The San Francisco call., 1906-10-24
ALI, EYES TURNED
ON THOMAS AND
FITZPATRICK.

Tonight is the night Of the big well
terweight battle at Colma The ewes
of the local pugilistic world are at
present centered on Joe Thomas the
Champion of the world at his weight
and Dick Fitzpatrick, the cyclone mill.
er who came all the way from Chicago
to try to wrest the laurels from the
popular California lad.
AS was expected, the local snorts
have made Thomas heavy fayorita
over Fitz Last night it was announced
that the betting was 10 to Z, but any
one who was anxious to take a ride on
the chances of the Windy Citv how
could find all the 10 to 6 money he
wanted along the line. Unless a fast
freight train arrives with boxcar full
of Chicago's precious metal, the local
lad will enter the ring selling at to /
The fghtsgives promise of being one
walloping affair while 1t lasts. which
will not be very long If the men flght
the way they figure to. Thomas is a
clean puncher and one who will take q
chance in a mixup. His opponent he
lieves in boring in, sticking close and
forcing his man around the ring.
Whether he can get away with this
play against as clever man as
Thomas will be seen this evening.
The men will enter the ring at catch
weights, so neither will have an oppor-
tunity to make any howl about weak
ening himself in making weight. Fitz
does not look like a boxer at all, being
fat and chubby But his Chicago
friends say that he is capable of going
the route as fast as the pace is set
and that he can retain his WALTON as
long as he stands on his feet.
The sports of this city have not had
chance to see Thomas fight since his
recent triumphant tour of the East
Though fast man when he fought
here before, Joe was not looked upon
as a champion. But since leaving lis
native heath six months ago. Thomas
has managed to dispose of the best
men the East could trot out, so he
must be recognized now as the class.
In order that the fight fans may land
back in the city in the vicinity of IL.
o'clock. Manager Billy Roche of the
Colma Club has made arrangements
with the United Railroads for a whole
flock of special cars, which will be
waiting for the crowd as soon as the
fight is over The main event will be
called promptly at o'clock, assuring
an early finish.
The curtain raiser on the bill is a
ten-round mixup between Jue Reilly,
the well-known lightweight, and a lad
known to fame as the Portland Kid"
The latter has never squared off before
local assemblage. but is touted
as one of the lighting wonders of the
Northwest
Eddie Graney says that he will not
attempt to stop the Berger-K aufmann
fight by means of legal proceedings.
The little blacksmith in a signed state
ment issued last night again asserts
that all he wants is an even break and
the protection of his rights. He once
more charges coffroth with acting
without the authority of the board of
directors of the fight trust and adds
that things must be different in the
future.
Jack Gleason, Berger's manager, was
closeted with the president of the trust
last night The two had a long talk,
and Gleason Eold Graney that he would
like him to make one more statement,
believing that the public was still in
the dark Regarding the situation. Gra-
ney consented and issued the follow
ing:
have been quoted frequently of late
regarding my intentions of stopping
the coming fight between Berger and
Kaufman, and / now desire to state
my position clearly. That idea never
even occurred to me. But as / am a
member and president of the Associ-
ated Athletic Clubs, a corporation, un-
der whose auspices the fight is to be
held. I wanted to know what right an
individual had to incur large expenses
without any authorization from the
board of directors, and l propose to
fight the issue to the end, not, how
ever, by attempting to place any bar
rier in the road of the contest.
Billy Delaney and Jack Gleason, the
respective managers OF Kaufman and
Berger, are warm personal friends of.
mine, and that is one reason why 1
would not interfere.
The press has published statement
to the effect that the fight might be
transferred to Colma. 1 know positive
ly that such can never be- as l have
the statements of Gleason and Della
ney that the fight must be held in San
Francisco. Even with this advantage
1 am going to keep my hands off.
In conclusion | desire to state that
it never was case of which pavilion
the fight was to be held in, but a de-
mand by me that this corporation must
conduct it's affairs the same as any
otner corporasiolddel ls' on business
State