The Washington herald., 1919-07-01
DEMPSEY FEARS
WILLARD FORFEIT
Kearns Afraid Champion
Will Not Meet Dempsey
In Ring.
BY DAMON RUNYoN.

Toledo. Ohio. June s0.-The soul Of
the good Mr.. Kearns. who manages
Mr.. Dempsey. is filled with trepida-
tion.
You know" he was saying iuentiy
this evening, 81 won't rest easy until
see Willard in the ring"
The reference to be drawn from Mr..
kearns' remarks is that his mind is
haunted by a fear that Jess may de-
eide not to keep his tryst with Mr..
Dempsey by the old mill on the shores
OF Maumee Bay next Friday.
On what Mr.. Kearns bases this hor-
rlfying thought is not entirely clear.
and in view of the fact that Mr.. Will
lard Is to receive $4,000 for keeping
the appointment. we are inclined to
the belief that AIR. Kearns' alafm is
groundless.
Were Mr.. Willard fighting for a
peck OF potatoes, or for a can of sal
mon, we could see how he might de-
eide at the last moment TO go fishing,
instead Of calling at Mr.. Richard S
arena, but 5000 in Toledo, Ohio, is
$4,000 in Pottawatomie County, Kan
sas.
Mr.. Willard will be there.
However. manager must worry
about something a few days before a
fight. and this is as much a subject
for worry for Mr. Kearns as any
thing else.
We've agreed to everything with
out a whisper" says Jack. with just
one idea in view. and that's to get
Willard in that ring. We've agreed to
the referee ind to the judges with
out debate, although We don't think
much of that jury system. We've
agreed to everything the other side
has proposed. All we want is to get
Willard in the ring. After that we'Il
take our chances"
And while Mr.. Kearns did not say
so. that also goes for Mr.. Willard.
He, too. will be taking his chances.
SO far. Mr.. Willard has expressed
no mental concern as to the possible
ity of Mr.. Dempsey being at the ap-
pointed place. at the appointed hour.
Maybe he hasn't given the idea any
concentrated thought. 1t is a cinch
he would lie smoked up to some ex-
tent il he figured such a possibility y
eNisted.
Mr.. Willard has been the subject of
about IS many rumOrs as any cham
pion we have ever had. not barring
the mysterious Mr.. Johnson. 1t has
been whispered that Jess Is a sleep
walker, night rider. and everything
else Old Jacques Curley. who led
the Pottawatome giant to the cham
pionship of the world. was here not
long ago. and some Of the information
dispensed by Jacques regarding Jess
personality mas been enlarged upon by
vivid imagination 10 startling ex-
tent.
Maybe some of this gossip reached
$50 ""rs of the good Mr.. Kearns to
fill his moments with dire notions
Ii'H Il. "s Curley said, Is a man of
moods. At times he Is very sulky.
and when things are not going to suit
him his first thought is to pack up
and clear out.
Curley repeated the now well-known
story OF how Jess got peeved at some
thing down in Cuba before the John
son fight. and was going TO take his
ball and bat and go home. If he could
think of doing that when he didn't
have a dime. how much more temper
amental must he be now that he is in
dependent? However, 1t must be said
for Willard that with the fight only
five days away. he was today appar-
emily IN the best of humor and spirits.
IL he il Worrying he doesn't show L..
In personality Jess has improved 100
pei cent since the days he first be-
came champion. He is now cordial,
where once he was almost unap-
n""achable. He has learned a lot OF
things.
1t Is my opinion that he would
i -,et.' d sreat deal better on had
h. haG the services of expert advisers
and handlers in preparing for this
fight. but that is something which
now belongs to the past. II he was
wrong. he is the one to suffer. II he is
right. fstic managers will immedi-
ately drop 10 below par.