Jack Dempsey Jack Dempsey William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed "Kid Blackie" and "The Manassa Mauler", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927, and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. A cultural icon of the 1920s, Dempsey's aggressive fighting style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first million-dollar gate. Dempsey is ranked tenth on "The Ring" magazine's list of all-time heavyweights and seventh among its Top 100 Greatest Punchers,
Manassa, Colorado about 8,500, is the home of Adams State University and is also the main trading center for the San Luis Valley. Manassa students attend public schools in the North Conejos RE-1J School District. There is an elementary school in Manassa, but older students attend the district's middle school (Centauri Middle School) and high school (Centauri High School) about north and west of Manassa, just south of the town of La Jara. The high school teams are the Falcons, and the school colors are red and white. There are two churches in Manassa: St. Theresa of the Baby Jesus Roman Catholic