The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-11-29
Great Rivalry Among Promoters
for the Jeffries7J johnson Fight

w. w. Naughton. the Frisco sporting
writer. says of the bids for the fight:
December / will naturally be a red
letter day in the annals OF pugilism.
The majority Of those who are inter-
ested in the prospective tussle be-
tween Jeffries and Johnson are just
waiting to hear where the fight will
take place, and how much the men will
receive for their services; but here in
San Francisco we are intently watch
ing the big preliminary struggle
that between the California match
makers for the privileges of conducting
the greatest prize ring contest Of mod
ern years
If wagering in connection with the
probable scene Of the worlds cham
pionship contest were in order, think
it would be 2 to 1 that California will
secure the attraction. To begin with,
California and Nevada are about the
only places that can assure the men
the requisite protection while they are
deciding who is who, and Nevada does
not appear to be reaching for high
priced Queensbery entertainment just
at present.
So far as foreign bidders are con-
cerned, Hugh Mcintosh, the Austria
liam, doomed up in rather formidable
shape in the beginning, but from the
way Hugh is acting at present I do
not think he entertains any serious
notion OF handling the two big fighters.
OF all the men who declared them
selves bidders. for the fight the Cali
fornian match makers are the only ones
who have gone about the thing in
a business like manner. While others
have named sums ranging from $780,
900 to half million as their offers and
have been particular to see that the
Information reached Johnson and JEFF
fries through the sporting pages of the
newspapers the far western fight
managers have said little as to their
intentions. They have kept their eyes
on the main chance, and If they have
expressed any opinions at all they have
tried to hide their real purposes from
each other.
At present Jim Coffroth and Jack
Gleason are on the ground at New
York Tom McCarey Of Los Angeles,
will be there shortly and il Eddie
Graney means what he says, he, too.
will Join the California colony of pro-
moters in Gotham Jithin few days.
Then there will be a feast OF ,diplo-
macy and flow of blarney. The quar-
tet of Californians will watch each
other closely, and there will be more
tearing around and whispering in the
dark corners than there was when
the Willis Britt and Billy Nolan were
trying to out general each other in Sc
curing referee for the Britt Nelson
fight at Colma
which Of the California match
makers has the best chance Of grabbing
the plum? If / were a professional
lawyer of odds, I believe would chalk
up my prices as follows: Coffroth- -even
money: Gleason--3 to q; McCarey-6
to i Graney-2O to 1.
! might not take such liberties with
Graney's chances If he could point to
any arena site, or irnpart any convinc-
ing information as to the particular
powers who have promised to endow
him with the necessary sanction to
carry through his undertaking 1t may
be that the little horseshoera Is keep
ing under cover until he can confer
with the big fighters, and if such lis
the case the only thing that can be
said Is that he lis making wonderful
success of maintaining silence. There
has not been q suspicion OF leakage up
TO this point.
Sid Hestern another San Francisco
promoter, has been heard or with a.
wide open bid OF $4,000. |. for one,