The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-07-04

r
saw a sporting event in the
ri.
Willard. on the other hand, arrived
in camp fat and slow and worked
strenuously TO take off weight. The
process. therefore. was one OF build
ing toward each other. The differ.
ence in the weights was expected to
be about 40 pounds, perhaps little
less.
Willard towers TO a height OF SIX
feet six and a half inches. Dempsey
is six feet one and a half inch. The
difference is startling. but Demp-
sey's punching power was expected
by his followers to offset any ad.
vantage superior size gave TO the
champion.
Betting favored the champion
slightly before the battle. Odds OF
TO l on Willard were quoted freely
about the city n week ago. but this
has receded. There is a great deal
of Dempsey money. He has host
OF supporters and they have been
their judgment Therefore. there
has been little chance for Willard
money to force the odds very high.
Ticket spectators were strongly
in evidence. with little effort to dis
courage them. The promoters re.
allied some time ago that this sort
of gentry would have to be dealt
with, but there was no way of keep.
ing a certain number OF tickets out
OF their hands. with such an enor
nous number OF the tickets on sale
TO any one who cared to take them
IL was a certainty that some would
fall into the hands OF spectators. 2
Some Problem
Transportation facilities to the
arena were taxed to their utmost
from an early hour. The double
tracked system for street cars was
crowded with nearly all available
rolling stock OF the city lines Huge
interurban cars were pressed into
service from outlying lines. many OF
which center here. Automobiles
passed in a constant stream. Hun
dreds made the trip afoot.
1t was predicted last night that at
least $4,000 persons would get into
the arena, counting newspapermen
and other necessary persons mixed
in with the crowd which paid the
freight.
In the center OF the arena. which
sloped to a height OF about SO feet
to bowlshaped structure, was the
ring-a 20.foot square in order 10
provide additional space for news
paper men, of whom there were sew.
eral hundred. Hundreds OF tele-
graph instruments clicked under the
edges OF the ring and were scattered
back in the rows of the massive
press stand-probably the largest
press stand ever built for any pur.
pose. Usually 24-foot ring is used
for championship bouts. but this is
not the first time a smaller one has
been used. Ad Wolgast and Battling
Nelson used 2o-foot enclosure when
they staged their famous battle in
California for the lightweight
crown.
II IL Rains
Promoters declared before the
test that rain would not halt tho
bout. The tickets have been sold
and no rain checks have beer
issued. The crowd, they believe
would pay small attention should
rain start. Many thousands have
come here for the holiday, having
only one day to spend away from
home, and would be unable to re
main should there be postpone
ment.
The first bout OF the day SEIZED
uled for 10 a. m. was to be between
\ Wop English. Toledo, and Whirl
wind Wendt. Of the army. They are
lightweights and were to go eigh
rounds.
Bantams were TO provide ar
eight.round scrap at II a. m, witt
Tommy O'Boyle of Cleveland, and
Solly Epstein of Indianapolis, tn,
principals.
Johnny Lewis, Toledo lightweight
and Tommy Long. Detroit, wer,
carded for 10 rounds at noon.
Jock Malone. St. Paul, and Nav,
Ralston, Joliet, Ill, welterweights
were scheduled for 10 rounds at ! y
M, and the semi-windup was to b.
between Frankie Mason. TT. Wayne
Ind, bantam, and Carl Tremaine. o
Detroit.
Referees for the prcliminarie,
were Billy Rocks. Detroit; Damn,
Dunn, Cleveland Tom Bodkin. Pitts
burg: Tommy McGinty, Cleveland
Lon Bauman, Cincinnati, and Jimmy
Deyers. Jackson, Mich.