Western Garden?

The New York State Athletic Commission started something last fortnight which may move boxing westward from the eastern seaboard. Dogmatic and irascible Big Jim Farley, chairman, started the Commission. The Commission had given Max Schmeling his tit's when Sharkey fouled him last June, stipulating then that he must sign within nine months to meet an opponent picked by them. They picked Jack Sharkey, ordered Schmeling, through his manager and proxy, Joe Jacobs, to sign with Sharkey at once or forfeit his title. Jacobs suggested that the Commission arrange for Sharkey to fight Stribling, the winner to meet Schmeling. Both fights, if the Commission consented, would have been staged in New York. Standing on his dignity, Big Jim Farley rejected these fights, revoked Schmeling's title as heavyweight champion of the world.

Immediately eastern promoters became sensitive to danger. This was the chance western promoters had been waiting. Schmeling was still champion outside of New York. Why not a title bout in Chicago? Sidney Strotz of the amateurish Chicago Stadium Corp. tried for it but could not close the deal. Chicago has no other promoters above the level of John ("Mique") Malloy and James C. Mullen, with whom no important fighters now do business. Outmaneuvering Strotz, President Carey of Manhattan's Madison Square Garden Corp. quickly revived the Garden's Illinois subsidiary which Tex Rickard had used in 1927. A bill to legalize bouts of more than ten rounds in Illinois was drawn and rushed to Governor Emmerson for approval before being submitted to the State legislature. And Madison Square Garden Corp. of Illinois signed up two bouts tentatively: Schmeling v. Stribling in Chicago in June; the winner v. Primo Camera in Jersey City in September. Camera, like Schmeling, is under ban in New York.

Sharkey v. Dempsey. Jack Dempsey, in an article in The Ring, rated Stribling and Schmeling ahead of Sharkey. Furious, Sharkey issued a trick challenge to Dempsey for a fight "within six weeks." Said Dempsey: "In reply to 'What Is Wrong With the Fight Game?', it is Jack Sharkey of Boston."

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