The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-08-02


10ASA SIaA With a few care
Tunney fully and slowly
selected phrases, the son of long
shoreman, who fought his way to
the top of the world among fighting
men and into an immense fortune,
stepped modestly and simply from
the glanor of the spotlight into the
obscurity that envelops a private
citizen.
1t was all very simple, and just
bit too sOlemen to be exciting
and good fun. Perhaps the event
did not legitimately call for any
overpuIus of hurrah or leSSening
of tension. After all, Mr.. Tunney
is the first heavyweight champion
ever to turn his back on millions
and this, 1 suppose, is not to be
done laughingly.
CTILL, I think the passing Of the
- young champion could have
been made to appear just as i'm
pressive and definite if there had
been less of funeral atmosphere
about it. There were times when j
felt that at any moment one OF
those professional mourners from
an undertaker's parlor would move
into the toastmaster's chair and
take command.
Mr.. Tunney, in stopping down,
said a number of very nice things
about the boxing industry, one or
two of which he may have really
meant.
Il am going to miss the smell of
the resin, the glare of the lights
and the roar of the crowds" admit
ted the ex-champion with emotion.
But most of all he'll miss those
big checks" wisphered the severely
practical Mr.. Benny Leonard, a re-
tired champion himself, who was
among those present.
There is nothing quite like a
boxing contest for DRAMA" went
on Mr.. Tunney. mo play or book
can equal it, for always you have
the feeling that in the play or the
book everything will end we'll. But
IN the ring it is different. You
never can tell"
1t should be mentioned in this
connection that Mr.. Tunney was
not including those Ted Lewis
Jack BrittOn tournaments of the
Leonard Dundee week end parties,
in which the element of drama
and uncertainty was seldom con-
spicuOusly present, if at all.
NNE of the interesting develop
~ ments of the sad and solemn
abdication was the decision that
the memory of the retiring cham
pion shall be handed down to
posterity and dime a-dozen heavy
weights in the form of a belt to be
known as the Muldoon- Tunney
trophy From now on this is what
the well-dressed heavyweight cham
pion will wear.
1 asked Mr.. Tex Rickard, who
also sat at the long table, looking
quite indecent without his cane and
perfecto, if he didn't welcome the
return of an era when heavyweight
champions would fight again for
belts.
"You can give 'em belts and sus-
penders and an extra pair of
trousers, but they'll still be coming
to me for those millions" he COM
mented grimly.
From this it was plain that the
promoter did not look upon the
movement to reintroduce idealistic
practices in the game with any
Stupendous degree of enthusiasm
He was reminded, he said, that Mr.
Tunney had never insisted that he
be paid off in belts. In fact, if his
memory served him, plain, common
money was always good enough fol-
the retiring champion.
Some of the boys profess to be-
lieve that he still can be per-
suaded to come back next year
if a worthwhile opponent and
the promise of rich gate loom.
Don't believe it. The young man
is through. He wouldn't come
back if he had to. He's just that
different.