The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
O'BRIEN SIDESTEPS A
MATCH WITH
LANGFORD
COnfeSSOr Jack Willing to Meet
Kefchel, but Bars the
Black Man
By w. J. SIaffery

Philadelphia Jack O'Brien the con-
fessor of the prize ring and the kingpin
of all the frameup brigade, does not
want any of, Sam Langford's game
This was shown in telegram which
Promoter Jim Coffroth has just re-
ceived. The willy Jack refused fiat
footed to come out here to box Sam,
though he has always maintained that
he would put it over on the Boston man.
and apparently used to delight in clam
oring for the opportunity to turn the
trick
Several days ago Joe Woodman ap-
preached Coffroth and asked him if he
would consider match between
O'Brien and Langford on Washington s
| birthday. This was one that had
slipped the promoters mind, and he at
once jumped at the propositions in
forming Woodman that he would do all
IN his power TO bring the confessor to
this city.
True to his word. Coffroth wired
OBr1en, but for some reason unex-
plalned the latter took two days before
answering. Finally the following mes
sage was flashed back:
VIII box Ketchel for you on any
Sood terms If he is not available
will go abroad. Have big offers there
and intend remaining away indefi-
Once again Cofroth tried to secure
Brlen, but another brief message was
sent out, OBrien stating that he would
consider Ketchel but no other boxer.
! This satisfied Coffroth that there was
no chance to make the match so he ac-
cordlngly passed the matter UP and be-
gan to cast about in other directions for
his Washingtons birthday attraction.
Langford and Woodman are very
anxious TO come to terms with OBrien
The men were signed up to meet in a
/ round N Ma
but at the eleventh hour Police Com
missioner Bingham screwed down the
lid so tightly that the game has re-
NAMED closed ever since Woodman
says that two weeks before the date of
the contest some $4,000 worth of seats
had been disposed of and that a record
breaking house would have turned out
70 see the middle weights clash for the
| first time.
Coffroth still believes that o'Brien
would be big card here, in the face
of all the scandal that was connected
with his last trip. The promoter saws
that he would be willing to assume all
the responsibility and stand for all the
hammering that the match would bring
on, adding that he would be we'll paid
for his pains
Coffroth can not figure on a bout be-
tween Ketchel and O'Brien. If the mid
die weight champion were on the
ground at present he would make the
match in a twinkling, but with KetcheI
several thousand miles away and
- ~ tCh SIlAA Ao1 lliSI O4l, lie Hills TO see
how he can facilitate matters.
Perhaps it is just as well for the
game that O'Brien is not coming We
had enough of him the last time he
/ fingered in our midst
Charlie Lercari last night signed up
Ollie Cornett, the rising young middle
weight, and Terry Mustain to furnish
10 rounds of the preliminary to the
Powell Murphy fight on January 49,
Lercari expects to add one or possibly
two more bouts to his list within the
next few days. The Cornett-M -Mustain go
should prove full of action and incl
dentally furnish a knockout Mustafn
probably viii have little on Cornett in
weight, but the youngster is aggressive
and always willing to wade in.
Manager Sid Grammar of the Ma
tionaI theater has quite card of box
ing celebrities who will appear at his
showhouse on Monday evening in con-
junction with the theatrical performers
who have volunteered to go on for the
benefit of the Italian earthquake suf-
ferers. Sam Langford will box Joe
Kelly, while Eddie Hanlon and Toby
Irwin will also furnish number.
Among the other ring generals who
will appear are Monte Attell, Roscoe
Taylor, Lew Powell, Jimmy Carroll.
Spider Kelly, Johnny Murphy and Fred.
die Began. This portion of the show
should appeal to all the fight fans, and
it is expected that a full house will
turn out for the good cause.