The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-21
SPORTING NEWS.
Sharkey Talks Like He Would
Fight Gotch.
Sailor Sees Easy Money and
Would Train Some.
WOULD SCRAP ANYTIME
Fitz Gets an Offer to Fight Willie
and Name the Terms.
BOb's Theatrical Season Does
Not Close in Time.

New York. Feb. 21.-No man really
looking for fight these days need
have any fear of getting all he wants of
1t and of quality to suit. Here's Frank
Gotch, for instance. Not satisfied with
winning premier honors on the mat he
has an idea, or at least he says he has
OF trying to wrest Jim Jeffries' Iaurels
from him. OF course if Gotch was in
earnest and could show the champion
that match between the two would
draw enough to pay training expenses
JeH would undertake to show him in
ten minutes that what he did not know
about the fighting game would fill a
library. And here comes Sailor Tom
Sharkey with a keen nose for what
looks nike easy money to furnish the
wrestling man an opportunity to con-
vince the public which pays that he
can. 90 business with the big fellow
Snarkey offers, to meet Gotch when
Wnere and how he wants, and if he can
take Toms measure there may be some
thing doing with Jeff. Gotch NAV want
some OF the Sailors game but it is
doubtful. There is no doubt as to his
aplllty to stand up before the cham
plon long enough to make it interesting.
Much interest is felt here in the fight
STATED for next week between Young
Corbett and Battling Nelson. The opin-
ION IS that the return match will not
De SO easy for the hard hitting Dane
as was the first. Corbett no longer IN
uereStlmateS his adversary and is work
ing harder than he has ever worked
since he tumbled Terry McGovern from
the championship.
While the New York legislature has
not and probably will not pass a law
legalizing boxing in this city, regular
bouts are held here constantly, and the
courts have held they are within the
law. There are half a dozen or more
athletic clubs which hold regular bouts
-T.s,,-es s,,-1
present, and for which, tickets can not
be purchased. The bouts are limited
round affairs, with no decisions, and
the contestants are generally young
sters, with ring regulations to make,
though this is not always the case.
Nevertheless, there have been some as
pretty bouts as a lover of clean sport
could want to see.
Alex. Greggains. manager of the San
Francisco Athletic club, has opened ne
goiations with John Willie, the Chicago
heavy weight, and Bob Fitzsimmons for
a twenty-round fight, to be held on the
coast some time in March. Wille's man
ager received a, telegram from Greg
gains, asking if Willie was willing to
make the match, and Immediately was
that the Chicago man would
fight and allow -Eitz to dictate all terms
It is doubtful if Fitz win consent to
fight Willie in Frisco in March, as the
theatrical show with which he is play
ng is booked up until the first week in
June Fitz has already declared that
ne viii not fight before June or July at
the earliest.
1t may be that this declaration of
not to fight until his the
atrical season is over is responsible for
the bombardment of challenges to
which the old man has been subjected
all of which, by the way, in
sist on a fight right away.
The country from President Roosevelt
Town seems to be interested on the sub
ect of jiu-jitsu. To hear all the talk
about it one would be led to believe that
/ Jap jiu-jitsu artist would be able to
sat the ordinary American wrestler or
lighter alive. This may be so, but ] |
Ioubt it, Old timers will recall that !
something like 20 years ago a noted |
Japanese wrestler, one Matsada Sora- |
zichi. and, by the way, that name used |
% give old Pop Whitaker, the official |
announcer, the horrors, came to New |
York He wrest1ed in the Japanese
tyIe, which judge is jiu-jitsu, and at |
hat style did beat some right good men |
1t first, but at regular wrestling he |
lever ranked higher than a. good second |
'ater. The Japanese style, as recall |
t. did not compare in the exercise of
kill or strength with catch-as-catch-
an. collar-and-elbow, or even Graeco-
roman. I doubt If it ever will become
popular with Americans after the novel
" wears Off