Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1908-04-11
THE PUGILIS
PURSE FOR BURNS
MUST BE GREAT
His Manager Arrived Yesterday
With Plenty Of Money and
Talk.

Billy Neail. manager of Tommy
Burns, the worlds champion heavy
weight pugilist, arrived in New York
on board the Lusitania yesterday.
Neail brought with him $1,000 in
cash and a glittering story of a
100000 purse for a fight between
Tommy Burns and Jack Johnson, the
negro heavyweight, who has repeat
eddy challenged the champion, and
whose manager, Sam Fitzpatrick,
has posted $4,000 to bind match.
As soon as he stepped from the
gan to unfold his plan of battle.
"Of ocurse." he said, Burns is
willing OF fight Johnson, but natural
ly wants a little bit better of the
match making. This Is only as Ii
should be, for is not Tommy the
champion? He is
There has been much talk about
what different club managers would
offer for the fight. Now, the proper
thing to do" and Billy shifted big
Mack cigar to the other side of his
m>uth. would be to select some big
place, like the Queens club in Lon
don. for instance. This is the big
gest football ground in the world and
is so fiat and level that from any
part o fit you can see a tiny bit of
paper in the middle of the field.
The benches at this field will seat
10000 spectators and $4,000 moit,
could stand and see the fight just at
side. The usual price of admission
to the seats is from ten shillings up
TO five pounds. In a championship
fight, such as this one would be, we
could raise the price so that II would
range from ten shillings to ten
pounds, and charge shilling or two
for standing room. In this way we
could easily get hundred thousand
dollar house.
IF we can't get the Queens club
Olympia in London will accommodate
10000 spectators. and is just as ac-
ceptable.
Having delivered himself of this
Neail lighted another cigar and be-
gan again, this time bringing the
subject nearer home.
"Jim Coffroth OF San Francisco,
I'm told, offers $4,000 for the fight
between johnson and Burns, and Tex
Richard of Goldfield. New, Is willing
TO give $4,000. That's just what We
want. IL Johnson is willing to take
$4,000. we will fight at any time for
$4,000. Johnson ought to be will
ing to fight for $1,000. II is the only
chance a negro ever had for the
championship.
Il have with me $1,000 to call
Johnson's hand with. lie has s2,50f
posted and has done lot of talking
We will raise the ante to $4,000. and
can get $4,000 more IL needed We
are anxious for this fight with John
son.
Il can't understand why Sam Fftz-
patrick proposed the National A. c
OF London as the place TO bold the
fight That club Is nothing better
than a Is OF 20 cent theater in New
York Is. 30 fss as seating capacity Is
concerned. Two or three other places
suggested BY Fitzpatrick would do
better.
"FItzpatriek has written a lot o
foolish things about the expense OF
taking Jefries 10 London as referes
for Instance. JEFF would stand up as
referee all right. but Fitzpatrick
seems TO have no conception of the +.
financial returns from a fight Ia Lon
don when properly managed
On May next Burns will have
Sight al the football grounds either !
with Gunner MOir or Bill Souires. Ii
will be for a guaranteed purse. Thai
Is all ! can say about IT,
NeaiI said Burns would not CONE
hack before May. The ehzmpiou
seems to Be coming sovereignz to-
fast TO quit the game
The English climate has not az
fected either Burns or myseIf,- sait
Neal I'VE never felt better. He IL