The San Francisco call., 1908-12-31
KETCHEL READY TO
BOX LANGFORD
SHORTLY
N anager Joe O'Connor Says He
Has a Surprise in Store
for Fans
BY William J. Siaffery


weight title, and Sam Langford, the
burly black challenger. is not so far
distant as the fans imagine Even
now plans for the great battle are be-
ing formulated in the mind of Joe
IOConnor, Ketchers manager, and he
! is just about ready to say the long ex-
pected word that will bring about the
| meeting that the sporting world has
been thirsting for ever since Ketchel
regained his lost laurels by laying
Billy Papke low on Thanksgivi day.
| OConnor broke his spell of silence
last night by announcing that he will
make a match for Ketchel within a
month or two, or possibly less, and he
says that the man whom Ketchel will
fight must be the best drawing card in
the middle weight division. Who else
could this be but Langford? There is
no other answer to the question.
DENIES SPALLING
They think that l have been stalling
around and endeavoring to dodge a
match with Langford," said 'OConnor,
but this is not so. Ketchel fears no
man in the world not barring Jack
Johnson. When he gets ready to take
on Langford he will be there and better
than he ever was in his life. He knows
when he is right and he won't start be-
fore that time.
"Ketchel is taking a rest. That's all
| there is to it. He Went home on my
! recommendation and l told him to lay
off for several months in order to re-
fresh himself. He worked hard all
last year and ! have been blamed for
sending him into the ring too often.
l will make UP for lost time now and
give him the rest that is coming to
him.
"Ketchel has left the match making
up to me just as he did in the past
and when ! think that he has had rest
enough ! viii go ahead and do the best
l can as TO terms for meeting with
the best drawing card in the middle
weight division. am not mentioning
any names now. There is plenty of
time for that. All have to say is that
we will be on hand to fight.
WANTS GOOD TERMS
"Langford can do the talking now
and we will content ourselves with
standing by and listening. But talk
ing does. not win fights We will have
possible for Ketchel and l will wait
| till l see a good chance before | sign
| him up for another fight. The next
time he starts it will be before great
! big house.
"Ketchel will not bother about that
eastern game, as has been reported, but
will. come right on here when L send
Johnson. We want to fight some
others before even thinking about the
heavy weight champion. If Burns
business with him, but thus far l have
heard nothing.
Joe Woodman. Landlords mana ger.
was elated when he heard this good
news. He probably will make up his
mind now 10 stick around till Ketchel
is sent for by OConnor. Woodnan
can go right over to London and put
Sam on with Jack Johnson for a great
big purse, but he would prefer remain
ing here provided there is a chance TO
make match with Ketchel.
WOODMAN Is CONFIDENT
Woodman says that his offer to stop
Ketchel in 20 rounds or forfeit the en-
tire purse still goes. If O'Connor or
ketchel wish to say the word the Bos-
ton man ayers that he is willing to
post his forfeit just to show them that
he means business when he talks.
Woodman is apparently very sincere
in everything that he says
There is a chance for some promoter
to match Dick Hyland and Johnny
Murphy in the near future and this.
though not a high grade attraction,
would prove fast, stubborn battle
and would undoubtedly draw out a
large crowd, for both boys are natives
of this city and incidentally did most
of their fighting here before they be-
came drawing cards
Hyland is billed to fight 10 rounds
with Freddie Welsh, the English light
weight, at Los Angeles on the evening
of January 10. so this probably would
let Charley Lercari out as far as a
match for the present month goes.
Murphy is aching for a chance to get
at Hyland and there are many who be-
lieve that he is capable of putting one
over.
Although Eddie Hanlon does not fig
ure as headliner in local fight circles,
he is very well thought of in New Or
leans. and Manager Al Lippe of the
Crescent City club is making an en-
deayor to match him for next month
either with Phil Brock or Young Cor
bett.
Bippe wired Alvie King. the well
known book maker last night, asking
him TO round Hanlon up and send him
to New Orleans at once. Lippe added
that he is willing to give cute Eddie
a substantial guarantee to fight either
good chance for the local boy. His
services are not in demand here, and
If he can made a stand off against
somebody irn the south, he may get a
new lease oflife.
There was much weeping and gnash-
ing Of teeth last night when the boys
learned that Kaufman failed TO stop
Barry in 10 rounds. All the wise
students of the game played him at
even money at this distance and he was
/ looked upon as an easy winner But
the inevitable happened, and hence the
loud walls and muffled oaths from many
An hour before the men entered the
ring the rush of Kaufman money forced
Tom Corbett to chop the round limit
to II. Even then the supporters of
soon ate up all the Barry money. The
betting on the result was 10 to 3 in
favor of kaufman, and nobody seemed
willing TO take the Barry end of it.
The San Francisco sports think so
well of AL Kaufman's chances against
Jim Barry in tonight's fight at Los
Angeles that they are willing to wager
ten dollars against four that the big
blacksmith will bring home the money.
There is practically no Barry money
In icn Nnr,1 mi
Corhett has a few thousand dollars of
! Kaufman coin.
The men are billed to go 45
rounds. with Charles Eyton of Los
Angeles as the referee Yesterday
afternoon the betting was lively that
Kaufman would bring home the booty
in 20 rRnds. but the. money came
rushing in so fast that it fina1Iv
dropped to 10 rounds. There was
quite bit of Barry money ready at
this figure.