The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-05
Min1onaires, Diplomats and Common Fans Rub Elbows at Greatest of Great PugiliS- tic Enterprises.

GlC LutCI pIlSCS.
 TOLEDO, July 5-A member of a | big party from Toronto, whose train was parked near another special from California, reported meeting the last word in fight enthusiasts in the Coast party. This man was totally blind, | but paid s60 for a seat under 1lZ degree sun for a show which he | could only imagine from what his friends told him and from memories | of fights of earlier days before he was imprisoned in darkness. A brass band made spasmodic eff forts to play Jazz. but made sorry work of 1t. The brass instruments l were so hot they almost burnt the hands of their players. Many of the players had their hands blistered. Detectives from all the principal cities of the land were mingling in the crowds. while 800 Toledo citizens
 were sworn in to aid the regular city police force in maintaining order. Parking space for 21,00O automo-
 piles at s2 each was available outside ! the arena. The money goes to the city.
 Emergency ambulances and all po- lice patrol wagons were at police headquarters for instant use in event of trouble of any sort. Fire officials took every precaution and had men stationed in various sections of the arena. Fire apparatus was stationed outside the arena
 All physicians in Toledo were reg istered with the police and were available for emergency. Two hours before the start of the
 big bout spectators in the down town district still had big punches of unsold pasteboards which they were offering at an average of 10 per cent. below their face value. Sixty dollar
 tickets were quoted at fifty dollars. forties at thirty-three and fifteens at twelve. Even these reductions failed
 to move the surplus supply and it was
 evident that the spectators would
 have to cut their prices still further if they were to sell out. A number of special compliment ary tickets also made their appear ance in the hands of spectators and were easily identified owing to the fact that the corners of the cards had been clipped. One man after buying such a complimentary took 1t to Tex
 Rickard and asked him if 1t was good. The promoter was so indfg- nant over the abuse of the privilege that he tore the ticket into fragments and threw them on the floor with the remark: Tt was good, but it isn't now"
 The remarkable feature of the wait was the utter absence of betting. Sandy Griswo1d, dean of the boxing writers, who has been covering heavyweight championships for forty years declares that there was never a championship where betting was so shy.
 When Dempsey was proclaimed winner the crowd surged into the ring in a wild scramble to shake the hand of the new champion. At times some of them toppled over on the telesraphers and reporters just be- low. who were struggling in the mad disorder to report what had happen ed.
 Police eventually dispersed them by hust1ing Dempsey away.
 Willard was taken to an automo- bile and disappeared from view of the crowd. which then itself began the task of covering the four miles from the arena to the city as best they could by street car, automobile or on foot.
 During the last preliminary bout the crowd in the $25 seats rushed the $40 seats fin front of them. Fight fans as far back as any one can re- member have done this and a pack ed arena would have been the only thing to prevent 1t.
 The preliminary scrappers got no attention at all. They might just as well have been fighting in private. Occasionally some fan would tell them to hurry up. Knockouts passed with out even causing c ripple of excite ment.
 A Utah promoter. Frank 1T. Adams, says that the next big fight win be held in Utah. Salt Lake City is ready to furnish an arena. for 50. 900 specta- torA Tax RIckard end Adams have