The sun., 1919-07-05
MEYER FELT BETTER
DECLARES WILLARD
Champion Highly Pleased
With Condition on Morn
ing of Big Bout.
SPECTATORS Baked
Unable to Sell Tickets Even at
q Loss Because Of Presence
of Counterfeits.
SPECTATORS Baked
spectal DcspafcA TO tn. sur.

6peNdl DespGfch TO TUE Sun.
TOLEDO. July Am effort to inter
view willard at his homo at s this
morning was baked. Ray Archer. his
business manager. stopped tho inter-
viewers taxicab before It got anywhere
near the champions domicile. For
heavens sake, get that wagon away
from here" cried Archer in anguish.
Jess is asleep and he doesn't want to
be disturbed until 10 o'clock"
At 10 Willard rose from his downy
couch and after various preliminaries
got down to a rather healthy breakfast.
II am in excellent shape" said Willard.
In fact. I feel more At for battle
than ever before in my ring career. II
Dempsey beats me to-day" and he
laughed. there will be no excuses"
For all Of my other fights permitted
some trainer to handle me-" said Will
lard. HE drove me sometimes beyond
my limit. Frequently I would go stale.
Nearly always, toward the end. would
feel all worked out And sometimes
that condition prevailed right UP to
ring time. But its different now. I
know my physical capabilities And SO
! worked with that knowledge before
me. / trained Just enough to get me
into condition without sacrificing any Of
my energy"
Dempsey rp at 8i3o A. NJ.
Dempsey arose at s 40 this morning
yawned and remarked he was ready for
breakfast. Neither he nor any Of his
attendants made any reference to the
impending clash with Jess Willard
Poached eggs on toast, two oranges and
cup OF coffee comprised Dempsey's
initial meal.
Somebody started a talking machine,
and the contender lolled around listenl
ing ito jazz melodies. Then. full OF
harmony, he started out on a brisk,
short walk.
Jimmy De Forest. his trainer, sent out
the call for dinner at ~ o'clock Steak
menu.
Jack feels very confident" he said
Newspaper men were barred from
Dempsey's quarters.
Contrary to expectations there was no
all night vigil at the Bay$iew arena by
those seeking to purchase $40 tickets.
The first man TO take his place at the
bleacher gate did not show up until 5
o'clock this morning and he was fol-
lowed by half dozen others about ten
minutes later. Then they began to come
in steady stream and at this morn
Ing there was a long line. The re-
served ticket Office in town was opened
at this morning and business was
brisk from the start.
Poor for Speculation
From a ticket Spectators viewpoint
! this was the worst big fight held in the
+! country. The seating capacity made II
possible to take care of every man
who applied at the ticket Offices either
In the city or at the arena. As a result
4 Il
with lot OF high priced tickets which
nobody would take on their hands, even
| at a reduction.
Men were scary about buying off the
street corners and they willingly paid
IS more at the ticket Office rather than
take the chance of finding that they had
purchased counterfeit pasteboards. Some
/ OF these were said to be in circulation.
! One spec" offered $50 tickets at $50 a,
/ noon and had few buyers.
Tex Richard had a little run in with
the ofncials of the local street car com
pany Henry L. Doherty Of New York
| is the principal owner OF the Rail Light
as the local traction company ls called.
| and his office arranged for big special
| for the fight. When the special arrived
| this morning II was found that the local
| Offices had bought thirty-eight mora
| tickets at S25 each than we're needed
| ana an attempt was made to return the
! extras to Richard. However, the pro-
moter having adopted a rigid policy of
no money back no matter who the buy
ers, declined to take the tickets back.
Railroad OmciaI Sells Tickets.
| Thereupon the director Of public
safety of the railroad took his place IN
| front OF Richards ticket office and be-
/ gan, TO peddle his 325 tickets at $40
each. Some of the tight fans were
dubious, but when the railroad man
| showed his credentials they gobbled UP
| the tickets with avidity.
Out came a Pinkerton and directed
two policemen to arrest the railroad off,
Gals on the ground that they were
profiteering. He could not explain how
men selling s25 tickets at loss OF IS
on each pasteboard were profiteerlng, 80
the street car men kept at their job I'M
til all thrty-eight tickets had been dis
posed OF. One man bought ten tickets
and then got rid OF them at s23 each.