The Washington times., 1906-02-11
Nelson's Manager Fears
Cans Too Much TO Sign
Has Confessed His Man Would Have No
Chance With CoIored dChampion-More
Talk of Jefiries Fighting.
BY W. w. NAUGHTON.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb I0.-WhIeh *
tn most attractive pugiistic card in
sight?
In the past week this question has
been put TO numbers OF sporting men
who are supposed to be thoroughly
posted as TO the temper Of the times. "
and the reply has always been the same
Joe Cans and Battling Nelson
When Promoter Jim Cofrroth return
ed from the springs the other night he
was asked.
Il have my opinion as TO which is the
most attractive card but it's not IN
sight" was CoffrOth's answer.
Then he explained: a match between
Cans and Nelson would create more IN
terest just now than any event which
had Jeffries for principal said Coff-
roth. "It is an impossible match, though,
and I'll tell you why Nolan viii pre-
vent Nelson making It. My information
on the subject dates back to the night
Jimmy Gardner and Buddy Ryan box
ed al CoIma Coming home on the clubs
special car Nolan and I sat side by
side and the drift OF our converse ton
was about as follows:
"Gans Better Man"-NoIan.
"A great fighter. Gardner. isn't he?'
remarked Nolan.
a wonderful man I replied
d" But there's one man can beat
him" continued Nolan.
- Who do you means?
's Joe Cans
1t may be that Cans would have
trouble making the weight that Gard
ner would ask I ventured-
/ - Dc
Nelson's manager. Cans can make 1S3
at any time of day from the moment he
gets up until he puts his feet in the
ring and at that weight he can lick
every white skinned lightweight in the
business today
That's the whole story" said Cof-
roth. nolan believed what he said and
stin believes it. That Is why I think
It next TO impossible to get Cans and
Nelson together.
Will Never Box joe
Ben selig. who is Cans San Francis
co agent. was told of Coffroth's re-
marks. and he said:
Il can give you more pertinent dope
than that even. l came over from Sau-
saIito on the ferry with Billy Nolan
one day, and 'the talk turned to fight
ing He ratified off the names of the
men he thought Nelson would go
through like sunlight through a chink
and then he paused and pondered
But there's one fellow Nelson will
never box as long as / have a say in 1t.
unused Nolan. That's Joe Cans. It's
poor business to match a man when
there's nothing but defeat staring him in
the face.
It may be that Mr. Nolan may deny
participation in either incident, and /
1at there is anything about
these quotations to cover him with con-
fusion in any case. Match well made
is half won is a Shakespearean adage.
and daresay if the Bard of Avon had
thought Of it he would have made one
Of his characters say Better nc match
than one which promises defeat"
Give Cans Chance.
The moral. if there is one, is that il
doesn't do TO take too much stock in
what the manager of world-famous
pugilist says. When he alleges that it
is the fear of communicating influences
that deters him from sending his man
against a dangerous rival. it may be
that lie is swayed by entirely differ
ent motives.
And doesn't i, kind reader. suggest
that poor besmirched Mr.. Cans may
have been as much sinned against as
SHINING, when he entered into various
shady deals in the past? In the name
of all that's iustiiable. how was the
man to obtain honest work when he
encountered such sullen, steady, stone
walters as confront him now I'm his
quest for a match with Nelson?
The light is breaking in the matter of
lust one more" match for James ].
Jeffries. Billy Delaney. who acted as
adviser and general conditioner in chief
in Big Jim's past matches, is Just back