The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-14
KAUFMAN sPuRNs 4 GOOD
CHANGE To TAKE
BLACK CHAMP
Big Blacksmith Turns Down
Liberal Offer Made by the
Mission Club
By WILLIAM j. sLATTERY

What looked like a sure meeting be
tween Jack Johnson and Al Kaufman
for the heavy weight championship OF
the world ended in large volume Oh
smoke yesterday when Kaufman came
out with a fiat footed refusal to meet
the big black champ. Although Sidney
Hester, match maker for the Mission
club, offered kaufman 35 per cent OF
the house, he would not consider the
proposition. His only excuse was that
he would have a chance to meet John.
son in a few months time ands tnat
he would be better then.
Johnson was ready to come TO san
| Francisco. In fact. he instructed Hester
! to wire him the tickets to Chlcaso
and he would start on his way without
loss of time. Everything looked SO Q
good to the match maker that ne dlo
not approach kaufman until the lasl
minute, and then he discovered that ms
plans were all made for nothing haui-
mans sudden attack of frozen extremi-
ties thus robbed the fans of this city
of witnessing the first big night hght
here since the fire. -
There is no doubt that the MIS-
sion club wants to give its patrons the
best that the pugilistic bill OF rare
affords. This is shown by the fact tnaI
the $4,000 for a Ketchel-Langford
office. Knowing that Ketchel and his
manager, Willis Britt had a leaning
toward the Nevada offer. the MISSION
promoters tried for Johnson and hau1-
man in the meantime, but still their
efforts brought forth nothing.
If Kaufman really wants to meet
that big shine, Is he claimed he dld a
few weeks back, he is overlooking the
best bet of his career. This fight would
unquestionably draw the largest mouse
in years and Kaufman could have 80
per cent of it, or more money, posi-
than he ever made since he started on
as professional boxer some hve years
ago.
There are rumors that Billy Brady,
the New York theatrical man and for
merly Jim Corbett's manager, Is lay
ing to pull the scrap off himself IN a
few months. Billy Delaney, kauIma nan 5
manager. was very reticent regarding
the affair. but from what could be
gathered from him Kaufman simply does
not care to step into the ring with the
That pea and shell game which Tex
Hall is playing in endeavoring TO prlng
Langford at Ely. Nev., still goes on
Dispatches say that he has $4,000 in
deposit in one of the sage brush banks
as a guarantee of good faith and that
Langford will come to terms, but the
wise ones only laugh at this.
The general impression is that the
situation is about the same now as 1T
was when originally proposed, though
there was not even one cent posted
then. The further it goes the more
muddled 1t becomes. II really mas SOhS
a little too far now. and the fans have
all become suspicious. If the fight ever
does take place general surprise Will
be sprung.
Bill Papke wires from Los Angeles
that he is willing to take Langford's
place and will fight Ketchel either in
the Mission street arena or in Nevada.
Papke makes only one stipulation; the
fight must go 45 rounds. He believes
that he can beat Ketchel over the Mar
athon route, and he does not care
about taking chances on 20 round
layout.
The betting on the Frayne- Corbett
fight, which will be decided at the Mis-
sion street arena on Saturday after
Ito the present there has been little or
no wagering. but judging from the ex-
pressions all along the line. Frayne
will close a favorite over the once
naughty lightweight who met his Wa
terloo at the hands of Bat Nelson.
Frayne seems to be very popular this
time A big bunch of his admirers have
got together and formed the Johnny
Frayne" club. This visited him in
body yesterday afternoon at his train
ing quarters and he did an extra hard
DAVIS work Just to show his apprecia-
ton He went six rounds with Charley
Reilly and four with his trainer,
Johnny Lotus.
Corbett is still boxing daily and
rowboat trips on the bay at Tiburon.
He weighs 1881 pounds, and looks to
be we'll trained. Tiv Krelling, who will
referee the fight, will visit Frayne this
afternoon and pay his respects to Cor
bett tomorrow.