Evening Star Newspaper, February 4, 1929, Page 25

SPORTS.” ‘THE TEVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. €, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3%, 1929.. SPORTS. 25 Crowd at Toledo Disappoints Rickard : Bout Not Worrying Stribling, Sharkey ONLY 19000 WATCH A THRASH S Tex Regards Dempsey Best of Heavyweight Kings for His Size. This is the only autobiopraphy written by Ter Rickard. Il was prepared in eollaboration with Bozeman Bulger for publication erciusively for The Star and ine North American Newspaper Alliance. Shortly before Rickard’s death he dis: cussed with Bulger plans for publication of these memoirs in book form. Follow- ing is the twenty-fourth installment of the autobiography, which is appearing in daily chapters. BY TEX RICKARD. (In collaboration with Bozeman Bulger) ©O this day I am unable to under- stand just why the Willard- Dempsey fight at Toledo, Ohio, on July 4, 1919, was not a bigger financial success. 1 figured it out carefully beforehand and I have tried to figure it out impersonally since. As yet I see no definite reason for the comparatively small attendance. In staging the fight my mind was definitely set on a big arena and the next step was to locate the right spot. We had all sorts of offers. In my own mind 1 had decided that the proper place to hold a big cham- pionship fight was the center of popula- tion of the United States, or as near it as we could get. I got the Government census report and the railroad map. I gave these much study. I stiil had in mind the Jefries-Johnson fight at Reno. At that time I had insisted on getting nearer to the center of popula- tion. The map and the Government sta- tistics showed Toledo to be nearest the center. More people go there with less distance to cover than any other place in the United States. The actual popu- lation of Toledo was not a big factor in our calculations. The big majority of people, we felt sure, would come from | outside places. It was certainly more | accessible to New York fans, for in- stance, than San Francisco or Reno would have been. It was also just a few hours’ ride from any place in the Mid- dle West. Only 19,000 at Fight. Having arrived at that conclusion, 1 took the plunge. The erection of the arena alone cost me $120.000. But the people did not come—not in eat numbers. nI guess I didn't size it up right. There were no hard times then and that can- not be given as an excuse. Everybody had plenty of money and was eager to spend it. It is possible that the big fight was ballyhooed a little too strong. Mmyl stayed away, I believe, because of a general belief that it would bs impos- sible to get seats. That, though, does not fully expiain it. The fact is, the people of the Middle West did not come. The railroads at that time were un- der Government conirol and we had great difficulty in arranging excursion - tral Even so, more people could have been *accommodated. I built the arena large enough to seat 80.000 people in a pinch, and expected 50,000. When the big day arrived we had but 19,000 spectators and there ‘were great rows of empty seats. That, by the way, was the hottest July 4 I have ever seen. Our receipts in money amounted to $452,000, less than half what I had ex- pected. Come to think of it, that crowd was about proporiicnate to New York =2t that, when we consider the Erpuhuon of the immediate surround- 8s. Great Day for Water. I spokg of the weather. On the morning of the fight hundreds of news- paper men were in the ringside seats as early as 9 o'clock. The heat was so intense that some-of them almost col- lapsed. There was a constant proces- sion of boys carrying them water. Be- fore the time for the fight many of them had raised umbrellas to_escape the burning sun. This furnished an unusual scene at a prize fight. As I said in my last article, I really felt sorry for Dempsey when I met him for the first time and signed him up to fight Willard. He looked so small that it seemed impossible for him to win. When I saw him in training, though, I revised my opinion. Though | apparently small, he was as lithe as a panther. Still, I had doubts that he could win. » Many others felt sorry for Dempsey. He was immensely popular with those who knew him personally. A lot of fans wanted to see him win, but doubt- | ed that he could do it. Willard was & big favorite in the betting. A number of the newspaper writers, | the boxing experts, had a hunch that Dempsey would win. Some of them | said so openly in their columns, and | others made bets on Dempsey. 