The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-02-10
SPORTS
JOKE OF, THE
SPOR' T ING
WORLD
(ey Mack.)

From present indications It looks
as though all attempts to corral the
coming match between Jeffries and
Johnson for Ogden have been drop
pod, as the expected arrival of Richard
and Gleason. accompanied by Salt
Lake sporting and business interests
failed TO materialize,
While IL Is to be regretted that no
more strenuous attempt than q half
hearted, tentative effort TO get the big
contest here was made, the fact that
Salt Lake, after announcing positively
on several different occasions, through
It's various newspapers. that the fight
would be held there, Is allowing
the proposition to get past them is
laughablc. to say the least Since the
match was first considered, Salt Lake
sporting writer's and other interested
parties have been boosting" for the
capital city as the place to hold the
match Now, when things nre be-
ginning to be Strengthened out slight
ly 1t can be seen that the Salt Lakers
were strong on talk, and ludicrously
weak on action. 49,.
Only short time ago II was said
In the Salt Lake papers that the con
tract for the fight TO be held at Saltalr
had been signed, and that Richard had
bound himself to forfeit $l01.000 II
the fight was not held on account CT
official interference. II begins to
look now as though this was only
another of the wonderful pipe dreams
OF Salt Lakes notorious dispensers
OF imaginative stories II may be
that the fight promoter will hand over
s10l. 600 should the fight not take
place in Salt Lake, but while We
don't come from Missouri, we had a
postal card from that place once and
we like to be shown.
Wise to Press Agent.
While II Is apparent to every one
that Ogden has not the facilities OF
Salt Lake to handle a large crowd,
1t Is likewise apparent, as has often
been said that the logical geographical
place for such match would be Og-
den 1t is more easily reached from
the east and west. and undoubtedly
the match, If held in this city would
draw an enormous crowd OF sport
lovers from all parts of the United
States About the best guess that can
be made at present Is that Jefries
preference for his native state Will be
the determining factor as to the place
TO stage the match. Outside of Rick
ard and Gleason. Il is probable that no
one can say anything positive anent
the ultimate location Of the contest,
and. 80 many stories have been sent
broadcast over the country and
charged TO Rickard and Gleason, that
the public is beginning TO get wise
TO the press agent behind all the talk
Case Without Parallel.
In the first place, 1t seems hardly
reasonable that two men, partners In
n venture Involving more than 800,
600, should care TO fight the matter
out over the press wires In dis
patches OF few words. when few
hours conference would settle the
matter one way or another What
ever the explanation OF the riddle, and
no matter how II is finally settled,
the two promoters have undoubtedly
gotten more free advertising out OF
the long drawn out controversy ns to
where they would stage the match
than anyone over got before.
While a great deal OF this is un
doubtedly due TO the prominence Of
the two fighters, there is hardly a
parallel case In the history Of sport
dom where two men promoting a
sporting event took such peculiar
methods 10 settle their differences.
Then. when Richard and Gleason met
in Salt Lake, according TO what the
Salt Lake papers say about IT, there
was not the slightest trace Of i'll feel
ing between them.
II the entire story ever gets out
there Will be one loud, hilarious laugh
that will echo from coast to coast.
While Salt Lake Is not the only com
munity that fell for" the line of talk
handed out by the interested parties,
Salt Lake undoubtedly fell harder
than any other community. and the
swift end Of the laugh will fall where
1t should fall. on Salt Lake. It,is to
be hoped that this will have good
effect on the overweening conceit
and colossal self,esteem In which the
average salt Laker holds himself and
his city, and that the public VIII be
relieved for awhile at least OF the
assorted noises emanating from the
capital city. just now holding a sore
head and singing I'm the Goat"