Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-04
The $4,000 Purse Offered Burns and Johnson
Holds the Record One Right-Handed
Swing Melted Joe Cans 100000
and the Championship.

The fighting game is the most lucrative
vocation In the world.
Joe Cans went to Fort Erie. stepped
into the ring with Frank Erne. shot out
his right. and down went the light
weight champion. That one punch net
ted Cans at least one hundred thousand
dollars worth of engagements.
Only few months ago Stanley Ket-
with Mike (Twin) sullivan. The latter
tented. ketchel lodged. shot over his
right and down went Sullivan. Ketchel
got $500 for that one punch.
champion, Pediar Palmer. s, to America to to
vanquish Terry McGovern. Terrible
Terry stepped into the ring, shot out
his right, down went the Englishman.
and while the referee was counting Mr..
Cashier handed Terry's manager some
thing in the neighborhood of $4,000.
The other day the news flashed under
the Pacific that Tommy Burns had
signed his name to an agreement to
fifty-thousand-dollar purse. The fight
IS to take place in Sydney, Australia, in
December. This battle is to be for the
heavyweight championship Of the world.
but the purse is the magnificent thing
about 1t. 1t is the biggest purse ever
offered for a ring battle.
And on the same day Battling Nelson.
champion lightweight. declined an offer
a six-round battle in Philadelphia. If
you figured 1t down you would find that
the country pays President Roosevelt
some very small change in comparison.
when his remuneration promised TO be
500 a minute. Six rounds would only
mean eighteen minutes of actual fighting
But Nelson declined because he feared
MISUNDERSTANDING as that may seem
1t would have cost him a great deal more
than $4,000. Nelson is a slayer, bull
dog for endurance. and he knew that Nc
Farland had a splendid chance to out
point him in a six-round battle. He had
no mind to lose ten thousand dollars
worth of his glory champion and
jeopardize his value theatrical star
Il will meet him over the Marathon route
any time and place." he wired the Phila-
delphia matchmaker.
Two years ago Nelson picked up Sill 600
for Surround battle with Terry Nc
Govern at the same club. He had no
fear of McGovern. Terry had gone back
And Terry was fighter after his own
style. He knew 1t would be case of
slug and he thought he would be able to
Outslug McGovern. But Terry gave him
as good as he took. and Nelson was lucky
10 escape with division of the honors.
There are many fighters in America,
some still in the ring and others retired
who have fat and juicy bankrolls. There
Is Tom Sharkey. who left Uncle Sans
man-of-war to enter the ring and accu-
49, SUI So AoSe ~ Ahdue Hiin OlZZy,
and Tommy Ryan. who gathered in the
sheckels for many years until age laid
him on the shelf with all his gold
around him. 1t is a fallacy that fighters
dissipate their wealth away. John L.
Sullivan did 1t for years-and being the
best known fistic artist. the world de-
cided others in kind George Dixon threw
all his wealth away, and Joe Cans, re-
Gently defeated by Nelson. has done like
wise
Cans is returning to Baltimore. 1t is
doubtful If he will arrive home with even
a part OF his end of his recent fights in
California. He has long been a victim of
the gambling germ-in fact, carries the
shake for either two bits or his hotel
But the great majority Of real cham
pions have slowed themselves away with
enough to live on in comfort and luxury
for all life. Jim Jeffries. the champion OF
champions, carried his fortune to Los An