Evening star., 1936-04-06
Luis His Own Manager.

A NYwAY, Dempsey knocked all
three Firpos down no less than
seven times in the first round, be-
sides finding time to fall into the
first row of agitated working press
men and otherwise contribute to the
most startling fight scene of the age
Firpo collected only 100000 for
his share of that million-dollar fight.
Dempsey's end was $470,000. Then,
as now, the challenger had to take
what he could get in a heavyweight
title fight. Sometimes all they had
chance to get was the title No one
accused Tex Rickard Of short
changing the Argentine, who man
aged his own business affairs in this
country and, on the whole, did a
pretty fair job of it in a strange
country and with somewhat crude
equipment.
Firpo didn't want to fight Demp-
sey in 1928. He was smart enough to
know he had only an outside chance,
but he was a slugging sensation at
the time, q colorful figure. Rickard
as well as Dempsey wanted Luis to
fight for the title before he got too
experienced or dangerous. Firpo re-
allied his chances of winning would
be better in another year, but Rick
ard insisted on the match without
delay. Dempsey fought Is rounds
with Tom Gibbons that Summer in
Shelby, Mont, as q tune-up. It was
q good thing he did. Jack already
was slipping, although few realized
1t then.
Dcforest Handled Both.
E1RPO was trained by Jimmy De-
forest, who had handled Demp-
sey at Toledo for the bout in which
Jack took the title from Jess Will
lard. Deforest had broken with the
champion and was convinced he had
found q man with the punch and
stamina to overthrow the Manasa
Mauler. But for the dissension in
the South Americans camp, includ-
ing interference with Deforest's con-
ditioning program by Firpo's good
ihtentioned but inexperienced friends,
the trainer might have achieved his
objective.
Deforest told many story Of Firpo's
thrifty tendencies. The big Argen-
tine, suspicious of nearly every one
who approached him, took extraordi-
nary means to protect his ring earn
ings and save expenses. He indulged
In no lavish lodgings or entertain
ments. He insisted on every one In
his employ being frugal. Repeatedly
Deforest would check up on Firpo's
bedtime hours, only to find Luis
tucked away in the blankets, pad
and pencil in hand figuring his in
come, expenses and taxes. Deforest
insisted afterward that Firpo worried
so much about his personal financial
affairs and worked so hard on his
own bookkeeping, details q manager
should have handled, that this con-
tributed to his downfall in the ring.
Times and circumstances have
changed, but Firpo can go back to
his big fistic year to prove that they
can't come back. The wild Bull"
wrote fms to the 1923 comeback Of
Jess Willard in Boyles Thirty Acres.
Big jess, four years after losing the
title, essayed q return to the wars
also for financial reasons. He knocked
out Floyd johnson at the Yankee
Stadium, but was satisfied to collect
$150,00O for his bout with Firpo, take
the count Of 10 on one knee and
retire to the wide open spaces once
more.
As things stand now, Firpo would be
lucky to get that many pesos, let
alone dollars, for anything he can
do in the ring. But the wild Bull"
gave the folks a thrill they never
will forget. With the breaks" he
would have been world champion.