The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-07-31

Mara among the first five book
makers of the country today. He
handles about as much dough as
anybody at the track and if he
happens to feel high on a horse he
will bet the other books himself
until the cows indicate a desire to
return to their home pastures. He
is a large, f1orid-faced IriShman
with unfailing good humor. You
never can tell how he's doing by
looking at him.
TIE likes sports about as we'll as
i Il anybody 1 know. The horses of
course are his business. Football is
his hobby. He owns the New York
professional team known as the
Giants. They won the national
championship last year. That gave
Mr.. Mara quite belt. He was dis
appointed his team wasn't invited
to compete in the Rose Bowl game
They invited Columbia the year
before, didn't they? Well, amt We
as good as Columbian" Mr.. Mara
doesn't bother himself about such
things as collegiate distinctions.
The gentleman used to promote
major prize fights too, and once
there was talk of his moving into
Madison Square Garden. Also there
was time when he and Gene Tun-
ney were very close. This was in the
days when Tunney was fighting for
recognition as the logical contender
for the crown then worn by Jack
Dempsey.
You may recall those days. The
boxing commissioners for some rea-
son were trying to exploit the faded
Harry Wills. They told Dempsey he
would either fight the black menace
or stay out of New York. Mr.. Mara
was a powerful influence in Tam
many at that time. 1t was said his
influence extended from the city
hall to Albany Tunney enlisted his
aid and Mr.. Mara came to be &C
copied as a sort of co-manager.
A S you'll remember the black
IA menace never did get shot at
the championship And if Mr..
Mara had any influence it failed to
work on this occasion because
when Tunnev did meet Dempsey it
was in Philadelphia. Nevertheless
Mr.. Mara thought he was entitled
to some consideration for his activi-
ties and he sued Tunney.
It was disclosed at the trial that
Tunney had come to Mr.. Mara and
offered him $4,000 to use his in
f1uence to override the Wills ulti-
matum by the boxing commissioners
and place the Dempsey-Tunney
fight in New York, where it would
draw the most money Just how
and upon whom Mr.. Mara was TO
exert mis- influence was never re-
vealed. My recollection was that
nothing of Importance came of the
suit.
dam now and both of the litigantS
have probably forgotten all about it.
We we're talking about the suit and
other matters pertaining to sports
when somebody mentioned Charley
Pyle, old cash and carry. Z.
Now there was promoter for
you,' said Mr.. Mara. He had more
Imagination than Barnum and just
as much daring. l doubt though
that he was as shrewd a business
man. The answer is he wound up
dead broke"
old CASH AND CARRY was a
" flaming torch when he was in
the chips, at that. The boys laughed
at him when he announced he was
going to sign Suzanne Lenglen as a
professional tennis player and tour
the country with her. Suzanne was
the most glittering figure in tennis
at the time, as celebrated If not
more so than Helen Wills Moody
is today.
But Old Cash and Garry got her,
put on his tour, made himself a
hundred grand and established pro-
fessional tennis at a going concern
N worldwide sports. Even before
this he made a spectacular step by
persuading Red Grange to turn pro-
feSsional at the height of his COL
legiate glory. He must have made
quarter million out of the Whea-
ton ice man. And he certainly gave
professional football its most i'm
portant impetuS-an impetus from
which it is still spinning along sue
ceSsfully.
old Cash and Garry finally over
" reached himself when he con-
ceived and promoted the fantastic
Bunion Derby. foot race from Los
Angeles to New York BY this time
the gentleman had reached a point
where he fancied himself the great
est promoter in history, nothing was
too big. or too extraordinary for him
All the dough he had made out
of Suzanne and the redhead was
blown on the Bunion Derby Even
so. he was back some months later
trying to lure an angel for an equal
ly absurd enterprise. This time it
was to be swimming race from ST.
Paul to New Orleans. Cant miss. &"
beamed old Cash and Garry. will
be terrific" incidentally he was the