The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-18
i TALKING
IT OVER
WITH JOE WILLIAMS

EW 1OIsI>, 49,
~ an hour in an Office on lower
broadway talking about fights n
the fight game with William Null
doon the snowy haired car OF New
york boxing. He is in the eighties
and his health is beginning TO 1all
bim and I think he realizes II.
About a year ago he had a an anu
he eve completely recovered from
It. His right arm from nouloe W
wrist is practically lifeleSs. 4eC
there is an animation about his lace
and ewes that still bespeaks a YOUTH
full spirit.
a feeling Of sadness came over
mo as I heard this fine old reno"
4aIk and somehow he reminded me
If a magnificent old monument
that had begun to crumoie. DIS
-cussing boxing he said:
.erHERE ISN'T ANYTHING MsONG
xUTTH THE FIGHT GAME, IhIse
a GREAT DEAL WRONG WITH SOME Or
rrt5E PEOPLE IN 1T. U COMMIooLON
WORKS HARD TO SEE THAI xH -
THTNG IS CONDUCTED AS FAIRLY an
AS POSSIBLE AND I'M oo
WE HAVE DONE A GREAT pEAu n
GOOD. BUT THERE IS SO MUCH ~ De
DONE AND so LITTLE TIME 10 ~
IN"
DOxING never will know what a
II snlendid character and What a
fine force for good it has oWieu
until Muldoon ceases to functlon' puU
Of his present ago, and in his condl-
tion he is not much more nan d
venerable ornament. A younger
Muldoon would dominate boxing IN
America. The string-pulling poilti-
clans and their henchmen III Cile
underworld would find in him an
implacable foe of dollar-polClcs'
ring trickery and general larcerS'
r. ;s true. of course, that Muidoon
&c no the only human connecVeu
with sports who ever suffered a fasm
IF ideals. character and bravery, stu
krow of no one who could IN ms
urime have better ruled TINS haru-
bitten. doubIe-crOssfng, unSaVofy
business.
VERY LITTLE OF THE CRookED-
NEss IN BOXING ORIGINATES Win
THE BOXERS SAYS MuLDcoN. NfaooA
m TT IS THE PRODUCT OF SCHEM-
INC MANAGERS. THE BOXERS USUAL
Ty YEARS YOUNGER AND
ny THEIR .SUAVE HANDLERS. ARE But
THE MOST DEVITALlh1NG
INFLUNCE IN BOXING IS THE uN-
SCRUPLOUS MANAGER. M
HIM AND YOU WILL HAVE
BOXING OF ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT
AILS IT."
How can this be done? Muldo0n
admits the task is tremendous, If
not impossible. cit might be neces-
sary to improve the human breed"
he half laughed.
rs the technique OF boxing better
A today than it was in the old days
in Corbett's day? Muldoon thinks
1t is. mo crowd in history" he says,
"ever saw a more masterful exhl-
bition of boxing than Tunney
showed in his swan song against
Heeney."
BUT WASN'T THAT BECAUSE HEENEY
WAS A MUG-BEG PARDON, AN IN
FERIOR OPPONENT? I ASKED. Null
doom DIDN'T THINK HI WAS AND
REPLIED: "HEENEY FOUGHT THEM
ALL-PAoLINo. RISKo. sHARKEY AND
THE REST-AND MORE THAN HELD HIS
OWN. HE MUST HAVE HAD SOME
THING. GIVE TUNNEY A LITTLE CREDIT
ONCE IN A WHILE. YOU NEWSPAPER
MEN SEEM RELUCTANT TO DO THAT
u n =
/ wanted to know if Tunney, with
all his character and his ideals, had
left a definite impression on the
business he turned from after MAX
ing two millions dollars. MuldoOn
wasn't sure whether he had Or not,
and this seemed to discourage him.
r Il =
IT think Gene was instrumental
in bringing out more fans of the
better Sort" Muldoon said, "but it
was plain he was not a great popu-
lar idol"
-