The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-30
BARONS MEET TRAVELLERS
GOSSIP OF THE FIGHTERS
BY JEFF THOMPSON.

away, Britt remained in San Francisco and his misleading statements undoubted- ly saved Ketchel from much annoyance When the Michigan lad arrived here ne seemed in the pink of condition, except that he carried little superfuous flesh. According to the articles of agreement Ketchel will have to make the middle weight nmit-15S pounds at o'clock on the day of his meeting with Langford. He weighs now about 165 but says he will have no trouble in making the required weight. Ketchel also announced that he will never again attempt to make the middleweight limit for anybody, and that in his fight with Johnson he intends to weigh in the neighborhood of 175 pounds. Langford is training in Massa chusetts and is reported in fine fettle.
 Sailor Burke should study history. That old gag of being doped Is motheaten. Burke claims that on the evening of his go with Willie Lewis at the Fairmont Athletic club of this city he took a drink from a bottle prepared by one of his seconds and after he drank the concoc- tion he didn't remember a thing of what happened. Sailor you are romancing and we don't believe you. There was no doubt that you were doped and doped several times after Willie landed on you. There were times when you didn't know your opponent from one of the ring posts, but the dope didn't come from any bot tie. The clean-cut man in front of you handed it out from the end of a five-inch glove, and handed 1t to you good and plenty.
 Burke claims to be anxious to meet Lewis again, and says he has $500 to bet he can put Willie away In less than ten rounds. Lewis defeated the Tar in clean fashion and there is no reason why he should give Burke another fight, un- less, of course, there is a pile of money in sight. Lewis next match will probably be with Billy Papke, the Illinois Thur derbolt. A meeting between these two clever boxers should prove one of the most interesting bouts of the year.
 Battling Nelson is so tired with his literary efforts and real estate deals that he is in danger of nervous prostra- tion.
 Thought this literary game was a pipe" chortled the Battler, as he sank in the mohair of an uptown hostelry. Now I know different. It's hard work. Some guy of publishers comes along and wants you to write a couple of pages for his paper, and you do expect ing to receive a check for many thou sands by return mail. You wait a couple of months and your manuscript comes back with a polite little note which reads in effect: This is hardly gotten up in the style we are accustomed to pub fish such interesting matter. Your sub ject is all right, my dear Mir Nelson, and if you will kindly put 1t in this form, or that form. writing only on one side of the paper, we will be pleased to use it, and forward a check for the amount inn mediately.'
 'I did that a couple of times" chuckled Bat 'Nearly had brain fever trying to find out what style that guy wanted and ended up by throwing the whole lot into the waste basket
 Back to the woods for me. I'm go- ing to let some of the other lads get the knocks and boosts for the next two months. Pm going so far away that it will cost $6 to send me a postal card, and I promise that I won't write or tele- graph while away
 The aBttler intends taking a trip through Yellow Stone park and will then go to his ranch at O-Bab. He says that when he returns, all the lads that have been bowling for a match with him will get them with a s50OO bet on the side That sounds like business and it sounds like Bat.