The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-09-28
Tommy Burns Will Tackle the
Negro, Jack Johnson
BURNS is THE FAV0RITE
Bob Fitzsimmons and Kid Mccoy Do
Not Seem To Realize That They
Are Back Numbers and
Want To Fight Again.
BY JEFF THOMPSON.

Again interest in pugilistic circles CEN
tiers about Tommy Burns and Jack john
son. Word comes that they are to fight
for purse of $4,000 at Sydney, N. S. w.
Maybe so. | hope it is true, and that
either the claims for Johnson, which al
ways Struck me as more or less absurd,
will be forever settled, or the big black
will demonstrate that he really is in the
championship class.
1t is not practice with me to prophesy
as to the outcome of prize fights, but II
Burns and Johnson do meet, venture TO
say that the Canadian will win, hands
down.
Speaking of Johnson naturally brings to
mind that other eminent fighter OF ooior'
Joe Cans. | understand the former light
weight champion soon is to come back TO
Baltimore, and that he will find awaiting
him numerous invitations for six-round
goes with aspiring lightweights Cans,
after his latest decisive defeat by Mel
son, announced that he was out OF the
fighting game for good and ALL put the
former "Old MASTER Is not overwhelmed
with this worlds goods, and he VIII De
tempted to the falling point to show some
of the would-be champion lightWeishts
that while the Dane may have the In
dian sign on him, he can still fight some.
1t is hard for a once proud hghter TO
realize that he is a back number. Bob
E. Fitzsimmons and Kid Mccoy AFFORD
the latest proof of this assertion.
Fitz wants a match. Recently he said;
| "Pm actor sometimes, but I'm going to
fight again soon. What chance
missed, not getting Ketchel first. After
1 seen i'm in Frisco, would have been
willing to guarantee to knock i'm out IN
four rounds, or get nothing. Yes, I'd
knock Ketchel out in four rounds"
Kid Mccoy, after his go with Peter
Maher few months ago, got the bug
that he was still there, and ever since has
been longing to get back into his running
tights and dance the fandange before the
hungry fight fans. When he dropped
Maher with that hook 1t looked stronger
than ever, and three weeks ago the KID
started to do work. He is up at Coopers
gymnasium every afternoon these days,
working out with some local boys, and
within the next two weeks will be seen
before one of the local clubs, signed up
with one of our poisoning middle
weights
IF 1 can get away with three or four
of the best in town." said the Kid yester-
day. "why, I'll go right after O'Brien
and Papke or this Langford fellow, and
hustle them around bit. l think jim
Stewart, Fred Bradley or Sailor Burke
would do to try my slap on, and, OF
course, if you fellows think that I'm
there, why, I'll go right along until l get
my bumps"
1t is pretty safe to say the Kid would
get his bumps before he succeeded In
fighting his way to a battle with any nrst
rank. Age will tell.
Billy Delaney is coming east with Al
Kaufman and Abe Attell. Bill writes
that Al has beaten everything in the
heavyweight division out in California,
and wants to come east to grab beer.
HE cleaned up Battling Johnson and
Jim Flynn in mastery fashion," writes
Billy, land if you have anything there of
his weight, just say that L want them
for AL. This boy was slow at starting,
like Jeffries, but once the barrier goes
up, he's there like an ace. tYou know,
| told you two years ago that Jeffries was
Just learning how to fight when he re-
tired 1 am glad that all the sporting
writer's agree with me now.
II said that AL was champion two
years ago. He lost to Jack OBrien, but
| believed in him after that and he Is
coming faster than | ever dreamed OF.
Just let the white fellows know that we
are coming. l admit Jack Johnson can
beat AL and will not send him against
him. but any white man will do. After
we beat them 1t is time enough to fight
Johnson.
Battling Nelson, the lightweight cham
pion, is certainly sour on his former man
ager, Billy Nolan. A few days ago Mel
son was asked If he would fight Fackey
| Mcfarland before one of the clubs in
San Francisco. As Nolan is connected
with the club, Nelson said: 1T will never
fight before any club that Nolan has
anything to do with, nor will / fight any
man that he is the manager OF. never
want Nolan to get any money If can
prevent it,.
The National A. G. of Philadelphia is
trying to round up good bout tn be de-
cided during Founders Week" They
have offered Nelsonssl0O00 to box Packey
Mcfarland six ROUNDS. Or course, the or
fer does not go If Mcfarland fails to beat
Leach Cross on October 2. This Is the
biggest offer from Philadelphia since Mel
son and McGevern fought there three
years ago. On this occasion Nelson's
share was more than $1,000 for six
rounds.
Frisco sports are still loyal to Stanley
Ketchell, although he was hopelessly
beaten by Billy Papke In Los Angeles
last week. Now that the pair are signed
again, the western sports are tickled to
death, and one writer claims that even
money will prevail in the betting at the
r,nsside. Ketchells manager says that
his boy was extremely weak going into
the ring five pounds lighter than Papke
and very flabby In the muscles. After the
bell rang Papke closed Kstcheli's left
eye completely with a wallep, and before
the second was over had the other eye
puffed so that Ketchell could only see
through u little slit. He fought nine
rounds almost blind and took his licking
like soldier.
Removal Notice.
N-l-I