Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1935-09-07
Montana
Ring Tales
BY JOE L. MARKHAM
Chairman Montana State Athletic Commission

The lumber for the arena was not paid
for. This 10000 item was ironed out
by promises to pay, If, and as much as
could be raised by subscription from
Shelby and Great Falls merchants, plus
the return Of the lumber to the dealers
who thought they had made sale.
A day before the fight Frank Walker
Of Butte met with Kearns. He talked
TO him like q Dutch uncle" insisting
that the bout go on. Kearns was cross,
obstinate, EDITORIAL, declaring that he
would have to get every last penny his
contract called for, before Jack would
get into the ring.
Fight Is @On Again"
A special train from Butte, leaving
the night before the Fourth, was delay
ed for an hour In the Butte yards, watt
ing for confirmation from Shelby that
all was well. In the last 48 hours be
fore the fight, confusion was the primo
ipal commodity at Shelby. Hysteria,
doubt, disgust and the element Of time
caused wholesale cancellation Of special
trains from the coast, Twin Cities,
Chicago, Denver and elsewhere. At
least 10000 Montana fans were kept
away by the crazy maneuvers.
Came the big day. Eighty-five per-
cent of the crowd were Montanans.
Those who arrived in the little town
that morning Immediately inquired II
the bout had been called off again.
Delay Proceedings
The gates were thrown open ct noon.
But the show was delayed as long as
possible. The crowd sat in the hroiling
sun on new lumber for several hours
after the scheduled starting time. May
be Kearns was waiting for some OF the
special trains that never moved Ticket
prices were cut to half. Kearns was at
the box office, ready TO claim every
cent that came In. It was Kearng who
finally signalled for the show to so on.
About $4,000 was the haul Kearns
and Dempsey collected for the Shelby
fiasco."
When the show was over, the crowd
gave Gibbons great ovation. Dempsey
was hurried from the ring to his special
train. BE was fed up with the whole
thing. Here was the champion winning
a fight and taking it on the chin from
the mob. Hero worship was given TO
the defeated challenger. Hosannas
were dedicated TO Gibbons and cat calls
for the champion, principally because
KearnS, his manager, assumed the role
Of dictator, cashier and promoter, cau9-
ing uncertainty, lack Of interest, and fl
nancial loss to the project. Gibbons
was q ntdeal underdog, capturing SEN
timental interest in wholesale lots. He
and his manager, Eddie Kane, all
through the troublesome final days Of
promotional and financial difficulties,
insisted that they would go through
with the match even IL they did not re-
ceiVe penny. The crowd rallied to-
Gibbons bannen. Jack was to get
$4,000 or most Of It.. Gibbons was
to be out of pocket for training ex-
penses. Gibbons was not conceded a
chance TO win; he was lighter, he was
boxer. not q savage fighter like the
champ. He was the underdog and
fandom adopted him as their pet, hop
ing q miracle would take the Champion
ship away from Dempsey.
@GS Men Move In
On the day Of the bout, Keaxns and
internal revenue clerks were at the
ticket headquarters. q store space on
the main stem. The $50 seats were al
most barren when the show did start.
The $40 seats got a big play though
many selected $50 locations. After q |
few rounds OF the main event had been /
waged, grand rush was made to the /
better seats. It would have taken an
army to stop this parade. The top half
Of the arena was vacant as the hum |
dreds Of plated, unsold lots at the edge |
Of town
About $50 fans from Butte saw the
battle. A gang headed by Frank and 4
Tom Walker, Joe and Charlie Mudro,
Abe DeiOvage DR.. r. A. Ironside and /
40 others chartered several pullman
coaches two nights before the Fourth.
A special train left Butte the night be-
fore with 400 fang Xt was a gay crowd
ON the RNlciAl train TJncsea who wTsufa..