Evening star., 1928-12-09
BARRY NO ROWDY

l have given the resume of my early
.nfe and activities in order that you
may have a fair picture of the man
who was in the ring when the most
talked about IA seconds in prize ring
history were counted off.
I'm telling you this in an attempt
to convince you that I am not rowdy,
had the necessary experience to referee
the Tunney-Dempsey fight. and by
temperament would naturally feel a
resentment and hurt at what think
is unfair treatment by fight fans.
Before this article is completed l
purpose to discuss the chHrges M lie
against me and to answer them truth
tell you how / was drawn into the fight.
Dempsey Loses His Title.
On September %, 1926, World Cham
pion Jack Dempsey, the ManaSsa
Mauler, had lost his title to Gene Tun-
ney, peculiar type to be prize fighter.
The decision was fair, but no one could
believe. 1t was like the case of the
farmer who said They amt no SIGH
animal" when he viewed a giraffe for
til, first time. An ideal spot for a re-
turn engagement, and no one knew it
bctter than Tex Rickard, who had both
of the fighters under contract.
The vigor of the bidding for the re-
turn encounter has been thoroughly eX-
planned in the press. To get the great
battle, Chicago had to lit the enter
prise out of the class of the usual sport
ing world routine. Staging the Tunney-
Dempsey fight became civic matter
and men who never had seen prize
fight put their shoulders to the wheel
Eventually Rickard decreed that the
fight would be held in Chicago, and the
civic character of the enterprise was
emphasized.
Chicago'S Great Fear.
There was the promise that nobility
and the official and society cream of
the land would get the choice ringside
seats. At the outset 1t was made clear
that the hoodlum element was to be
crowded into the background. No
| funny business was to be tolerated. The
boxing commission set about taking
every precaution to prevent any mixup
that would cause these high-toned
| strangers in the world of fistic sport
TO regret their interest in the spectacle
Naturally there was great deal OF
| talk in Chicago, and throughout the
country. for that matter, on who was
! to be the referee of the great return
| bout.
The naming of the referee was UP
to the Illinois Athletic Commission
| The latter at the time consisted ol
John c. Righeimer, Oswald Huncke
and Paul Prehn. Righeimer is a Chi
cago business man, once owner Of g
saloon: Prehn is a former wrestler anc
afterward instructor in wrestling al
the University of Illinois, and Hunckt
is an insurance broker. He had beer
named as chairman of the Illinois box
ing commission at the time of its ap.
pointment by Gov. Len Small, but
subsequently had resigned, although a.
the time of the Tunney-Dempsey fgh
his resignation had not been accepted
and he still was serving.
He Wanted the Job.
Undoubtedly pressure. great pressure
was cXerted upon these three men tc
obtain the selection Of referee. How
! much pressure, and from what sources
cannot state.
During the weeks Immediately pre-
ceding the fight my friends frequently
asked me II thought / would referee
the big fight. 1 told them what was
| the TRUTH don't know
/ And didn't.
Frankly, l hoped that I would get
the assignment. In the first place,
craved the honor And I wanted the
money. I thought, too, II you'll pardon
! the egotism. that had more experience
more training and was better fitted fol
the job than any one else.
But I never-and may 1 drop dead
if it is not true-I never discussed my
desire with any member Of the COM
mission nor to the best of my knowl-
edge did any single one Of my friends
| Next Tuesday DaVe Barry wiH tel
! about the preliminary meetiMg Of boa
ing com mission, attended by all the Of
fciais eligible to referee the TMmney
Dempsey feht at Whieh the reenl0
tions TO govern the cham biomShib bat
he-Gnd these played gerry imto,t0r
part in if--were gone oyer in detail.
Jimmy Cherry Of Los Angeles, forme
member of the United States Navy
holds the endurance swimming recort
for men Of 65 hours and minutes.