The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-01-07
/ ALKING
IT OVER
by JOE WILLIAMS

NTEW YORK, Jan. THE mod
i y ern version of a world heavy
weight champion is a pachyderm
surrounded by a battery of attor-
neys. Jack Dempsey set the fashion.
He had more lawyers than attend
ants after he broke with Jack
kearns. Gene Tunney appeared
clear of trouble, but his hand scarce
~ had been hoisted in the Phila-
delphia deluge when court action
started.
Dempsey and 1'unney fought their way
10 the TOP. however. It remained for Herr
Max Scbmeiing to be the FIRST out-and-
ent prodigy Of legal technicaIIties. One
court procedure after another kept HIS
name in the headlines. and he scaled the
heights with less actual warfare than any
II the heavyweight champlons-technical
ar otherwise.
The young German has been a storm
center cent. since he frst reached these shores.
and his native managers fight TO keep
him out Of the hands Of Broadway piece
pen. and one contract he signed legally
bound Schmelng to box Philip CSuffering)
8fott for, Signor Humbert Fugazy at Eb-
tets Field.
Scott was managed by James J. John
ston. 20 doTammany man who has a way
with the boxing commission. and 1t was
this piece Of paper that prevented
schmeling from boxing Jack Sharkcy here
year ago last fall.
WTHEN the Garden management
w moved to take the fight 1t
wanted to Detroit, it was threat
ened with the revocation of its IL
cense for ninety days. The windup
was that Schmeling boarded a boat
for Germany. Although his only
claims to fame were his knockout
Of Johnny Risko and his defeat of
Pauline Uzcudun, both of whom had
been beaten before and who have
been bounced around no little since,
the business of determining a sue
cessor to Tunney had TO be post
poned until he returned this past
summer.
He was suspended and all that. but
sweet charity INTERVIEWED in the form of
the New York milk fund. and back came
SchmcIing for a S177OOO touch. This was
obtained by boxing Sharkey little less
than four rounds. and by groveIling on
the canvas as his little manager, Joe
Jacobs. shouted FOUL"
n
Jacobs. had seen. to it that his charge
vas well protected. He refused to sign
IN nao regard to foul .endings; obligingly had
showed 9. striking disregard for the pro-
lection OF the public.
What was more. the commission per-
mltted Jacobs attorney to insert a clause
for SchmeIing to be paid in full regard
less of the outcome.
n -
TN face of all this, the New York
4 commission has been insisting
that Schmeling and Sharkey do it
all over again without further fuss
or preliminaries. 1t forbid Shar-
key, in whom it suddenly took a
keen and strange interest, to tackle
young william Stribling in an elm
nation contest.
The garden has contract with Schmel-
Ing calling for him to defend his official
championship against an opponent to be
named ninety DAYS before the contest.
Il n
This he is perfectly willing to live UP to,
but the commissions sudden and mysteri-
Gus stand that Sharkey be accepted with
out delay eRain has brought out the at
torneys. executing squads right from the
Garden TO Jacobs office and to the COM
mission headquarters and back again.
And Something's name remains in the
public prints. The New York commission
has declared the heavyweight title vacant
in the Empire state. thus deprivinR the
German of his crown under its jurisdiction.