1 re- member one prominent writer who made a bet of $200 against $3,000 that Dempsey would knock Willard out in the first round. That was looked upon as a joke bet. DECIDES To TAE w rMYSTERY PLAY, A SPECIAL THRILLER 1S PMUCH AMUSED AT THE \DEA OF PEOPLE GETTING EXCITED OUER ORDINARY STAGE DEVICES DESIGED To FRIGHTEM ONE HEARD IN AUD A GHASTLY FoRm | ENTERS A PiISToL SHOT! - HOARSE CRIES = MOANS - Deap BODY TWO MORE WOMER IN AUDIENCE wiTH EAR:PIERCING SHRIEKS GLAD 1T's ove | | AS CURTAm Rises'A WOMANS SHRIER 1S ETILL A BIT SHAKY BLUE LIGHT OV STAGE-. DoOR SLOWLY OPENS, - SCRAWNY HAND APPEAR S IEnCE N NEXT DAY TELLS FRIEND OF MYSTERY PLAY -+ VERY AMUSING - VERY = HAD NOTHING ELSE To 00 - EAN T UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE CAny BE SRicweD WTo TERRORS. o THE LINE With W. O. McGEEHAN. Up From the South. HE accusation has been made that I have shown the traditional bias of a Northerner in writing of the alleged Sharkey-Stribling bout at Miami Beach. Col. Carter Latimer, sunning himself on the portico of the old plantation near Greenville, 8. C., takes his portable typewriter on his knee and, after stimulating himself lightly with & julep, gives the views of the South on the impending conflict—if any. There is no man more com- petent to express the convictions of the South on any topic from tariff to h:;md dogs than Col. Carter Latimer of the South Carolina Latimers. He writes: “Unless the handshaking bout between “Herbert Hoover and Al Smith in Florida's first big ‘Battle of the Palms’ takes all the kilowatt juice from the spot- light there is likely to be considerable glamour around and about the Stribling- Sharkey knuckle-knitting klassic in Miami Beach on the night of February 27. When Sharkey, the big bellows from Boston, eked out & decision over K. O. Christner, Akron's spare tire, he at least put himself in a vertical position to be eligible, under suspicion, for the contest with Stribling. However, Sharkey's edge of superiority over Christner wasn't convincing enough to influence the gambling fraternity to make him a favorite in the betting, not below the Miss-em and Duck-em line. “Stribling will enter the ring with most of the Confederate money on his side, but I view with fear and trepidation the outcome of this fight for the Georgian. Somehow, patriotism or wmethln{ influences me to string along with the Southerner, but there is a bugaboo about the whole thing which adds a new prune or two to my wrinkled brow. Stribling has been knocking scores of boxers into what you term the well known horizontal position, but he has been socking most of them below the Mason and Dixon line. Has he ever met an opponent of Sharkey’s prowess and strength? The ‘Boston Bellows,’ it will be remembered, lost his biggest fight when he was hit by Dempsey in the Stadium, but he claimed he was fouled in the stomach. He may be a trifie nervous when Stribling swings at him below the M. and D. line. “The Macon schoolboy (or he was a schoolboy until he outgrew the truant officer) made a rather unimpressive showing in his two biggest bouts. We refer to his safety matches with Berlenbach and Loughran. However, time can heal a lot of wounds and undoubtedly Stribling has developed more punch and is a better fighter today than he was two years ago. For the Georgian is only 24 years old, about the age when Jack Dempsey plowed and pummeled his way to the heavy- weight championship over the prostrate form of Jess Willard at Toledo. “Stribling must have had something on his side besides a sympathetic match- maker to have scored 113 knockouts, and we believe this ‘Rebel Yell’ will assert his courage, strength and science to give Sharkey a littie pain for his $100,000 fee in the ‘Brawl of Biscayne Bay." “Jack Dempsey, the promoter, has in fermentation everything that tends to make a real battle. He helps to stimulate a few adjectives to the ballyhoo by taking up mild training, himself, milder perhaps than cigarettes, but Jack's ex- ercise with a palm leaf fan conveys the impression that he will challenge the winner of the bout. Unquestionably the winner of the Miami Massage will stand in line to fight for heavyweight crown, while the vanquished will be left to enter another elimination tournament. Massage or Massacre? “This Miami mix-up, whether it turns out to be a massage or a massacre, should put the skids under either Stribling or