Evening journal., 1921-07-02
Fighters READY
To BATTLE FOR
WORLD HONOR
(continued from first page)

CONTINUED from FIRST page)
OF his scat. He was accompanied
by a young lady who had field glasses
and used them.
The house filled iowiy and ii. look
as if it might be packed by the time
the champion and the Frenchman
climbed into the ring.
The $50 seats were receiving a
steady influx The aisles were
crowded.
The first preliminary started at
1904 p. m. The contestants were
Mickey belmont. Of Newark, and
Johnny Curtain. of Jersey City,
bantamweights
Big threatening clouds were roil-
ing up from the southeast at 1870
o'clock
To one coming into the arena at
that hour it seemed there was no oc-
cupants but policemen, fremen and
ushers- There we're thousands Of
tickets holders in their seats, but
they were lost in the vast big saucer.
The bleachers were packed
Blue-coated protectors, red-capped
ushers and white-clad dispensers Of
soda and programs moved around
the crowd furnishing the lone touch
of color to the scene. A sob sister"
in the press box dressed in bright
pink, was the only woman in the
stadium at that hour.
Workmen were stin busy around
the ringside- The ropes we're being
taped with white felt and carpen-
ters we're building a railing around
the 54-foot tower to keep the motion
/ picture operators from falling down
into the laps Of the spectators. Some
of the machines we're being pulled
up on ropes and being set in places.
Facing the main entrance was a
uiple-horned voice ampliher to be
used for the announcement The
fans were having fun yelling
through in voices that filled the
arena their opinions Of the result
of the afternoon festivities.
Rumors were brought in from the
outside that 10000 $5 seats were
begging. out it didn't look as though
there were so many available seats
upon the rim OF the bowl.
Reserved seat holders were slow
in coming in. There were very few
sitting ia the $50 section besides cops
and firemen-
Workmen were having FUN testing
the ben for the time-keeper. II
sounded like a fire gong and could
be head all over the arena It was
obvious from the sharp clang thai
D H.. -
Toledo affair when the ben failed L
sound after the first round.
Modern appliances were installed
IN the corners Of the ring Tn,
stools swung around the ring post
on a swivel and boxes were fttet
up in the same fashion for the bot
ties and sponges. Seven old-fash
ioned stools were in the ring N,
one knew what their end was.
= French colors were around tn,
top of the arena The stars ans
I Stripes were alternated with tn
French colors.
The IS crowd filtered in YER
slowly and to enhven things tn
p band struck up another tune.
= Tex Rickard, owner and boss O
the whole show. appeared at tn
n ring side at 10.45. He walked dow
through the crowd without bein
n recognized. He stood in the pres
n box with an unlighted cigar in hi
o. mouth gazing up at the skies.
I'm very well satisfied" Rickar
II said. '"rhe weather is just what
e wanted. The crowd is coming fn'
p I think III have a million and
n half house."
/ Charles Lyons and Charles Mo
e Nair, members Of the New Jerse
Boxing Commission with one {
70 Richards representatives were n
of first officials in the ring. They fe
t the padding under the canvas, tugge
ID at the ropes and scrutinized the tar
ID wrapped around the ring boundarie
They were not recognized by tt
l. crowd and left the ring without
Il demonstration.
le What the crowd was doing was
g mystery. There was none of Il
usual noise and banter found at
lg fight or a baseball game. Firems
~ refused TO allow spectators 10 ent
ID with newspaper so they could nj
ie read. They were just sitting the
". waiting.
Rickard was emphatic m a stat