William Harrison Dempsey

Dempsey, William Harrison "Jack" "The Manassa Mauler" (b. 24 June 1895, Manassa, CO; d. 31 May 1983, New York, NY), boxer, was the son of Hyrum and Mary Celia (Smoot) Dempsey. His father, a former West Virginia teacher and sharecropper, moved his growing family (which eventually included thirteen children) westward in pursuit of opportunity. Dempsey attended school through the eighth grade in Utah but was an indifferent student. By age sixteen, he worked as a miner and boxed in Colorado's mining camps under several pseudonyms beginning with "Kid Blackie" and ending with "Jack Dempsey." The latter pseudonym was borrowed from his brother Bernie, who had taken it from a deceased middleweight champion. Dempsey supported himself financially by entering mining town saloons and declaring that he could defeat anyone in the place. Dempsey summarily dispatched the voluntary victim, after which the victor earned another day's survival by passing his hat.

In 1915 and 1916 Dempsey knocked out virtually every challenger but remained largely unknown. In 1917 Jack "Doc" Kearns, a veteran fight manager, began directing Dempsey's boxing career. Kearns matched the best available heavyweights against Dempsey, who defeated all but one and knocked out twenty-one in one round. On July 4, 1919, Kearns matched his protégé with reigning heavyweight champion Jess Willard. The gigantic Willard stood 6 inches taller and almost 70 pounds heavier than the 6 foot, 180 pound challenger. Dempsey, nevertheless, knocked Willard down seven times in the first three minutes, broke his cheekbone in thirteen places, and finally defeated the mammoth Willard in only three rounds.

Although reigning as champion for seven years, Dempsey defended his title only six times. This relative inactivity undoubtedly contributed to Dempsey's loss to sixth challenger Gene Tunney. Before the Tunney match, Dempsey's best known bout came in Jersey City, NJ, against Frenchman Georges Carpentier. This fight, a milestone in boxing history, attracted the first $1 million gate. Carpentier, ironically the crowd favorite, lost in the fourth round. Dempsey fought 4 additional bouts, including two with Tunney exceeding $1 million. In a widely publicized 1923 bout, Dempsey defended his title against Argentinian Luis Angel Firpo. In the short bout, Firpo floored Dempsey twice and knocked the champion head over heels out of the ring at the end of round one. Dempsey, however, knocked Firpo down ten times and defeated him in the second round.

On September 23, 1926, Dempsey lost a decision to Tunney before 120,000 spectators in Philadelphia, PA. Dempsey lost a rematch a year later in Chicago, IL, by decision, but knocked down Tunney for the first time in the latter's career for approximately 14 seconds in round seven. Dempsey failed to return to his corner after the knockdown, delaying the onset of the referee's count and allowing Tunney additional time to recover. Although this controversial "long count" is legendary, Tunney claimed he could have risen earlier and deliberately waited to benefit from the delay. Dempsey acknowledged that the long count was exclusively his fault.

The twin defeats by Tunney effectively ended Dempsey's boxing career, although the latter fought numerous exhibition bouts to overcome financial difficulties through the mid-1930's. Dempsey worked occasionally as a referee but mainly pursued restauranting and various business interests. During World War II, Dempsey served as a director of the U.S. Coast Guard physical fitness program with the rank of commander and later toured the Pacific theater as a morale officer. This patriotic display enable Dempsey to overcome long-standing charge of being a World War I slacker. Dempsey had spent World War I working in a shipyard and continued to box. In 1920 he was acquitted of draft evasion, but his detractors continued criticizing him until World War II. Promoter Tex Rickard utilized the slacker theme to sell out Dempsey's title bout against Carpentier, a decorated French war veteran.

After World War II, Dempsey returned to the restaurant business. For nearly four decades, the affable, ever-present proprietor hosted one of New York City's most popular eating spots. Dempsey married four times, his first wife being an older dancer, Maxine Gates. Dempsey's second wife, actress Estelle Taylor, starred with him in a Broadway play and a motion picture while he was champion. Critics unanimously agreed that Dempsey could box but not act. In 1933 he began a ten-year marriage with singer Hannah Williams. At the time of his death, Dempsey was married to Deanna Piatelli. His autobiography pictures only his last marriage as a happy one. Dempsey fathered two daughters, Joan and Barbara, by Estelle Taylor. He also adopted Deanna Piatelli's daughter, Barbara.

Dempsey was nicknamed "The Manassa Mauler" by sportswriter Damon Runyon soon after the former won the championship. In 1950 an AP poll selected him as the greatest fight of the first half century. Four years later, Dempsey was elected the 'The Ring's' Boxing Hall of Fame. Dempsey, who compiled a career record of 62 wins (including 49 knockouts), 6 losses, and 10 draws, was named as the fourth greatest heavyweight of all time by 'The Ring' in 1987. Dempsey's popularity surprisingly increased after he retired. Constantly in the public spotlight, Dempsey continually won new friends with his gregarious, affable, and witty personality. According to oldtimers, no heavyweight could match Dempsey in his prime.

Rev 2002-01-15