The San Francisco call., 1909-10-31
WILLIS BRITT DIES
FROM H[MORRHAG[
Fatally Stricken at st. Joseph's
Hospital After RaIlying
From Illness
Kept SpOrtdOm Realm AgOg as
Manager for Brother, Nell
son and KetcheI
wiIlis Britt is dead.

been removed TO the hoSpltal the Gay
before, and up to two hours before he
was fatally stricken was in a fair way
10 recovery. At his bedside when the
end came were his wife and infant
/ daughter and DR.. J. NJ Stowell, who
attended him in his last illness Britt
failed to regain consciousness after he
was seized with the hemorrhage, and
: even the agonized appeals of his grief
stricken wife failed-to to rouse him.
Besides his wife and their. infant
daughter. Mary. Britt is survived by
his father and mother. MI and Mrs.
James E. Britt; a brother, Jimmy, and
1t is proba bic that the body viii be
inferred tomorrow.
NAME WIDELY KNOWN
william r. Britt, or willis" as he
was known from London to San Fran
cisco was one of the most prominent
figures in the sporting world OF today
His fame as manager OF pugilists
was international, and his name was
sort Of a byword in sporting circles
He leaves friends in every city where
prize lighting is known.
Britt was born south Of Market street
n this city 33 years. go. He was edu-
Gated in the old Franklin grammar
school al Eighth and Harrison streets,
and after graduating there attended the
Polytechnic high school
While yet mere schoolboy Britt won
fame as tighter. His battles with
Jimmy Lawlor and Billy Hogan, the
pride OF the Potrero. are yet fresh In
The minds Of his friends who witnessed
them q dozen years ago.
Though his brother, Jimmy, later
won all the glory and renown in the
ring Willis was a champion before
Jimmy was ever. heard of. He won the
bantam title OF the coast in one of the
Olympic club tournaments dozen years
ago. but soon afterward he forsook the
ring.
LEAVES RING FOR OFFICE
Britt started out as office boy on a
local newspaper in 1896. He was a
bright. keen lad and his rise was rapid.
He soon was elevated to the position of
reporter, and before many months he
became enc of the figures Of the town.
He was daring and persevering and
quick to make friends among all
classes.
During the Klondike excitement
Britt was sent north to report the do
ings in the wondrous land Of gold
story after story has been told of his
thrilling experiences in the frozen
north. Together with Wilson Mizner,
Britt founded one Of the first papers in
Nome, and for a couple Of years they
prospered.
firing of the north, Britt returned to
mis- city in 1900 and began work on
The Call. A year later his brother,
Jimmy. got his start in the ring by
heating Toby irwin in Oakland in Is
rounds. This was the signal for Willis
TO turn manager. He Immediately took
his fighting brother under his wing,
and from the outset Jimmy was great
success as a fighter
Jimmy never would have prospered
but for the wonderful skill and judg-
ment used by his brother. He man
aged TO keep Jimmy's name before the
public all the time. He got fat purses
for him every time he fought and for
four years Jimmy was the unbeaten
idol OF the local lightweight division.
SHARED BROTHERS WATERLOO
Then came the great Nelson Britt
fight at Colma on September 8. 1908
on that memorable day Jimmy Britt
met his first defeat. but he also made
q fortune on the side. which was
shared by Willis. The latter took near
ly as prominent part as did his
brother In this history making ring
encounter and he and Billy Nolan, Mel
sons manager. tried by every means to
outgeneral each other. Willis was also
Following this battle, however, which
was nearly as much one OF the man
ayers as of the fighters. 1T came in No
lans way to do Willis Britt a kindly
turn which had a very considerable
effect upon his future and also gave a
keen and to many an unexpected in
sight into the generosity Of Nolan's
character. When the matter of q re-
turn match between Nelson and Jimmy
Britt came up there with some talk Of
n estrangement between the Britts and
an effort was made TO secure the man
agement OF the fighter away from his
brother. This seemed likely to be sue
cessful and Willis, who was much In
need Of money which would come to
him as a managers share OF the re-
.ceipts. was greatly worried. Then came
the announcement from Nolan. which
proved as much Of a surprise to Willis
a 10 the public generally, that he was
ready to give Britt a return match,
but would DO business only with his
brother.
willis and his brother remained to-
gether for several notable fights after
that time till Jimmy went to Europe
3n the summer of 1908. Then to the
surprise OF everybody Willis and Bat
tIing Nelson got together when Nelson
agreed to fight the negro, Joe Cans
on July 4, 1908. Britt was one of the
Dane would take the measure of the
negro champion. Nelson turned this
trick and once more Britt found him
self hoisted upon the top Of the ped
estaI. He was q big man again.
Britt remained with Nelson till after
the Battler again defeated Cans two
months later Nelson thought a great
deal OF Britt and gave him a lot of
credit for landing the lightweight title
notwithstanding the fact that the two
were bitter enemies when Nelson and
3imnay Britt fought, close friendship
sprang up between them and ever since
he took UP with Britt, Nelson always
sWore BY him.
MANAGED ONLY CHAMPIONS
About a year ago Britt assumed the
management of Stanley Ketchel.. the
middle weight champion, thus making
the remarkable record of managing
two championship fighters within a
year As soon as he took hold OF
lKetchel the stock of the Michigan Lion
began 10 boom. Britt made him IA :
nous
During the last year Britt crossed
and recrossed the continent several
times with Ketchel. In fact, the doing
Of this pair had the sporting frater-
nifty Of two continents agog all the