Sharkey, as far as championship classics are aimed at. All of which is calculated to cause the ‘Boston Bellows’ and the ‘Rebel Yell’ to put more than any ordinary amount of red corpuscles into their passionate pastime of pugilism. “Mr. Sharkey, to my mind, was on the highway to the heavyweight cham- plonship until he was detoured by Mr. Dempsey. Mr. Sharkey happened to expose his solar plexus to the business end of Mr. Dempsey’s very nauseating right, and when his heart got in the way of Mr. Dempsey's hook it was just toe bad for the ‘Boston Bellows'’ adenoids. It took most of the wind out of the ‘Bellows.” “Mr. Sharkey retired briefly and then returned to the ring to knock out a palooka or two to get back into the telephone directory of our foremost pro- moters. He has had sceveral chances to bid for fame, but opportunity almost forgot to leave its visiting card at his door the other night. For Christner, the big spare tire from Akron, gave the ‘Boston Bellows' the toughest fight he has had since he took Dempsey’s finger prints on his solar plexus. “As 1 view Mr. Sharkey’s demise, he was just about put out of cauliflower commission by Mr. Dempsey, and this ‘Brawl of Biscayne Bay’ may prove to be nothing more than a charity Mr. Dempsey is promoting to credit. Sharkey’s bank account with $100,000. If the fight game is looking to the South as the new El Dorado. wouldn't it be a financial coup for Stribling to win! The South is solidly behind him, and a million-dollar gate may be had in Dixie, if the boll weevils will curtail operations and give the farmers a break.” WASHINGTON CLUB | THREE GOLFERS TIED PLANNING CHANGES| FOR TOURNEY AWARD Steps to be taken by the Washington | By the Associated Press. Almost a Winning Get. | Golf and Country Club toward moving It really resulted from an argument | the caddy house and professional’s during the training period. The news- | shop from its present location have been paper writer insisted, though, that he | had made a good bet. How close he | came to winning is well known now. ! In fact, thousands of fans believe to | this day that he would have won, but | for an accident in ringing the bell for | the end of the first round. | In my whole life I don't believe I| ever have seeu more confidence in a man’s face than that in Dempsey's) when he took his corner just before the gong sounded. Over in the other corner Willard looked like a huge elephant | about to crush a panther. It seemed ! impossible that a man of that size could be downed by a man like Dempsey. When all the preliminaries were over and the gong sounded, Demps2y fairly leaped from his corner. Without any | hesitation or cautious sparring he tove at Willard. Getting inside the big arms of the champion, Dempsey let fly a right-handed swing. It landed flush on the jaw of Willard and the big giant | was knocked as flat as a’ pancake. Hel tumbled like a house hit by a cyclone. ‘The crowd actually gasped in surprise. In other minute the whole place was in | an uproar. Visions of a new champion | were in the minds of the crowd. Down Goes Jess Again. | Bang. Dempsey socked another one | squarely on Jess's jaw, the moment he | got to his feet. Down he went again. I haven't the writing ability to de- scribe the scene at that moment. It was something like that exciting night when Firpo knocked Dempsey out of the ring. The people went crazy. Wil- lard went down seven times. It was during this excitement that something went wrong with the gong and it failed to work. I am mnot in position to say, because I do not know, but there are many who insist that ‘Willard would have been knocked out if the gong had sounded at the right moment or if the principals had heard the efforts of the timekeepers. In the press seats there was a com- motion. Everybody believed for a sec- ond that the fellow who had made the bet of $200 against $3,000 had won. After that it was all Dempsey’s fight. His first punches, like battering rams, had taken the force out of Willard's retwrr: blows. He could not recover. Thinks Jack Greatest. A new champion had arisen. In many ways I think him the greatest | clubhouse, as well as purchase of about | { 13,000 square feet of land running along laid before the club board of governors by a special committee appointed to study the problem. The matter arises in connection with opening of a subdivision immediately north of the club property, within a chip shot of the first fairway. A real estate concern which operates in Virginia already has put up a house | only a few feet from the professional’s shop and caddy house, and the proposal before the board calls for removal of the shop to a proposed addition to the No. 1 fairway. 