blanche forced the fight, Dempsey ducking and La Blanche going to the floor in Dempsey's corner.

From the third to the fifth round the men fought desperately, Dempsey punishing La Blanche about the face and eyes. During the latter round La Blanche swung Dempsey to the floor. Hisses were given for the Marine.

In the sixth round La Blanche grabbed Dempsey during a clinch and lifted him from the floor. The referee now cautioned the men for the first time. Dempsey continued to punish the Marine about the nose and eyes with his left.

During a clinch in the seventh round Dempsey hit the Marine in the mouth, the latter spitting blood.

In the eighth round La Blanche got in a heavy blow on Dempsey's ear as they were breaking away, causing Dempsey to run around the ring with his hand to that organ. La Blanche was hissed again, but followed Dempsey, who smiled and said: "Come on."

In the ninth round La Blanche swung Dempsey to the floor.

In the tenth round La Blanche, who had Dempsey against the ropes when the gong rang, hit him in the face. This riled Dempsey and he fought back desperately. La Blanche turned to go to his corner, followed by Dempsey, who wanted to go at him in any shape, but was sent back to his corner by the referee.

From the tenth to the eighteenth round both men fought desperately, Dempsey punishing La Blanche about the eyes, his left being nearly closed. La Blanche got in on Dempsey's face and nose several times toward the end of the latter round. Dempsey caught La Blanche square under the chin with his left, sending him to the floor. When he got up the gong rang.

From the nineteenth to the twenty-third round was a repetition of the former rounds. Dempsey in the twenty-third round swung the Marine to the floor.

From the twenty-fourth to the twenty-ninth round Dempsey continued to stab the Marine in the face, the latter rushing and being cleverly stopped by the Nonpareil's left. Dempsey hit the Marine a little low down and was cautioned by the referee. La Blanche rushed at Dempsey, getting home on Dempsey's wind, the latter going to the floor. Just before the gong rang Dempsey got in on the Marine's face with both right and left, the Marine slipping to the floor.

In the thirtieth round Dempsey got home heavily on the Marine's wind and punched him in the face, but the punishment did not seem to affect the Marine.

In the thirty-first and last round Dempsey sent in a good one with his left that found a place on the Marine's nose. Dempsey got the Marine into the latter's corner and gave it to him with right and left handers. The Marine worked out of the corner and facing Dempsey, led at him but fell short. Dempsey countered and the Marine retreated and, whirling suddenly around, caught Dempsey square on the nose in the same manner that Jimmy Carroll caught Blakelock. It was the first time this kind of tactics has been introduced into the California Club. The blow brought Dempsey face forward to the floor, striking his nose heavily, which started to bleed. The timekeepers were counting the seconds and had reached seven when Costigan shouted, "Get up, Jack." Dempsey raised himself to his knees and raised his arms in the air and looked around dazed. He was in the act of getting up when the referee announced "out." Dempsey arose, and staggering to the ring side, grabbed the ropes for support, saying, "Fight on;" but La Blanche had heard the decision, and was the winner of the $5000 purse, but not the middleweight championship, as that has to be fought according to London prize ring rules. Dempsey takes the short end--$500--and many of his friends are in the same boat. Many thousands of dollars changed hands, not alone in the Coast, but in the East.