The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-02-27

george Lewis Rlckard, the great
est promoter who ever lived, broke
into boxing purely by accident.
Tex Richard, o Kansan raised In
western Texas during the pioneer
days, ran the biggest gambling house
In Nome, and was doing the same
thing In Goldfleld in the summer Of
1905, when o few of the boys in the
Montezuma Club decided to put that
mining camp on the map with q
finish fight between Batting Nelson
and Joe Cans.
The object was to bring the suck
ers In, sell mining stock and take
them In gaming rooms.
Two things helped Richard to the
fight that made him famous. One
was the San Francisco fire. The
other was James w. Cotfroth's mis-
understanding with from awed Billy
Nolan, manager Of Nelson.
Had San Francisco sufiiciently re-
covered from the worst disaster In
its history and had Sunshine Jim
Coffroth been on speaking terms
with Nolan, the Nelson Cans match
would not have gone to the little
boom town In Nevada.
GOLD IN BANK WINDOW
Coffroth the previous fall threat
ened to kill Nolan II he did not have
Nelson In the Colma ring in IS min
utes for 45-rou1ld appointment
with Jimmy Britt. Inability to agree
on O. referee had left doubt about
the first fight for o 10000 purse
taking place. When Nelson got In
the ring, Coffroth told Nolan that
because he hurt the gate, he was
cutting him and the Durable Dane
out Of the moving picture receipts.
Coffroth made his first big money
out Of the pictures -$i35, 900. They
were the first good pictures ever
taken Of o fight.
Anyway, the door was wide open
to Packard when he stepped In with
an ulnheard Of $4,000 bid for Nell
son and Cans In the wilds Of Neva-
da. As 1t turned out, Rickard gave
$S4, 900 for the show. Nolan held him
up for an additional $4,000 when he
learned Cans had been given $1,000
for expenses. }t 4s,
Everybody. including Nolan,
thought Rickard crazy, but on
dropping into Goldheld, Nolan
couldn't take his eyes of $4,000 In
gold pieces that Tex had piled in q
bank window. Within O few hours
after the idea was born, Richard
raised 100000 to erect an arena and
insure against all contingencies.
Rickard was wonder at raising
money. He never had much Of his
own, but always managed to bob up
with plenty.
Again they considered him insane
when he jumped into New York,
and, backed by Montana mining in
terests, bid an unprecede nted SOL, :
600 for Jeffries and johnson. He had
Jack Johnson's word, and had pur-
chased Mrs. johnson q $500 coat
as q constant reminder to Li1 Ar
thur. On top Of that he gave john
son and Jim Jeffries $4,000 bonuses.
Window Dresser" Rickard was at
work again. With Jack Gleason, his
partner. and sports Of the period. he
had JeffrieS and johnson photo
graphed at the old Cadillac Hotel in
New York, feasting their eyes on
the $4,000 in $40 gold pieces.
RICHARD GOES IT ALONE
Charles w. Cochran Of London,
John Ringing and william A. Brady
were 70 back Rickard In the promo
ton Of the Dempsey Carpenter
fight. but they all ran out when Jack
Kearns demanded $500. 900 for the
champion and Francois Descamps
asked S200. 200 for the Orchid Man.
Rickard financed the show and
built the hug arena on Boyle's
Thirty Acres with the advance sale
Of tickets, and the ring had It's first
mtllion-dollar gate-ei, 700.2se to be
exact.
financed the present Madison
Square Garden for Richard on the
telephone IN 10 minutes.
Il was at old Madison Square
Garden that the master promoter
was flEBt 10 put New York p0liti-
clans IN their places. I'D the ring
side Of hoodlunfs and assure patrons
o. seats for which they paid,
The fine arenas Of this and ofhel
countries are mute monuments q
the promosionai genius o. Tex Rick.
ard.