New Britain herald., 1923-01-30
.O'ROURKE fAVORS
 SEALED BID PLAN
Veteran Promoter Is Willing to Compete for Dempssy's Services

New feTk, Jan. s0,=Tom 0'Raurke, matchmaker Of the Republic A, c, al the Pole Grounds. returned td the atr the services Of Jack Dempsey, worlds heavyweight champion. but was aiples mstiealiy repulsed by the champions manager. Jack keafns, o'Renrke visited kearns's oatiee armed with a bid that was approved by hts packers, signed and sealed. but was put on until Thursday al { o'clock by kearns,
 ln discussing prospects of one Of a series Of two or three bouts for pemp- sey under his supervision. o'Rourke upon Kearns the dssifahiii- ty Of arranging for sealed bids from the promoters seeking the champions services as the only equitable way of solving the involved situation which now exists with regard to heavy. weight title bout. o'Rourke pointed out that he was prepared 10 submit his sealed bid Thursday afternoon II Promoter Tex Rickard would do like. wise. Under this arrangement, oRourke said. the champion would be signed up with the promoter who of- fered the best inducements and de- posted the most substantial forfeit.
 T have the best available place for n Dempsey bout" said o'Rourke. re- fusing to place any stock in the re- ports that Rickard has the Yankee stadium at his disposal. ''If a bout Is held at the Polo Grounds. it would -AAniQtAn hatf In Jersey City. want Dempsey to box Harry Wills. and. if the State Athletic will not object. am also ready to conduct bout between | Dempsey and Willard or any other good man who has a chance with the 
 In support of his advocacy of scaled bid arrangement for Dempseys services o'Rourke issued the follow ng statement from his offices.
 ORourkc Issues Statement
 T hope Jack Kearns will insist on | sealed bid proposition, to be ac- with certified check for m amount desired by Kearns to bind match with the promoters bidding Or the contest between Jack Demp- ey and the opponents picked to com ,ete against him for the championship If the world.
 q am ready to place a bid for ,ither one, two or three contests learns may select. I will make my ,ids separately or collectively. as learns desires. for any opponent or opponents he may consider.
 If am the highest bidder when .nvelopes are opened the day kearns elects at his office, l am ready to ,ost an additional check for any mount if the one accompanying the id is not large enough; but l will in- ist on Kearns posting like amount hat Dempsey fulfills his engage , lent with the opponent or opponents elected.
 Tt is not fair to either Rickard or ,yself that we should have to com etc against any fly-by-night aggre- ation that wishes to step in and bid | ,r one of these matches alone. The ! ompetition, if it is to take place in lew York state should be open to romoters or organizations doing bus ( less here in this State, who have l. ,ken the profits and losses of the 2 ,xing game for years. The public ( nd fans can see the justice of this f e
 ..The contest between Dempsey and 1 Wills should not be put on the auc- c on block to go to the highest bidder. r ct any promoter now doing business I , this state who cares to present c saled proposal, and any promoter ( 'ho wants the match is sure to en- Il ose the amount of percentage ne sels the bout or bouts will draw, and
 worth guaranteeing.
 Conference is Put Over
 Rickard did not confer with Kearns ssterday, as was planned. The cham Ions manager was occupied for the reater part of the day with moving cture and theatrical offers which ave come to him since Dempseys ar val here. Whether he will accept any
 these offers, Kearns would not say. e expects to see Rickard this after ,on. Under the agreement signed by earns and Rickard last Thursday e Madison Square Garden promoter IS Kearns bound until day after to- orrow not to sign Dempsey's serv- es away to any rival fistic promoter ickard reiterated yesterday his plan
 sign Dempsey to a contract before e end of the week and indicated that planned to make an effort to have earns do the signing today.