The Washington times., 1921-06-20
TEX RICHARD SAYS
HE WILL TAKE UP
JOB AS referee
Promoter Hints He Will Handle
Fight in Event Of Failure to
Select Third Man.

NEW YORK. June 20.-The spec
tacle of Promoter Tex Rickard ON
ciating as referee in the worlds
heavyweight fight between Jack
Dempsey and Georges Carpenter, is
not altogether outside the range of
possibilities. according to the pro-
moter himself
"The frst thing you know. they'll
windfup with me In the ring. referee
ing the battle" said Rickard last
night, In an aggravated tone. "I've
stances and IL may happen again"
The remark came in response to a
query for any new Developments in
a situation which threatens the July
2 bout. The attitude OF Jack Kearns,
Dempsey's manager. in demanding a
voice In the selection of a referee re-
gardless OF the law In New Jersey,
under threat of canceling the cham
pion's part OF the contract. has caused
Promoter Rickard genuine annoyance.
COMMON SENSE FIGURES.
The promoter, however. refuses to
take the matter seriously. That is.
he declines absolutely to believe that
kearns would go through with his
threat to withdraw. There Is the for
felt of 900 which. under the con-
tract, the champion and his manager
would lose. There is also the pros
pect OF 100000 coming to the title
holder for defending his laurels
against Carpenter. and there is the
element Of common sense, which,
Rickard believes, will prevail upon
Manager Kearns. These, combined,
are the reasons why Ricksrd refuses
to believe the present situation will
dAuaInnf To fVip NJ L.
smooth-moving plans for the battle
of the century" Nevertheless, the
promoter is in the position OF The man
sitting atop volcano. He doesn't
know, positively. what minute some
thing is going to happen.
NOT NEW TO RICHARD.
Rickard was confronted with a
similar state of affairs in the pro-
motion of his first worlds heavy
weight championship battle. on the
occasion of the Jeffries-J ohnson con-
test eleven years ago he experienced
a similar rupture between the prin-
cipals over the same question. Rick
ard solved his previous experience by
filling the breach himself.
Kearns, too, has been Identified
with a similar situation before and
his word was respected. On the oc-
casion OF the Dempsey -Miske bout, in
Benton Harbor last Labor Day.
Kearns objected strenuousiy and sue
cessfuIly to the selection OF a referee
by the Michigan boxing commission
and in the end had his way in the
selection of his own candidate, Jimmy
Daugherty, of Philadelphia. Circum-
stances are different, however. in the
existing situation. The New Jersey
boxing commission has assumed an
attitude, 1t Is understood, In which
they are fortified with the provisions
OF the law under which the men
agreed to box, and the members of
the board have indicated they will
not recede from their stand regard
less.
The promoter and Kesrns will con-
suit on the proposition today. Rick
ard has requested that ksarns meet
him. and the champions manager has
advised the promoter he will come
in from Atlantic City. Rickard is
confident that when they get to-
get her this afternoon the referee
obstacle will be handled to the salts
faction of all. Asked IL this meant
that he thought ne would secure
Kearns'. consent to the selection of
Harry Ertle, reputed to be the choice
OF the New Jersey governing officials,
Rickard declined to admit he had re-
ceived notification of Ertle's positive
selection.
Rickard was reminded of the origi-
nal announcement to the effect that
he would meet with the New Jersey
commission and Kearns this after
noon in Jersey City to thresh out the
matter. but the promoter declared he
had received no notification of such
a contemplated meeting and did not
plan to visit Jersey City. Rickard
said meeting of the New Jersey
commission has been scheduled for
Wednesday afternoon, when the
referee question will probably be
definitely arranged.