Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-03
HAS WOLGAST REAL RIGHT TO
WORLDS CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE?
Many Think He Must Defeat Wells Before
Claiming Highest Honors- John
son Wells Fight.

weeks ago that Jack Johnson. the colored
champion of the world. had agreed to
lay down to Bombadier Wells in their
championship match scheduled for Sep
TEMPER 30. has been denied and also re-
vlVed again. | can hardly believe that
Johnson would enter into any proposition
to throw away his title. but the following
letter received from we'll known sport
ing man of London Is interesting at this
time In his letter the Londoner saws.
Ihere is great deal Of talk about the
Dig tight, but | am more mystified than
ever In regard to IT. A MIR. James White
Is secretary for the syndicate supposed
to be promoting the show, but ii is a
hard matter to get the real facts regard
ing 1t. For my part, / am convinced
that the picture rights are the rock upon
which the bout stands. | heard the story
that johnson had been offered seventy
five thousand dollars to lose the hight. 1t
was put to him that he was getting past
MS time, and might not be able to stand
the strain of much more training How
true this may be | cannot say, but the
story has been given out and has had
wide circulation / am inclined to doubt
IT myself, that is, the part about johnson
agreeing to any such proposition, for it
would Kill his proposed tour to Australia,
and | know for a fact that he is to get
$780, 900 from II. d. Mcintosh for his end
You can figure out yourself that
by agreeing to lay down he would
would for going through with his
Australian trip. and 1 know Johnson
likes the glimmer of the big lights too
well to leave ii just now. Another thing
he has booked his passage to Australia,
which he would hardly do If he intended
to lose to any one.
Il was over to see Bombadier Wells
work yesterday, and 1 must say that
was surprised at the confidence the man
has In himself and his ability to defeat
Cynor rod cfx- mi, l.
Parsons. a heavyweight, but he was not
up to notch the way / expected and !
think that his vaudeville engagements
have done him no good. Parsons was
badly mauled about by Wells, but / no
ticed that frequently Wells led with his
right in a dangerous way for himself and
his pointed chin was reached by Parsons
several times. If Johnson reaches il the
same way. you know what would happen
There has been some talk of cabling
Tommy Ryan or Kid Mccoy to come
over and train Wells, which would have
been a good plan had it been carried out
little earlier. / think Ryan would have
been great help to Wells but 1t is a lit
tie late now to start him in to change
his style. I would like very much to
see him beat Johnson, but / cannot get
it into my head that he has a chance
just now. He is without doubt the best
heavyweight we have had since Charlie
Mitchell's time, and l doubt whether
Mitchell was as good as Wells at the
same age. Wells has an extraordinarily
long reach. stretching seventy-nine
inches, which is about the record and if
he was able to hold off year and get
more experience 1t might serve him to
good advantage. but l cannot see it at
this time.
1T seems almost certainty now that
Jim Driscoll and Owen Moran will be
matched for the featherweight cham
pionshfp OF Great Britain; they have been
offered a purse Of $4,000 and both have
agreed to accept it. If there is no hitch
the contest will probably be arranged for
November next, at Olympia.
do not be surprised IL Jim Sullivan.
the English middleweight whom Billy
Papke defeated here last June goes over
to your country this fall. I had talk
with Jim the other day and he intimated
that he intended going over for the ex-
press purpose of meeting Papke again.
He is a peculiar fellow and says very
little about his plans. but he seems very
much in earnest about having another
trial with Papke, whom he looked upon
here as the champion"