Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-20

VI on the Wanted drawing power
4 of William Harrison Dempsey
down under the waving palms
Of Florida's Fairgrounds.
Not as fighter who pulled close to
$4,000 900 through fiStiana's turn
stiles as the greatest ring attraction
of all times, but as a promoter, is the
final test of the old Manassa Mauler
being made The makers are the di-
rectors of Madison Square Garden and
the reward of success is the empty
chair that stands before Tex Richards
2-ton bronze desk in the Garden.
That chair and all the power that
went with it when Richard played his
lone hand as a promoter and some
times told his board of directors of
his fantastic plans just in time for
them to order seats will be offered to
Dempsey II the clash of Jack Sharkey
and Young Stribling at Miami Beach,
February 81, turns out financial sue
cess. Otherwise Dempsey must re-
turn to fisticuffing to rekindle the
interest OF the Garden directorate. The
quest of a successor to the late pro-
moter will follow other channels.
This analysis of the troublesome
situation in boxing left by Rickards
death is made by one of the Garden S
most powerful directors. He won't
sign the confession. but he Swears it's
the truth and is willing to elaborate.
Serving an Apprenticeship.
Dempsey, 1t seems, has agreed to
ssrve his apprenticeship, to stand or
fall as a promoter and the successor
of Richard, on the financial outcome
of the battle in the South, the last
and one of the most ambitious of all
the Rickard schemes. He Is interested
financially in the dog track, where the
fight will take place and which Richard
controlled. His willingness to forego
another shot at the title Gene Tunney
snatched away is seen in the eagerness
with which Dempsey jumped at the
chance to prove himself as q promoter.
Jack believes that he knew Richards
plans and line of action better than
any other man. He valued Rickard'S
friendship highly enough to want to
carry out personally the projects Tex
had planned. In the mind of this one
director at least is the idea that Rick
ard himself had planned to break in"
Dempsey as his successor. Jack would
like the job.
Although rumors always were preva-
aent, it was not generally known that
Rickard intended to remain at the head
of Madison Square Garden for just one
more year. He was constantly en-
broiled in exchanges with the director
ate of the corporation he conceived, but
controlled through friendship with
bankers who owned majority OF the
Garden stock. Several hard-headed
business men on the board of directors
never could understand how Tex pro-
NOTED that $4,000 900 Tunney-Dempsey
project at Chicago and came away with
only 100000 profit
Tex Invested Elsewhere.
Tex in turn couldn't understand their
attitude and lack Of realization that
profits for the other IL months OF the
year accrued in great part from the
impetus Of the open-air extravaganzas.
The constant pickering led him to in
vest heavily in dog track and real
estate at Miami Beach where ne plan
ned to turn his energies when once
free of the Garden.
There will be two powers close to the
rear of the throne If Dempsey does step
into the breach left by Richards death
Constant advice will come his way from
Col. John S. Hammond, assistant to
Rickard under the old regime, and john
F, (Cyclone) Carey, the dynamic Irish
man who made millions as contractor
and business promoter before he built
the Garden and bought huge block
of the stock. Dempsey can supply the
knowledge Of boxing, they the business
judgment.
And so with the battle of the Miami
seashore still six weeks away the posi-
bility Of Dempsey ever fighting again
dwindles with every dollar that falls
into the box office. Already that sum
totals $4,000 and the Garden directors
believe they have found Richards sue
cesSor.