The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-22
LANGFORD KETCHEL
GO APPEALS TO
COFFR0TH
Promoter win EGdeaVOr 10 Sign
Bio Fighters for Washing
fOn'S Birthday
By William !. SIattery


Promoter Jim Coffroth has a hope Of
making q match between sam Lsngford
and stanley Ketchel for his Mission
street arena for Washington's birthday.
How much chance Conroth has OF bring
Ing the men together is matter OF
conjecture. First Of all. he must bring
willis Britt. Ketchels manager, around
10 his way Of thinking, and then he
probably VIII have his hands fun ar
ranging weight at which both men
win agree 10 fight These are i'm
rortant obstacles in the promoters way
snd as the time is limited he must act
quickly il he expects 10 make good
Conroth IS in Sacramento, though he
was due yesterday afternoon 10 meet
Britt and Joe Woodman, manager of
l.angford. The chances are that Coffroth
,viIl put in an appearance today, and
81 is hoped that by this evening there
viii be something stirring. The match
has been talked Of for so long that it
should either be made or disposed Of
without further waste of time.
II ConrOth ever had show TO secure
The card the present opportunity Ger
iainly looks the most inviting Tor him.
While Joe OCOnnOr was directing the
affairs Of Ketchel he apparently lodged
every issue that involved the name OF
i.EnELorG. DuL Win BTU ndnAIlS Inc
rCins the AFFAIR takes on a far different
aspect. Britt is Coffroth's friend and
I<etcLeIs manager. and il Is more than
likely that he viii strain 4 point IN
favor Of the Mission street promoter.
II the Langford- Ketchel match is not
made quickly the chances Of the men
coming together during the present
wear viii be slim. indeed. According TO
Iangford's manager the Boston black
IS as good as signed to meet Jack john
son in London next May. and IL is a
safe bet that ebony sam viii not return
10 California Tor many day after tnaL
Britt is still talking Johnson. but no.
body considers this line of speech at all
seriously. If the British promoters live
Up 10 their agreement Langford viii
have the first whirl at the new cham
pi0n This lets ketchel out until the
summer at least He can not keep busy
on the stage in the meantime, and as he
has always been an active fellow he
viii want to fight
A Lsngford- Ketchel fight would do
much 70 bring the fighting game 10 life
again. Not in years has 1t been so
siacI There are few matches in sight
and few available fighters. If the pres
ent condition OF affairs continues there
IS great danger Of the sport dying q
natural death. What ii needs is star
attraction as a stimulant
II ketchel does not consent 10 mix
81 with Lansford then the blackbird
VIII be forced 10 spend his time here in
idleness. There is nobody else IN sight
for him. Even TWO second raters are
unwilling to take the black mans gaff
iu the same ring on the same night.
sans class IS evidently q heavy burden
for him 10 pack all over the country.
There is grave danger Of the proposed
fienr between Jimmy Walsh, the BOs-
ION bantam, and Johnny Reagan. the
fast ILtleA Oakland scrapper. falling
through for the reason that Promoter
Charley Lercari objects TO an additional
boost TO the purse which Welsh de-
mands. Late last night Lercari was
busy looking up another card, fearful
Tor the worst
Walsh says that he came all the way
from Boston la quest Of a match that
would pay him for his time and trou-
bic. and that he viii not consent TO go
on Tor the small amount of money
which Lercari has offered him. Lercari
can not see how lie is going to come
oar ahead by swelling the purse. and
unless either gives in the fight viii be
called Of probably today
sam Berger is not so anxious 10 get
back into the ring as his bosom friend
and chief adviser. Jack Gleason. intimated
The other evening. While Sam still in
sists that he has several good fights
Left in him, he adds that he does not
want 10 be put in the position of chal-
longing ketchel at this early stage Of
The game
What said still goes. however de-
clares Gleason. If Berger ever starts
against ketchel I viii be there to back
him. for ] think that he can beat the
middle weight champion. IT is up TO
Berger 10 fight sooner or later If he
sees Mt. Wait until he gets through
sparring with Jeffries. He NAV be
ready for a ring engagement then"