1913-12-29 Jack Britton ND10 Al Dewey [Peerless Athletic Club, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA]

1913-12-30 The Scranton Truth (Scranton, PA) (page 8)

JACK BRITTON DEFEATS DEWEY
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Too Fast and Clever for Luzerne County Fighter Who Makes Good Showing.
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YOUNG CONWAY ON TOP
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Jack Britton, known as the Chicago wizard, and who has trimmed nearly all the topnotch 135-138 pound boys in the land, Packey McFarland excepted, outpointed Al Dewey of Wilkes-Barre last night in ten rounds before the Peerless A. C. in that city. The battle was one of the most exciting staged in that burg in years. Every round was a thriller, Dewey doing his utmost to land a knockout blow while Britton was jabbing away at him and avoiding wallops in clever fashion. About 1,700 spectators were in the arena.

Britton's principal stock of trade was his left hand which he used to jab his rival throughout the fight. Sometimes he would land five jabs on Dewey's face and head without getting a return. Jack didn't do much at infighting for the simple reason that this is the department in which he is weak. He is a wonder at long range and whenever Dewey permitted him to fight at that style, the visitor had things his own way.

Two Went to Dewey.

Dewey had two rounds in the fight and the others were Britton's by a wide margin. The first was Britton's and the second went to Dewey. For the next seven rounds Britton outboxed Dewey enough to give him a good lead. Dewey made a garrison finish and deserved the round, although he didn't do all the fighting in that period.

The second, seventh, ninth and tenth rounds were the stellar periods of the engagement. The seventh found each boy standing toe to toe walloping away at one another. In this round Britton shot his famous right across twice and one of them gave Dewey a shaking. In the ninth round Britton shot the same right to Dewey's jaw but Al simply smiled and went back for more. Dewey took good punishment, but was not cut up very much. Had he been able to get away from Jack's left handed jabs it would have been a closer exhibition.

Conway the Winner.

In the semi-final Scranton had a representative in the person of Young Conway of the South Side. He met Rubber Gibbons of Ashley for the fifth time in about two months. Conway won the bout by a good margin, although neither scored a knockdown and neither was marked up to any great extent. It was a first class scrap and pleased the sports who were put out by two preliminaries that had been cut short.


1913-12-30 The Tribune-Republican (Scranton, PA) (page 12)

DEWEY OUTPOINTED BY JACK BRITTON; FIGHT GOES LIMIT

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Famous Chicago Pugilist Finds Wilkes-Barre Boy Tough Customer. Young Conway Winner.

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Special to The Tribune-Republican.

  WILKES-BARRE, Dec. 29.

Jack Britton, of Chicago, considered one of the greatest fighters in the world, outpointed Al Dewey by a good margin before 1,100 fans in the Peerless club arena tonight. The combat went ten rounds, the limit, with neither boy suffering a knockdown and with neither being badly cut up. Britton was by far the cleverer and there was no question but that he won. However, it must be said that Dewey put up a slam-bang argument--his showing being better than was expected of him by some of his best friends.

Britton had height and reach on Dewey and used the reach to good advantage. The Western fighter was as heavy, if not heavier, than his opponent. It was said both boys entered the ring weighing under 138 1-2 pounds. But if one of them was over the person was Britton.

Britton Had Good Left.

Only occasionally during the battle did Britton shoot his terrific rights over. In most rounds he was satisfied to jab away at Dewey, some of these reaching his face, but a majority going to his forehead. He did little fighting in the clinches. With his advantage in reach he managed to keep away from a number of Dewey's hard rights, although on one or two occasions Al made them reach their mark and Britton's face took on a surprised look.

It was a splendid battle. Each round had a lot of action, Britton satisfying the sports by his clever footwork and boxing, while Dewey's continued forcing of the milling won for him the admiration of the big crowd. Britton had about seven of the rounds by a good margin. Three were fairly even and one went to the local boy. Dewey's best rounds were the second, ninth and tenth. He was fighting in wonderful style at the close.

Dewey a Tough Boy.

After the battle I asked Britton what he thought of Dewey and he said: "He's a good, tough boy, and don't let anyone think otherwise." Dewey was well pleased with his showing. He admitted that Britton was one of the cleverest boys he ever tackled. "He has a dandy left jab and that right of his carries a wallop, too," said Dewey.

It was the greatest crowd that the Peerless club has ever catered to. The total receipts amounted to about $2,400, of which Britton received $1,000. He fought under a guarantee with a privilege of percentage. It isn't known what Dewey pulled down.

Young Conway, of Scranton, and Rubber Gibbons went the limit in the semi-final, with Conway winning by a larger margin than he did last Thursday, when the two boys fought in Scranton. Conway hit the harder blows tonight and worked better at infighting. Gibbons' best work was in using his left hand jab. It was a dandy bout.

The referee announced that Porky Flynn, of Boston, and Jack Curfey, of England, heavyweights, fight next Monday night. On the following Monday night Frankie Burns tackles Tommy O'Toole.

