The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-01-13
BLAME OROURKE
FOR Fight ODDS
Betting on Palzer-McCar
Scrap Should Have Been
10 to 7 on Latter.
NAT GOODWIN IS HIT
Veteran Actor Heavy Loser as Result
of PIunging on Recent Heavy
weight Battle.
NAT GOODWIN IS HIT
BY W. w. NAUGHTON.

San Francisco, Cal, Jan. IA remark
able circumstance in connection with the
Luther McCarty-AI Palzer fight for the
white heavyweight championship was
the manner in which the rival betting
factions held each other to even money
wagering from first to last. There prob
ably never was a case like it
Very often a pair of pugiIists will sell
at even money in the days preceding
their match. At the last moment. how
ever, there is a pressure of money from
one side or the other, and one Of the
men will go into the ring a pronounced
favorite.
The philosophy of all this is that one
of the men has always commanded the
greater support. but that his hackers
have held of to the last so as not to
bull the market. Then in order to place
their money before it is too late, they
loosen up and offer odds.
With Palzer and McCarty it was even
money week in advance of New Years
Day. 1t was even money the night be-
fore and it was even money when the
men were taking their corners. After
the third or fourth round 1t is doubtful
if an offer Of to would have located
a PalZer man.
Now that il is all over the sports are
trying to explain how it was that the
hopes sold even. The majority appear to
think that Tom ORourke, PalZer's man
aser. was largely responsible for the
stubbornness of the market. !
Palzer and O'Rourke arrived in Los
Angeles in time to see McCarty defeat
jim Flynn. When that bout was over
and the Palzer-McCarty contest arrang-
ed, O'Rourke at once began to inquire
for bets He was willing at first to
give a little odds, but he soon found
that it wasn't necessary.
Betting Men Liked McCarty.
The Los Angeles betting men had
wonderfully good opinion of McCarty
after seeing the way he handled Flynn.
and they not only met the even money
bets, but made McCarty a slight favorite.
ORourke and his friends were always
ready to cover bets and presently the
Los Angelesans began to think. They
remembered that O'Rourke is a very old
timer at the pugilistic game and that
he has developed and managed many
worlds champions. They argued that
the silver-haired gentleman from New
York is the last person in the world to
throw money away foolishly and that
when he planked down his coin in sup
port of his Judgment 1t was time for the
other side to proceed with caution.
Before very long men who had won
on McCarty when he beat Flynn fol-
lowed O'Rourke's lead. ORourke's Gag
erness to back his man practically
paralyzed the betting. It kept at evens
with comparatively little doing in the
wagering line right up to the ring time.
Now that il is all over you will hear
some Of the sports saying that IL any
other man but O'Rourke had been be-
hind Palzer the odds would have been
10 to in McCarty's favor and that
many who took their cue from O'Rcurke
would have remained loyal to McCarty
and won large sums.
A laugh is going the rounds at the ex-
pense of Nat Goodwin. who was one of
the biggest winners when McCarty de-
feated Flynn. Goodwin was one Of the
first to greet Tom O'Rourke when he
came to town. From being much in
O'Rourke's company, Goodwin became
enamored Of Palzer's chances. He turn
ed his back on McCarty, in a betting
sense, and the switch cost him about
S,ooo.
Nat Goodwin Takes Chance
Goodwin sat close to the ring on sSew
Years Day and happened to be in the
center Of q group Of McCarty admirers.