New-York tribune., 1921-11-20
Rickard Intends to Learn
if Crapplers Can Attract
Spectators to the Garden

In no way respondent over the
meagre house at Madison Square Gar
den which welcomed his maiden ven
Rickard is proceeding serenely with his
next mat attempt, which will be a real
championship. A week from to-mor-
row night at the famous arena Stanis-
laus Zbyszko, heavyweight champion of
the world, will defend his title against
Ed ("StranglerD Lewis, from whom he
won the honors last winter.
These giants of the mat yesterday
posted with Rickard the sum of $1,000
for appearance. They will wrestle best
two falls out of three, the winner to be
rewarded with another one of those
diamond-studded belts which the Gar
den managing director is always able
to dig up somewhere. The men will
finish their training in this city.
This heavyweight championship
doubtless will decide the Immediate
future of wrestling as a major sport
in New York. Now that the State Ath-
letic Commission has charge of the
sport, the Garden is about the only
"voilaDie pace LOT neao-Splnnlng OF
championship caliber. The big ar
talent, therefore, which formerly was
supposed to belong to the so-callcd
trust is very anxious that the
ZbyszkoLewis tilt should be every-
thing the word championship implies.
II ever there was a "trust" it seems
very much now at an end, as both of
next weeks principals were supposed
to be the big bread winners of the
closed corporation.
And that Marin Plestina, who en-
gagged John Pesek last Monday night in
!lberate!y foul tactics of the Nebras
kan-will not have occasion longer to
! charge discrimination by the "trust"
goes without saying. Zbyszko an
nounces. that if he is successful in de-
tending his crown he will give Marin
the. first chance.
The opening show in The Garden was
poor one because of the disparity of
weight and the fact that Plestina prac-
ticaily was an unknown. The cham
plonshlp match in prospect is some
thing else again. zbyszko and Lewis
are the most popular of all the grape
vine artists and each commands a tre-
mendous following. The bout will give
Rlckard an excellent line on the tastes
OF New York fans. If this match does
not fll the house Rickard doubtless will
devote his whole attention to boxing,
For which reason the wresters. one
and all, are boosting the show. It's
success is their salvation, in a way.
Meanwhile, on Friday night. Rick
ard will present another high class
boxing entertainment. There will be
four bouts of ten rounds each, the fea-
ture bringing together Joe Lynch, for
mer bantamweight champion, and
Midget Smith, another of the many
boys who covets Johnny Bluffs laurels.
This pair should furnish a corking
scrap. When Lynch was champion he
would never give the Midget tumble.
Smith has fought most all the other
tough ones. and he will now try to
score a knockout, as that would be
the best recommendation for cham
pionship challenge. Lynch, who hopes
to fight his way back to the top, has
quite as much incentive to win as
quickly as possible.
Andy CLANCY and Billy DeFoe,
featherweight aspirants, will meet in
one of the other bouts. Jimmy Darcy,
of Portland, Ore, a highly recon-
mended middleweight, will engage al
! Nelson. Dave Rosenberg will box Bert
| Colima.
Tuesday nights show at the Pioneer
| Sporting Club will embrace thirty-six
rounds of boxing, including two six
round and two twelve-roud bouts. The
main event will bring together Sammy
Sieger and Battling Reddy. Two other
! features-Johnny Murray and Artie