Evening star., 1921-03-06

Dempsey went to California before
Christmas il is pointed out. TO begin
training for two or three bouts which
would put him gradually in shape Tor
the battle with Carpenter. And how
has he been training Mainly. II no;
together before the movie camera aud
now he is touring in vaudeville. II ge
and Carpenter had signed up for a con-
test to show which was the better screen
hero or which could draw down tno
best big time contract on the variety
circuit. then Dempsey's activities since
he left New York would have been Of
the proper sort. But that does not ap-
pear to have been the idea in the mind
of Tex RiCkard when he undertook To
bring the two champions together What
he was looking for WAS a fight. That
is what he is still looking for. Will he
be successful?
AS for Carpenter, it cannot he said
he has been doing much more than
Dempsey. He had intended To indulge
in two or three bouts in Europe and
from a word just received from Lon
don fight critic ] gather that his in
tentionS were serious. But just at the
wrong moment Frank Moran, the blonde
Pittsburgher, slipped over his Mary Ann
on Joe Becketts jaw. Carpenter was
in Joe'S corner, close that he could
hear the hair-raising whistle of Moran's
glove as it sailed through the air to the
bIltISIeI y WaitInS JOWi.
Carpenter Changes Mind.
Georges. who had promised to meet
the winner of the bout, thought better
of his decision after seeing Moran fight.
He wasn't bashful about giving his rea-
son. He said right out loud that Moran
might slip one over on him and put him
not only out of that night but out OF the
Dempsey fight as well. And that would
mean a big money loss. No French
r. IL &c x=tr,,.
money without "A lot of pain.
Carpenter may have been four-fluSh-
ing on this Moran business. stalling tn
big fellow along until the purse got
big enough. Or again. he may really be
afraid to tackle Frank Most of the
English sporting men think he is. And
all the sports want to see Carpenter
Moran fight. or nothing. So this has
served to keep the Frenchman idle.
On the other hand, lie didn't spend
last summer and fall at Riverside
drive and 96th street. as Dempsey
did. and he didn't bask before the
movie camera in CALIFORNIA; sunny
cline, as Jack also did, so perhaps
he is in better shape than our cham
pion.
But he isn't making much money
and is, no doubt. ready to take a
iicking-if he has to--in order to
drag off his 100000 share of the
Rickard purse. On the other hand,
Dempsey's earnings this year-tight
or no fight-will be of interest to
the income tax collector. So far a.
lighting goes. they say that Dempsey
took to heart his unsatisfactory
showing against Knockout Bill Bren-
nan 1t gave him a bad jolt. He
held Brennan cheaply in the first
place and didn't train very hard. And
after this fight he didn't show any
interest at all in meeting Jess VIII
lard.
Tried to Make Boxer Of Him.
According to Bill Tate, Dempsey's
sparring partner. they spent months
after the Billy Miske fight trying to
make a boxer out of the champion
Instead of letting him go ahead in
his natural fighting manner. la Kid
Norfolk his advisers coached him in
the beautiful art of hitting at long
range, iabbing with the left and in
fighting The result was that he was
lucky to send Brenna nto sleep In
the twelfth round. The whole thing.
according to report. made Dempsey
sick of himself and of the lighting
game in general. And he went west
to forget all about everything con-
nected with it.
When he seriously settles down to
get himself into shape the best en-
perts believe that no one standing
in two shoes can beat him. But the
sneculation now is whether he VIII
settle down to a July engagement.
So far as Tex Rickard is concerned.
he appears to be going ahead win
plans. but is not breaking his back
burr-ying