The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-05-14
BY Gene Tunney
vorTd's Heavywelght Champion

sPECULATOR, N. y. May
.14.-Tex Richard has gone on
record as predicting that, the
receipts for the bout between
Tom Heeney and myself will
reach the million-and-a-hAH-
dollar mark.
Now. Tex isn't given to making
wild statements, as we all know very
well. ana IL that's his estimate, you
can depend upon It that when the
returns are checked over they VIII
be close to that figure.
/ often wonder Just what sort Of
q sixth sense Richard was born with.
And imagine I'm not the only one
who has, from time to time, mar.
veied at the uncanny way he has Of
being able to see into the future.
when I jOshed Tex about this
faculty he laughs and tries TO say
It's nothing more or less than
a little sound business sense,
gained from . lifetime Of pro-
noting big bouts.
But. of course, there's Lot more
to it than that. IL there wasn't,
there would be more than one Tex
Richard, ana the fact remains that
he's the only one OF his kind; there
never has been another. ana doubt
very much IL there ever will be an.
other in the years to come.
Richard iS q great Snowman. IL
he had gone into the theatrical bust.
ness there's no doubt that he would
have enjoyed the same success he's
had in boxing. He might easily have
become one Of the leading producers
In Hollywood, or q power in organ
lied baseball.
Rickard IL one Of the few men
In the world who knows what the
people want, how they want It
ana, most important Of all. when
they want IL. Coupled with that
i his genius for organization which
makes every event which he spoIl-
sorn satisfying in every way to
There wasn't much head or tan
to boxing before Richard stepped
in and started promoting bouts by
using sane business methods. Now
his system In held up az q model
for everyone else. Even in the
smallest towns, at the smallest
arenas, the promoters attempt to
put over their shows by using
characteristically Rickardlan meth
DDS Is far al possible
These are Just . few Of the
reasons why I think Tex viii
gather In that &1,5OO, 600 gate.
II he says he'll do . thing, he
usually deeS It. He IL &c.
custOEned to accomplishing the
impossible. and certainly no
enc familiar with boxing yin
say now that q nalllion-and-a-
half "'sate' II impossible IN
these days.
And I'm glad. too, that I'm going
70 derend my title in my home
town, New York. don't mean
this as any reflection upon Phila.
delphia or Chicago, and I'm sure
my friends in those cities won't
take It as such. What 1 do mean
is that It's going to afford the
cnance To q lot of my New York
Irlends' and to many youngsters
20 see championship event In
when I'm one OF the contestants.
Then. too, 1 think that I cane
be blamed for wanting to annear In
the city OF my birth at least orrA
wnlle I'm the owner of the title,
Surely, that's a natural desireA
Ana ! also believe that the fans
are going to see a great bout.
Heeney is loaded for bear, with
tne Incentive Of all that glory
aanghng before his eyes, he's Ger.
tainly going to give everything that
he's got, and I know the sort oe
Ieslink that comes over you when
you step into the ring with the
opportunity Of winning a cham.
ptonship and all that goes with n.
Under such circumstances. nearly
any challenger would be at least
dangerous. Hesney is more than
dangerous. He IL q man who mas
shown marked Improvement i'm
each succeeding engagement. and
right now is at the very peak OF
his form.
Yes. it's going to be an interest.
ing night-and perhaps you can
see now why Tex is getting ready
10 crack another recordi
tSopyriSht. 1923. King Features