The Washington times., 1937-02-19

Pair To SiQn
For Chicago
Bout Today
BY BILL COLLINS
International Ne,DS ServicS
Sports Writer

sports Writer
CHICAGO, Feb. 19.-Celebra-
ton of George Washington
Birthday Monday will be an anti
climax to today's historic occa-
sion-the formal signing Of con-
tracts for title bout at Comiskey
Park June % between Champion
James J. Braddock and Joe Louis
for the benefit of microphoneS,
cameras and apparently bar
risters.
The scratch of the pens as
Braddock and Louis squiggle their
signatures to the historic docu-
ments will be heard throughout
the nation-if the boys aren't hav.
ing at the free lunch with too
great gusto. Afterward, Cham
pion Braddock and Challenger
Louis and others will broadcast
a few well-chosen words over two
nationwide hook-ups to the &C.
compartment of the clicking
camera shutters and the palm.
rubbing of the barristers.
Fires Legal Gun
In fact, the palm rubbing
started yesterday when Col. John
Reed Fitzpatrick. president Of
Madison Square Garden. fired the
first legal gun in the skirmish to
prevent Braddock from going
through with the battle.
In telegram to Chairman Joe
Triner of the Illinois Boxing Com.
mission, and identical messages to
Sheldon Clark. president of the
Sporting Club of Illinois, Mike
Jacobs who holds a contract to
Louis services and is copromoter
with the Sporting Club, and to Joe
Gould, Braddock's m manager,
Colonel Fitzpatrick indicated action
will be brought in Federal Court,
if necessary, to enforce fulfillment
of Braddock'S contract with the
Garden.
"There will be no compromise
so far as the Garden is con-
cerned," said the colonel. Eve
are ready for a showdown. We
are Old-faShiOned enough to be-
lieve in keeping our agree.
mentS."
Fitzpatrick charged the Illinois
commission was interfering with
the Gardens contract with
Braddock.
In a telegraphic reply Triner
declared that neither as an indi-
vidual nor as commissioner have
at any time had any thought of
interfering with your contract"
and in an explanatory statement
said that as far as he was con-
cerned Braddock could fight
Schmeling in New York June 8,
and then come on here for the
Louis bout 10 days later.
Timers action put the mess in
the laps of Braddock and Gould,
and the latter declared today:
'T'm looking after the inter-
. ests of my fighter, and the only
way 1 can do my fighter the
most good is to forget about the
June fight. I'm certain the
match against Schmeling would
not draw more than 100000,
with BraddOck receiving $4,000
or $4,000 as his share"
The threatened anti-Nazi boy
colt of the Understanding
fight is the factor which, Gould
believes, will cause the meager
gate.
"On the other hand, a meet
ing with Louis will attract gate
receipts tOtaling $1,OOO,OOO,
which means that Jim would
be paid 100000 or $500, O,OOO,"
Gould continued.
my lawyer has assured me
nothing stands in the way of
the June 22 bout, and we're
going through with it.
"Schmeling has broken con-
tracts on several occasions, and
we're not concerned over his
feelings"
Gould and Braddock arrived
yesterday to get in shape for to-
days ceremony. Louis, suffering
from a cold which forced him to
cancel exhibition appearances in
Des Moines, Wichita and Denver
next week, returned from Kansas
City, where he knocked out Matte
Brown in four rounds Wednesday
night, to sign the documents that
will net him 171a per cent of what
the promoters hope will be a mill
lion-dollar gate and Colonel Kirk.
patrick hopes will just be lovely
June evening.