Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-17
FIGHTERS MUST
NAME LOCATION
THEY WILL HAVE DECIDING
VOICE
BOTH ARE KNOWN AS FAVOR
ABLE TO FRISCO
With Governor Spry Against Him,
Rickard Seems to Be Up Against
1t in Choosing Salt
Lake City
Associated Press I

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. ia lively
controversy has been engendered be-
tween the two fight impresarios who
are to handle the Jeffries-Johnson
championship battle. Jack Gleason of
San Francisco and Tex Richard Of Ne
vada and Utah, over the selection of
the battle ground.
Just at present there is a wide diff
ference between the two managers as
to where the fight will be staged. Rick
ard has issued a fiat statement that
it will take place in Salt Lake City
or that immediate vicinity. Gleason
just as positively declares that when
Jeffries and johnson meet in the ring
the meeting will be in San Francisco.
Nothing has been heard from the
fighters themselves. In this condition
the situation is left dangling in mid
air, and where the controversy will end
is the main topic of discussion and
speculation in the whole sporting
world.
Rickard, in his statement issued in
Salt Lake last night, charges that
Gleason has not advanced one cent in
the transaction thus far, although
$4,000 has been posted as a forfeit
guarantee of the $1O1,O00 that the two
l6dN Weight puSlllSIS were OlLGIeu "
induce them to fight.
Rickard says he posted this money.
Gleason intrenches himself behind the
declaration that Rickard could not
have become a partner in the enter
prise if it had not been for the Gleason
influence with Sam Berger and Jim
Jeffries.
The main point in dispute between
the two managers is the question of
;,I, Dst Ia H.
San Francisco or Salt Lake. 1t ap-
pears that the matter has ceased to
be a contest between the cities, how
ever, and that it has resolved itself
into a tusse for authority between
Gleason and Rickard. The balance of
power seems to be with the fighters,
and the local sporting fraternity is al
most unanimously of the opinion that
the fight will be held wherever it suits
Jeffries.
1t is known that Jeffries is partial
to San Francisco as a place in which
to handle big ring contests. He is
Californian, and Berger. his manager,
is San Francisco man. Jack Johnson
has often said that he has always been
well pleased with the wav in which
he was treated in San Francisco.
when all is said and done, the big
fight will be held here" said Jack
where he was dining. 'I say so, and
it was agreed in New York that
should have the naming of the place.
1 don't care what Tex Rickard says
about it. I know what 1 am talking
about. l don't care to get into any
controversy about this thing, but
want il distinctly understood that 1 am
to name the, place. Sam Berger will
back NE up in this matter. He knows
and Johnson and Little both know. 1
am content to leave it to them. They
will tell who was given authority to
choose the battle-ground.
'"The fighters want to go TO the
place where the fight can be most ad
vantageously handled, and I guess
that before long the world will know
whether that is San Francisco or salt
Lake. Jeffries will be here in about
ten days, and then we will see,
"If Rickard does not care to live
up to this agreement, 1 will take the
fight off his hands. I am ready at
any time to take the whole thing. l
can handle this fight, and 1 intend to
handle at least my end of it. L say
again that if Tex doesn't want to go
through with it the way we agreed to,
I'll relieve him of any further re-
sponsibility.
"Jeffries never would have consented
to signing those articles with Richard
as one of the partners in the affair
if it was not for me. Now, you know
that I'm not going to stand for RtCkard
being the autocrat, and neither will
Jeff That will about settle the dis
pute."
Many sports here are skeptical
about the meaning of the controversy
between Gleason and Richard. Some
think it is being done &c keep the
interest in the match alive. Gleason,
however, Indignantly denies this,
Fight fans here are ut loss to
explain the positive way with which
Eickard states that the fight will be
held ir Utah. whe Governor Spry of
that state has infl"ln / all concerned
IL at he will use every means at mis-
command to r1oven' the match being
held in or near Salt Lake. or any other
city or town in Utah.
on the contrary, Gleason has ap-
nlied to the new administration in this
citv for a rty-fve-round permit, and
has been assured of support in in
huential quarters. The police COM
mittee of the board of supervisors has
piven the application serious con-
sideration, and while action has been
deferred, sporting circles are conftlent
that it will be granted. 1t looks at
present as though the next move must
come from JeffrieS.