Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-07

land, the critics of pugiliSri
cannot accept his matches seriously,
and though Of all the articles written
about the Canadian that have come TO
this side there is Il spirit of Hippancy
that Indicates that the lemon picker"
certainly gathered i'll Il rich crop OF
fruit this time.
What seems to aStoniSh the English
men more than anything is the marked
ability of Burns to get the money"
This American style of doing things
financial is Il never ending source Of
comment to the British followers of
the fight game.
one critic voices his establishment
in these words:
Tommy Burns completed his pro-
gram Monday, when lie cliEched Il
match with the Irishman, Jcm Roche,
for stakes and purse money ANNOUNCE
Cd III the hulk as .c2,500 The very
mention of such a sum is enough to
bring tears to the eyes of Jem Mace
ard if men do really turn i'll the grave,
then Tom SayerS, jack Heenan, Tom
King and other worthless must be dis
turoing the soil considerably. There
should, indeed. be lots of earth NOV
ing this week
The same writer goes on to state
that there nave been others, but none
quite Ike this fellow. He cannot re-
press his admiration for the Canadian
and thus gives him the palm for be
ing the hest of all the money-Inakers:
II admire Burns. Men like Corbett,
Jack O'Brien and our own Charlie
Mitphal1 in ha
considered cute and long headed
O'5rien was smart fellow and good
organizer for soft things, but his
hand were SMALL in fact, insignificant.
compared with the amounts Burns
looks like netting.
class in boxing, even III the States,
is not 50 good as it was twenty years
ago. nothing like so good, but Burns
is undoubtedly the daddy He cleared
out Gunner Moir without turning a
hair, and he will, if he feels 50 in
clined,, dispose OF Jack Palmer and
Jem Roche with even less trouble.
But at this stage comes q question
Of whether Burns is going to act fairly
with the Englishmen who will put up
their good coin to see the battle. 'Cca-
tuS,' the fiStic authority Of London
Sporting Life. the big daily, speaks of
this phase Of the contest III these
terms:
Il do not knew if Burns is Soing to
fight for TIL" pictures or not, or
whether he intends to get the bust
ness over quickly, or give the specta-
tors plenty for their money 1t all
depends how he feels. l have no de-
81 w to
what is coming next month ana in
March, but it really does Seem re-
markahlc moro than remarkable, in
fact-to find men like Palmer ana
Roche with backing each for $500
against a man on whom, going by the
book, the odds are 50 to l in each
case.
As I say, good luck to Burns. If
the Il. p. stand it, who should grum-
bic. Tommy should get the lions
shave of the doodle, which he will as
s,;rcdly do. always providing defeat
does not ovcrtakc him."
That .Iem Roche. the Irish ch iJ.in,
IS Il joke in his own land is PLAN when
he places himself in the Burns class.
Not a single writer whose opinion
has, been carried in the papers to this
country comedies him a single chance
of winning. "Cestus'' speaks Of
Roche's victory as remote POSSIBLE
ity." and writes in this way of the
match:
Among boxing men generally the
matching of Roche with Burns was
never taken seriously. 1t was looked
upon more in the light of an ADVERTISE
ment for the firSt-named than any,
thing else, despite the fact that Irish
men Will stand anything they take a
fancy to. To me it looks a matter Of
sentiment, for Roche has never shown
form anything approaching that of the
Canadian.
arr told that some time ago he
TOOK part IN competition at the Ma
ilohal Sporting Club, but, although l
hay" missed very few shows at head
quarters, L cannot call him 10 mind.
Such men as Seaman Kelly. 'rieer
smith and Seaman Broadbent womb
nave gladly signed with Roche for
good money. which does not enhance
the reputation Of the Wexford black
smith.
The match in Dublin, the one be-
tween Burns and Roche. is sure to
'rihS fine gate. Roche, n very dc.
cent h"meiy fellow, is idolized in the
,Treen Isle. and the date Of the match.
-. Patrick's Day, could not have been
more appropriate. What day it
would be for 'ouId Oireland' if Roche
could upset the certainty. This. how
ever. IS, | am afraid, no more than a
remote possibility"
KEYES AND SUMMERS