The evening world., 1919-02-05
Money Is No Object These Days,
When One Considers Rickard;
Look What They Have Offered
Benny Leonard.

H hbiNb Is all the money coming
w from7 Here Is this spend
Thrift Tex Richard offering Jess viii.
ard 100000 TO defend his pugilistC
honors and rendering Jack Dempsey
s-9,lvo or no TO see II Jess is stnl thcr,
a. a defender.
On top OF this comes news that
aenny Leonard is to get something
IKE 100000 to take a trip through
Asia and Africa and adjacent points.
Just as II Benny was not well enough
provided for by this proposition. along
comes Dick Curley with an angel
who Is willing to give Mr. Leonard
100000 for slipping on his nghtins
toys just four times.
The only stipulation In Curley's
ofer is that one OF Benny's ring part
ners must he Johnny Dundee and
that when they face each other II
must be under conditions providing
for n twenty-round contest, with a
referee 10 hold up the hand OF the
winner at the end. Even IL Benny
should suffer the ignominyof a knock
out at Johnny's hands. he must 20
through with the other three fights
and DO licked good and proper 10
earn a clear claim 10 the atoremen-
toned 100000. All this when we are
trying to ind out a way 20 recon-
struct the map OF Europe and feed
the hungry peoples thereof.
This Curloy fellow is myste.i .ious
For Instance, he would not tell who Is
the angel willing to part with so
much money for the pleasure OF see
ing Benny Leonard's hair mussed
And Dick won't even say just where
he Is figuring TO pull Off these mo-
mentous contests. Perhaps there is
q good reason for his secretivoness.
Maybe he Is afraid that Jim Buckley
may blow back TO town ond con-
script the New Haven philanthropist.
However. we should worry. Dick has
wired his OFFER 20 Billy Gibson 10
Frisco, and he Is awaiting his ac-
osptance or refusal. Looks TO us as II
Dick is 4 little jealous OF the repu-
tation Tex Rlckard has acquired.
CUPPORTERS OF tho Gibbs Box
y ing Bill are so confident OF It's
passage at Albany that already
names arc being brought forward as
candidates Tor the One Man Com
mission that will keep the iistic sport
on an even keel. The name most
mentioned as the likely one to be APP
pointed by Gov Smith to boss the
boxing Job Is that OF James W.
wadsworth Sr OF Gcnesce. Mr.
Wadsworth is father OF the present
United States Senator from New
York. and for many n year he's been
wrapped up in the turf as breeder.
owner OF thoroughbrcds and state
Racing Commissioner. In between
times the elder Wadsworth hds MAN.
ifested great interest in boxing. -Four
years ago Mr. Wadsworth was men
toned as the proper man TO inject
new life into the last commission
that succeeded in handing u knock
out to the ring sport.
vsnced age and activities in other
lines, frowned on the suggestion at
the time. 1t is somewhat difficult to
believe that the venerable sportsman
could SEQ his way clear TO accept a
post that would require the most
strenuous kind OF ondoavor.
As outlined In the Gibbs bill. the
commissionership Is some job. Clubs
and referees must bc properly
licensed and an eagle cyo cast on the
take a short cut TO evade the COM
missions regulations.
Tho State Athletic Commissioner
is 20 have a salary OF $500 and trav-
cling eNp' nses. A secretary will re-
oeive $500 In addition to numer-
Gus other duties. the Athletic Com
missioner is to have the power u
subpoena and swear witnesses. This
will enable him to peep into all con-
tests that don't appear to be strictly
above decks and tick the omcia
count on all parties who might be SC
absend- minded as 20 stray off In,
line. The term OF the Commissio onei
10 10 last with that OF the Governor.
Whether boxing will successful,
weather the rocorstructon porio,
win depend greatly on how eficienu,
the new bill, If p,ade a law. is ad
mtnistered. MIR. WadsWorth, for ex
ecutive ability and a broad view OF
the spOit, would make an ideal Com
missioner only We believe the strcnu
ous duties & tho new oomni ssio
should r. placed on younger shouI
ders.
NNE OF the many pitfalls tina
" brought about tho collapse q
the lamented Federal Lodgu
was the concentration OF club owner
ship. Syndicate ball. beloved IN
opposition, ana indeed it looked tina
way. with one party owning four clu
franchises. Recent developments j
the National League would lead one {
believe that league affairs were bein
steered 10y nero handful OF now