Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-25
RICH BOXING FANS
HELD TOO SCARCE
Carey Would Put on Walker
and Max at Miami-NeW
York Hot Ring City.
BY EDWARD J. NEIL.

The discussion centered
around the possibility of
Max Schmeling, heavy
weight champion, defending his
title in Los Angeles in February
against Mickey Walker, the toy
bulldog, who has been biting the
ankles of the big fellows.
William F. Carey, president of Madison
Square Garden and promoter Of its box
ing business from the time Tex Rickard
died until Jimmy Johnston stepped into
the breach, cleared his throat and an
nounced as follows:
IF have anything to say about
that-and it's just possible will
Madison Square Garden will promote
no fight between Schmeling and Walker
or any one else IN California TINS
Winter"
Carey, able to sit and ruminate and
think of his other businesses now that
Johnston is gathering the forehead
wrinkles and the headaches that are
the least aggravating of promoters
lot. warmed TO his subject and started
trampling UP and down on the tnlck
carpet of his luxurious ONCE
.sTIHEY say California is virgin ter.
i ritory, hasn't had q heavyweight
championship fight in many years,
and they think that's an advantage,
don't they? Well, I'm going to tell you
this. Virgin territory is the worst ter
ritory in the world for the promotlon OF
n heavyweight title fight. We learned
that at Cleveland last Summer when
schmeling fought Stribling.
Heavyweight title fights can be
staged only where there are hight rams,
not Just people who might be interested
in q spectacle. They must be 1ougnC
where the principals are known, nave
been seen. where there are arguments
and the interest that will bring out
the high prices that must be charged
for that sort of attraction. No one Is
paving SIS these days to see something
he knows nothing about.
'The only real place in the world 70
stage big fights is New York, where
within a radius of Is miles OF US, there
are 100000 people. There Is wealth
here. There are fight fans In great
numbers. New York is an active COM
munity.
IIDY comparison / would say Cali
ID fornia is an inactive community
as far as we are concerned. There
are too many farmers there from 1oano
and Illinois and other States who have
saved $40 900 or $50 900, put their farms
or business in the hands of sons or as
sociates and then have gone to live the
rest of their days in the sunshine. They
own small bungalows. They must live
carefully. They don't pay $25 to see
I'm all of Los Angeles, despite its
population. don't believe there arc
1000 prospective customers for $25
ringside seats. Even IL there were, that,
wouldn't be enough.
"They argue that there are neigh
boring States to draw from. Nevada,
New Mexico and so forth, but that's
another thing we learned at Cleveland.
Never stage an attraction where the
people you expect to patronize it must
ride to the scene in passenger trains.
They won't do it.
ttVXTHY, heard the story Just the
w other day of the Yale alumni
who always charter two special
trains to 60 to Cambridge when the
annual Harvard-Yale foot ball game Is
there. This year they thought they'd
be able to do with one because OF the
depression. They Cancelled that one
a few days before the game when they
had only three reservations for space
on 1t. Think of that"
AS Mr.. Carey paused to think he was
asked where Schmeling and Walker
would fight then II they have to fight
SMian1i," said Mr.. Carey. There is
wealth there. The wealthy men who
patronize Madison Square Garden all
season go there for their holidays.
They'll come to the fight and buy ring
side seats.
"And another thing, If Jack Dempsey
fights this Winter or any other time,
remember this. He will fight Tor Maol-
son Square Garden just as he did In
the days Of Tex Rickard."