The Washington herald., 1922-12-04
JACK KEARNE
CALLS BLUFF
OF PROMOTER
Says Champion WIN Go to Eu-
rope IN February Unless
Something Happens by Then
By JAMES ]. CoRBErT.

TACK kEARNS lifted q verbal
II blunderbuss to his Shoulders
the other day and took some
pot shots at fight promoters
~Four flushers." volleyed the
manager Of Dempsey.
Then he unloosed some explana-
tory powder and slugs-
1T seems nowadays that when
ever q cheap notoriety seeker wants
to get his name in print these days
he gathers q lot Of sport writer's
around him and talks about mil
lions of dollars that he's Offered for
Dempsey's fistic services.
Anyone with even half a mem
ory can recall that at least a dozen
theatrical managers, fly-by-night
promoters. and some OF the ma
tionally known proters. have offered
anywhere from $3.50 900 TO 81, ,000. 900
for Dempsey. But not a single one
Of that group Of four-flushers ever
put up dollar to back up the es-
cape Of hot air.
ALONG COMES OFFER.
MOT 30 long ago one OF the best
known promoters in America said
that he'd simply have TO have Jack
for Jacks next fight. He talked
$500. 900 and wanted me to sign q
contract then and there. I said TO
him:
"I'n sign Dempsey TO fight un-
der your promotion right now II
you give me s25.o0O advano
money
That's the last I ever heard Of
him. And the reason is simple.
He's supposed to have a million or
two in his kick and he likes 20
talk millions. but 1 don't think
he could sign a check for more
than $4,000 today without the bank
sending 1t back marked no good
Quite a few people Thought for
while that i was afraid to send
Jack against Wills. While all the
bowling was going on I sat pretty.
After a time Wills put up $500
with the New York State Athletic
Commission to bind his challenge.
Then the commission said Jack
would have to fight Wills or forfeit
histitle. l again set hack, while
everybody began to wonder what
Dempsey was going to do.
SALLS THE BLlFF.
Suddenly i called a conference of
all the people involved and said:
Wills offer is accepted. Demp-
sey will fight him within so DAYS.
But you'll notice that Dempsey
and Wills haven't fought vet. And
the reason is that when sprung
the eo-day thing on them they
wanted to wait until next year in
New York-and next year, it NAV
be remembered, came after the New
,. York State election last November.
Dempsey would have fought
twice last summer IL / hadn't been
bunked by promoters. Before Jack
and / left for Europe I was as
sured that we'd get Wills for July
4. When we got hack the match
had slipped somewhere-and there
wasn't any fight.
MATCH FELL THROUGH.
"I matched Jack for a 20 with
Bill Brennan in Michigan City.
Ind. on Labor Day. And that
match was kicked overheard. We
not only lost what we would have
got for that fight. but il cost us
about $4,000 following around get
ting ready for IL.
I'm going to New York right
after New Years Day and I'll stick
there one full month waiting for
real offers. I'll throw out of nv
office any man who comes in and
l talks millions without a certified
check 20 back up his conversation.
III be ready to listen to any sort
Of offer-but before I do any lis
tening I've got to see $4,000 right
before me-
Jack is eager and willing 10
mix Il with any man in the world
He thinks he can whip any man
that lives-and 80 do I. Wills. Will
lard, Beckett. Gibbons-all Of them
can have a fight. No one is barred
And Jack is ready 20 take on a
wrestler in a mixed bout. IL that's
necessary TO get some work for
him.
WILL GO TO EUROPE.
''1f no offer comes to me for
Jacks services-a real offer backed
up by real cash-by February. then
were going to Europe. They still
think bit Of Carpenter in France
and they think a lot of Beckett in
England. They'll pay real money
4 ~ cNC SdCh dkdAIlSN lnOSe OOYS-
and it's real money that we want.
"A championship is an alright
thine-but you can't eat Il. Loaf
ing around never helped any mans
bank roll-nor his physical make
\ up. Jacks getting older all the
time and I want to get some work
for him before he begins to grow
gray hair. II looks as IL IN have
TO take him to Europe to get work
unless some OF the promoters Quit
four-flushing and ptu up money.
Wow IL there's anybody who
wants to promote a Jack Dempsey
match this Is the time 20 sneak
right up-with forfeit money in
plain view OF the audience. II any
one does any more talking without
posting $500 TO guarantee rood
faith Of the offer, you can put 'em
down In the little book as four.
/ flushers."