William Harrison " Jack " Dempsey June 24, β May 31, , nicknamed Kid Blackie and The Manassa Mauler , was an American professional boxer who competed from to , and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from to A cultural icon of the s, [ 1 ] Dempsey's aggressive fighting style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history.
He pioneered the live broadcast of sporting events in general, and boxing matches in particular. Dempsey is ranked sixth on The Ring magazine's list of all-time heavyweights and fourth among its Top Greatest Punchers, while in the Associated Press voted him as the greatest fighter of the past 50 years.
Both of his parents became Mormon converts. His grandfather William A. Upon payment of his debts and funeral expenses, he directed that his wife Mahulda receive the balance of his personal property while his six children receive an equal share of his real estate. His last will and testament, as witnessed by Estella, John, and Hiram Dempsey, was presented to the Logan County clerk on August 10, One newspaper referred to them as "active workers" for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Dempsey was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , [ 8 ] in following his eighth birthday, the "age of accountability", according to church doctrine. Hiram Dempsey and his family returned to Logan County when Jack was a small boy where he was raised until shortly before commencement of his boxing career. Said the Logan Banner : "While he was a mere child, they returned to Logan county. Jack remained here until a young man, having been employed by the Gay Coal and Coke Company as late as , and then went west alone to seek pugilistic fortune.
He met Jack Kearns on the Pacific coast, from which point his spectacular climb to the pinnacle of the heavyweight division furnished the sport with one of its most romantic episodes. Many relatives live in the two counties; and they as well as his former friends have taken pride in his prowess and successes.
