Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-01-25
COFFROTH FAILS
TO ALARM FANS
HIS PESSIMISM is NOT TAKEN
SERIOUSLY
HIS METHODS CONSTITUTE THE
GRAVEsT DANGER
Freddie Welsh and George Memsic
Work Out Their Daily Routine De-
spite Weather Conditions and
Entertain Large Crowds

BY lay DAVIDSON

BY JAN DAN 1OSON
Sportsmen of the Golden state are
not much alarmed at the pessimistic
report given out by Jimmy Coffroth
after his return to Frisco from the
state capital few days ago, and de-
spite his forebodings and apprehensions
it will require this kind of information
from some other and more reliable
source before fight fans of the state
will consider the boxing situation as
being anything approaching the serious
stage that he depicts for it.
In this connection, however, some per-
tinent facts are recalled. If the boxing
game in California had not been bur-
dened with promoters of the Cofroth
stripe there would be considerably less
danger of interference by the legisla-
ture, and had the Frisco promoters con-
Quoted the sport on the same high
plane and with as much integrity as 1t
has been conducted by Tom McCarey
and Baron Long it would have been
difficult for the opposition to frame up
a reasonable excuse for fighting it, eX-
cept along the general lines Of argu-
ment of common application to the
sport as a sport. Also, it is the biggest
sort of joke for CoffrOth to attempt
to become active in opposing any adj
verse legislation. If he is as highly re-
SdIQGQ HI Tie SIdL6 Capital do llC ID III
the south, and, probably, in Frisco, it
would be quite an advantage to the
sport if he never had set foot in Sacra-
mento during the session of the legis-
lature.
Those who make the laws for Califor-
MIA do not approve of the methods of
any man who seeks, by financial or
other inducements, to persuade men to
break their contracts in coldb FLOODED
style, as Coffroth did in taking the
Stanley Ketchel-Billy Papke bout from
Jack Gleason, his rival in business.
Neither can these lawmakers be in
duced to lend approval to any sugges-
tions Coffroth might make. For the
good of the sport it is hoped he will
make none while the legislature is in
session.
Lightweights Work Hard
The great little lightweights, Freddie
Welsh and George Memsic, who are in
training for their ten-rOund battle Feb
ruary 2, did not permit the weather to
interfere with their daily workouts yes
terday. Both went on the road for long
spins that form a part of their regular
routine and worked out over an eX-
tended course in the afternoon, both en-
tertaining large crowds of interested
fans.
Freddie worked in Horgan's hall at
Venice, and about 500 spectators saw
him go through his daily routine. Nat
Goodwin, Billy Roche and quite large
number of other good sportsmen were
in the audience, and about 100 women
attended. He boxed six rounds in the
finals, using Paul Sikora of Detroit and
Ivan Kahn of the L. A. A. G. as SPAR
ring partners, and both boys gave Fred
die a fast and beneficial workout.
Freddie will entertain his friends in the
hao aI1c T11pSHoxT al
ernoon, naming it as Theatrical day at
his camp. On that occasion he will put
on an extended program, beginning at
$3.50 o'clock.
Memsic boxed twelve rounds in the
afternoon, winding up a hard course in
the East Side gymnasium, in which he
fought the bag, worked the pulleyS, did
stunts. Walter Fisher, Kid McKeever,
Young Nelson and Butcher Boy, who
stopped Montana Kid in two rounds re-
Gently, were his sparring partners, and
he went three fast and furious rounds
with each. The gymnasium was
damned with fans and all brought opti-
mistic reports back to Los Angeles.
Memsic Has Good Chance
It is pleasing news to his army Of
Los Angeles friends that Memsic is
showing up in such excellent condition
and with prospects that he will be the
same old George Memsic who created
such a stir in the lightweight division
about eighteen months ago. He seems
to have recovered all his old-time
speed, cleverneSs and walloping ability,
and his stock of confidence is most i'm
pressive. George says that he is as
good as he ever was in all his life, has
convinced himself beyond doubt that he
has recovered his stamina and will be
hIQ fn on Distance OF f1111
without blowing up, and he surprised
himself by proving that his waIlop still
is in existence.
In the event that Memsic goes into
the ring in first class condition and is
able to put up one of his old time bat
ties, the little English champion is due
for a stormy time a week from Tues
day night. At his best Memsic would
be strongly backed to. defeat Welsh,
owing to his. cleverness, speed, waIlop
and the fact that his most dangerous
punches are those that travel only 2
few inches. George does not swing,
but hooks and jabs, and he can hit
with either hand with the same effect
and with lightning speed and force.
Clean Sport at San Berdoo
The news that an ordinance had been
introduced in the city council at San
Bernardino with view to legislating
the boxing game out of existence in the
Gate City came as quite a big sur
prise to Los Angeles fans. Messrs.
Ready, Lightfoot and their associates
in the Gate City Athletic club have
conducted the sport in clean and ele-
waiting manner and have provided good
attractions at all their shows, which
have been patroniZed at all times by
crowded houses. It generally has been
understood that the sport had attained
a safe popularity in that city, and Los
Angeles sportsmen are just beginning
to appreciate the shows up there suf-
ficiently to undertake the all-night trip
to attend them.
Such good success has attended the
efforts Of the club to furnish attractive
and entertaining shows for the Gate
City fans that the club has begun
preparations for securing enlarged
quarters and providing more comfort
able seating accommodations for the
fans. The class of the cards arranged
by the club always has been good, but
Of late these offerings have been ma
terially better in class than previously.
Only recently Ready announced that
the club had prospered so greatly that
it would undertake to reach out after
more pretentiouS bouts than ever
staged in that city, and the sporting
element there and in Los Angeles re-
grets the possibility of interference
with these plans.
Manv NA1u NIr,he Eornnad