New-York tribune., 1919-06-24
Is
Even for Jolt
OF Day Before
Jack Treats Partner
Roughly; Dempsey "a
To-day; Willard Rests
By w. O. Mcclellan


Once it was left hook to the pit of
the stomach and once right swing to
the jaw.
William Harrison Dempsey increased
the work to five rounds and half, two
rounds with the Jamaica Kid, two with
Jock Malons, the St. Paul welter, whose
hair is cut la Mike Gibbons, and one
and half with Bill Tate Bill was
scheduled to go two, but the middle of
the second round found him squatting
on his launches wondering which Of
the fourteen men in the ring was
Dempsey. Bill did not look as though
he had posed for the punch.
Of course, the skeptical are ready
to intimate that Tate was under orders
to take few. If this were true, Will
lam certainly carried out orders and
was martyr to his contract There
are some who are inclined to think
that Dempsey has gone bit stale be-
cause of the layoff, but it seems to
me this was wise. The added weight
which he has accumulated will be very
useful to him on the Fourth.
Sam Langford, the Boston Tar Baby,
visited the Dempsey camp to-day. The
lar Baby was mildly amused when he
saw his former rival, Bill Tate, dust
ing the res in from his tights.
Langford Picks Willard
"Bil looks kind of natural kissing
the canvas remarked Sam. 81 don't
think that Dempsey has a chance at
all. Willard ought to beat him easily.
He will win by knockout and when
ever he wants to, l am quite sure of
that. Dempsey misses too much and he
leaves himself wide open for a man
like Mr.. Willard"
The Dempsey enthusiasts who had
become trife thoughtful last night
after seeing Bill Tate find William
Harrlson's chin with such celerity.
ease and precision, frightened visibly
this afternoon. Of course, Dempsey's
practice work does not signify great
deal. Jack Kearns, his manager, an
nounces that Dempsey is not snowy
gymnasium worker. "He is not a
boxer" says Jack. "He is a fighter"
Willard rested to-day and spent part
Of the afternoon watching himself in
the movies. The champion admits
that William Hart has something ON
him as an actor, but Jess will con-
tlnue his efforts to elevate the silent
drama when 'he winds up his engage
ment here; provided, of course, he
winds up Dempsey at the same time.
the slightest doubt as to the result.
His reservations are ready and right
after the fight he probably will be on
his way to New York with 100000
In Liberty bonds tucked neatly and
unostentatiously in the inside pocket
of his gray coat with the fountain
pen we'll filled for the signing of more
moving picture contracts.
Contender Speeds Up
Dempsey put plenty of steam into
his work this afternoon and flashed
in and out around the black Jamaica
Kid like lightning around dark
cloud. In the first round with Bill
Tate William Harrison stopped some
straight lefts with his chin. In the
second round he began to reach the
place where William puts the pork
chops, with the result chronicled
above.
That the concensus of opinion here
is that it will be a pretty even affair
is shown by the tagging in the betting.
Negotiations at 10 to are pretty slow.
Detection set in with the Dempsey
hackers yesterday. To-day the Willard
hackers we're serious when Bill Tate
sat down to mediate. Betting on
rounds started to-day, but it is lag
ging.
Jack Heinen, who. boxed a while
with Willard, stopped in at the
Dempsey camp to take farewell look
at William Harrison before shaking
the dust of Toledo from his feet Jack
is convinced that Willard has some
power to his punches.
I'D like to stay and work out the
contract" said Jack, "but I under
stand that broken neck is a hard
matter to repair. If I remained much
longer I'd have had broken neck"
Steamboat Bill Scott, who relieved
Heinen. as sparring partner to Will
lard, also peeked at Dempsey. Steam
boat Bill refused to make any COM
ments on the star of the rival camp
1t may be that he was studying
Dempsey in order to give some imi-
tations while boxing with Willard.
Steamboat Bill could initiate Demp-
sey about as accurately as Charlie
Chaplin could initiate Bernhardt.
Dempsey is "a To-day
The tactics of managers of fighters
ara weird and beyond all understand
ing: Before football game the coach
will tell you that his team. is awful
while the other team seems wonder
full. The system of fight managers
is absolutely opposite. At the Demp-
sey camp they will tell you that Will
lard is in terrible condition while
Dempsey's condition is superb. l don't
know what system of psychology they
play, buts they are playing it to the
limit.
Tomorrow will be the twenty fourth
birthday of William Harrison Demp-
sey. Somebody asked Willard to-day
if he intended making him a birthday
present.
"Ill reserve that until the Fourth"
remarked Willard, "then I'll give him
everything I've got, hands full of pres
ents." Which was considered neat
bit of repartee by all present.
The matter of the referee has not
been settled yet. Contrary to expecta-
tons Major Drexel Biddle and Gutzom
Borglum, of the Army, Navy and
Civilian Board of Boxing Control, did
not arrive to-day. There will be some
eleventh hour wrangling over this
matter There never was fight that
did not bring about a asreferee debate.
even when the third man was picked in
advance. The third man is matter of
some Importance here because he may
have to make a hairline decision as
to the heavyweight championship.
"The referee matter certainly is
matter of Importance to me-" declared
Willard to-day. It will be settled by
the end Of the week, because the articles
stipulate that if the fighters cannot
agree the promoter Is to pick the
referee. Rickard has decided to name
the selection Of the Army, Navy and
civilian Board Of Boxing Control.
John the Barber is still here press
IN h;u c,,;t 10 Dali