|
|
Article: JACK DEMPSEY.(Sports)
- Article from:
- Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)
- Article date:
- October 24, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Rocky Mountain News. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Dialog LLC by Gale Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Byline: Clay Latimer News Staff Writer
Jack Dempsey's final fight was in 1927, but his name and fighting spirit remain part of boxing lore.
The rugged heavyweight was world champion in the Golden Age of Sports, the 1920s, and attracted not only the first $1 million gate but also the first $2 million gate.
Dempsey was born in Manassa, Colo., in 1895, the ninth of 11 children.
After completing the eighth grade, he started riding the rails in search of temporary work. Whenever he could, Dempsey fought in local clubs in Colorado, Nevada and Utah.
In 1917, he focused solely on boxing; two years later, he earned a title shot ...