Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-29
IN The RING FOR A MILLION
Enormous Sum Involved in Coming
Worlds Championship Fight.
ALL SPELLS MONEY, MONEY
Both Giants Have vast Following,
which Causes All This Hubbub
Big Difference of
Opinion.

remarked: America thinks in thousand
now but fifty years hence It will be fl
millions" Apparently he was correct. asd
from the fact that he was long on tn,
GATE Evidently 1t is not necessary to wal
fifty years. since the mere question o.
pugilistic supremacy between James ]. JEFF
fries and Jack johnson is to involve mil
Hons Of dollars as a result OF its man,
manifestations. Time was. and not so many
years ago, either, when pugllists were will
ing TO contest for purses the amount OF
which could be expressed in four figures
Not 80 today, however, for to the increased
cost OF living must he added the item of
expense incidental to the settlement OF
ring championships.
This additional financial burden offers
one oddly, inasmuch as no one has come
forward and charged that the latest tariff
tinkering Is responsible Not even the in
surgents at Washington have mentioned It
In their propaganda. 1t is evident, never
theless, that new era is at hand I'm
pugilism The cry Back to the Farm!''
promises TO be lost in the roar. Forward
10 the Ringl" No longer are ring heroes
dressed as Human Thunderbolt" and tho
Fighting Cyclone" Instead we read of
Jeffres as the Hope Of the White Race, "
and johnson as the Negroes Deliverer "
When pugilists, no matter what their size
or ability may be, are thus introduced to
the public. It is but a step to "Blllionaire
Battlers" Judging from the efforts Of
the statlsticians who arc at work on the
case. 1t would appear as though the latter
title is as well deserved as any of the
others which have been evolved by sporting
writer's.
These wise men OF figures have already
shaken loose a bagful of ciphers which
when in min
mineral In front of them makes a most
imposing array. The addition of a dollar
sign furnishes a perfect climax These
horny listed survivals of the stone age
are after ALL the real money makers
Primitive nature seems to reward its fol-
lowers handsomely, despite civilizations
boosted trlumphs. Just stop and think
gentle reader, of dividing a purse OF s1Ol
600 as the result of assmilatng a few
scientifically" delivered punches of two
and half horsepower. Easy way to make
money? Why, It's so easy that chicken
farming should be a lost art in another
decade.
Golden Feast.
But after all, that so1,oOo prize is but
tho appetizer which introduces the golden
feast. In fact, It Is hardly worthy OF pass
ing consideration. The moving pictures and
the vaudeville tours are the real coin col
lectors. 1t has been estimated that should
Jeffries succeed in placing Johnson hors dc
combat by clever glove vancouver at
Emeryville Cal. on Independence day. the
receipts from the moving picture films
Will be worth at least 81, 100000. The next
step develops more frenzied finance Cali
fornia's native son has signed a tentative
contract for a round-the-world tour, condi-
tonal on his success in wrestling from the
he
BY the terms OF the contract he is to re-
ceive $4,000 or, IL he so desires, one-third
OF the net receipts OF the tour. Since It is |
planned to form an all-star troupe OF puGil- |
lists and wresters and visit every part of |
the civilized world in trip which will |
extend over period OF two years. II Is |
likely that Mr. Jeffries will accept the lat
ter proposition. A little trifle of some
100000 is what the show experts figure as
his share under those conditions
Just see the dollars roll into little heaps
Away with the old axiom that Money
makes money" It's Drawn and boxers that
make the big money nowadays. Let's face
the new ere fearlessly and get the facts
straight Put It down on paper SO that
there can be no disputing in ages to come.
Assuming that Jeffries is returned victor
In the great battle of July Fourth-we're
not prophesying, just seeking a basis be-
FORE teeing off into millions. Understand
All right, then, we're ready. As starter
we put down 70 per cent of that slO1 900
purse as the winners share That's S75750
Then there Is one-third of the moving mic
ture receipts which comes to something
like $SSo,oO0 The third item is that $500 OoO I
return for the Jaunt around the world Got
It all down? Well, add it up and see IL II |
doesn't total secs, $50. But walt a momentl I
we overlooked something. Not much to {
be sure. but in order to keep ourselves 4
straight with posterity we must be pains I
taking and accurate. Before Jeffries began '
training in earnest he tried a little vaude- /
vile tour In order to ascertain how he I
stood with the public. Nothing wrong, You l
know, In that. All our luminaries do the r
same even the statesmen. In this ''swinR :
around the circle" the Los Angeles farmer c
punched the bag, skipped rope, and did =
other entertaining feats, Just as our law ;.
n akers explain the benefits OF the new .
regulations. 1t wasn't much; Just about I
as convincing as the politicians explana- "a
tion' but It Melted Jeffries 5000 in round a
Figures So you see that brings the grand n
total up to t66775o. provided the white man n
is standing up when tho referee casts his y
ballot
johnson Versatile. ,s
While Johnson is apparently NOM versa
Tile than his opponent, numbering among
MS other accomplishments the ability To >,
drive an automobile at a mile-a-minute =
speed while waving one handed adieus 70 :,
me passersby, he is not the financier that =
FERRIES Is He has not as yet contracted -
Ior vaudeville tour conditional on his re- -
enuon OF the title of Most Exalted Po- o.
entate or Pugilism. Should he succeed in -
10 DOING his share OF the promoters purse -
VIII be tho same $75, 100 Since there Is oh y
ection to Johnson's color in the south "
however tho moving picture receipts will "
lot be so large. II the word of the Ken ="
uoky Colonies association is to be Ac. -
'epted-no offense intended, subtitle films Is
VII not be shown south of Baltimore. In -
act the secretary OF the organization has ~
tated that they will not be worth moro o.
nan 100000, at the most This is a serious VI
handicap to johnson. but his breth- CT
en- believe that he viii rise SUI us
efior 70 mere monetary influences Is
ma to use Virginia coIloouial- II
SIN. bring home the bacon" ALLOWING 10
hat the southern estimate OF the value OF tr
he films under these conditions is cor tn
cot, the present champions share win be
tout u6eoOo The negro also INDUCED in W.
little preliminary flirting with the foot be
ghts previous to settling down 20 hard on