PRAISE FOR TOM HEENEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20011, 30 July 1928, Page 9

PRAISE FOR TOM HEENEY.

GREATER IN lIIS DEFEAT. FACED FOE TO LAST GASP. COMING VISIT TO DOMINION. Australian Press Association—United Service NEW YORK, July 27. The New Zealand heavy-weight boxer Tom Heeney to-day is greater in the hour of his defeat than he was before he fought Gene Tunney. ft is not too much to say that his wonderful fighting heart and his superb courage literally, astounded the people of America. All the newspapers ring with his praises. The following excerpts are typical: "At the end of the slaughter Tom Heeney still stood heads above the gamest man around here for many a day." "The man from far off Gisborne marched to his defeat with his head bloody but unbowed, and upheld British tradition by facing his foe to the last gasp." Heeney's refusal to make excuses for his defeat, coupled with his honest tribute to Tunney, have also endeared him to sportsmen and the general public in the United States. Commenting on the fight, Tunney said: "Heeney put up a wonderful fight and was a worthy challenger. I have nothing but admiration for his courage." He declined to discuss a return match. Heeney said: "Gene Tunney is a wonderful fighter. I am not satisfied with the fight I put up. In the fifth round a piece of an eye-lash turned back into my left eye and I could not see after the sixth round. Gene beat me fairly though, and he is a very clean fighter." Jack McAuliffe, the former boxer, now a sporting writer, says he believes Heeney might have recovered and the referee had no right to stop the fight when the 11th round had only eight seconds to go. The 1 challenger was game, but made many mistakes, the chief of which was that he tried for Tunney's head all the time instead of his body. Charlie Harvey was loud in his protests against the referee stopping the fight. He grumbled at Heeney because lie had {ailed to crouch in the 11th round. Instead Torn stood straight and was wide open. The promoter, Mr. Tex Rickard, says the actual loss on the. fight was £30,000.

Heeney says he intends to proceed to New Zealand in a few weeks to visit his parents. Then he will return to America to continue his ring career.

HEENEY'S HANDICAP. BOXER'S THUMB BROKEN. INTERFERED WITH TRAINING. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ]• GISBORNE. Sunday. Gisborne people now know that when Tom Heeney began his training for the Tunney fight he was hampered by a broken thumb. Letters from Heeney to his parents and relatives written on June 15, said he had broken his thumb, which effectually prevented him starting real training for the championship battle until well after that time. Heeney stated further that he had not said anything about the injury as otherwise he might have interfered with his prospects of securing the fight with the champion. "If they knew they might get somebody else to fight Tunney," he wrote. " They keep pesterihg me to start, but I do not know what will happen when I do." Heeney's relatives kept the secret well as they feared that some hint- might leak back to the United States and spoil the arrangements for the match. Heeney feared American journalists would hear the news and use it. It is difficult to estimate how much tho injury affected Heeney's training, but it is certain that he was determined to let nothing defeat his entry into the ring with the champion. Gisborne people are not downcast about the result, realising that Tom fareci almost as well as Dempsey did against Tunney. NEWS FROM AMERICA. BROADCAST AT GISBORNE. BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN FIRST. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] GISBORNE. Sunday. In reference to the reception of the Tunney-Heeney fight- story what is believed to be tho first news in New Zealand was- received at the residence of Mr. Walter Barker, of Barker's Hill, in the presence of a representative of a Gisborne newspaper and prominent citizens. The announcer's final words were received at 2.1 p.m., and were forwarded to the Gisborne Tost Office two minutes later. The broadcast was received thiough station WGY, New \ork, and came direct from tho ringside with remarkable clearness. Heeney's parents listened tne broadcast description at Mr. O'Meara s, sitting silent and motionless throughout and receiving tho verdict with a snnle. \ subsequent message from iom ny wireless stated: "I am very sorry I was unable to win, but you folk at home will know I did my best, I have been defeated, but not hurt. Love to all. The Mnvor o! Gisborne sent the followin f cablegram to Heeney: "Gisborne citizens send congratulations on the great tight- put up by you. Traditions worthily upheld." CABLES VERSUS WIRELESS. SPEEDY SENDING OF RESULT. [by telegraph.—rnr.ss association.] WELLINGTON. Saturday. Mr. Markman, manager of the Pacific Cable Board in New Zealand, made special arrangements to have the press messages giving the result of the Tunney-Heaney tiHit "rushed through. According to his information, the cable message reached Auckland before advice was received by wireless. „ Tho cable station at Bamfield (\ ancouver Island) signalled the result direct to Auckland in the Hash of a second. The time taken bv the transmission between tho stadium and Vancouver was three or four seconcjs. „ Besides the cabled advice, the Press Association also received the final from Mr Ivan O'Meara, Gisborne, two minutes afterwards, and from Sydney five minutes later.