Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-09-19
SENSATIONAL
ALLEGATIONS
------------ -
New York Paper Has Wire BIam-
ing KetcheII's Defeat
To Opium.
PROSPERITY WAS TOO MUCH
Coming Wonder Said to Have Tray
cled .the Pace That Kills"
and it "Killcd Him.

Last Sundays New York World
printed a sensational special" under
a San Francisco dateline regarding
Stanley Ketchell's defeat at the hands
OF Papke, the Illinois "thunderbolt.
This special, unless true, Is ample
grounds for big libel suit against
somebody, and If 1t is true, thousands
of prize-fghting fans will be shocked
at it's extremely severe claims The
story as printed in the World, fol-
lows:
men who are authorities on things
.pugilistic here are declaring that the
defeat of Stanley Ketchell by Bill
Papke In their battle at Los Angeles
on LABOR day was due Indirectly to
the almost constant use of the opium
pipe and the fast life that he lived
since his arrival in this city. ketcheFs
rise in fight circles was probably more
spectacular than that of any other man
who gained fame in the ring, and when
the sensational Michigan middleweght
was battered down and out in twelve
rounds by Papl1e the greatest puglistic
surprise since the defeat of John l..
Sullivan by Jim Corbett was sprung.
CALLED HOP HEAD"
For several months past the deni-
zens of the local tcnderlojn were wont
to refer to the speedy fighter as "a
hop head" Though he and his man
ager and his friends denied this the
rumors kept coming in faster and fast
er till the members of the sporting
fraternity took it for granted that
Ketchel was against the hop.
MANY times In the ring ketchels
seconds We're closely watched, as 1t
syringe on him and shot speed cap
syringe on. him and shot speed cap
sules into him in order to give him the
necessary courage to wade in and fight
fast.
"Ketchel is a very nervous man and
utterly unlike the ordinary fighter, who
never seems to be disturbed over ordi-
nary things. AT times, even when in
training, Ketchel used to present a
peculiar looking appearance suggesting
the opium smoker His face would
become ashen white, while his hands
would twist convulsively and he would
appear like man who was suffering
from the influence Of some strong mar
cotic.
PROSPERITY cRAzED.'
'Since his. recent run Of success in the
prize ring Ketchel led very fast life
here and in surrounding towns. Fast
automobiles and high living were APP
parently getting the better of him. He
slept little, but devoted all his tins
when not training to the fair sex and
the racing machines, which seemed to
lure him more ana more as the Gays
flew by.
Good Judges OF the game declare
that it was the marking of weight that
had more to do with the defeat of Ket-
chel than anything else His last fight
with Joe Thomas, In which he entered
the ring at 10 pounds, proved conclu-
sively that Ketchell was a heavyweight,
fighter and never figured to get down to-
the middleweight notch again. When
he began to train for Papke he weigh
ed something like It's pounds and took
off nearly 90 rounds In II days. This
in itself is enough to beat the best
fighter who ever entered a ring in any
class
MADE MISTAKE.
"a man who is influential in fight cir
cles in this city made the following
characteristics statement today:
;. '1Ietchel had the greatest future be-
fore, him of any fighter In the world be-
fore Papke laid him low, It was prac-
tically arranged for him to fight Burns
here upon the latter's return from Aus
tcall4. But d ppllt-Hedued llldpaSeT
took the great meal ticket to Los Ange-
les allowed Jeffries and Papkes man
ager to talk him into a weight propo-
sition, and then blew his chance to be-
come the greatest star in the pugilistic
armament and his cut out of the fight
was only about $1,000
WHAT PAPKE SAYS.
"I will give Ketchel another fight
here il he wants. it, said Papke. when
by local promoters today. I
beat him once decisively. and will re-
peat. Any time n good purse is offered
and Ketchell comes to my terms he
can get Il return match. The next
time. however, will beat him inside of
10 rounds. ] have the Indian sign on
him now and there is nothing to 1t.
BURNS is my dish. l am going after
him at the first opportunity. will be
a heavyweight very soon and do not
think that ! will ever try to make
weight again. Burns must fight me
and l will show him up. l am trying
to make some arrangement with him
and Promoter Jim Coffroth now. and if
rs u ! II