Life — July 19, 1928 — page 12: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

SPORTSMEN and SPORTS The Battle of the Century Dictionary Tummas HEENEY was seated in a café on the Avenue de VOpéra in Paris when word was brought to him that he had been matched to fight Gene Tun- ney for the heavy- weight — champion- = ship of the world. Rising from behind an imposing array of empty ale bottles, Tummas announced that he understood the seriousness of the situation and would start training imme- diately. Which he did. He went out and bought a dress suit inside a half-hour. That, as Captain Kidd said, showing some prisoners fis famous one-way plank, is the tip-off. If he had been matched to fight Jack Sharkey, Tummas might have bought himself some “gimmicks” to put in his four-ounce gloves. If he had been matched to fight Jack Dempsey, he would have borrowed a suit of Sydenham armor from the British Museum. But he was matched to fight Gentleman Gene, so he bought a swell dress suit, a white weskit, and gloves and tie to match. A few days after he had returned to this country somebody told Tummas that Gentleman Gene had disappeared into the woods at Speculator, N. Y., with a bundle of books under his arm, indicating that the training program was in full swing. The indomitable Tummas resolved to go the scholarly Gene one better. “I shall pitch me bloomin’ trainin’ quarters,” said Ee “in a blinkin’ public library.” This was not so much of a leap for Tummas as might be surmised. For while he had not previously got as far as a Public Library, fe had, frequently, got as far as a pub. At this point Mr. George L. (Tex) Rickard stepped in. He had something like a million dollars at stake—he still “I'm feeling great today. I feel like a cave man. Waiter, bring me a club sandwich.” — has it, by the wa ind these bookish ents were putting it in great jeo, They were uiet lads with a peter seclusion and privacy. Mr. Rickard’s mil lion could be produced only by the wel} known ballyhoo. So Gene was persuaded to let a few sports scribes intrude uy; the sacred precincts of Speculator and Heeney was chased to a training camp down the Jersey coast. The situation, however, was still thetic, or, worse still, apathetic. The or. dinary citizens were remarkably calm with regard to the impending conflict. In fact, they were rather cool toward it, Something had to be done. “Daniel, give the crank another turn,” said Mr. Rickard. Daniel gave the crank another tum and behold! word came forth from Speculator that Gene Tunney, the boxer, a suaken become a knockout puscher who would it Heeney so hard that he would kill all the Irishmen in Australia. By a mere coincidence, con- temporary dispatches from the Heeney camp announced that placid, plodding Tummas had become a raging lion of de lightfully savage disposition and _ had promised to ‘it that bloomink toff with h’everthink but the ring post.” My word! Why didn’t he include the ring post? Tt wouldn't have cost anything extra. Now then, who'll win this fight? The Tunney who twice defeated Dempsey should be able to handle Heeney with or without gloves. Tunney, at top form, is stronger than Heeney, much faster, a better boxer and a more punishing hitter. But Tunney has had only two fights in two years and Heeney has had almost two dozen fights in that time. That's Tunney’s handicap and Heeney’s chance. Inaction has laid many a champioa low. It’s just a question of how far Tun ney has slipped from the form that brought him his glittering crown and entrée to our best society. John Kieran. AUTHENTIC He: I love you! Sue: I'm terribly glad you told me be cause everybody has been telling me 9 and I told them I thought it was ridicv lous! comicbooks.com