The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-07-08
Champion Held at Short Odds Of 1
to , Over Fitzsimmons,
Who Is 8 to o.
BIG FIGHT IS A NEAR.
Playing the Long Shot in Heavy.
Weight Championship Contests
Would Have Been Profit
able-LOcal Bouts.

Interest In tho heavyweight champion
ship battles scheduled for the later part
OF the present month At Sun Francisco, Is
increasing as July . draws near and re-
ports from the West indicate that Je1grIes
Will be a I-to-2 favorite in the match. No
Fitzsimnions money has yet appeared IN
large quantities. while back%a Of the cham
pion. on the other hand. have placed sew
erai sums OF considerable magnitude in the
hands OF Stockholders In San Francisco.
awaiting covering.
At present. odds against Ftzsimmors are
8 to 5 and 2 TO l and II Il thought that
this may possibly be the best price obtained
against the former champion. although tho
majority OF sporting men in san Francisco
seem TO believe that Jeffres's price will be
shortened and Fits heightened before tho
day of the battle
Some are going on this basis and are hoh-
ing on 10 play H1tz tater. while some few
at the present odds. These last probably
recall the sudden shortening OF odds against
EftZsimmons on the eve OF his battle with
Corbett when the Australians price was
forced down from 2 and ~ TO 1 TO S to 5 and
as low as s 10 5 Precedent counts for lit
tie in such cases, however, as the odds
against Rubin heightened just before his
battle with Jeffrtss.
Small Bettors Pick FItz.
While Jeffhes is logically an overwhelm-
~ A1hDEAAt III Tit 1lAA dAAA u LAG HNAGlA-DA
Of the vast majority Of sporting men. F1tz-
simmons will probably be well backed by
the army OF small bettors, who are a.
tracted by the longer odds against his
chances.
on rather novel point recently brought
forward by some bettors is the fact mat
playing the longest shot in heavyweight
Championship battles for the last ten years
has been sufficiently profitable to make II
wofh while 70 risk something on the out
Following out this line Of reasoning. It is
a fact that Sl.c0 or any smaller sum placed
on the outside in these heavyweight battles
would really have Melted profits Ia the long
run. As an instance. the odds IN tbs
championship contests since the Corbett-
Sullivan was an Overwhelming favorite 10
The fight and 1 to l was freely offered
against Corbett IN the morning OF Septem-
Der :, 1881 One thousand dollars placed Up
CT him would have nstted HOO
Mitchell was the next outsider In heavy
Eeight ehsmpionshig sonies!s and los; 70
OF the ledger. Fltzsimmons was outsider
In the next championship, and. taking 2
10 You'd ! IS bs his see aHsEe8fe RPT ES 10 a sam Mas OF o5 sSG
the championship. and JeTs Victory would
sharkey was the outsider in the next fight
and lost. and Rubin was outsider in last
falls contest. also getting defeated. Gains
have thus reached $500 for every $500
wagersd. while losses on Mitchell, Sharkey
and Rubin would have meant a loss or
2Op, a profit Of $500 on the period.
The Corbett-Je1ries fight at COney Island
IS not included In this list. but II IL is TO be
deemed a championship anair n loss OF
800 on Corbstt must be added To the
deficit.
on this basis Il can be seen that the small
bettcrs are hopeful Of making some pronl
out OF the coming battle by playing the
outsider.
Two boxing bouts are scheduled for de-
CtEtm next ThurEllN evening the West
End Club and the 81. Louis Rowing Club