Evening star., 1952-02-07


the day ngde gate would be negligible Inc wnoe
payon would be the telecaSting"
s of course, no payon connected Win Meet 1e
Champ" The sponsor picks the entire tab including trans
portaon the fighters who they hold championships
must defend every three weeks on an
Is at biggest thing I've done in 80 years. says Bro
son. who during World promoted than 5000 fights
as director of the AEF and 1nter-Alhed tournaments
ALTHOUGH BRONSON has been in the fight game for half
century he known general public chiefly not solely
as the man directed Tunney in his three most mem
orae ghtshe two against Jack Dempsey ana MS swan song
against Tom Heeney And only because OF an unusual
request Bronson that he ever returned to boxing IN sucn
q capacity.
gave thought returning manager. referee or in any
other capacity. had job to do for Gen Persnlng
"Then refereeing the finals OF the AEF champion
shps Gen Pershngs walked up climbed out OF the
ring told the general wanted to see me- went 10 MS
headquarters ..
He wants to 90 the heavyweight championship OF the
world returns to the States want you to manage
him.
Martin was big handsome from Terra Alta, W. Va
When he won the heavyweight championship Gen PERISH
ing called him the fighting champion of 70 million fighting
men, He was great prospect with the best rgthand punch
I've seem considered sort OF sacred duty 70 nan
die him"
MARTINS LOVE FOR fast automobiles proved his undotg
as was in the OF Barney Oded and Eddie Rlcken-
backer Jimmy says "bu Bob Martin drove as last
Of them One year went through eight
he missed turn winding West Virginia road and lacked
might have been the champion
Ts1Tunney was the AEF ehampcn when
Martin ruled the I noticed Tune, but eorared
With Martin he wasn't impressive remembers ene
was an artificial fighter. AT that time there was no way OF
knowing of his grim determination When was gwen Martn
to manage forgot about until Gene was matched
Dempsey for the title Then he asked me to direct MS
corner" ;s%a
Billy Gibson was Tunneys manager record but Bronson
had full charge training and his It to Jimmy
that the dazed and Tunney looked when he was
oored in the seventh the second fight in Chicago
"Il never forget when motioned for Tunney to stay
down." Jimmy relates "That the long-count nght you
know Dempsey at first refused to go to neutral corner
Tunney that Referee Dave Barry had broken on
the led and started over again. ALI GeLe
knew was that like he'd been the floor for an
hour still moonng for him to get up They said
he got 14second count Actually, was 1a seconds"
WHAT FEW PEOPLE remember was that Tunney also
knocked Dempsey In the eighth round he hit the ex
champ right that almost took off the old Mauers
head Dempsey went down but was up after short count
reminding and in the last three rounds Tnney
gave him real beating But not many people remember IL
and there's a reason.
"You see Tex Rickard the promoter high third
meeting thought it would bring 81 million gate SO the
films of the fight were doctored Dempses worst punishment
was CLOSED over People teaers the films and
convinced that Tnney had stolen the night ana
Dempsey martyr Mike Jacobs has done the same thing
Of Joe Louis films.
unney didn't protest for several reasons First
running out opponents Secondly he had objection to the
big share of 81 million gate And thirdly although he denied
it, he wanted the acclaim Of the public popular acclaim
which he never got"
1T WAS DEMPSEY who wanted no part OF third light,
according to Bronson afraid Tunney might blind
him" Jimmy says Dempsey knew what the films didn't SHOW
that bad beating That's why there was no third
meeting.
ntil we shook hands not so long ago. didn't speak to
him 81 years." Jimmy recalls "but have the utmost re-
spec for him. you what Jack thinks? He thinks
long count that made him sort Of martyr was the best
break he got. It made him hero.
GAS for Tunney he might have become the best heavy
weight champion of ALL mean it, Every champion from John
way figure Tunney three fights away from reach
ing his peak when he retired"