Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-09-23
Marciano Continues
As Fayorife in Clash
With WaIcoft Tonigh|
BY The Assoeiuied Pres.

FE1IlkAOEilEf1 TIA, Sept. zS.-
Champion Jersey Joe Walcott and
dynamic Rocky Marciano anxious
ly checked the weather reports to-
day as they sweated out the long
hours before their heralded heavy
weight title clash at 1880 pm.
Washington time in Municipal
Stadium.
"As of now, the fight is on"
Murray Goodman. International
Boxing Club press director. told a
reporter at Gas am.
"The Weather Bureau tells us
the skies viii clear this afternoon
and there will be no rain. We're
going on that basis until we learn
different
The forecast, after intermit-
tent rain last night and early to-
day, was for partly cloudy and
cool weather tonight.
Goodman said that If it be-
came necessary to postpone the
fight. the decision will be made
"early-maybe by 2 or 3 pm"
This is necessary. he added, in
order to save thousands of out-of-
town fans fruitless. trip.
There may be some further re-
port at the weigh-in scheduled
for noon (Washington time). he
said.
If a postponement is necessary.
the 15-round bout will be put on
tomorrow with Thursday an addi-
tional standby date. Although
the fight won't be shown on home
television, it will be beamed via
closed circuit to a record num-
Der of so theaters in 81 cities from
coast to coast. New England thea
tiers and those in the Philadelphia
area will not be in on the network.
Many Are to See Theater nv.
Some 10000 to 100000 specta-
tors are expected to view the
youth VS.. age" struggle In the
theaters at prices ranging up to
$3.50.
(Tonight's fight will be on
theater television at the Warn
er. RKO Keith's and Lincoln
Theaters in Washington.
(The admission price is $3.50
and all have regular shows in
addition to the fight. Doors
open at Z pm. at Keith's and
1880 at the Warner and Lin
coln.)
The unusual starting time of
1880 was described by a spokes-
man for the promoters as the
"best time for satisfying all con-
ditions Of the big event." Most
top fights begin at 10 pm. The
spokesman pointed out that fights
starting at that hour often are
late getting underway.
Tunney-Dempsey Fight Recalled.
The possibility of rain brought
to mind the heavyweight title
scrap between Gene Tunney and
Jack Dempsey in this same huge
bowl just rs years ago today. Gen.
tleman Gene lifted the Manassa
Mauler's crown In a battle fought
in a heavy downpour that
drenched both the fighters and
the 120,747 fans. The customers
shelled out $1,895, 733-a record
then-to witness the tremendous
upset.
There won't be anything close to
those figures tonight-if the bout
goes on-but it will be the richest
heavyweight promotion since the
Joe ouis-Walcott return bout on
June Is. 1913.
Co-Promotors Jim Norris and
Herman Taylor look for q crowd
of $4,000 and a gate of between
$550.000 and 100000. Walcott
will collect 40 per cent of the net
while the 28-year-old challenger
will receive 20 per cent. They'll
lget the same percentage of the
ltheater-TV and movie money.
Marciano Still Favorite.
The swarthy. powerful, unde-
feated challenger from Brockton,
Mass. remained the favorite to
dethrone the 38-year-old as the
big bettors took the rubber bands
tSee FIGHT. Page A-18.)