100 years ago

Jack Dempsey, world’s heavyweight champion, knocked out Luis Angel Firpo, the Argentine challenger, in the second round of a scheduled 15 round bout tonight. The bout ended 57 seconds after the start of the furious second round when Dempsey floored the challenger with punches to the body, and when he struggled to his feet knocked him out with a left and right to the chin.

The battle witnessed by 90,000 persons was one of the fiercest heavyweight contest fought in years. The Argentine giant after being floored five times in the first round knocked Dempsey completely through the ropes. When the champion crawled back in he was groggy and bleeding and probably only managed to last through the round because of his greater experience.

50 years ago

There were plenty of outstanding performances at the Pendleton Round-Up Thursday, but the best has to be those by Lynn Perry, Dale Trottier, Royce Smith, Smokey and Idaho.

Smokey? Idaho? Most of the 7,300 spectators at the show Thursday probably would ask the same questions if they didn’t take another look at their programs. Smokey and Idaho are horses.

In the bucking contests, as rodeo fans know, the judges score both the rider and the horse. No matter how good a job the rider does, he won’t score high unless the horse also performs well. As a result, it is unusual for a cowboy to score in the 70s.

But along came Smith, of Challis, Idaho, and Trottier, of Crooked Creek, Alberta, in the bareback contest. Smith, aboard Idaho, registered a 72. Later in the afternoon, Trottier, on Smokey, racked up a 78!

25 years ago

Are you tough enough to drag a fire hose 100 feet, or climb a ladder with one draped over your shoulder?

If you are, you might make a good reserve firefighter.

The Pendleton Fire Department tested about 36 applicants on Saturday for openings in its reserve and resident reserve programs.

The department opened the positions after changing its volunteer status to that of reserves at the end of last year. The goal is to have a “solid force” of reserves in case of a large fire like this summer’s grass fires, officials said.

In addition, one resident reserve and an alternate are being sought. Resident reserves, known in the 1920s as “sleepers,” are paid half of the Blue Mountain Community College tuition and given a play to stay in the fire station. In return, they fight fires as needed and must maintain a 2.2 grade point average during the school year.