The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-07-03

Reno. New, July with the last
plank in place, the canvas covering
of the ring stretched until it cannot
slip or rumple beneath the feet of the
fighters, the arena in which James
]. Jshries and John Arthur Johnson
will settle the worlds heavy weight
championship on Monday is ready for
the tnronging thousands who will see
the history-making battle fought cut.
And the thonusands are coming. They
are pouring into this little city by
every available means of conveyance.
Some o. them come from the other
size OF the Atlantic Ocean. Some
nave voyaged across the Pacific, trav-
cling nearly 10000 miles TO witness
the fight, and PR badly there would
have been many more from great dis
tances had it not been for the strong
opposition to the match and the wide
spread agitation to prevent it which
finally resulted in the transfer to the
far less accessible Reno.
The Widespread opposition to the
fight in California which finally re-
suited in Governor Gille,t's drastic
action. barring the event from the
state, and the shifting of the scene
to Reno was headed by the churches
of the country, and found place in
the resolutions adopted by several of
the annual church conferences and
conventions. iThe governor, the
mayor and even the president were
appealed t.. and the story of the gov
ernor's final interference is now his
tory.
The first problem encountered by
the promoters after the men had
signed articles was that of selecting
a site. Rickard himself declared in
favor of Salt Lake City, Utah, and it
looked for a time as though the match
would be staged there. Jack Gleason,
Richards associate, is a San Fran
ciscan, however, and he was equally
-. determined that the fight should be
held in his home city. The difference
between Rickard and Gleason con-
tinued until the Governor of Utah
plainly intimated that his stand would
be against the fight, and Richard
yielded the point.
When Rickard and Gleason finally
decided upon holding the fight on the
coast, the question Of the exact place
y was still in doubt for several weeks
It was found that the Beard of Super
vsors of San Francisco, under the
new administration which took office
at the beginning Of the year, was
willing to grant a forty-five round
permit, breaking the twenty-round
limit but still there was friction at
some points and finally it was de
cided to take the fight across the bay
4 Emeryvile is the site of the New
(California Jockey Club race track. Ii
is convenient to all railroads, street
cars and ferry boats, and when the
sporting world heard that President
Williams of the Jockey Club had con
sented to the use of the grounds fol-
| the fight arena, they breaJhed sigf
of relief 1t looked as though the wa!
was cleared at last. The men Were
in training, plans for the arena Were
drawn, the agreed portions of the 81
gantic purse were deposited, aux
everything looked smooth.
Right in the midst of this, how
ever, the church opposition came
The people of the east bay shcr'
| where Emeryville IS located brough
great pressure TO bear upon thu
county officials. 1t was announced
that the fight would be stopped at tn,
first indication that it was anything
more than the sparring contest it pur
ported to be. This statement created
alarm, and when it was followed b,
a request frcm Williams that the pre-
moters, if possible, find some othe
= place, sportdom suffered a decidet
blue spell. Williams said that h
would keep his bargain with Rickart
but it was evident that he did no
desire TO do so.
The promoters then began to gathe
- their forces in San Francisco agair
= A storm of objection and protest wa
raised by the church federation an
like organizations, but the police con
mittee OF the Supervisors recon
mended that the forty-five-round pc
nit be granted. Attorneys We're en-