Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-12-07


Gated. Bell recently defeated
Johnny Vacca, twice victorious
over Fidel LaBarba.
~~-~~~~~---~~~~~->-~~~-~>>
when Tunney actually got to his feet
and was back in fighting position, two
of more seconds elapsed that Barry
withheld dropping his arm for the
count of "ten' all during the time that
Tunney was Scrambling to his feet. I
repeat just that
I don't know whether Tunney ac-
tually said he could have climbed up
at zone" But if he did-and he thinks
he could have, despite the evidence
of paralyzed condition for at least
ten seconds-well, then, I'll say that
the age of miracles is still with us.
He Objected To Barry
When I climbed into the ring on
the night of September % in Chicago
and saw that Dave Barry was in there
as referee-well, plenty of the hope
that I had for victory left me then
and there.
There were reasons for that feeling.
Before the fight, there was some de-
bate between Leo P. Flynn, my repre-
sentative, and the Tunney crowd as to
the selection of the referee. I had no
personal preference as to the referee.
But did have an objection And I
objected to Barry
Barry did plenty of things to me in
the ring, but even before I climbed
into the ring came to feel that it
was going to be an unpleasant eve
mir foy. 0ff
ment was concerned.
While I was in my dressing room, a
representative of the commission came
in and tossed me one roll of bandage
and three yards of adhesive tape The
rules provided that Tunney and were
to get one roll of bandage for each
hand and three yards of tape for each
hand-not one roll and three yards for
both. I so informed the official whose
snappy answer was:
That's all you get and that's
final"
Forces Issue On Tape
''Well," I said, cit may be final with
you, but it is not final with me. The
rules allow me two rolls of bandageI
and six yards of tape"
"Oh, no they don't" he said.
ooh, yes they do,'' I answered.
So I got copy of the agreement
which provided two rolls of bandage
and six yards of tape and had to
point out the clause to this official of
the commission, which body had
drafted the very rule, before he would
yield to me the proper allowance of
tape and gauze.
L L
been applied, this official ordered me-
to go into the ring.
what about Tunney?" I asked
''He is on his way now," answered
the official
, sIt earlier had been understood that
Tunney and would leave for the
ring at about the same time, on or
ders from the commission, so that
neither of us would be subjected to a |
waiting session" by the other
AS everybody knows, was forced !
into that ring nearly Is minutes be- I
fore Tunney got there Perhaps the
commission, which declared that I got
a fair enough break" can explain why
had to wait nearly quarter of an
hour for Tunney.
Announcer Criticized
! forgot the name of the fellow who |
did the announcing that night. But
whoever he was, he struck me as be- !
ing an individual who forgot that his
job merely was to introduce both fight
ers in neutral, sportsmanlike fashion.
When he introduced Newell, he just
did the introducing which was all
could ask for, or want. But when he !
introduced Tunney, he got all excited !
with himself and instead of being just
an announcer he acted like a college
cheer leader
am not making any kick, I am
merely relating these incidents to point
out that the bandage episode, the
stunt of getting me into the ring and
having me wait for Tunney, and the
conduct of the announcer in making
the introductions, were things which4
seemed to be rather studied efforts on
the part of the men responsible for
it to annoy me.
Some Questions Asked
Why did the commissioners official
try to deprive me of getting my right
full share of bandage cloth and the
rightful yardage of adhesive tape-andI
force me to trot out the rules before
he would yield?
Why did he rush me into the ring
so that I'd have to sit around and
wait nearly a quarter of an hour for
Tunney?
Why did that. announcer, appointed
by the commission and who was sup
posed to be wholly impartial, pull that
cheap trick of trying to create crowd
sentiment for Tunney?
I've never begrudged cheers and
plaudits that have been given to my
ring foemen. And I'm glad over every
cheer that Gene Tunney got. He de-
served theno--rich1v R1lt T don't he