Jack (Nonpareil) Dempsey

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For other uses, including another boxing champion, see Jack Dempsey (disambiguation).
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John Edward Kelly (1862–1896). Better known as Jack (Nonpareil) Dempsey, called "Nonpareil", because no one could defeat him. He was defeated only three times out of 65 contests.[1] This ended when Bob Fitzsimmons pummelled him around the ring and begged him to concede before he was hurt any more. But Dempsey, the reigning champion, wouldn't give up so Fitzsimmons knocked him out.

Dempsey was born on December 15, 1862 in Curran, County Kildare, Ireland.[2]

Dempsey died of tuberculosis at age 33, on November 1, 1896, at the Portland, Oregon, United States home of his wife's parents.[3] He was buried in an unmarked grave at Mt. Calvary Cemetery. M. James Brady, Dempsey's father-in-law, refused to permit former World Champion John L. Sullivan and John S. Barnes to raise funds to erect a monument over Dempsey's grave. The family believed that the four-foot marble shaft was a sufficient memorial. The matter was thus dropped.[4]

Dempsey was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954, and into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ring Sports Magazine. (Reno, Nevada) April 1994.
  2. ^ Callis, Tracy (January 1999). "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey…slick and quick. Cyber Boxing Zone Journal.
  3. ^ Mt. Calvary Cemetery
  4. ^ Tacoma Daily Times (Tacoma, Washington), March 13, 1909.
  5. ^ Callis, Tracy. Cyber Boxing Zone "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey (John Edward Kelly). Cyber Boxing Zone Journal.

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