1 For many years the Washington Golf and Country Club, even though it is one of the nearest of the country clubs to downtown Washington, preserved its suburban isolation. Little construction work was done for a decade on ground abutting on club property. But late last year sub-dividing operations were started on ground along the first fair- way, running from the county road which leads to the club well down into | the woods which parallel the second | fairway. It is feared that if the property llong‘ the first fairway is built upon with| houses running close to the line, damage | may result from golf balls hit over the | fence into what is now a vacant fleld. | A proposal is now before the club to| purchase a strip of this land paralleling | the fairway. : LM 9-YEAR-OLD VICTOR |” "IN SKI JUMPING EVENT RACINE, Wis, February 4 (#).—A nine-year-old ski rider, Stanley Zar- borski of Ironwood, Mich., who was too small to carry his skils to the top of the Racine Ski Club’s slide, jumped 72 and 62 feet to take first place in the tournament here yesterday, before about 15,000 persons. —_————————————— est_heavyweight champion of them all. Some went so far as to say that ‘Willard had quit. I do not believe it. Jess Willard's own words may throw some light on that, as I will show. HOT SPRINGS, Ark., February 4.— The new South Central champion, suc- cessor to MacDonald Smith, who failed to defend his crown, will be crowned today in an 18-hole match between wild Bill Mehlhorn, Bobby Cruickshank and Horton Smith. Finishing the 72-hole grind yesterday with 290 strokes each, they were to set out this afternoon for a finish struggle on the Hot Springs Country Club course. Cruickshank looked good for the big- gest, prizes of the tournament yesterday when he only had to shoot par for the last few holes but his putter failed and he wound mip in a deadlock with Mehl- horn and Smith.’ Smith's card for the 72 holes: 71— 71—76—72—290. . Mehlhorn's card: 72—74—172—72— 90. Cruickshank: 75—71—71--73—290. Mehlhorn, whether he wins or not, has stirred the Winter tournament fans by his play the past few weeks. He won the El Paso tournament with a record 1271, followed this up by establishing a ‘Texas open record to win at San An- tonio, and then came here to tie for the first place. This afternoon’s play-off starts at 2 o'clock. HIGH GUN TROPHY GOES TO PARSONS Dr. A. V. Parsons won the high gun trophy from the 18-yard mark with a score of 44 hits out of 50 in the dis- tance handicap event which was the feature of the shoot held Saturday at Washington Gun Club for the benefit of the Community Chest Fund. H. H. Shelton and L. L. Lane were runners-up, each with scores of 41. Shelton, however, got the prize when he won the toss. Shelton shot at 18 yards and Lane at 21. Dr. J. C. Wynkoop scored the highest total of the day in a single event when he shattered 25 straight in his second competition and the score gave a tro- phy for high gun in a single event. Dr. A. B. Stine won the Boyer Motor ‘Trophy race, scoring 23 in the first event to 32 each for Cook and Welsh, and then with another 23 topping Dr. Parsons in the second event. Dr. (Copyright, 1929, by North American News- paper Alliance.) of all heavyweight kings. For a man mind that Jack Dempsey was the great- (Next—Willard, Game, Seeks Revenge.) £ 3 Stine now is leading in the race for.the trophy with two wins. Lane won the doubles test with 20 out of 24, SIX CUE MASTERS INTITLE TOURNEY |Horemans, Champion, Plays in Opening Round of 18.2 Event Tonight. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, February 4—With six mastérs of the cue in the fleld, the world’s championship 18.2 balkline bil- liards tournament opens at the Level Club tonight. To_ Eduard Horemans, the present title holder, falls the honor of opening the tournament. The slender Belgian meets Kimey Matsuyama, little Japa- nese holder of the world's junior cham- plonship, in the first of the 15 400-point matches at 8:30 tonight. Tomorrow afternoon Welker Cochran, one of two American hopes, will play Eric Hagen- lacher, German champion. In the eve- ning Jake Schafer, son of the old wizard, will meet Felix Grange of France. Play will continue every after- noon and evening except Sunday with "t.;hth-up a week from tomorrow night. Willie Hoppe, long monarch of the balk- line game, will not be a contestant. He and now devotes Limself almost exclu- sively to three-cushion billiards. With a half-dozen masters of the game in the field there can be no out- standing favorite. Experts, however, are disposed to eliminate Matsuyama and Grange from title consideration. The other four are rated with about equal chances of capturing the coveted crown which will carry with it a cash award of approximatély $10,000. The runner-up will receive about $5,000, and awards are to be made other contestants. PLAY NEARING END IN FLOOR CIRCUIT HYATTSVILLE, Md., February 4.