Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-14
BY TEX RICHARD.

n gave me the greatest thrill OF
MN my career and while it drew,
v to be exact, $1,188, 602.80, ]
later was able to promote
other bouts greater in both attendance
and receipts.
always have said Jack Dempsey was
the greatest drawing card this world
ever saw. One proof is that I have had
five fights where the gate ran over
100000 and in each of them Dempsey
was contestant.
The Dempsey Firpo fight was in Sep
tenlber, 1923, and it was three years
before / was able to put Jack. into the
ring again. Firpo went back to the
Argentine after the affair in New York
and returning to the United States was
beaten by Harry Wills in September,
1924.
If Firpo had not been worried by out
side matters which affected both his
training and his spirit, that might have
been a great fight. AS matters turned
out, Firpo'S disappointing showing re-
moved him as a contender.
From my standpoint Harry Wills was
not a good opponent for Dempsey for
several reasons. had never forgotten
my experience with the Johnson-Jef-
fries bout, when was forced to leave
California after every assurance had
been given me that could hold fight
there.
I had several good reasons for be-
ieving DempSey-WillS fight never
would be permitted, and had too great
an asset in Madison Square Garden to
do anything which might cause even a
temporary reaction against the boxing
game which had so labored to build
up. There was chance such a bout
might kill it. But I had to ind an op-
ponent for Dempsey.
Gene Tunney had been coming along
steadily. He had beaten Harry Greb
conclusively, won from Johnny RiSko,
and had knocked out Tom Gibbons,
Jack Herman and BARLEY Madden.
Moreover, he was the type to make
good fight with Dempsey. believed he
was the logical contender, and signed
him.
Task to Sign Jack.
The next thing was to sign Jack.
This wasn't@so easy. Dempsey believed
he would make more money with Wills,
and insisted upon him as an opponent.
He had even gone so far as to sign to
meet Wills in the Middle West, but the
promoters couldn't go through with
their agreement. Finally, in April, I
had to go to Texas to meet Jack, where
told him my reasons, convinced him,
and signed him to contract. thought
then my troubles were over. They
hadn't begun.
William Muldoon always favored
Tunney, but the other members OF the
New York Boxing Commission refused
to sanction the match until had ar
ranged to take 1t to Chicago. Then
George e. Brewer, who believed the
match belonged in New York. said he
felt it his duty to protect the public
interest, virtually ordered me back East
and voted with Mr.. Muldoon to declare
Tunney a proper opponent and Demp-
sey boxer In good standing.
That might have been believed 70
settle the matter, but the license COM
mittee refused Dempsey license.
was advised that this action would not
be upheld by the courts, but there was
no time for legal proceedings and was
unwilling to resort to something which
might cause lasting bitterness. Phila-
delphia wanted the match and decided
to take it there.
August 10, 1925, E. L. Austin, James
Francis Ryan, Frank Weiner and Robert
A. Young came from Philadelphia ana
! met them ct John Ringhng's apart
ment with william v. Sake, Richard
Fuchs and Walter Trulnbull. Austin,
director general of the Sesquicenten-
NAL, and Weiner, chairman of the
Pennsylvania Boxing Commission, as
sured me of the support of Gov. Pinchot
and Mayor Kendrick OF Philadelphia
and We signed the necessary agreement.
Crowd Wonderful Sight.
Philadelphia certainly did all it
could for me. had been eager to hold
the bout in New York to protect the
little fellow, the man who had been
steady customer for gallery seats. It
tripled his expenses to go to Philadel-
pnia and also cost New York money in
taxes and patronage, but it turned out
to be a great shift for me.
Not since the world began had as
many persons sat in an arena and
watched two boxers as saw Tunney and
Dempsey in that stadium on the Sesqui-
centennial grounds. lie never saw
more impressive sight than those rows
Of people stretching away from the ring
until they were almost lost to sight in
the dusk.
Never was there such demand for
ringside seats. I kept adding rows until
was ashamed to add any more, but the
buyers were satisfied. That fight drew,
again to be exact, 81 1876, 733.40 and the
Government collected $172, 339 40 in tax.
Originally had set the date of the
bout as September IL, but I was forced
to change my mind and hold 1t Septem-
Der %. Tunney changed his training
camp from Spectator to Stroudsburg
and Dempsey moved from Saratoga to
Atlantic City.
Never was there bout with so many
complications. Dempsey was worried
by law suits and I was constantly pre-
pared to give bond to almost any
amount in case legal action was brought
to halt the match. At the last minute
word was brought me that Tunney was
flying down from Stroudsburg and 1t
didn't make me feel any easier to real
lie that he had only to sprain thumb
to ruin the greatest boxing show ever
held. But even the weather couldn't
stop that bout.
Meant Return Match.
In the pouring rain Dempsey lost at
Philadelphia the title he had won from
jess willard in the blazing sun of
Toledo afternoon. There Is no need to
tell you how Tunney, cool and confident,
astounded the crowd by taking the
championship from as game a man as
ever entered ring, one Of the greatest
hitters of boxing history. People could
not believe it, which was just as well
for me.
1t meant return bout.
Copyright, 1929. by North American News
paper Alliance.)
Next-Tunney- Dempsey Fight in
Chicago.