The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-11-13
fight MADE UP
FOR PICTURES

Bat Masterson writes: Was Willis
Britt KetcheTs manager or has that
distinction belonged to Jimmy Cof-
froth? is the question that is disturb
ing the peace and auietude Of great
many sports at the present time. There
are many things in connection with
KetchePs recent conduct that leads to
the belief that Coffrotn has all along
been the bug under the managerial
chip. What has perhaps done more
than anything else to convince me OF
this fact are the pictures of the
Johnson KetcheI fight, which were put
on exhibition at Hammerstein's Vic
toria theatre Monday afternoon week
ago.
After carefully studying the fight, as
it is portrayed on canvas, / am forced
to the conclusion that Coffroth was di-
recting both men in that battle. From
my viewpoint this seems certain. The
fight, taken into consideration with
other things Immediately preceding it,
bears all the earmarks of prear-
ranged affair. In other words, If the
battle was not fought for the pictures
and gate receipts, the pictures tell a
false story.
| In making this somewhat b-0ad
statement / fully realize that all con-
cerned are going to get up on their
hind legs and yell murder, police and
maybe call me few pet names in the
bargain. But I don't care a picayune
what they say, nor how often they say
| IT.; I'm willing to stand by my tudg-
ment. Moreover, I believe that time
will bear me out in my opinion,
will cite a few incidents in connection
with the Britt -Ketchel side of the af-
fair. Then you can judge for yourself
whether or not the attitude I have
taken in the matter is justified.
When the Ke+chel-Langford match
fell throug-l there was no reason why
Britt and Ketchel should have hurried
away to Frisco. Had they been anx.
ious to fight Langford there was M
treason for them running away to the
coast The battle could have taker
place here in tEe east, as there wert
at least two clubs outside of New Yorl
ready to stage the atch. Besides
Ketchel was offered ten weeks the
atrical engagement at $3.50 per week
: which he and his manager promptl.
turned down. I view Of the turtle
fact that Britt and Ketchel wer
known to be virtually broke when the,
were here, it 7eems strange, to say tn
least, that they should have passed Vi
the theatrical engagement, even thougl
they had no stomach for Langford.
These are few Of the things whic
have induced me to conclude tina
there were some other influence a
Dsftt M "a
caused them to abandon an opportuni
ty to earn some easy money In crde
to fight johnson, whom Ketchel mus
have known he didn't have one chanc
in a hundred of beating. What the
; was that influence? Was it Coffroth
: think so.
Coffroth, as all who know him wi
concede, is an enerC etic fellow who
not overlooking anything in the fight
ing game that would be likely to bene
fit him. 1t is even doubtful If b
would hesitate to match Battling Mel
son against Johnson If he thought sue
! a contest would pay. And while on tn
subject / might add that a mate
between johnson and Nelson would b
9 no more absurd than the one betwee
: Johnson and Ketchel surely was.
1t may therefore be assumed whe
9 Coffroth made the match between til
negro champion and Ketchel ne wa
{ only considering his own interests.
s mattered not to him about the uT
t evenness of the ma-ch so long as til
n attendance was good and the contes
e prolonged sufficiently to make the pic
s lures worth while. ! may be mistake
;. in talking this view of the situation
s but hardly think 80.
t Despite Coffroth's statement to I'll
s effect that a $4,000 side bet YVES
q stake, am fully satisfied that Meth,
g man had up a dollar and that not
dollar was at issue outside of the ga
s receipts and the benefits to be derive
n from the pictures. All tn noise abol
q a side bet was made for the purpo
e of strengthening the show with Il
v public.
q Ketche1, johnson and Coffroth w
= no doubt dispute this statement.
would be only natural that the