The Washington times., 1929-01-08
7 GOO|!
:N||NUSH|S
OLDPAL
- AR - -
BY Kirk Miller

In the wee sma' hours of
this morning when Washing
ton was still concerned in its
slumbers, all that is earthly
Of George l.. "Tex" Rickard
paused in, it's bronze easket at
Union Station long enough to
permit a change of train crews
and be off to New York where
the great fight promoters
funeral will occur tomorrow.
Besides the widow of the game;
outstanding fight promoter, in the
funeral party was a man who has
been closer to TEX" Rickard than
any of the army of sports figures
he leaves to mourn him-Jack Demp-
ssy.
1t is to Dempsey that fight circles
look to take command of the world
called F'istiana. He may lend his
name to the executive control of
the corporation known as Madison
square Garden. but Jack Dempsey
will never again don the gloves
to keep aglow the heavyw eight
spotlight, he cause in the loss of
1is pal Rickard, he has lost his
inspiration.
Dempsey was asleep this morn
ing as the switch engines shifted
The funeral train from the lower
tracks to the upper level where
trains depart for the North, but
Steve flanagan. Richards press
agent for the forthcoming Sharkey-
Stribling scrap at Miami Beach, and
Jerry Luvadis, Jerry the Greek"
Dempsey's trainer, could not resist
the temptation to debark for
breath of fresh air and to regain
their land legs.
1t was then the true story
Of how hard the former cham.
piOn is hit by the passing Of
handful of yardmen and news.
paper men who were OH hand,
some of the latter to accom-.
pany the remains to Gotham.
"Dempsey's grief is beyond de-
7cription." said Hanna gan. and |
Jerry the Greek" nodded a somber
assent.
1.-The Manassa Mauler's inspira-
tional light went out when 'TeX's' |
life ebbed, and he will never have
the heart to fight under any other |
auspices, now that his greatest
personal friend and best business
advisor is beyond call"
Dempsey's relationship with Rick.
ard was closer than many people
imagined. Each starting in the
fight racket from utmost ohscurity |
and each climbing to it's pima lie,
their advances We're made in most
Instances. side by side.
Each depended largely on the
other for success and each gave
the other credit for much of his
achievements. The story of one
has been largely the story OF
both. Theirs was common
: bond, a kinship of the rough,
hard road OF pugilistic life.
with that great combination
thing Of the past" resumed Hanna
gan. 1.-The partnership broken by
the hand of Death, there is little
impulse for Dempsey to try to cd
Il single handed. Without Rick
yrd's n c m p b e exploitation
Dempsey would never have reached
the heights and without Dempsey's
punch and color, Rickard
may never have invented the
million dollar gate.
"Thus you can see that Dempsey
cannot take up the burden that he
mas already laid down twice, only to
at the insistence of the
man who made him and the man he
helped make.
''Dempsey is through as a
fighter and no power on earth
can make him change that atti-
tude, which became definite
when Richard passed on"
The funeral party did not remain
IN Washington more than Is min
ates, fresh trainmen and a refueledt
engine bearing the darkened cars on
to their New York destination. !