There were about 100 Scranton sports at the mill.

  BUB.

1913-12-30 Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA) (page 14)

DEWEY FORCES BRITTON IN TEN ROUND DRAW

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DEWEY STAYS LIMIT WITH JACK BRITTON

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In a battle "Al Dewey of Edwardsville stayed the limit with "Jack" Britton of Chicago in 10-round mill at the Peerless A. C. last night. The local boy was on the short end at the close of the fifth round, but from that time on Dewey took the aggressive and forced the fighting. It must be conceded that Al proved himself a game, clever fighter and that he gave his opponent all he was looking for.

The crowd was one of the largest that ever attended a mill at the Peerless A. C., nothing left but standing room at 8:30, and the fans continued coming until time for the main bout to start. Naturally the majority were in favor of Dewey, but Britton also had his admirers.

The latter was there with a wicked left jab which he shot to Al's face time after time, only to have Al come back with a vicious right to the head or body. Britton's famous right did not seem to be working and he seldom landed with it. Dewey forced the going and kept boring in all the time, but he was wild and many of his blows were wasted through the clever dodging of Britton.

The first round was fairly earned by Dewey, who landed left and right to the wind and a corking left to the head. Britton jabbed Dewey in the face with his left, but not hard enough to hurt.

Britton won the second, third and fourth rounds, by pushing that left jab over on Al's proboscis with alarming regularity and drawing blood from the Edwardsville lad. Al came back with a couple stiff lefts to the face, but not enough to balance up with Britton's jab.

The fifth was one of the best of the match. Dewey rushed matters at the start and landed two left hooks to Britton's face which shook the latter. "Jack" then came back, assuming the aggressive and took the round. His best blow was a right uppercut which fairly raised Dewey off the floor.

Dewey showed a lot of stuff in the sixth round and made a wonderful spurt, planting a right hook to Britton's head and then coming through with three smashes to the mouth. The visitor was unable to keep Dewey back with his left jab in this round. Dewey won all the way.

The seventh session was pretty even, Britton trying to score with a chopping right, but Dewey made him miss several times. The eighth was a repetition of the seventh.

Dewey put on steam in the ninth, but Britton kept him away in fine shape, neither boy doing much damage. The tenth and last round was full of action and Dewey had a shade on his opponent, landing several hard rights.

The semi-final between Rubber Gibbons of Newtown and Jimmy Conway of Scranton was a fine battle. Both boys were in there fighting all the time. Conway earned the decision by a shade. Gibbons was bothered by a bad right hand which he sustained in his bout of Christmas afternoon.

Billy Welsh of Pringle and Kid Pritchard of Forty Fort met in the first preliminary and Welsh put his opponent away in the third round with a hard right to the jaw.

In the second preliminary Johnny Cooney of Ashley put the kibosh on Spike Hennessey of East End after one minute and forty seconds of the first round had elapsed.

In an added bout Johnny Cooney took on Freddy Haefling for four fast rounds and the milling was about even.

Jack Curphey, heavyweight from England, a new man in Dewey's stable, was introduced and it was announced by the referee that he would meet Porky Flynn in the wind-up at the Peerless A. C. next Monday night.

SHORT SPORTS OF ALL SORTS

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Crisp and Breezy Comment on Current Events; Pertinent and Newsy

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Were you at the Peerless A. C. last night?

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If you weren't you missed a corking good bout.

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Dewey fought the best battle of his career and surprised a lot of the knowing ones.

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Britton's left jab was a beautiful thing to watch and he kept banging away at Dewey's head all through the bout.

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Rubber Gibbons put up a great fight considering the condition of his right hand, which he injured in the bout at Scranton Christmas afternoon.

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With all Britton's jabbing, Dewey kept boring in every minute and the Chicagoan was kept moving all the time by the West Side boy.

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That sure was some crowd at the Peerless A. C. last night. Just goes to show that the fans will patronize good attractions. Dewey and Britton must have cleaned up right on the battle.

1914-12-28 Jack Britton ND10 Al Dewey [Peerless Athletic Club, Majestic Theatre, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA]

1914-12-29 The Scranton Truth (Scranton, PA) (page 8)

DEWEY OUTCLASSED BY JACK BRITTON

WILKES-BARRE, Pa., Dec. 29.--Al Dewey, of Edwardsville, was completely outclassed by Jack Britton in a ten-round fight which went the limit here last night. Dewey was at the mercy of the New Yorker at all times and suffered severe punishment from an unerring left jab which landed many times in each round.

Dewey was wild. In the fifth round he steadied and again in the ninth but aside from these two flashes he did not worry his opponent. He landed only a few solid wallops.

Al Murphy, of the Tripp Park section of Scranton, gave a classy exhibition in his bout with Joe Peters, of this city. Peters was game and both had a punch. It went six rounds. Miles Moran, of Scranton, severely punished Pete Farrell, also of Scranton, and the bout was stopped in the fifth round by Referee Jack Gallagher. A large house attended the mills. Young Driscoll and Kid Brown, both of this city, drew in the prelim.