— Only one more week of play after this remains in the Prince Georges County Basket Ball League. The race for the title has narrowed to Brentwood Hawks and Dixie Pigs, with Company F Reserve team No. 1 and Berwyn A. C. fighting it out for third place. Hyattsville Comets stand next in the flag scramble, followed in order by Headquarters Co. of Laurel, Company F Reserve team No. 2 and Mount Rainier A. C. Dixie Pigs were toppled from first place yesterday afternoon when Com- pany F Reserves No. 1 scored a surprise win over them, 35 to 34, in a game that required three extra periods. The match was a preliminary to a contest | in which Company F's regular basketers vanquished Hoffman Clothiers of Alex- andria, Va., 27 to 20. Five matches that are certain to go far toward settling the county league title are carded this week. ‘Tomorrow night a double header will be staged in the National Guard Armory at Laurel, a postponed game between Dixie Pigs and Hyattsville Comets and & tilt between Berwyn A. C. and Mount Rainier A. C. Comets originally were listed to meet Company F Reserves| No. 2, but this engagement was post- poned because members of Company F have to undergo Government inspection tomorrow night. | Company F Reserves No. 1 and Mount Rainier will face Thursday night in the armory in a curtain-raiser to an im- ggrtlnt ‘Washington City League game tween Company F "Regulars and Harriman & Co. of Washington. Friday at Laurel. Brentwood Hawks will meet Comets and Headquarters Company will face Company F Re- serves No. 2. Q Battling was nip and tuck all the way il" yesterday's game between Company F Reserves No. 1 and Dixie Pigs. At the end of regulation play the score was tied at 23-all. At the end of the first extra period it was deadlocked at 26 to 126 and at the end of the second extra session it was still tied at 31 to 31. Two baskets by Lauer, guard, gave the Guardsmen their win in the third extra period. Company F won despite that it played with only four men for two and a half minutes of the second half and throughout the overtime competi- tion. Chase was banned on fouls and the team had no one to replace him. Hoffman Clothlers furnished Com- pany F's Regulars lively competition For the first time in many years| Temp! finished sixth in a fleld of seven in the | E last tournament at Washington in 1927, | Elrst proportionately to the | & Two more league games are siated | & OFFICE EQUIPMENT LEAGUE. Team Standi Underwood ... Rem-Rand No.'3! ACACIA MEN'S LEAGUE. Team Standing. Sixth Floor .. . B iy 1st and 2nd Floors.. Seventh Floor_... Building and Suppi EreTRReee) ACACIA GIRLS' LEAGUE. Team Standins. Third Flpor wassmwnom Fourth Floor ... QUARTERMASTER LADIES' LEAGUE. Team Standing. Pet. Administrative 583 Engineering Supply 2 Executive . Real Estate Transportation Team Stan: Bureau No. 2. Klondykes " Horsefeathers .. ters . C. & P. TELEPHONE GO. LEAGUE. Team Standing. Engineers Coin Box ! Western Electric Construction R Wire Chiefs .. . Hyattsville District NAVY YARD LEAGUE. Team Standing. adio | Broadstd Erecting ..... Breech Mechi Planning b : e .. Miscellan Hauling INTERSTATE LEAGUE. Team Standing. Trafme Accountal Inspectors Directors Informal Dockets .. Valuation Examiners Statistics Attorneys SECOND POSTMASTER LEAGUE. Team Standing. International Postal Bty Ksimend Railway Mall Tvice Hivhiands & Hyattsville [UIORPaS B. Y. P U Team Standing. 3 st Washington Wes, Wasnineso Kendall . 23385" Petworth . Templ 534838 cond ...