The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-12-09
RITCHIE POKES FUN
AT PRIZE FIGHTERS

Minneapolis Journal: Fine game this
prize lighting is getting to be. Former
" the fighters crawIed through the
ropes, donned the gloves and went at
1t. There was little by-play before
the bell changed, while seconds inspect
ed the HANDBAGS and saw to ii that
neither man had a horse shoe or sand
In his glove. The referee called both
men to the center OF the ring and told
them that ear chewing and boot-throw-
ing was barred, and then they went at
it,
Now the referee will first appear In
the ring and keep bowling while the
circuit camera, makes a picture of the
crowd. The usual announcer will walk
just ahead OF the field of the lens and
ask all enthusiasts In the congregation
TO please arise and wave newspapers
and hats madly SO that later 1t can be
announced that sit is the moment that
Jeffries appears in the ring"
Next Fatty Jordan alias Old Bill
will appear and the camera win go
clicking away while. the ancient Will
lam puts across that familiar joust
about having the pleasure Of intro
ducing IA native son of the golden
west" Then there will be pictures Of
the rum dunn battlers hanging around
Frisco who will crawl through the ropes
for "introductions." Next fighter
VIII appear and there will be more
fictitious hat-kaving and yo- hoing. The
other bartler will crawl through the
ropes and there viii be more newspa-
per waving and jaw pigging.
Newspaper photographers with tri-
pods viii squirm through the hemp like
a gang of bridge builders swarnning a
culvert in an army engineering drill.
The fighters win throw off blankets
and pose for the pictures which the
Frisco and the Never Exactly Accurate
press associations will subsequently
print as How the Gladiators Appeared
at the Beginning of the 'Steenth
Round"
The referee will next summon the
dinge and the boiler architect to the
center of the ring, posing them so that
johnson can show his false teeth and
Jeffries glover his most society glow.
The referee win finally inquire If the
film is adjusted, If the lens, is in focus
II they have plenty of light, or whether
or not 1t will be better to wait until
cloud passes; il the shutter is working
all right; if the camera operators feel
mt, and then Belinda, not until then
will get fall to and start the great bat
tie of the film.
AS the fighters are to share in the
pictures one can reasonably expect that
they viii dog it, for about twenty
rounds or SO, to give the picture folks
a chance to present a good, long even
ing entertainment. Both men saw thew
will slip over that punch that will make
the other see sundogs in the first round
but don't you believe that, either Hem
rietta. This is a fight for all of the
loose coin in sight, and Jeffries and
the dinge are too good showmen 70
crab the camera before it has had a
chance to work UP nice bit of picture
story to squirt on the screens. of the
theatrical circuits varying from the tai
low-dip loop Of Ohio to the hayburner
one-night stands of Omaha and the an
rora borealis circuit at Duluth-in
fact, every schoolhouse and town hall
In the land, Why should they kick all
OF the rat out Of the golden egg laying
goose so early in the pastime? The
films would not be worth a plugged
nickel in scent theatre if the fight
ended in the first or second or over
even the fifth round.
The whole affair, with its secret
meetings and tardy explanations OF the
moves, looks at present to be little ber-
ter than a big outdoor seance for the
benefit Of the moving picture folks
Usually. the camera people try to shoe
away the public when they start 10 |
make an outdoor film, but this time
they are going to invite them in and
soak them merrily, little one. for the
privilege of getting in.