The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-07-26
Tex Richard Expected to
Lose Money on Title
Fight.
OPPONENTS ARE CALM
-
Dempsey May Second
AnzaC Challenger.
BY HARRY FERGUSON
United Press staff Correspondent

4NL w O1CIA, q uly AO.-
Clear skies and cool .breezes of
early morning augured well for
the Gene Tunney-Tom Heeney
heavyweight championship
fight tonight, but box Office in
dications were that the crowd
would fall below expectations.
Sixty thousand persons are ex-
pected to pass through the forty
eight turnstiles at Yankee Stadium
tonight and there will be room for
$4,000 more.
Tex Richard, who never yet has
lost on heavyweight champion
ship fight, hoped for a last minute
rush to build up the proceeds for
this mammoth fight program.
1t seemed, without definite knowl-
edge, that Richards faith in fight
fans rushing to see a heavyweight
title bout would be shaken, if not
shattered. There seemed a chance
Rickard would lose possibly 100000
on tonight's venture even though
the clear, cool weather fits in well
with "Rickard Luck"
Many seats will be sold today and
attaches of the Richard Office pre-
dicted the last minute rush would
bring Tex a profit.
Merely a Business
The fight tonight will bring to-
gether a soft spoken student of the
classics and mild genial black
smith, both of whom would rather
be playing golf.
Fighting is just a business with
Gene Tunney and Tom Heeney.
"Show me any other job in which
can make as much money and I
will quit the ring" said Tunney.
IF I win, I guess I'll loaf for
while" said Heeney.
At 10 o'clock Indianapolis day
light saving time tonight there
may be another potential millionaire
in New York. That will be Heeney
if he wins. Or he may be stand
ing in the glare of the ring with
his bead bloody but unbowed, just
another good boxer with heart
of oak who missed his big chance.
In bringing Tunney and Heeney
together, Rickard Went to tic ends
of the earth for his men. Tunney
is a native New Yorker, a former
clerk who found his life work
while serving with the marines in
the World War.
When Crown Changed
Then down the years to that
drizzly September night in 1926
when he met the leaden-legged
Jack Dempsey at Philadelphia and
after thirty minutes of fighting was
hailed as heavyweight champion Of
the world.
Tunneys victory was startling.
The old order changed, split infin-
itives were mended, and for the first
time in the history of the world a
heavyweight champion was speak
ing faultless English.
Heeney is different. He is a
sportsman, not a scholar. He likes
his golf, his dogs and his ale. His
heart is as big as his muscle-bound
shoulders, and he. radiates cheer
and good will. He came sailing up
from his training camp at Fair
Haven, N. j., on a millionaire's
yacht today, unperturbed by the
fact that this is the greatest day
of his life.
Tunney was calm, too as he flied
down from Spectator, N. Y, in an
Amphibian plane. That's why
Richard is going to lose money.
Both fighters are too calm. They
admit that they like each other.
New York Interested
Twenty-Five thousand visitors are
here for the bout. They have come
from Australia, China, Japan, Eng
land and all parts Of the United
States. After two weeks of indiffer-
ence, New York is becoming inter-
ested in the fight. 1t is the topic
Of discussion on every street
corner.
1t was said along Broadway to-
day that when Tunney climbs into
the ring tonight he will stand face
to face with his old foe, Dempsey
Richard was authority for the state
ment that Dempsey would be
Heeney's chief second. From other
sources the report was denied, and
Dempsey himself would not COM
ment.
Betting men say Heeney has one
chance in three to whip Tunney
Those odds will waver before night
fall, and no one can ssy what they
will be when the fighters stand face
to face on the square of canvas
which the world for some strange
reason calls a ring. q