1914-12-29 The Tribune-Republican (Scranton, PA) (page 10)

JACK BRITTON DEFEATS DEWEY

WILKES-BARRE, Pa., Dec. 28.--Fifteen hundred fight fans saw Jack Britton, of New York, win from Al Dewey, of Edwardsville, tonight at the Luzerne theater. The bout went the scheduled ten rounds, but Britton won by a larger margin than when he tackled Dewey about a year ago in this city. The receipts amounted to about $1,500.

Dewey's only rounds were the fifth and ninth. In the fifth he caught Britton with a sharp left hook that staggered him while in the ninth he rallied again, rushing Britton all over the ring. Outside of those rounds Britton had everything his own way, his left hand meeting Dewey's jaw time after time. Neither boy scored a knockdown during the ten rounds.

In the preliminaries Al Murphy, of Scranton, won from Joe Peters, of this city, in six rounds, but in doing so hurt both his hands. In another prelim Miles Moran, of Scranton, stopped Pete Farrel, of Scranton, in the fifth round.


1914-12-29 Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA) (page 13)

AL DEWEY BEATEN BY JACK BRITTON IN GOOD BATTLE

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New Yorker is Too Clever for West Side Boy and Wins by Good Margin

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JOE PETERS IS DEDEATED

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Al Murphy Too Strong for Peters, Who is Very Game But Lacked Weight

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Jack Britton of New York defeated Al Dewey in ten-round wind-up.
Al Murphy of Scranton won over Joe Peters in six rounds.
Miles Moran and Young Farrell of Scranton were so bad that bout was stopped in fifth.
Young Driscoll of East End defeated Young Brown of East End in six rounds.
Referee--John Gallagher.
Timekeeper--Elwood Smith.

Al Dewey, the pride of Northeastern Pennsylvania, was defeated last night at the Majestic Theatre by Jack Britton of New York, in their ten-round battle. The Gothamite carried off the honors in six of the ten rounds, taking the second, fourth, fifth, seventh, ninth and tenth rounds. Dewey made a good rally in the eighth and won by a shade, while the first, third and sixth were fairly even. The West Side boy didn't have a chance with Britton, who hit him at will.

Britton boxed all around Dewey, stepping around the ring and pecking away with left jabs until Al's face was red as a ripe tomato. Jack would vary the attack with an occasional right swing to the face, but the principal method of attack was a left jab, which landed with the nicety of a piston rod and with the force of a trip-hammer. This method of attack had a tendency toward slowing Dewey up, but he never stopped fighting for a second, and the 1,600 fans gave him credit for his earnest trial against Britton. But all those in attendance, who saw the battle between these boys last winter, claimed that Dewey didnot put up as good a battle as he did on their first meeting. But it might be remembered that at that time Britton was far from being a well man, while last night he was in the pink of condition.

Britton was out to score a decisive win and that is just what he did. While he didnot punish the local boy severely, he landed enough punches to the face and body to give him the decision by a good margin. Britton started to rough matters in the fourth round, hitting in the breakaway and apparently trying to get Al's goat. Referee Gallagher cautioned Britton, who claimed that Dewey was hanging on.

The first round was fairly even, with both boys sparring and feeling each other out. There were no blows of any consequence struck in this session. The second round was faster, with Britton starting to use his left hand to advantage. He sent it to Dewey's face hard and often, while Al played for the body, landing several light blows to the wind.

The third round was fairly even. Dewey landed several hard body blows, but Britton came back with a bundle of left jabs, which evened the going. The New Yorker took the fourth with east. He walloped Dewey with both hands to the face. Britton was very rough in this round, wrestling Dewey and hitting in the breakaway. The clever Britton also took the fifth, continuing to peck at Dewey's face with left jabs, causing the latter's map to take on a pinkish hue. But Al came back for more and continued to play for Britton's face and wind.

The sixth was fairly even. Dewey made Britton miss with right and left swings repeatedly and the crowd applauded Dewey and booed Britton. Britton continued to jab, while Dewey sent several hard rights to Britton's face. The seventh and eighth were all Britton's, who jabbed Dewey around the ring, there being hardly a return from the local boy. The ninth was different. Al got busy right from the start of the session and carried the fight to his opponent in a surprising manner. The latter roughed matters considerably, but Al stayed right with him. The tenth belonged to Britton, who forced the going in this session.

The first preliminary was between Young Driscoll and Young Brown, both of East End. Brown had height, weight and reach on Driscoll, but that made no difference to the little Scotchman, who gave Brown, the East End poet, a fine lacing. Young Farrell and Miles Moran, both of Scranton, were supposed to fight in the second preliminary, but they panhandled around for five rounds and then the referee stopped it. Joe Peters of East End was defeated by Al Murphy of Scranton in the semi-final. Murphy was too strong for the local boy and possessed the harder wallop.