The San Francisco call., 1909-07-18
PITTSBURG WANTS
KETCHEL AND
LANGFORD
Smoky City Promoters Say
They viii Give $4,000
for fEIe Match

ing and speech making can do any good
the middle weights should come to-
gether shortly and settle their long
standing differences. We don't hear
much about Nevada now, but since
Promoter Tex Hall has ceased effusing.
Philadelphia has fallen into line with a
$4,000 offer for q six round setto. Not
10 be outdone, Pittsburg reported on
the Job last night the promoters OF the
Smoky City expressing their willing
ness 10 hang up the modest sum OF
$4,000. Now. what is going to
happen2
winus Britt is calmly sitting
around and thinking them all over.
Willus is as wise a manager as ever
handled a fighter. and he knows full
Wen the value Of national ano inter
national advertising The fight is get
ing both. There is no question about
this. The fans are smoked up over
g. wherever the game OF hsticuffs
is known Britt is awaiting the best
opportunity to get the most money.
It is too bad that the Mission club
IS the place to pull 1t of. The Mission
ites were there with a bona fde
$4,000 offer TO Ketchel. more money
than he ever got in any one fight be-
fore Their certified check for $4,000
lay in the safe at The Call Office for
week. but still there was no action.
For reasons Of their own. neither Britt
nor Ketchel could see their way clear
10 take the liberal offer
Although the majority of the fans do
not place much confidence in that
Nevada offer. still Britt and his fight
ing machine are confident that it viii
come through. Britt is so sure of il
that he says that he viii not consider
any oher offer for the time being. at
least This is rather 2 strong line Of
talk when there are so many bright
opportunities.
Does Langford fear Ketchel7 This
Is the question that is being asked on
many sides. and there are many who
now fall for It. since the dusky Boston
boy made his demand for more money
in Nevada Months ago Langford was
willing 10 fight Ketchel for a mere
pittance, but now. when the match
seems 10 be well under way. he balks
81 the last minute.
Everybody realizes that Ketchel was
far from being the real Michigan lion
when he went against Papke on July
g. He is capable Of putting up far
better fight than he did. and it is the
general opinion OF the level headed
fans that he is Papke's master at any
stage Of the game. First Of all, he
has the heart something that is lack
ing in the German boxer.
Ketchel must be more careful or he
viii be caught mapping. If he ever
steps into the ring with Langferd in
the same shape as he was when he met
Papke it viii be good night. KetcheI
must be in his very best form to beat
Smoky sam, for anybody who knows
boxing viii readily admit that he is
one Of the toughest men that the mod
ern ring has produced.
Pspke has fallen from public favor
because OF that miserable showing
which he made against Flynn in Los
Angeles last Wednesday evening. He
had one grand opportunity there to
knock his man out, and this, coming on
Top OF his go with Ketchel. would have
boosted him high in the sky Of pug
dom. But the heart was not there
and he lost out He's far from being
q champion
The heart is the first thing to be
considered in fighter. Where would
Nelson be without it? What a Darby
Papke would be with, the heart of that
Bsttler in his breast But you can't
change hearts, and therefore Papke viii
never be the fighter he should be.
Ketchel has the heart, and this is why
his prospects are so bright
sam Fitzpatrick. the veteran manager
or boxers. has taken Frank ManteI, the
middle weight on his staff and wants TO
match him against Papke next month.
Mantel was not considered much up to
July 5. when he won a clean cut de-
cision over Jack (Twin) Sullivan at
sacramento since tnen the fanS all
over the country have been talking
about him.
II Mantel has the makings of a
fighter in him Fitzpatrick Will bring il
out Sam is one OF the boys of the
old school. He brought Johnson to the
front and the ungrateful shine imme-
distely cut loose from Sam when he
saw that be was in line TO make a lot
Of money for himself If Mantel can
make good here he will be a card all
over the country.
Langford Must Hurry
ELY, New, July 17.-Unless Sam
Lsngford, the colored fighter of Bos-
ton. signs the articles of agreement that
have been sent TO him and advises Tex
Hall TO that effect by next Monday, his
fight with Stanley Ketchel. scheduled
10 take place here on Labor day, viii
be declared Off
Hall announced tonight that he would
not wait longer than Monday for Lang
ford 10 signify his intention by tele-
graph or signing the articles.
Hall offered a purse Of $4,000 for the
fight. OF which $4,000 was 10 be Lang
fOrd's share The Ely promoter re-