The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-06-14
RUMORS THAT WILLS
FRAMED IN DEMPSEY
FIGHT ARE FOOLISH
By FRANZ G. MENKE

I
Every time a big championship
tussle is contemplated, stories gain cir
culation anent frame ups"
1t was so in the Jeffries-J Johnson tilt
when it was whispered that Johnson
was scheduled to take nose dive. 1t
was true in Havana when Johnson
was to flop in the tenth round, accord
ing to insiders. In Toledo it was whis-
pered for days before the battle began
that Willard, having been paid $780,
900, was going to take it on the chin
in the seventh.
And, as everyone known, Dempsey |
was to lay down to Carpenter in the !
Jersey City fight. So widespread, and
so acknowledgements became that
rumor, that even veteran reporters
were so fooled by it that they hunted
up Dempsey on the night before the
battle to get his statement on whether
or not it was true.
The Dempsey-Wills match hasn't
been made. 1t may never be made, |
and, even if made, the fight never may
be put on. Yet already one hears that
Wills is going to do a little lay-doWn
act for the champion.
It's rumored already that Wills is
to get $4,000 for permitting Demp-
sey to punch and batter him around
for two rounds-and then take few
stout ones on the chin and go to sleep
for something slightly beyond ten
seconds.
But when logic is applied to that
mental twist it practically precludes
the possibility of such an action by
the black man.
Couldn't Afford It
First of all, Dempsey perhaps would
not get beyond 100000 for Wills
fight. Wills might get about 100000
If Dempsey gave Wills $4,000 as the
price for a lay-down, it would mean
| that Dempsey would get only $4,000
! out of it all, and Wills would get
| $3.50, 1000.
OF course, If Dempsey didn't think
! he could beat Wills, and yet knew that
| public sentiment demanded he meet
the black man, it would be good bus
| mess" for him to pay out $150,000 to
clear Wills out of the way.
/ But what assurance would Dempsey
have that Wills wouldn't pull double
cross? Suppose Wills did put up $780,
| 600 to guarantee that he would lay
down; If he didnt-if he won out and
won the fght-he would be 100000
out. But he'd have a championship
infinitely more valuable than 100000
Wills might agree to lay down-all
things are possible. But suppose in
| the first or second round he drove one
through Dempsey's guard and sent the
champion reeling backward, do you
think he then would pull his punches
and let Dempsey recover and then
take 1t on the chin at the appointed
time?
The chances are all against it. II
Wills, having agreed to frame, land
ed punch against Dempsey and
rocked him, it's 100 to one that the
negro would forget all about that lay
down promise, forget about the $780,
600 forfeit-and go on to finish Demp-
sey.
/ It is beyond the realms of solid rea-
soning that Dempsey would want
Wills to agree to lay to him. For
Dempsey beyond all else, is superla-
lively confident. In that boyish way
of his, he feels that he can whip any
man in the world. Wills may stack
up as tough Dempsey foeman, in the
minds of the public-but not in the
mind of Dempsey.
Negro Confident
Now as for Wills
The negro has a deep rooted convic.
ton that he can whip Dempsey-one
as strong and unswervable as Demp.
sey's. Nothing so far-and perhaps
nothing before prospective battle-can
really alter it. Thinking so, Wills prob
ably has it all figured out in this way
BY whipping Dempsey, l, first OF
all, achieve the Hottest heights of pugil
> ism-a glory tina tfals to few and is
worth a lifetime OF effort. Victory
would mean at least 100000 for me
because, as champion, l can pick ur
big money for several years taking or
all corners"
So here is the situation:
Dempsey, on one hand, figures Wills
will be soft for him. Therefore, why
should he pay out money to insure q
lay-down by a man he thinks he car
fatten with comparative ease?
The handlers of Dempsey feel the
same way as the champion. But ever
if they should weaken on that poin
they know 1t would be a foolish move
to guarantee Wills big money to quit
They know full vel the possibility O.
q double cross. They know that ever
$ if Wills agreed to lay down he might
. If he saw chance of winning, shift the