The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-10-29

This ends all Cooley's claims to
greatness, which were based solely
upon the fact that he happened to
catch Jack mapping one night when
acting as his sparring partner and
sent the Philadelphia to the mat.
Every well-read sport. regardless of
whether he lives in Hegewisch or New
York city, has heard that the boxing
game In San Francisco is controlled
by combination known as the Flight
Trust"
But he does not know the inside
workings of this novel octopus. which
is actually incorporated like the Sug-
ar trust or the Coffee trust, and which
controls all the fights pulled of in
San Francisco just like the Steel trust
controls the entire production of steel.
When any industry Is controlled by
a single management it suffers. Like
wise has the fight game suffered
through the manipulation of the
trust
Men have tried to buck" the fight
trust. The result was the same as
when private OIL concerns tackle the
Standard.
The flight trust was organized for
the purpose of giving the control of
the sport to four, select four, fight
promoters. Through the city admin
istration this body of men secured the
exclusive right to promote prize fights
making it impossible for others to
break into the game.
Jimmy Coffroth, Eddie Graney, Nor
ri 4
the trust, and all having been con-
nected with the promotion of pugilis-
tic events, the general public, or at
least those interested in the Queens
bury pastime, were of the opinion that
boxing would improve when it's affairs
were looked after by those at the
head Of it.
But from the very first there was q
jam. The directors of the new or
ganization could agree on nothing.
They divided into factions, Britt and
Cohroth on one side and Graney and
Levy on the other. The cause Of the
trouble. which up to now has been
kept secret. has at last leaked out.
For the past seven or eight years
Jimmy Coffroth has promoted all the
real big fistic events in San Fran
cisco. He has made fortune at the
game. Cofroth also runs q club at
Colma, where he can pull of fights
at the rate of one q week or oftener
If he chooses.
As far as small fights were concern
ed. Jimmy was willing enough to let
the fight trust handle them, but when
a big card was discussed, the liking of
promoters" as he is called out there,
wanted it for himself. Then it would
be case of Coffroth, member Of the
fight trust, bidding for a fight against
the fight trust.
Cofroth recently locked horns with
his brother directors over the Berger
O'Brien bout. He offered 66 2-3 per
cent of the gate and a like percentage
of the pictures for the battle. the mill
to be decided at Colma. Graney, on
behalf Of the trust offered 20 per cent
Of the gate and the entire picture
privilege to the fighters, guaranteeing
to pull the fight of in San Francisco.
The fighters didn't know what to do.
They were bewildered.
For time it looked as though they
would sign up with Coffroth, but Ora
ney must have had positive informa-
e'0h " Tic NOuSk IOI u0 was Will
ingto bet that the battle did not come
off at Colma. Through the efforts of
these warning factions all negotia-
tions for fight are at standstill,
and another good match is lost to the
patrons of the game in San Francisco.
BY acting as they have, the men,
bers Of the Associated Athletic club,
which is the name under the eight
trust is registered, have practically
put the game on the blink. Where
once good fights were common, there
are none in sight now as far as the
eye can see. And there's no chance
of harmony-it's case of war to the
knife. The trust, which at first was
looked upon as a boon to the game,
has all but killed the sport.
Terry McGovern and Young Corbett
were effectually removed from the
limelight last week by their inability
to best each other. For Corbett to
lose to McGovern or for McGovern to
lose to Corbett, or for them to fight
on even terms was sufficient to stamp
them as has-beens. even IL they did
still lay claim to some little shred of
ability. They battered away at each
other for six rounds and ended with