\ Hyattsvilie Centennial Grace ... . GunasmoemooM AUTOMOTIVE LEAGUE. Team Standing. Emerson_& Orme Sy, Horger. adillac Semmes Motor Go. Neumeyer Motor G L. P. Steuart . Bulck Motors g MEETRt T e lor Motor Co. Parkara Motor G McReynolds urisman ... Dambert-mudson Pohanka Barny-fate ORAAARRARAA s ERaniEEERRns GENERAL COUNSEL LEAGUE. Team Standing. inions Dockern Petitions Stipulations g s BRREERESEEST Gothics . Colonials Astecs .. Imperials Victorians Romans . ns .. glans ntals Tudors Empires Etruscans SPECIAL ADVISORY LEAGUE. Team Standing. Brinton .. SENRREEY,. WESTERN UNION GIRLS' LEAGUE. . Team Standing. Automatic No. 2 Accounting . implex . Automatic Branch Independents WESTERN UNION MEN'S LEAGUE. Team Standing. L. 18 Fil i 30 33 Automatic . .3 Branch Omée " > Equipi . live Accounting’ MARINE CORPS LEAGUE. Team Standing. w. imost of the way, but toward the last the Doughboys stepped out to. put the game in the bag. At the half Company F led, 16 to 12. i [Pierce A. C. basketers of Hyattsville, who yesterday turned in a 25-to-21 victory over Knights of Columbus five, have booked Hyattsville Comets for a match Saturday night at 8 o'clock in the Hyattsville High gym. More than $150 was taken in at the | basket ball game Saturday night be- | tveen Company F Regulars and Origi- inal Anacostia Eagles played here for I'.ha benefit of Bob Shanklin, Company F player, who suffered a broken leg in a recent Much more also has to the fund for the PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY. Toronto, 3; New York Americans, 3. Tulsa, 1; Kansas City, 0, o) Paymaster .. Commandant Quartermaster Adlutant and Inspecior. High team game—Qui High team set—Paymi High individual gam Tenso Hieh individual set—Sturgls, 354, res—Lambert, 50. 0ss, 14, High average—O'Toole, 105-14. SOUTHERN RAILWAY CLERKS' Operation Trafic ... PBurchasing No. Purchasing No, Law . Auditors " Construetioi Treasury The unexpected \ppened Law-Purchasing No. 1 set. all three. Traffic still clings on to second place and is mighty close to Operation. ‘They took all three from the Treasury. Oonstruction could not do anything WITH THE BOWLERS with Purchasing No. 2, losing the first two, but. took the last. Alderton had high game of 129 and 896 | Terry high set of 346. WASHINGTON LADIES' LEAGUE. Team Btandi Daughters omets . Colonials " Sparkling individual performances featured last week's matches. Bess Hoffman of the Colonials grabbed the honors for the best three-game total, with counts of 129, 105 and 118, giving her the splendid mark of 352 for the set. Bess just lacked 9 pins of beating ;’-‘larence Rembold’s season record of 60. Catherine Quigley of the Beeques also featured with a neat bit of maple crashing. Catherine shot games of 122, 109 and 114 for a total of 345. Lorraine Gulli picked up a few pins on her average with a 331 set, h~ best single count being 129. Marie Frere of Commercial shot 96, 111 and 126 for a 333 total, while her teammate, Marjorie Bradt, smacked the 599 | maples for 327, with two nice counts of 115 and 128. Lucile Preble rolled 307, with 115 as her high single. Helena Kohler socked the maples for & nifty 131 in her final effort, rolling 7 | with Hoboes against Kumbacks. Anna Burkhalter of the Comets made a great finish in the second tilt with Hilltoppers. Anna sandwiched two strikes with a couple of spares in the Iust four frames to run her count to 11 Alice McQuinn helped Hilltoppers take the odd game, shooting 312, with high game at 116. Capt. Bronson Quaites brought about a triple tie for high flat game when she toppled the maples for 94 flat in her first effort rolling against the Co- lumbians. QUINTS MEET TONIGHT IN DECISIVE CONTEST Twin Oaks and Pullman basket ball teams will meet tonight at 8 o'clock in the Terminal Y gym in the rubber match of a three-game series. The first tilt of the series was won by Oaks, 20 to 9, while the second proved more of a tussle, being captured by Pullmans, 18 to 16, after cwo extra periods. MOHAWK A. C. RETAINS MACKEY AS PRESIDENT Rob Roy Mackey was re-elected pres- ident of Mohawk Athletic Club at the anual meet of the club last night. All other chosen except that Clarence Johnson was named secretary. Others re-elected were C. C. Cornell, vice president; Patsy Donovan, treas- urer and manager of foot ball, and Enos McCarthy, sergeant-at-arms. G. T. Woerner, H. Brown and Ponce Reese were elected new members of the board of directors, which also includes the officers. THAT'S WHAT RICE, EAGER TO PLAY, SIGNS 1929 CONTRACT Sam Rice, outfielder, who came to the Washington club in 1915, is not ready to retire from base ball despite rumors to the contrary circulated this Winter. The veteran's signed contract was received yesterday by President Clark Griffith at the Na- tional's headquarters at the Tampa training