Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1923-02-03

An offer of 100000 or SO per cent
of the receipts, for a worlds heavy
weight championship bout between
Jack Dempsey, the titleholder, and
Harry Wills, the colored New Orleans
challenger of the champion, is under
stood to have been submitted to Jack
Kearns, Dempsey's manager, yester-
day by Harry FraZee, owner of the
Boston Red Sox. The offer was made
through Dan McKetrick, Kearn's
Eastern representative. by Ike Weber
representing Frazee, it was said.
With the offer came a proposition
to deposit a sum in the nd'ghborhood
of 100000 as a guarantee OF good
faith, lit was said, but demand by
McKetrick for a deposit of 100000
checked the progress of the offer.
Neither McKetrick nor Frazee
would confirm the reported offer.
McKetrick declined to disclose the
exact details of a conference he had
with Weber on the ground that to do
so would bring publicity ITO Frazee's
offer and thus be unfair to the base
ball magnate. Frazee refused to dis
cuss his offer in detail, saying that
he preferred that any announcement
on his proposition come from either
Baseball Club owner however, adj
mitted that he had dispatched Weber
for bout between Dempsey and
Wills.
81 have made an offer for bout
between Dempsey and Wills" said
Frazee. That is the only bout I
care to be identified with. 1t is the
only match I want I must refuse
to announce the terms of the offer /
have made. I would prefer that they
come from McKetn:ck or Kearns."
Tom O'Rourke matchmaker for the
Republic A. c., which operates at the
Polo Grounds, who is also bidding
for Dempsey's services lin the ring,
refused to become excited when dis
cussing the reported offer of Frazee.
Il have been told of Frazee's offer
of 100000 or SO percent. of the
receipts for Dempsey-Wills bout
and / advised McKetrick to grab it,
If anybody is ready to guarantee that
sum for the bout, / think there should
be little time lost in accepting it.
know if I had a champion and re-
ceived such an offer I'd accept with
out a second thought" said OiRouke.
STONEHAM AND McGRAW IN.
O'Rourke announced yesterday that
he had the backing of Charles A
Stoneham and John j. McGraw of
the Giants in his efforts to land and
conduct the series of three bouts for
which he is seeking Dempsey's SER
vices. This is the first time that a
direct assertion has been made by
any one connected with the Republic
70 xh< <Ies 90
behind the venture. John M. O'Con-
to confirm or deny O'Rouke's asser-
ton. Efforts to communicate with
Stoneham were without success.
O'Rouke did not submit his pro-
position for three bouts in which
Dempsey would appear at the Polo
Grounds next summer, to Kearns
yesterday. The Polo Grounds match
maker visited Kearns' Offices at the
appointed hour, only to find the
CHAMPIONS manager missing. He
protested to McKetrick, representing
Kearns, about the action of Kearns
in binding himself to a six-day agree
ment with Promoter Tex Rickard
which prevents the champions man.
ager from accepting any other offer
submitted.
O'Rourke favored a plan under
which the three bidders for the bout
himself, Richard and Frazee-
would 1ubmit their offers, accompan-
led by certified checks, in sealed en-
velOpes, and have a reputable bust
ness man open the envelopes on q
specified date. In this way ORourke
SAID. the services Of Dempsey could
be awarded to the highest bidder.