Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-04
(Copyrighted by +. S. Andrews.)

| SpSNsaA correspondence OF Ne StdEs
SYDNEY. N. S. W., October 81, 1910
| Every boxer has championship ambi-
tions." remarked Billy Papke. the now
| recognized middleweight champion in dis
| cuss1ng the untimely end of Stanley
ketchel. the worlds titleholder, but
| would ten times rather have lost or won
| the title in a legitimate contest than to
get 1t through any such calamity as be-
fell poor Ketchel.
or course, 1t is all right to be given
credit OF being the worlds champion by
the press. and 1 guess there is really no
one to dispute the right, but, as 1 said
before. 1t would have suited me better
to battle for it, continued Papke.
'ketchei and myself were rivals for the
title since 1908. and once l held 1t for q
short time. only to lose it back to him.
1t may not sound we'll now to say that
l always believed 1 could defeat him
after our twenty-round bout at Colma
Cal', but the fact that had challenged
Ior the Championship several times shows
| that WaO OF that opinion before the
terrible tragedy befell Stanley. The
claim of Hugo Kelly to the tltle is not
recognized by competent sporting au-
thorities, for l beat him once i'm ten
round bout, fought long draw with him.
VI,
Kelly was star in his day, and | do
not want to take any credit from him
but he is really too we'll along in years
now to get INFO the running for cham
pionships.
LAS champion of the world I will be
ready to defend my title against all
corners, and do not intend to be exorbi-
tant In my demands, either. 1 have my
Austrahan engagements to fulfill fol'
Mr.. H. d. Mcintosh, which will keep me
DUSy until the first nf
Mcintosh also has first call on my serv-
ices for another two fights, and 1t will
be up to. him to close with me before
leave for home or go to England. or
Tom Thomas for the worlds title it will
be before Mr.. McIntosh's club, as nv
contract calls for my appearance there
under his direction.
1T is difficult at this time to say just
"hen Will return to the states, for you
cannot always foretell how contests will
come out, and l might get setback here,
but do not look for anything of that
kind. Should l win all my bouts here
and get through by the first of the year
may decide to return to the states
with my wife by way Of San Francisco,
and then proceed to England via New
York. When l return. and some club,
should think well enough to offer proper
inducements to fight Hugo Kelly, why, L
would not be averse to it; but, you can
take my word for 1t, Kelly will not want
to fight me for the reasons as stated
above.
II am very sorry that Stanley Ketchel
should have such a tragic end. He was
a good fellow; in fact, he was his own
worst enemy. He was a great fighter,
too"
Cyclone Johnny Thompson is one of the
quietest little fellows that ever put on a
five-ounce glove and more modest than
most schoolboys. No one would ever ac-
cuse Johnny of being mixed up with a
jail-that is, people who know him-but
that Is what happened to the Sycamore
cyclone the other day while training.
Johnny Is training with the rest Of the
American boxers at Botany Bay, and
takes long runs through the hills in the
Ing. Johnny also has sweater of gray
ish color with stripes across it. On this
occasion Johnny had the sweater on and
was running at dog trot up slight
he came to the turn he heard a woman
shouting and running along inside the
fence. following the same direction as
Cyclone.
What's the trouble, my good wom-
amp asked Johnny. stopping long enough
to put the question, ANY one hurt?"
The woman stopped short and, looking
Johnny full in the face. said: why.
aren't you "convict?"
Convict" said Johnny: well I guess
not. I'have been taken for cowboy and
''s NY, 1 but. IVA was AFRAID" said the wom-
an. Il thought you was convict with
that striped shirt on. and was running
behind. and I wanted. to let them know
where you WERE"
Gee. but that is one on me- said Cy-
clone, land ! guess it will hold me for
a while. While am here 1 guess will
change sweaters"
The scarcity of good heavyweights in
America and England was being discuss
ed by the American boxers and their
Australion friends here when the subject
Of home heavyweights came up. Patsy
Burke, trainer of Billy Papke; Ed Ma
roney. trainer for Cyclone Thompson, and
Tom Cupid. trainer for Jimmy Clabby,
were of the opinion that enough attention
sufficient inducements were not offered
to make it worth while for the big fel-
lows to get out and work.
There was time" said Mr.. Maroney,
when Australia had the best heavy
weights and middleweights in the world,
or, at least. a big share of the best. but
this country seems to have gone back In
good big men the same as the United
names of Peter Jackson and Bob Fitz-
simmons are known the world over, but
there were other great boxers besides
them. Larry Foley was fine boxer in
his day. and many will recall the days of
Frank Slavin and Joe Goddard. Peter
Felix was also a good man. and Dan
Creedon, Jem Hall and Abe Hicktn
figured among the best.
THE great fault seems to be that the
big men who box nowadays get into one
match and If they do not make good
showing they quit the ring entirely,
whereas the little fellows are content to
20 along and fight a dozen battles. wheth- |
or they win or lose, knowing full well
hat ovnorionNo 10 in
order to make a first class boxer II
have known several big fellows who look
ed very good indeed, and no doubt would
have made a record had they stuck to 1t, |
but one meeting was enough unless they
happened to win in easy fashion, and
then II they should lose the next one
they would stop short. Now mind this |
docs not mean every one. but 1t is the |