Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-05-29

K SIS 900 contract for 1892 recalls
10 years the Yankees and other
clubs had paid him total Of S785,SO0,
including his latest pay check.
This brought up the argument as 10
which sporting profession paid the
largest returns and what individuals
have taken the lead in collecting cur
rency for their various performances.
What have boxing base ball, golf, ten
mis-, etc. paid its leaders and its aver
age performers? How do the leading
sports compare in the matter Of money
making?
As a starter. it can be said without
any debate that boxing takes the LEAD
and that Jack Dempsey tops the all
time field, with something to spare.
This is easy enough to figure out. Demp-
sew was one OF the contestants in five
Of the biggest gates boxing has eve;
known, taken in this order:
Dempsey -Tunney Chicago. 81, $50, 900
Dempsey Tunney, Phlladel-
pnla ............-.. 1850, 10
Dempsey Carpenter, Jersey
City 49,. ......-..': LOO ooo
Dempsey Sharkey. New York. 1893, 529
Dempsey Firpo, New York. l,o82,59O
Five fights total. So. 1884
THIS Doesn't include the Willard.
i Gibbons. Miske and Brennan bat
ties, which lift the total gate re-
ceipts in which Dempsey shared above
SO 100000 From this amount Dempsey
and kearns took out in the general
neiehborhood Of $500, 900, where the
split was supposed to be on $3.50
- ~ tt1n
wasn't far from 100000.
Tunney wasn't far behind. Gene
made his big killing in the second
Dempsey war at Chicago. when Tex
Richard had to kick in 100000 for the
Tunney end. Later he had to guaran-
tee Tunney 100000 for the Heeney
affair. Gene picked up 100000 in the
first Dempsey fight, making total OF
ST 500, 600 for his last three starts, part
Of which was paid to Billy Gibson.
1t is easy TO see from this that a
heavyweight champion is the best-pald
entry of the lot. At least 1t was where
Tunney and Dempsey were concerned.
Willard finished below Ruth's figure,
and Max Schmeling is still far shy OF
the Babes golden total. But Schmellng
is still champion, and he may yet climb
into the millicn-doll class. Benny
Leonard drew the largest lightweight
gate with Lew Tender at 1852 900,
Leonards ring earnings passed the
half-million mark.
WHAT about the collections from
w golf? Here the figures run into
something of a tangle because
most of COLTS largest earnings come
from the by-products Of championship
glory. Prize money in the U. S. open
and the British open are fairly light.
The big money has been made in ex-
hibition matches.
Take the case Of Walter Hagen.
Hagen made his first bid for fame in
the United States open at Brookline in
1913, just 19 years ago He has won II
national titles, including the P. G. A.
crown. 1t is doubtful If Hagen has
collected 100000 in prize money in his
19 years. yet IN one season he made
100000 from exhibitions. Endorsements
and from serving in various other golf
capacities.
The tao leading prize money people
last Winter were George Won Elm and
John Golden, who picked up something
like $1,000 each. Gene Sarazen is
around the top this season with S650G.
Hagen has made over a million dollars
from golf in his 10 years, but not from
any direct prize money collections.
Take the case of Bill Burke, the
present golf champion. Burke, through
his job at Round Hill and Belleair,
averaged from $1,000 to $4,000 a
year. Then he gets 81, 900 for winning
the United States open. But his exhi-
bition matches with Won Elm, his in
dorsements and other activities that
resulted from the open. added $40, 900
at least to his normal pay check.
PROFESSIONAL tennis has yet to
I make any one wealthy Bill
Tilden has been as big a man in
his game as Dempsey or Tunney was
in the ring-as Ruth was in base ball
as Hagen was IN golf. Yet after one OF
in sport has ever known, I doubt If
Tilden has cleared $4,000 to date.
Few tennis professionals have made
more than fair living. There will be
a turn when they have an open cham
pionship-but not before.
Hockey players run to the average of
pretty good ball players, but they have
yet to reach the Ruth-C Cobb Hornsby-
Grove Simmons pay.
It might be noted that a few horses
also can take part in this financial
competition. Sun Beau so lar has
reaped q harvest above $4,000, and
Phar Lap is only $4,000 behind this
mark. But the horse gets only enough
from his earnings to pay for feed and
lodging, with possibly an extra blanket
thrown in.
WHAT about wrestlers? Jim Londos
is one who must be moved up
among the big collectors Of cash.
A wrestler won't knock over any such
coin as Dempsey and Tunney drew for
enc fight. but he can put on show
five times week. and many of them
do. Londos undoubtedly has earned his
million and good bit more.
In the way of general average, the
ball playeE and the pro golfer have
| something Won tho rest Of the pack