The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-12-26

The Latin retired from the bust.
ness with repute enhanced rather
than deprecated Previously he had
scored successive knockouts over
hi Brennan, Jack McAuliffe I'd.
and Jess Willard.
In the Firpo bout Dempsey
obliged by smuggling with a slugger.
Earlier In the year-July 4-he
demonstrated his versatility by STEP
ping with a stopper. He took on
Tom Gibbons at Shelby, Mont, for
fifteen rounds and was the only
winner on the transaction, financial
and otherwise.
The town, a poIyglot gathering Of
WelI-drillers, cowboys and gentle
H1en of leisure, tried to promote
championship prize fight on sage
brush and conversation and took
the inevitable flop. Less than 1000
paid their way through the gates,
the rest coming in free, gratis. for
nothing" Dempsey had already re-
ceived $4,000 of his $4,000 guar.
antee, but had to whistle for the
rest.
The promoters, in fact, were dis
posed to walk out on the PROPOSE
ton. thirty-six hours before the
fight; but Jack Kearns took charge
OF the affair and gambled on the
gate for the rest Of the money due
him. The town had gone broke.
after issuing all the statements IL
had IN fits system. Likewise one CT
the Shelby banks and another in
the nearby town Of Great Falls.
An Gibbons got out of the
transaction was the exercise and
the satisfaction Of knowing that
he was the only man to go the
Limit with Dempsey since he be-
came champion.
Millions witnessed the manly and
mangling art, the dollars exec ad1ng
the customers, of course. Dempsey
alone received $500. 900 as nis end
for the Firpo fight, the highest
purse ever paid a boxer. Firpo got
about $3.50, 900 for court plaster, and
he and Willard split about q
auarter Of q million in a previous
fight. Total gate receipts Of all
fights must have ranged well be-
yond the five-million mark.
1t was the biggest money year In
pugilistic history. great crowds
turning out at the slightest provo
cation. Some 81, 900 saw Dempsey
and Firpo. about 10000 viewed the
wfllard-Firpo traveety, $1,000 SAT
IN at the Milk Fund Show. and a
like number saw Tender and Leon.
ard mix.
The latter was one Of the few
champions to survive the campaign.
Benny making Tender look fool
ish. The rest, exclusive of Demp-
0ey, Walker and Lynch. went down
in the rush. Gene Tunney started
the year by lifting Harry Greb's
American light-heavyweight title on
q trick decision. frankie Genaro
relieved Pancho Villa, of the Amer
lean nyweight honors a week later
Battling Sikh, the man-ape. then so
far forgot himself as to fight Mike
McTigue. an 1rishman. in Dublin
On st. Patrick's Day and lost his
world light heavyweight title in
consequence.
Following the Milk Fund Show,
Eugene Cr1qui was imported from
France to face the elderly Kilbane
knocked the American off in the
sixth round. Six weeks later
Johnny Dundee cut Cirque into
slithers and brought the title back
20 America; and Villa, meanwhile,
had knocked out Jimmy Wilde, of
England, in the seventh round and
took over the world flyweight
championship. Later Johnny VII
son was brought out OF exile and
followed the other champions down
the toboggan, Johnny being beaten
by Harry Greb for the niddleweight
championship.
Boxing was revived in Chicago
during the year, but a riot followed
the Leonard-Pinkey Mitchell bout,
and the revival became q relapse