The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-21
SAM BERGER WANTS
A CHANCE AT
KETCHEL
Willis Britt Returns and Issues
a Bold Challenge TO Jack
Johnson
By William ,. sIaffery

and wrecker OF promoters homes ar
rived yesterday morning. and a few
hours later Jack Gleason. in behalf OF
his man. Sam Berger, hurled a chal-
lenge al BIRTHS man Ketchel for a fight
at catch weights TO take place at anv
city at any time Britt may see At.
Gleason claims that Berger is in real
earnest, and Incidentally adds that the
giant haberdasher will crush the mid
ole weight champion decisively. Now
Il remains for Britt TO make the match
for his champ.
Berger wants 20 fight again" says
Gleason. He has been anxious 10 get
. back into the game for the last month.
de had his eye on the winner OF the
Kaufman Barry miXup, but as that af-
fair came TO an unsatisfactory ending
sam decided 10 wait until a more for
mioable opponent showed himself Now
he thinks IL is time for action. and on
his behalf. i challenge Ketchel. Any
time or any place goes for US.
since Berger has been sparriRg with
Jeh at the Wigwam the old longing to
get back into the game has seized him
very forcibly The little work which he
has done during the last week has
been fast and snappy, and he knows
that month Of good, consistent train
ing viii put him right He would make
g great opponent for Ketehel and if
they ever meet the fight should prove
wonderfully fast one as well as a
big drawing card"
II Berger does not get a chance TO
square on in front OF Ketchel the
chances are that he viii try conclusions
with somebody else Evidently he is
bent on fighting again. He has been
urged nv his friends n Ike 4 fresh
start in the ring, and as he has always
been dissatisfied with his last engage
ment, the chances are that he VIII be
ready 10 talk business the first time
E hghting possibility is properly put up
10 him.
Berger undoubtedly would make a
good card. He is so well known here
that he is Bound 10 draw a big follow
ing He has many friends and ad-
mirers who still believe that the eX-
periences Of the past would be of bene-
AT 20 him in the future. should he de-
eide TO get back in the game. Now is
SANS chance 10 embrace the golden
opportunity.
Ketchel viii hght any man in tic
ORD when the right sort OF induSe-
ments are made, is the way Wills
Of them when I say this-not even
Jefries but before ketch fights, he
must see something worth hghting for.
He did not get what was coming Il
him in the past but Il viii be different
In the future
I left Ketch roaming around the
Michigan woods. He weighs 1S5 pounds
now and he is working with the WOOD
. choppers every day ana getting as hard
as iron. In the next few months he
VIII weigh 200 pounds, and viii be
big and strong enough TO beat any OF
them. He's the coming heavy weight
champion and he wiz prove il when he
Is given the chance.
- johnson is our meat he is the bird
We are laying for. Maybe Jeffries will
take him on, but we viii make him
hustle before he lands. Ketchel has a
license TO fight Johnson, or any OF them
He IS the card and he viii show every
.0dy what he can do. Let them make
the right sort Of Inducements now and
we viii 30 ahead"
Britt announced that Ketchel would
start on a 10 weeks theatrical tour
or the east beginning next Monday
evening IN Detroit put IN the mean ian,
time the boy pirate says that he viii
be ready 10 consider all offers Of fight
for his champion. Britt would rather
see ketchel lighting than stating be-
hind the fOOtlights.
Britt evidently is a bit touchy on the
Langfcrd question, and only grins when
this is put up TO him. II is evident that
ne prefers TO pit his champion against
some one else for a starter at least. In
his broad sweeping statement he does
not bar the burly Boston black, but he
fails 10 jump At any possible offer 10
take ebony sam on.
Joe Woodman. the black mans man
ager. held a quiet little confab with
Britt. but the pair did not reach an
understanding. WOodman is still hop
ing against hope that ketchel viii con-
sent 10 meet Langford in the near fu-
ture. and this Is the reason that he is
lingering in the city. From present
peaks are filed or.
Britt reports that Battling Nelson is
engaged In appearing before the vaude-
s-fffr .afrrfrfr KanrrTPrU The Rather
started out a week ago in Lexington.
and his route viii take him through
several Of the southern states during
the next month. Britt says that Nell
son is making money as fast as the
theatrical managers can hand il out
Upon the conclusion OF his theatrical
venture the lightweight champion viii
pay a visit 10 his friend, Billy Benner,
Ia New Mexico. after which he viii
come direct 10 this city arriving here
some time about the middle Of Febru
arv or the first OF March. And as soon
as he arrives he viii be looking for
fight, says Britt. so the promoters
should get ready
Dick Hyland. accompanied by Jimmy
Walsh and his manager, Ed Keeyan.
arrived yesterday morning from Los
Angeles and Hyland went to Milletts
near Colma, where he VIII put in his
time training for his fight with Lew
Powell. which viii be decided before
Charley Lercaris club at Dreamland
INK OF the niEUl OF
Before departing for his training
quarters Hyland met Lercari and
Powell and officially signed for the
coming fight The men agreed to
make 1913 pounds at s o'clock and Sc
lected Jack WEIGH TO referee the battle.
This makes another change in the pro-
gram. for Billy Roche was named as
the third man in the ring several days
ago.
Joe Woodman believes that a Lang
ford-Johnson match for London next
May is as good as made and IL he car
ries out his present plans he viii de-
part for the British metropolis about
the first Of March. Woodman says that
the English promoters will come
through with training and expense
money as soon he cables them and
he is in no hurry on this score.
VIXEN Langford goes 70 England
Jimmy Walsh will be included in his
party Walsh is anxious to make the
trip across the water for the purpose Of
taking on the best bantams there. He
IS looked upon as the American cham
pion at this weight and he has hope
of gaining the worlds title by defeat
liz the top notchers which England
boasts.
In his latest letter from England
James Edward Britt speaks in glowing
terms Of that country and his pros
poets for the future. He says he has