Evening star., 1921-01-15

metropolitan humanity. Society men
in evening clothes and women in ex-
pensive toilettes. In lace. chiffons and
furs sat in the boxes which sur
rounded the arena, or in the ringside
seats jostled elbows with banker.
judge, lawyer. business man. pugilist,
| gambler and tout. Debutantes in
evening gowns bare of arm and of
shoulder. circulated everywhere SELL
| ing programs. To have eliminated
from the social register the names OF
! those who were present at this puEi-
listic event, held in behalf of devas-
tated France. would have left a pretty
thin volume. Newspaper men to
whom had been assigne the task Of
collecting and transcribing notable
names found themselves busy at the
task throughout the entire evening.
Garden a Mass OF Bunting.
The garden was a mass Of bunting,
the principal color scheme relating to
the colors of America and France.
| With every arrangement in the way
| of seating the vast crowd perfected
and police plans set forth with perfect .
precision of detail, there was utter
lack of confusion in handling the
throng. From the floor to the first
! balcony there was decorum as pro-
nounced and amiable humor as we'll
defined as at the Metropolitan Opera
| House on a gala night.
Above the balcony order also pre-
vailed, but decorum held no standing
room IN the upper abodes of the gal
/ lery gods who whistled and halloed
their approval of the buds as they
sold programs and had raucous COM
ment upon anything and everything
lNN Dk cfrtl- fhatr
Without doubt it was the upper re-
gions of the Madison Square Garden
which served to convince thousands
of those who for the first time were
present at prize fight that they were
| seeing slice OF real life.
Mitchell First to Appear.
Richie Mitchell appeared first. He
was attired in carmine bath robe. a
clean-cut. gray-eyed boy, with tow
hair brushed straight back from his
forehead. a flattened. fighting nose
and a grim. square face. He appeared
after Joseph Humphreys. the an
nouncer. had introduced Miss Ann
Morgan whose efforts brought the
two fighters together after even Tex
Rickard had failed; former Gov. Al
Smith. who shared her box. and
group of lightweight fighters. Mitch
ellis reception was started by band
| of MilwaukeeanS. who gave a college
cheer for their man. This seemed to
offend a portion Of the crowd. The
visitors reception was not at all tre-
mendous.
But when Benny Leonard appeared
in gray bath robe. his black hair
! brushed back, glistening in the food
of light which fell upon the ring
. from the huge reflector. enthusiasm
burst all bounds. When he was intro
duced another ovation arose. He
/. smiled and waved his hands to
friends. Mitchell only half rose when
he was introduced; his grim features
: seemed plainly to say that he desired
nothing but fair play from this i'm
mense throng. Both were photo
graphed, Of course, and then the
camera men were hustled from the
ring.
Leonard Appears Smaller.
While both boys weighed precisely
13l pounds at O'Clock in the after
noon. Mitchell appeared much the
larger He was at least three inches
taller and broader of chest and
heavier of limbs. Mitchell wore
white running pants. Leonard his IA
> miliar blue trunks.
/ The bell rang and the two sprans
to the center of the ring. Mitchell
gave ground as Leonard advanced
with h>s springy double feint. Leon
lard rushed in. struck two glancine
blows; Mitchell countered and both
clinched. They broke and Mitchell
swung left hook, followed by a wild
left handler. Then quick as lightning
Leonard feinted with his left and as
Mitchell stepped in to cross him the
New York lad swung his right. Dowr
to the ring floor dropped Richie. his
face drawn, his head shaking from
side to side. Order was flung to the
winds. The spectators, men, women
everybody, sprang to their chairs and
thus stood. The eardrumS rang with
the bowling confusion of sound.
| Rcnuy PuIIx Chem Where.
At the count of nine Mitchell sprans
to his feet. Leonard WAS upon him
like tiger, raining blows upon the
Milwaukee mans face. He Went
against the ropes. uncovered Leon
ard. fury incarnate. swung righl
after left with lightning rapidity
. Down went Mitchell again. Not
person in the crowd but would have
wagered his soul that he was done
for. But with one. eye partially
lclosed. his lips swollen and bleed.
ing the stricken man watched the
referee as he counted. Leonard stood
looking down at him. pulling the
cheapest thing l have seen in a gooe
! while.
Why don't you get up. Come ant
get up and fight" he sneered.
Mitchell Floors Leonard.
Well. Richie got up. Leonard drov,
him to the opposite side of the ring
and then as he walked in all set foI
4
across to the New Workers. chin like
hashing blade. Bang! Down to Tho
| floor crashed the champion. He sal
gazing up at the referee with a dazed
| vacant expression, while the crowS
screamed and jostled and waved tht
1 air with their arms at this crownins
| thrill of thrilling round.
One two, three" Johnny Haukop
| the referee, stood over Leonard. He,
out; he's gone" The cries were almos
agonized. Then at the count of min,
he crawled to his feet and stalled
| For the first time since he was cham,
pion Leonard had taken the count.
Benny's Punches Finally Tell,
In the second and third round,
| Mi itchell forced the fight. His facs
puffed and distorted, CLEANED wicked,
ly. Time and again he swung his dead.
ly right. while Leonard bided his tim,
until he should catch Mitchell opei
and drop him. He knocked him dow
in the sixth until which time Mitchell
bad held his opponent at least even
| Mitchell took the count and Ror un
| minute later Leonard's waiting rieh,
went to the jaw, and then wnii,
| Mitchell lay against the ropes WA
| enacted that dreadful scene of a help
! less man being pummeled into uncon.
| seriousness. The referee finally inter
| vened and called Mitchell out
Copyright. 1921
L.