The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-02
JESS WILLARD
IS BARRED IN.
ESTATES
New York and New Jersey,
Big Money centers,
Against Him.
By DAVID J. WALSH.

0Y LA v IL Ss w ]AA~OA~e
NEW YORK, Feb. 1.-The bars
are up against Jess Willard in
New York and New Jersey, the
two big money boxing States; the
same tacitly is true of Harry
Wills. although official action is
withheld for reasons political;
5 Luis Firpo and Floyd johnson are
deemed to lack class, and Tom
Gibbons is said to be too small.
Such Is the heavyweight situation
today at the expiration OF the
81, 900 option that Tex Richard held
on the service of Jack Dempsey.
a week ago, he, Dempsey, had
more possible opponents than the
buttons on a trick vest Today
they stand eliminated or virtually
SO, without blow being struck.
Jack Kearns has successive con-
ferences scheduled this afternoon
with Rickard and Tom O'Rourke
to see what can be done about u.
Richard can have little to say, un-
less he alters his plans. He had
Dempsey and Willard ribbed up for
Jersey City ON June 80, but Louis
Mesano, chairman of the New
Jersey boxing commission, vetoed
ehe proposition in q statement
issued yesterday.
Rickard might divert his hopes
to the subject of Willard's possible
reinstatement i'm New York, as
0'Rourke apparently does, or he
might daily with the Wills
enigma after the manner OF
Harry Frazee. But, in the long
run, he and they must realize
that Willard is as dead as last
weeks gOuIash, as far as OF
fetal tolerance Is concerned and
that Harry Wills has only about
one chance I'm ten of getting into
championship match with white
man.
Governor Silzer, OF New Jersey,
An said to be openly inimical to box
ing and his completeness OF the mo-
ment induced by the fac. that the
sport is being conducted in seem.
ly manner. Governor Smith, OF
New York, has no interest In ring
affairs, but is known to have re-
marked on one occasion that boxing
ssWas q nuisance.
It doesn't seem probable that
either will be likely to countenance
IN match between white man ana
a negKo with all the trouble such
beat invites. In fact, well-informed
men in the game are inclined TO
smile knowingly when the chances
Of a Dempsey-Wills fight are dis
cussed. They appear to believe that
the bout will take place just as
soon as Fatty Arbuckle takes to
high and fancy diving.
That being the case the Kearns-
Dempsey interests may be forced
to any one of the following courses:
A match with Gibbons, to be closed
with the understanding that Demp-
sey makes 1872 pounds for the occa-
sion: another European trip with
the chance of pushing Joe Beckett
right over on his obliging shoulder
blades; a bout with F'irpo at Buenos
Fires, provided Luis can be built
up to sufficient proportions as to
hid the Argentines into believing
their man has a chance; the shift
ing of the Wills venture to some
foreign city, Montreal, for instance.
or Jim Coffroth's track at Tia
Suana.
These latter are hardly possibili-
ties. II Richard went to Montreal,
he would be a strange promoter in
a strange land. He would much
sprefer to tread familiar grounds.
In addition he would face the
necessity of building new stadium
and enticing the big money Gus
toners up from the States. AS
for Coffroth, he has been out of
the game for years and gives no
evidence of desiring to return.