The San Francisco call., 1913-08-10
cHA HAMpIoN FIGHTER GETS MORE MONEY THAN GREAT TENOR
Willie RheReceves Much One Fight Caruso for Three Sings
Champion Receives $4,000
for One Engagement;
Caruso $4,000
By WILLIE GREEN

Enrico caruso Is the highest priced
tenor in the world
Ritehie's hgure for one appearance,
$4,000.
Carusos valuation of his services
n 7ue appearances. $1,000
The gioved fist SENS to have it on
the trained voice
It is argued that prize fighter takes
more chances Of losing his bread win
hing ability than does a singer When
the fighter is Knocked out his value
recedes- And when q singer loses his
voice. how about his value2
The present day king OF the fighters
seems TO have it on the king OF the
tenors
II vas not always SO. but it is so
today.
Willie Ritchie is offered $1,000 a
round 20 fight Harlem Tommy Murphy
n San Francisco.
Now comes Vancouver and offers
Willie $1,000 a round 10 meet Freddie
Welsh and throws in an interest in the
pictures OF the hght-an asset esti-
mated at $4,000.
Willie viii accept the Vancouver
plum.
HAS MODEST PLANS
Such a thing as defeat does not
enter into the plans OF Champion Will
lie Richie After he has disposed Of
Leach Cross in New York at $1,000 per
round.
Harlem Tommy Murphy will then be
comnodated-at $1,000 per round
After which Ad woigast may have
battle with the champion at $1,000 a
round and side bet of $4,000
after these engagements have been
filed the price may be tilted But
nothing less than $1,000 per round goes
FOR the program outlined.
CARUso's MoDEsTY
Enrico Caruso. king of the tenors.
admits that $1,000 is ample pay for a
single engagement for him. In fact
his average pay Is $4,000 per sing
Once a New York society woman Of
tered Caruso $500 TO sing at her home.
The king OF tenors declined the offer
II was beneath the dignity Of the great
singer TO do otherwise
Hence Caruso is financially speak
ing far more modest than is Willie
Ritchie
Art brings money. Hence hsticurs
must have reached the classification OF
RITCHIE Is FRANK
Champion Willie Ritchie makes no
attempt TO conceal his purpose TO get
al there is IA sight when he enters the
ring He says.
7 viii not accept percentage basis
without a guarantee. That is. unless
have 20 and do net have to-
Why do you go 70 Vancouver when
IN equal amount Of money IS offered
you 20 meet Murphy in San Francisco
Because Murphy viii keep and
Welsh will not Wolgast will also be
in reserve. 7 expect 70 meet them all.
am not a believer in the vaudeville
game vhye Because there is more
money in fghting-and 1 am out for
the COIN.
THAT'S WHAT CARUS0 SAYS
In the particular Of coin there Is
little difference between Willie Ritehie
and Enrfcc Csruso.
Enrico Is also out for the money.
But he is more modest than Willie
Enrice is willing TO work one whole
evening for s. coo while Willie wants
~ least three times that amount-and
gets it,
Hence II must be admitted that while
there is doubt as to whether the pen
IS nishtier than the sword. there is
absolutely none that the fist Is mightier
than the voice
Enrico may get more money in the
long run, but ne viii never get as
much for one round in opera as Willie
viii for one battle in the ring.
RITCHIE's CAREER
No tighter ever came to the front
more rapidly than did the present light
weight Champion
Willie Rftchie. whose name is Geary
ste1en. Is OF German-Americsn parent
age He was born in San Francisco,
February Is. 1891. hence is now in his
tventv-third year He has been in the
boxing game about five years
Rftchie's record is not SO impressive
as is that OF Freddie Welsh, his next
opponent. But Richie is coming and
Welsh is going. And Rftchte is not so
fond OF the good things OF life as Is
welsh so Ritchie's record may be bet
ter after his engagement with the
British champion.
Rftchfe has been beaten by Frankie
Burns. by Welsh and by Matte Bald
win Yet X was Rifchiess shovin 2
AGAINST Welsh that gained him chance
ar the good things In the game
HIS four round bout with Woigast
went his way. then he won from Ad
and thereby became champion. on a
foul
On the fourth OF July he beat Joe
Rivers
And there you have the ring career
~ the young man. who. today. COM
rands more money for his services
than any other fighter In the world.
WILL NEVER GO BROKE
wfins Ritchis will never go broke.
True he has invested In an automo-
nile but that Is no sign Of extrava-
zdHce IN e man WlC can LOEAlfHd q
$4,000 for 50 minutes work, with a
prospect OF adding a few thousand TO
that from the picture royalty.
Richie is young man OF excellent
habits. He is rather meek at times for
fighter. He really lacks the vicious
ness that some claim is necessary to
the real champion
Anyway unless he changes. Willie
Rftchfe will have sufficient to keep the
wolf from the door. even II he fails TO
carry his fight program as outlined
above to d successful conclusion
PREVIOUS CHAMPIONS
No lightweight champion ever got
the money Ritchie is getting for his
services. Larger sums have been real
ized in single fights, but not in the
lightweight division has there ever
been q lightweight champion who could
demand and get $1,000 round for his
ssrvicez-znd pick the man he would
meet
In the earlier days aspirznts for
championships were picked by the peo-
pie. not by the champion And purses
were fixed by the clubs or promoters.
not by the champion
Jack McAuliffe. the undefeated cham
pion. who never lost a battle. never re-
ceived anywhere near 3f.0eo per round
for fghting-and he was compelled. by
public opinion. TO meet all comers~