The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-06-29
TALKING
IT OVER
by JOE WILLIAMS

CLEVELAND, June 2e-This Is
~ the first time they've had a
heavyweight championship out this
way in twelve years, and oddly 1t
falls on practically the same calen-
dar day.
Dempsey slsshed willard 70 CORY rib
bons on July 4. 1919. at Toledo. Schmel-
ing defends his horizontal championship
against Stribling in the new lake front
stadium on July ).
That's a long time between champion
ships. But It may not have been too long
at that. The natives will be able 70
answer that one better for you after 1t is
over.
The scenes shift swiftly on the 5eak
busting stage. Neither Stribling nor
SchmeiinR had had q glove on at the
time Of the Dempsey-wnlard massacre.
Stribllng was stiil touring the sticks as
q skinny acrobat with his family Of
trouperS. schmelinR was Erub-stakeinR
living by various means in Germany. an
obscure peasant. still to young to COM
prehend the friRhtful tragedy that had
settled over the Fatherland.
-
Ia real estate and other commercial en-
terprises. forgotten by the present gem
GRAFTON Of ring followers and no longer
interested even as a spectator in the
game that made him rich and prominent.
The restless Dempsey is promoting Pauline
and Baer nght for him in Reno on the
fourth. and the old champion will be IN
there doing the refereeinR.
Although his fighters are second rAters
and there is no championship involved.
the Dempsey program probably will carry
more color and adventure than the more
prententious offering here. Dempsey him
self, Of course. Is one reason. Another is
the return TO the old pay OF policy Of
the ring by which tim winning nghter
gets most OF the dough. This is the way
all lights should be conducted. Apart from
the equity of the arrangement It stimulates
the customers Imagination. and strengthens
their confidence. 1t seems obvious that
fighter who is to get more for winning will
take desperate chances to escape losing.
DROFESSOR BILLY MCCARTNEY,
L who is attached to the Schmel-
ing camp as a sort Of Interpreter
of the Germans moods, was a con-
spicuous figure around Toledo when
Dempsey and Willard fought.
In those DAYS he was what the boys call
a hustler. He had no definite te-up with
the show as here. where he gets Split
Of the champions swaR. AS a. matter OF
fact the professor has nothing but poiK-
nant memories OF Toledo. He rented
building. filled several floors with cots. sat
back and waited for the anticipated mad
rush of guests. There was none. F1nan-
cialy the fight was a flop.
IAN I got out Of that" says the pro-
lessor, was the delight in knowing that
had a place with four hundred cots IN
It and / could sleep in any one OF them
It was ironic that Ohio should have
been the scene OF Wizards last defense
OF his championship. Some years earlier
he had been around the state trying to
sell himself TO various managers for
hand out OF hamburger and nobody would
give him q tumble. Jimmy Dunn. who
developed Kilbane into the featherweiRht
championship. could have had Big Jess
by merely paying his carfare TO Cleveland
from Buffalo where he was stranded.
II wouldn't have him on bet" refused
Dunn. Hes the biggest bum ever saw"
lot Of people still agree with Dunn'S
estimate. but Just the same. Willard stayed
around long enough to make himself
100000.
THEY are talking about giving
i the referee job to one of the ma
tives. Although George Blake Of
California and Arthur Donovan Of
New York are prominently men
toned.
The best Of the native referees is Tom
my McGinity. race track operator and
himself graduate of the caulifower
ranks. Hes on the up and up. capable
and game. I'd Just as soon see him in
there as anybody else.
n
native was the third man in the ring
with Dempsey and Willard. one Ollie Pc
cord. and he had the unfortunate expert
ence of being forced to handle the most
tumultouS FIRST round in the history OF
hghtinR. The round scarcely had started
when DempSey's FIST shot out and the huge
bulk OF Willard sagRed to the burning hot
canvas. CThe thermometer registered
mere ii6 at the rinRsidel. Six or seven
more times did Willard drop or 20 down.
"ASG ~ sSSHCQ 90 IL ne nhQ D6en
counted out. Once when Willard dropped
Pecord was on the far side of the ring
and he did not begin to count until he
had moved over to where the fading cham
jon sat in a ouivering heap. The time
thus lost probably cost Dempsey q one
round knockout.
Willard was on the floor when the bell
rang. 1t was faulty bell and Pecord
didn't hear 1t. He waved Dempsey out or
the ring indicating he had won the cham
pionship in a round It took some time
TO eliminate the confusion.
Dempsey was called back. His victory
had only been deferred. Willard wouldn't
90 out to answer the bell for the third
round. No heavYveiRht champion ever
came to the end OF the resin road more
tngloriouslV.
But that first round was trying for an
obscure referee. II would have been a
trying one for any referee.