The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-26

Battle of Three Millions
N. D.-U.> S. c. Tilt
Among HighIightS.
INCREASED INTEREST
Many Placed on Super
Honor Role.
BY HENRY L. FARRELL
NEA Service Writer


Registered by competitive records,
interest displayed by the public and
prosperity attending promotion, the
sports year 1927 was another one of
those biggest and best" years that
have come in succession since the
war days.
Richards dream of a million dol
lar gate came true, and SO true he
cleared almost a half million for
himself.
Marking the progress Of the times
came the first meeting between Jack
Dempsey and Gene Tunney in Phil
adelphia in 1926 which introduced
a two million dollar gate" and led
to the prediction that the peak had
been reached.
But there remained step forward
to attain-a three million dollar
fight"-and Rickard just missed it
when he put Tunney and Dempsey
in the ring again in Chicago and
drew $2,800000 from 10000 specta-
tors, the largest crowd that ever had
seen moxing match.
The astounding success of Rick
ards greatest show was typical, in
a comparative way, Of the increased
interest shown by the public in other
sports.
Drew $4,000 Fans
Notre Dame and Southern Cali
fornia played a football game in the
Chicago stadium and drew 117,000
spectators. There perhaps would
have been as many customers ~as
there were for the fight, if it
had been possible to seat spectators
all over the field.
1t is impossible to compute or esti-
mate how many spectators saw all
the big and little football games
scattered all over the country, but it
is safe to assume that more than
one million fans spent Saturday
afternoons watching the college
teams in action.
The worlds series between the
New York Yankees and the Pitts
burgh Pirates fell far short of rec
ords for attendance and receipts, but
it was due not to any lack of interest
but to the fact the Yankees won
in four straight games.
The two major leagues enjoyed a
prosperous season and it was re-
ported that the Chicago Cubs, for
one, cleared more than a million
dollars on the season. The runaway
race that the Yankees made OF the
American League season might have
hurt attendance if it had not been
for the home-run duel between Babe
Ruth and his young teammate, Lou
Gehrig.
Super Honor Role
Every department of sports and
athletics had heroes and outstand-
ing stars, but there we're several who
distinguished themselves so that
they might be placed on a super
honor role.
Among then. we're:
Bobby Jones, who became recog-
nized as the worlds greatest golfer
with 66's at Minneapolis, st. An
Q1CWo cLlQ III I1lC OOuCAlCAA OkCAli
and with victories in the British
open and the American amateur
championships.
Babe Ruth, who broke his home
run record by hitting sixty.
Helen Wills, who won the British
and American tennis championships.
Lou Gehrig, Yankee first baseman.
who in his third season. and Paul
Waner, Pittsburgh outfielder, in his
second season, won the major league
most valuable player awards.
Tommy Hitchcock, who distin-
guiShed himself as the worlds great
est polo forward in helping the
American team beat England for
the international cup.
Columbia UpSets Dope
The Columbia crew, which upset
all calculations by winning the in
tercollegiate rowing championship
from Washington at Poughkeepsie.
Sabin Carr, the Yale star, who
made new worlds record of four
teen feet for the pole vault.
JOIlIlIly WelSIHueller ana MarJna
Norelius, who made almost fifty new
worlds swimming records.
The New York Yankees, who made
a new American League record by
winning ITO games during the sea-
son and equalled the record by win
ming the worlds series from the
Pittsburgh Pirates in four straight
games.
Charley Borah, Southern Cali
fornia Splinter, who ran, 100 yards
in 9.5 seconds and 200 yards in 20.9.
There were countless others
worthy of mention in various other
lines of sport, but these athletes
were the ranking ones for places on
the honor roll.