Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-27

O'KEEF'E AND TENDLER DENY
BOUT WAS FAKE; WILL BOX
FOR NOTHING NEXT MONDAY
Boxers Declare They Tried Hard But Couldn't
Get Started; Edwards Shows Olympia A. A. Is
BlameIess-Battle to Be Staged After Show
BY ROBERT w. MAXWELL
Sports Editor Of Evening Iedper

u do not care for any publicity on the
attair Your names will not appear on
the cards or any of the announcements.
The less publicity this match gets the bet
ter l shall like it. If possible I would
like to have nothing said about it until
next Monday night. just before the wind
up is put on"
Jack Haulon then stepped to the front.
u think 1t would be a good plan TO sign
an agreement right here he said. will
you please give me a piece Of letter
paper?"
Hanlon, Greenbaum and Glassman
| hfiXed their signatures to the articles
hastily drawn up and the match was on.
Let's see what O'Keefe and Tender will
do next Monday night.
Harry Edwards Explains
II will welcome an investigation by
Director Wilson," said MIR. Edwards. "and
shall abide by his decision. But while
Mr. Wilson Is looking into the affair |
VIII be conducting an investigation of my
own. ] admit that the O Keefe-Tendler
bout was not what we expected and was
one OF the first to leave But It Is the
height Of folly to even imagine that the
Olympia y. c. had anything TO do with Il.
we are dependent on the public and
we always try to put ON the best shows
possible. We have spared no expense. and
If you look back YOU viii see that we have
put OH more worlds champions than any
other club in the country. We realize
that one poor show will affect the at
tendance for several weeks and have tried
to maintain high standard.
Perhaps both O'Kecfe and Tender
had off nights when they met at the
club, but they will have to show me-
] wouldn't give them a cent to box even
in preliminary until they prove that
they did their best last Monday. The
public can be fooled once. but that is all.
/ am satisfied that IL the boys appear
in an extra bout after the show Is over
and settle this dispute which should have
been settled on Monday they will go
a long way toward regainins the conf
dence Of the public!"
Jack HanlOn Has the Floor
Jack Hanlon also had few words to
say on the subject
when l made the match" said Jack
'it certainly did look good. For months
these boys were regarded the best
bantams in Philadelphia and the fans
were clamoring for n match between
one OF them and either Kid Williams or
Johnny Ertle. Public opinion was
divided as to which boy should meet the
champion, so l saw chance to settle
the dispute once and for all.
"A matchmaker can procure boxers to
go in the show, but he cannot get in the
ring and fight for them If they fail to
make a decent showing the only recourse
is to bar them from the club in the fu-
ture He is forced to do this to protect
himself and his club,
IT do not believe the boys faxed it on
Monday night. They are in the boxing
business for all they can get out of it,,
and one stunt like that would ruin them
forever, Also, 1t must be remembered
that Philadelphia is the hardest town in
the world to pull off anything funny
The public is educated in boxing affairs
and can sense a 'phony' bout quicker than
the referee. l was surprised and dis
gusted with the bout and stood at ring
side shouting 10 the boys TO do some
boxing. They might have been afraid
of each other or had an off night, but
I am positive that the bout was on the
level, so far as the club and myself are
concerned, and the boxers did not fake"