The Washington herald., 1907-03-21

10 divide With anybody. But for Billy
Nolan Battling Nelson would stiH be
fighting IN preliminary bouts. for the
Danes style of fghting always borders
on foul work, and sometimes Is positively
foul He Is a glutton for punishment but
is not a clever boxer and bat for the
boosting given him by Nolan and the ad-
vantages gained for him In the terms OF
his matches. Nelson would never have
become famous. for the reason that the
club managers would not have stood for
his style of fighting.
JeRries Paid Dearly.
It was Brady who brought James J.
Jeffries to the front by securing that first
match FOR him with Fitzslmmons. JEFF
fries paid well for 1t. too. since he gave
up half his earnings 10 Brady for two
years, and in that first fight. which gave
him the championship he was made TO
allow Fitzsimmons TO take 65 per cent of
the gate. Jeff and his manager splitting
80 per cent. The receipts OF that night ut
Coney Island were upward Of *70,000, and
yet Jehrles, the winner, got less than
S7.000 out OF which he had TO pay Billy
Delaney. who trained him, and all his
training expenses.
Jeffries could just as well have made
the match with Fitzsimmons himself, and
very likely by waiting a little could have
made better terms with the champion
than Brady did. More than this. Jeffries
would have escaped that two years eX-
perience on the stage, including the trip
TO gay Paris. which really did more than
anything else to drive him from the ring.
Jeffries now has a big alfalfa patch, bat
he is far from wealthy, and may be in
duced Ia fight again, regardless of the
fact that he has grown very heavy just
for the sake of getting "a little ready
money. Jeffries would have been better
of had he never had a manger.
How Fitz Got Wise.
Bob Fitzsimmons, the greatest fighter
of his weight the world has ever known.
vas robbed by managers in al his early
contests in this country. But Bob final
/ ly got wise and attended 20 his eHn busi-
ness, and from that time on he mate
plenty of money, so long as he was able
TO win. Fitz always had some one to
I represent him in his big fights. and for
Ions time Martin Julian. his brother-in-
law, filled the position, but in all his ia
nous battles Bob made his own matches
ana attended TO even the small details up
to the very day of the contest, when he
left everything to Julian who was paid
literally for his services.
Tommy Ryan and Kid Mccoy are men
of the O'Bneu stamp, who never allow
any one 10 dictate terms or make matches
for them. They know what they want
themselves and are not afraid 10 ask for
it.
John L. Sullivan needed guardian as
well as "a manager. for he was too often
in such a condition that he was totally
unfit 10 look after his own interests. It
is likely. however. that the stage life into
which Billy Madden, as his manager in
I troduced him, was the means of leading
I John L. from the paths of sobriety. Par
/ son" Davies also managed Sullivan or
many of his boxing and theatrical tours
/ Gus Rubin was tied up hard and fast
I to Billy Madden and seldom had a dollar
+ in his pocket. He couldn't earn enough
/ for two.
COiOred Fighters Easy Marks.
The colored fighters seem to be partlcu-
/ larry easy marks for managers. George
Dixon and Joe Walcott set Tom O'Rourke
up in the hotel business. and Joe Cans
and Young Peter jackson put Al Herford
on easy street. Half of every dollar these
fighters made went to the manager until
+ the contract that bound them expired
/ In the case OF Dixon and Walcott thai
was not until their power to win had left
them.
OROurke. after working Dixon ana
Walc0tt to the limit tried 10 get hold Of
Tom Sharkey. but the sailor. while ignu-
rant was naturally shrewd. and insisted
on making an HIS own matches, paying
some one to look after his interests.
Peter Jackson, the .greatest colored
I iignter that the world has ever known.
died poor man for the reason that hc
was always forced 20 split with man
{ ager. This was the case even after he
quit fighting and went on the stage for
/ "Parson' Davies had contract which
stil held and made him divide.
Jack NIanrOe's Fame.
Jack Munroe, like Corbett and Nelson,
owes his fame 20 his manager. On the
strength of staying four rounds with JEFF
rios, Clark Bell doomed Munroe as
/ champion, and actually secured a long
ana paying theatrical engagement for
/ him. He skillfully avoided a fight with
any one so long as the miner continued
T 10 draw. and when finally forced into
J
divide even his small losers end with
I BAH, the bubble burst, and Munroe went
/ back to the mines.
/ Harry Baker. the California feather
weight is one Of the most recent cases of
an overmanaged boxer. Baker came 20
I this city with a good reputation and soon
/ secured a match. His end OF the receipts
amounted TO nearly $500 and his man
ager a man who had come on from Cali
I fornia with him. took pretty much all Of
the money and skipped out Baker is
now free to make his own matches and
handle his own money, so he may CON
slider his experience Cheaply bought
/ There are many instances among men OF
lesser note where fighters have been kept
back and made poor by maintaining n
manager who was of no use whatever. It
too often happens that the manager has
some pull with a club manager or with d
newspaper, and uses his power TO force
fighters to give up a percentage of their
earnings. The boxer who submits to such
/ an injustice deserves to be robbed. for
there is no occasion for it. IL is the
fighter who can fight that the public
wants TO see. and these in the long run
are the men whom the club managers
will secure 10 furnish the entertainment,
regardless of who may be their man
| ayers