Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-12-21

seribing the scenes at the big meeting
between Promoter Mcintosh, Tommy
Burns. the sporting editor of the sgd
ney Referee, aldermen, the premier
and other notables OF the Antipodean
region: ,,..,,
''On Thursday morning last Tommy
Burns returned to Sydney, after MS
months smell in the vicinity of Aus
tralia's snow-capped highest peak
Kosciusko-and spoke of that district
as the healthiest he had ever struck.
The champion saw to it that his STOCK
of too too solid did not increase pc
yond an ounce or two, 1or ne anu anu
Trainer Pat O'Keefe INDUCED in heaps
of exercise of an enjoyable nature, en-
joyaDle because it was more sport IMAM
work. a..
"Tommy Burns was the central fig
ure of a gathering of prominent sport
ing and city men at Beach care,
George street on Thursday afternoon
last. to witness the handing over 10
your humble servant representing the
sydney Referee) of the whole of the
money involved in the coming great
heavyweight battle, upon which the
attention Of the civilized world Will De
focused.
"Mr. E. w. O'SuIlivan presided, and
in mentioning the business of the art
ernoon referred to the pluck and en-
terprise of the promoter, Mr. II. "
Mcintosh, which enabled him TO SO
successfully carry out the prior two
battles Burns had already ehgagso ~
in Australia, and which were bigger
athletic undertakings than had ever
previously been shouldered by any
Australian but would fall good zeal
short of the latest venture Applause
While secretary of the League OF
Wheelmen Mr.. Mcintosh lnpresseo
every one with his grit and mastery
manner of handling big things, ana ne
felt sure that that gentleman would
come out on top again. the contest
between Burns and Johnson would ne
had no hesitation in predicting, prove
one of the greatest ever Witnessed ana ne,
would bring sporting men from all
parts of the world. (Applause0
Mr. Mcintosh rose amid much
cheering and handed to me open bank
checks (Which, 1t might be remarked,
are as good as ordinary bank notes)
for e710O The full amount men en-
toned for the match is e75OO, but
& 400 has been absorbed by expenses
for johnson, his manager (Sam F1tz-
patrick, and a third party-possiply
the blacks trainer-to come to AUS
tralia. Mr.. Mcintosh said no larger
sum had ever been put up in the form
OF a purse in any other portion of the
globe 1t had certainly been published
that bigger amounts were offered, but
the evidence in support of their gen
11ineness was by no means reliaole.
The boxers concerned often turned
round and gave the show away. CAP
plause) Good, current coin IF the
realm would be available for Burns
and Johnson directly they presented
their checks at the bank. applause
A special provision In the "om2act
signed by all three parties was that, In
the event of the two principals not
mutually agreeing in the choice or a
referee within a certain specified time,
he (Mr. McIntosh) would have to name
that official and should he fail then
the responsibility would rest with M r.
w. f. Corbett ('AmateurO OF the
Referee, but Mr.. Mcintosh dld NOT
mind telling his audience that should
the duty of selection get to him he
would have no hesitation in passing II
on to Mr.. Corbett. (Applause.)
ssMr. Corbett, in acknowledging receipt
of the checks, spoke Of the different
methods of the two biggest men of the
worlds pugilism of today, and gave II
as his opinion that their battle would
be a great one indeed. Many people
Drofessed to believe that Tommy Burns
would surely win, but in his opinion
there was nothing sure about 1t. john
son had big physical advantages,
hacked up by a fine skill, and, though
effective, the black fellows equipment
must take a deal of combating.
Tommy Burns met with fiattering
reception and spoke quietly and mod
estly Everybody knew, he said, that
England and America had for a long
time been bidding spiritedly for the
match between himself and Johnson,
but Australia had beaten them all, ow-
ing to the pluck and enterprise of Mr.
Mcintosh. (Applause.) California had
offered 5000 and England dangled
$500; then the tempting bait OF
R700O was hung up at Goldfeld. New
It pleased him very much that Aus
traiia had succeeded. for a better
bunch of sports than those of this
country he had never met and never
wanted to meet. Mr.. Mcintosh de-
served a world Of credit for making
Australia famous. He never fought In
the presence of fairer crowd thar
that which filled the Rushcutters Bay
stadium on the occasion of his last
battle with Sduires. They naturally
desired that the Australian champion
should triumph. but. like true sports
they also hoped that the best mar
would win, and did nothing to discour.
age or hammer him. (Applause.) The
fight with Johnson would be his last
whichever way Il went as he had
pr0ufsed his wife to quit the ring
Before johnson left England contin-
ned Tommy. with some show Of feel
ing he said. first, he would ston me II
twenty and then twelve rounds, ant
would back himself for $1,000. Now
am not a verv big bettor but I an
going 10 call that mans bluff all tb'
same You can gamble that am COINS
fhn hnffIa ~ INV Iffo "a lranr