The New York herald., 1921-02-18
RICHARD PLANS Big
ARENA IN BROOKLYN
Promoter Selects Site for AM
phitheatre Not Far From
Ebbets Field.
rs CONVENIENT LOCATION
Residents of Exclusive Neigh
bOrhOOd Enter Protest
Against Project.
by CHARLES #. MATHIsoN.


Tex Richards plans for an outdoor
arena in which to stage important bouts
during the hot weather have apparently
crystalized In the selection and lease OF
q plot of ground In q convenient spot in
Brooklyn. According to information re-
ceived last %nieht from Brooklyn
source. Rickard has obtained lease of
the land on which the Prospect Amuse-
ment Company. OF which Joe Bigelow is
the head, conducts skating rink in the
winter time and tennis courts in the
summer.
The tract is wedge shaped plot 500
feet in length by 800 feet in width, in
tersected by Flatbush avenue, Lincoln
road and the Brighton elevated road.
Biselow's lease of the property expires
April I, and 1t Is understood that Rick
ard. through brokers, has secured q five
years lease of tho property.
1t is the purpose of Rickard to erect
an open air arena with seats for $1,000
persons after 4 the plan of the ampai-
theatre at Toledo In which Dempsey won
the heavyweight title from Willard.
AS soon as the warm weather brings
the indoor boxing season TO cloae.
Rickard proposes to stage contests In the
arena in Brooklyn. Not only VIII he
put the Dempsey-Willard and Dempsey
Carpenter contests in the new amphi-
theatre! but he will hold weekly events
in which the best men in all classes
win meet each other.
VIII Seat $4,000.
With $4,000 seats 20 sell TO boxing
enthusiasts, the promoter is assured OF
receipts sufficiently large to pay cham
pions their price and at the same time
yield q fair profit to the backer of the
entertainment. This. even, at the maxi
mum price Of SIS for seat near the
ring. Rickard has proven by his bouts
In the Garden that well matched boxers.
although not of championship calibrc,
will, draw large-crowds provided the seat
prices are/ moderate.
It is therefore the purpose of the pro-
moter to put we'll matched men In the
ring in the big open air. arena and
charge prices ranging from maximum
Of So for a ringside seat down 70 81 for
the bleachers. This will give all boxing
enthusiasts. especially those of moder-
ate means, a chance to sec the best
boxers in the game at reasonable cost.
Despite the high prices charged at
Toledo. the top figure being $50. the re-
ceipts were more than 100000. al
though less than $4,000 persons at
tended GG
There Is hardly a shadow OF doubt that
Dempsey and Willard and Dempsey and
Carpenter, boxing in bout with a
maximum price OF SIS. would completely
Ill an arena seating 10000. and the
promoter would not lose money. As
Rickard In staging those bouts will in
sist on the boxers working ON per-
IT, .As4
profit for his enterprise.
The half million contract that Demp-
sey and Carpenter signed is now a scrap
OF paper. and any contest in which these
champions meet in future will be on
percentage plan. As q matter OF fact.
the boxers were 10 acrcpt a percentage
Of the receipts In the alleged million
dollar match that Messrs. Brady and
Cochran threw into the discard.
Site Easily Accessible.
In selecting the Lincoln road site
Richard has picked out a spot that
can easily be reached from every point
OF tho city The Prospect Park station
OF the Brighton elevated and the
Brighton subway Is practically at the
entrance of the location OF the arena,
and surface lines from all parts OF
Greater New York converge there. The
site Is but a quarter of a mile from
Ebbets Field, the home OF the Dodgers,
and the sportloving public is well ac-
quainted with the locality.
AS soon as the report gained cir
culation to the effect that Richard had
leased the property. the residents OF that
vicinity. which Is an exclusive and aris-
tocratlc nelghborhood, made heated
protest. Many Of those who live close
to the proposed site for the arena voiced
strong objection TO the staging of box
ing bouts so close TO their homes, and
II Is declared that they viii start legal
proceedings TO prevent the consumma-
ton OF the deal Rickard, however. Is
said TO hold a bona fide lease, and is
inclined TO stand on his rights.
The only other open air arena OF
such size built in this vicinity was the
one constructed at Tuckahoo In 1899,
IN which Terry McGovern won the
worlds bantam title from Pedlar Pal
mer, the American stopping the Briton