New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-08-31
Champions Manager Says
This Proposition Must
Wait-Conn. City Would
Give No Financial Back
ing.

l. New York, Aug. S1.-At a meeting
held in the Yale club in this city yes
terday it was disclosed that abou
everything necessary for holding q
Jack Dempsey Harry Wills heavy
weight championship bout in STAN
ford, Conn, this fall had been ar
ranged except the necessary essential
of securing the consent of the two
principals. Alfred N. Phillips, Jr.
mayor of Stamford, was present at the
meeting and said that sentiment In
that city, and he thought throughout
the state, was favorable to the bout.
He made it clear, however, that he
was speaking only as representative
of Stamford and not of the entire
state.
Mayor Phillips also said that SIAM
ford was not Shelby, Mont, and that
the city would offer no financial as
sistance to the proposed contest. How
ever, it was said that Thomas f.
Riley, a restaurant man of Stamford,
had 100000 in hand which he was
willing to post as a guarantee of good
faith in case Jack Kearns, Dempsey's
manager, could be made to see the
light and come to terms. In fact 1t
was broadly intimated that Riley was
willing to guarantee the champion
100000 if he would sign contract
to meet the negro boxer at Stamford
on the night following the last game
of the worlds series.
1t was said at the meeting that
there would be no difficulty in getting
Paddy Mullins, manager of Wills, 10
affiX his name to u contract for such
a match, Later developments showed
that 1t might be extremely difficult,
for Mullins said that George Dwyer of
Bridgeport, Conn, was the only pro-
moter who had approached him with
a proposition and was the only one
that he felt he could do business with
at this time.
keaTns Turns Down Proposal.
Jack kearns, who was reached by
telephone just before he left for Sara
toga Springs, voiced statement
which was much TO the same effect
kearns said that he not only would
not enter into an agreement, but
would not even entertain a PROPOSE
ton for the champions services at
this time. He gave as his reason that
it would be unfair to Richard, Demp-
Sey, Firpo and everyone else inter-
ested in the approaching Dempsey
Firpo bout for him to enter into ne
gotiations now for another title con-
test to be held in the metropolitan
district before the close of the out
door season.
Until Mullins and Kearns threw
cold water on it the proposition ad-
vanced by Mayor Phillips and Tom
O'Rourke, who outlined Riley's plan
in the latter's absence, sounded prac-
ticable and interesting. Briefly it was
as follows:
To build a stadium seating $4,000 |
persons at Stamford. Conn, which is
cnly fifty minutes ride from New
York city, to hold the bout on the |
night following the final game of the /
Worlds Series in October. to charge |
rom SO to $50 per seat and to allow |
he city of Stamford to take up COL
ection in the crowd for a municipal |
Lthletic field and golf course.
Mayor Phillips said that recently a
,oll had been taken among the bust
less and professional men of SIAM
ord and that the sentiment, includ-
ng that of several ministers who had
'een approached had been practically
in favor of bringing the
out to Stamford if possible. He said
hat he had not talked with Governor
about the proposed bout
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