base. With it was a letter in which Rice states he is enjoying a vacation in California, but is eager to break into the game again. Rice is the seventeenth of the 32 Nationals in reserve to sign a con- tract for the 1929 American League campaign. CITY CLUB SELECTS BOXERS FOR MATCH Hugo Stellablotta will represent City Club in the 118-pound division when that organization’s boxing team stacks up against Knights of Columbus leather pushers Friday night in Carroll Hall. It will be the first of a series of intra- f,’” team ring championship matches ere. Other boxers have been named to represent City Club against the Caseys by Coach Joe Bateman as follows: Joe ‘Tamagni, 126-pound division; Frank Taylor, 136; Jack Deprato, 147; Ken- ;x;;h Bryan, 160, and Leighton Minor, IN BOYS’ CLUB LEAGUE In the Boys Club Basket Ball Leagr~ matches last night De Luxe defeated Celtics, 20 to 18; Colonials drubbed St. Martin's, 15 to 4; Yorkes scored over Hartfords, 28 to 21, and Times Boys Club defeated Tigers, 16 to 10. Today—Yorkes All Nations; De Luxe v . 8:30. Tuesday—Fort Myer vs. Meridians, 115 pounds: Optimist vs. Speakers. 115 pounds; Arcadians vs. French, 115 pounds.. Wednesday_ afternoon—St. John's vs. Gon- aga (Prep League). ednesday ' night—Speakers vs. Terrors. 100 pounds: Colonials vs. Good Shepherd, 130 pounds; Times B. C. vs. Cornitmans, 130 pounds. Thursday—Optimist _vs. PFrench, 115 pounds; Meridians vs. Speakers. 113 pounds; Fort Myer vs. Arcadians, 115 pounds. Friday—Optimist Times B .G 10 Colonials Corinthians, 130 pounds. Saturday—Celtics 8:30. (Championship game). [PENN STILL IS AHEAD IN BASKET BALL LOOP NEW YORK, February 4.—Pennsyl- vania continues to dominate the play in the Eastern Collegiate Basket Ball League with three wins and no defeats. The standing: Team. Pennsylvania . lumbia vs.. V. vs. vs. De Luxe, . first game. cers also were again | ol Dartmouth " Gornell . ale Princeton . PRO BASKET BALL. Chicago, 31; Fort Wayne, 25. Brooklyn, 26; Rochester, 19. Cleveland, 20; New York, This week’s league schedule follows: | FIGHTERS GAMBOL - ASEXPERTS ARGUE Dopesters Talk of Weather Effects While Dempsey Counts Receipts. By the Associated Press. IAMI_BEACH, Fla, February 4.—The dopsters were in hard training today for the Sharkey- | Stribling fight, February 27, although the principals in the battle of Miami Beach gave no indica- ticns of being overburdened with worry. ‘While Young Stribling, pride of Ma= con. Ga. and Jack Sharkey, erstwhil Boston gob, sought the surf and the golf courses in indifferent attempts at conditioning, the goggle-eyed groups which have watched boxers’ every swim and mashie stroke since their arrival here, last week, began thel serious work of advance experting. So far, the weather has led other topics in early speculation. It has been argued loudly that Sharkey, fresh from the cold North, will be handicapped by the balmy breezes, while the Georg- ian is conceded the advantage of know- ing his weather. % Now that he has finished the signing of contracts, even down to the peanut concession, and has seen the stadium begin to grow, Promoter Jack Dempsey also apparently has cast aside care and has been engaged in counting ticket | receipts. Both Sharkey and Stribling believe their recent fights have put them in shape for the bout, and intend to en- | 8age only in light work. HAVANA WILL NOT TEAM IN SOUTHEASTERN LOOP HAVANA, February 4.—Efforts of | Southeastern Base Ball League officials to enroll Havana among their members has failed. ~Cuban base ball leaders notified CLff Green, league president, that incorporation papers and organi- zation expenses were beyomd the financial range of Cuban basex ball at this time. A GRIFFITH FIGHTS TOXIGHT. CHICAGO, February 4 (f).—Jerry “Tuffy” Griffith, rugged S, City, Iowa, puncher, makes his fburth start as a heavyweight wnlght,-hp.lln‘ with Billy Freas, an in-and-outek from De- glo'u, in a 10-round match ‘at White y. ECTESTRY Gk SPEED SKATER,DIES. CHICAGO, February m.—mmld E. Halversen, 42, former s iteur speed skater champion of the/ United States, was asphyxiated here fumes from exhaust of an automotfle in his garage. = e —— Auto Bodies, Racfiators, Fenders Repaired; also New Radiators Harrison radiators ‘and cores in stock North 7177 Wittstatts, 1809 1dth Also 319 13th. % 'k Bel n1928 GAINS ... 2 MILL SMOKERS THINK " OF OLD GOLD DOLLARS M O R E 2 ION T H AN 300% Increase, the gr in all cigare eafes! growth tte histo ry AND ONLY TWO YEARS OLD