The Washington times., 1909-07-05
IS KETCHEL READY
FOR PAPKE TONIGHT?
Flood Of Money on Shortender Changes Odds to o
and Looks Mysterious-Ii Times Man Tells OF
Champagne Drinking

Why ali this food Of money on Billy
PaplSe for his tweuty-round bout with
Stanley ketchel in san Francisco this
afternoon for the worlds middiewelght
championship?
On form aLd on touting KetcheI looks
to 1 shot, and as such he figured In
the early betting. with predictions that
at ringside the odds would be 10 to Oh
KetcheI. Now a slew of Papke money
is coming from under cover, and the
men viii probably enter the arena with
Ketchel a Tavorite at 10 to instead of
10 TO 4.
Because Of his undoubtedly heavy
punch Papke is worth at bet at to l.
He has beaten Ketchel before through
landing one wallop that took all the
steam out of the Michigan Marvel, ana
If he lands another like 1t he viii come
pretty near making Ketchel take the
count again On the other hand. Ket-
chel has a punch that is good as
Papke's, and maybe better, besides
which Ketchel is a better boxer and
craftier ring general
Not Sure About Ketchel.
But, the Papke coin is bobbing up In
large quantities. say all the stories, and
therein lies the mystery. Some of this
betting could be accounted for by the
number of sports willing to make pure
gamble on the chance OF Papke getting
over a full-grown swat early in the
tight. but there is probably a feeling
in the West that Ketchel is not quite
ready for this bout, and has estimated
Papl1e too cheaply.
A member of the Washington Times
staff was on the train that carried
Ketchel and his manager. Willus Britt,
West to train for today's bout This
newspaper man fell into conversation
with the scrapper and his party ana
afterward saw Ketchel work out with
Bob Armstrong in San Francisco. tie
thinks Ketchei may not be In the PINK
of condition, and also is none too sure
Of himself. Said he:
Cigars and Fizz Water
II tralled along with Ketchel and
Britt, and enjoyed their company very
much, but they were going a little steep
on the wine thing. Ketehel was smok-
! ing big cigars like a cigarette fiend
| smoking cigarettes, which was not con-
! sidered too good for the wind when 1
was a boy He and Britt had their
bottle of wine at meals. and every now
and then Britt would have a quart and
( Ketchel would have a pint. Ketchel is
| reported to have been out Of condition
for some of his past bouts. and I don't
/ know, but somehow if got through my
1cad lie was not doing right TO lap up
All that fizz water when going West
| TO keep Papke from growing up with
| the country. 7 asked Britt about il,
| and he said Kctchel had about three
/ weeks in which TO train on the effects
/ of the bubbles. and that he would be
! fine as a fiddle on July .. Maybe so
| but / did not like IT so much.
| 'Ketchel was talking modestly enough
| and was d lilSeable sort OF fellow, but
/ he did not impress me as a man filed
| With vast confidence. on the contrary.
! [ think that down i'm his manly bosom
/ he is somewhat worried aud thinks the
( fight today Will be the turning point
in his career. Papke has gotten 10
! Air1 once before with q crushing smash
/ thaI took all the steam out OF him and I
believe ne has the fear of the blow in
his heart.
All Right in Practice.
II saw Ketchel later box Bob Arm
strong 1T his training quarters. and
must admit that he showed no signs
: of weakness in that practice scrap. FIe
( hammered Armstrong until could not
sec how that coIored person continued
living. ana lie vas exceedingly clever
and fast.
still. I can't forget that wine and
4 cigar gag, coupled with the stories VS.
have had before about ketchei hitting