Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-21
BOXING BOUT HELD
GREAT AID FOR CITY
Miami Beach Event Booming
Florida Again-Big Bids
Come Gardens Way.
BY EDWARD ]. NEIL,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

"A n IAMI BEACH, Fla. February
M 2l.-The mantle of luck that
WI seemed to sheath Tex Rick
4 4 ards shoulders in life appar-
emily has fallen in blanket
fashion at his death over the entire
Madison Square Garden Corporation.
Scarcely a month ago the directors
of the Garden organization, and even
doughty Bill Carey, the two-fisted rail-
road builder who has taken Tex's place
at the helm, argued for days the FEAST
bility of carrying out Richards dream
of an outdoor heavyweight contest in
the South while Winter gripped arenas
in the North. The plan, when orig
mated, seemed feasible, to none but
Richard. and even he had his doubts.
1t is no secret now that Tex, before
he died, told the directors of his or
ganization that the battle of the Ever
glades featuring Young Stribling, the
slugging Georgian. and Jack Sharkey
of Boston, must be considered in the
light of his own personal experiment.
If any profits were made on the affair.
the corporation would receive them.
ANY loss Tex planned to foot himself
Rickard, seeking to divorce himself
slowly from the game that made him
wealthy, had invested heavily in VEN
lures here. Tex wanted to spend his
latter years in the ease of the South
land. Miami Beach was the choice of
his future home. The dog-racing track,
the Deauville Casino and the rusty
steel skeleton of a 100000 recrea-
ton pier all are evidence of Richards
belief in the solvency of the South.
Tex's Pet Plan.
He planned the fight next Wednes-
day night as gigantic advertising
proposition not only for his investments
here, but for the corporation as well.
Tex once said he was willing to take a
loss of 100000 and consider it well
spent But. when the old master of the
ballyhoo died, the Garden directors
could see little reason, with Richards
genius gone, for carrying out what
seemed so helpless proposition. The
guarantee of 100000 to Sharkey and
the cost of erecting an arena, offered
the two largest obstacles.
And now from an entirely unexpected
source comes the promise that the Gar
den Corporation unwittingly has STUN
bled into new by-product of boxing. a
discovery that may prove one of the
most prosperous in the history of the
sport instead of financial failure
So great has been the advertising that
has come to Miami Beach through the
battle itself, the influx of newspaper
men and prominent visitors that other
cities in the South are casting enviouS
eyes at the publicity that has doomed
this city even beyond the exciting days
of 1925 and 1926 Already Bill Carey
has received propositions from cities in
California and other parts Of Florida,
but Tampa on the West Coast seems
to have outdistanced all the rest.
Carey was amazed at an unofficial
offer OF 100000 from the rival resort
to stage another heavyweight engage
ment next Winter beside the waters of
Tampa Bay. The money was offered
the Garden Corporation, he said. merely
for the staging of a match in that city
without thought Of a share in the
profits. Although Miami Beach paid
nothing for the privilege of staging the
Sharkey- Stribling match. indications are
that the prosperity resulting will bring
the society resort into the bidding for
any return engagements that the
Garden may play in the South.
Big Money in Sight.
Thus 1t may prove that Rickard.
master at molding the game Of boxing
to his needs and desires, may have
overlooked the most profitable Sideline
of all while the Garden, led into carrying
out the promoters plan through respect
for the dead leader and desire to MAIN
tain prestige, has stumbled upon the
fistic goose that may lay many golden
eggs.
The principals in the fight picture are
divided today between Palm Beach,
where Jack Dempsey. promoter, and
Carey, attended society charity show
last night at the Beach where the
boxers are in training.
Both Sharkey and Stribling, close to
top condition, are planning to taper
of in workouts from now until next
Wednesday. Sharkey scaled 189 after
yesterdays workout, his lowest poundage
In three years.