The Hawaiian gazette., 1913-12-30

Chronicle has the following TO say anent
the career of James w. Coffroth, rated
x<he greatest promoter of boxing con-
tests in the world:
Started promoting boxing matches in
connection with jim Kennedy of New
work, Jack Gleason and Bob Groom in
February, 1901.
Has taken in over s 100000 in gross
receipts, of which approximately $500,
600 mas gone to the fighters and a good
percentage given over to the expenses
of the matches.
Was first to hold open-air fight in
Fight time, when Ieifres and Fitzsim-
mons boxed opposite Recreation Park
grounds in 1902.
Biggest gate drawn by Jeilries and
Corbett, August IA, 1908, $62,34O; see
ond biggest house, Nelson Britt (frst
open.air fight in day time), 1905, s4s,
81.
Smallest cate bv Leach Cross Dick
Hyland, 1909, $3.50.
His reason for suceess-Always Civ.
ing the people their seats. In other
words, organization.
In the boxing game close on to thr
teen years as promoter of the game
pure and simple, during which time he
has seen champions come and 90 and
taken in over n million dollars from
the public, until now he is ranked as
the premier handler of fstic contests
in the country, is the history of james
w Coffroth of San Francisco.
Nc promoter in the country has at.
tained the success of the San Francis
can. No one of them has been able TO
gain the confidence of the people until
il is not stra'ning the truth to remark
that given the same card, under similar
conditions as any other impresario, and
Coffroth will do easily twenty-five per
cent more business, chiefly because Of
his own personality.
If there is any one thing at which
Coffroth eXcels more than any other
even his own business of handling box
ing contests-it is facts and figures
Just where he carries them is the won
der, lut they are there beyond any 1ues-
tlon. fstic guide ism I necessary with
CofrOth around.
Just tell him yon want to know
when Jim Jeffries beat Bob Fitzsim-
mons, and on the instant he will give
you the day of the month, the year,
how the fight ended and how much
money they drew. And to prove that
it's no mistake, you try him out on
some more insignificant match and
you II discover the information at his
tongue s end.
"What do / think is the one thing
above all others that constitutes n sue.
eessful promoteri'
Coffroth repeated the question to
himself, and then answered it,
Organization the Secret.
"Well, you II probably laugh" he
remarked; "but my answer to that is
giving people their seats. More seri.
ously, l suppose, it is a matter of or.
ganization. | have built up an organ
ization of men who know Just what
they are to do, so there s little left for
me but the making of matches. 1t is
like well-regulated army, with a job
for every man. There's no hurrying
and scurrying at the last moment, and
no bother. Everything proceeds ac,
cording to schedule. That gives conf
dence to the people who attend, and
they will come again. The simple mat
ter of seeing that people get their right
seats is tremendous factor There +
no reason why they shouldn t, but from
time immemorial il has been the Gus
tom to scramble. l changed the plan
and it helped wonderfully"
And those of you who have had any
trouble in getting the seat you bought
and paid for will agree with the pro
moter.
Coffroth was in n measure pitch
forked into boxing from the standpoint
of promoting. Back in 1900 when h,
was secretary of the Superior Court
Judges, Coffroth made u trip 10 Eu
rope-his first. While in New lorA
he met Jim Kennedy, who was then the
"big noise" an pugilism. II was Just a.
the close Of the Horton law late in tn,
year, after which the game was to b,
dropped in New York, and naturally
m.the talk WAS on the future Of the game
The san Francisco field WIS men
TONED and Coilroth, although his only
experience 10 boxing had been that OF
an ardent fan, was induced TO associat,
himself with Kennedy, Groom an,
Gleason in the handling Of contests,
''rhe first show We held, tells COl
roth, was a fight bstween George
Hawkins aud George (Elbows) Ne
Fadden. We drew ouly $500, but
WAS more excited than ! ever hayi
Dtth SINCE ihhi iiihfi NhNh fhuhh VIVA
e,psliGnre In the game does for you.
Harry tOTbeit associated himsel
With the Combination boz 1908 aud 1904
bat after that dropped out aud con
roth has practically worked aloue sine
that time Ia 1908 the promoter WA
shut oui " San Fpneisco through fail
nre ~ secure prrnlis, aud operated ID
iLe little pavilion nt culma thar loul
hipfr bufned down,
Again in 1907, 1905 aud lan9 b. va
forced opi ~ ihe rity aud hei for ih
moei part open gir fhoss ou hoda
apiea " ibe Mission fiffri afrnu.
inlff biz uuspifrf IN ipVl Was boil
900 nid healbseiglr ehgmnIourhi
bhish Va haH ffHnpiffa Nhyn llul lri
llltl dFfasiHl nns hnhliD hNleuts'
N 4 Ntr No hfa Nlee lhs loollf -
$50 tlifh isfp Bal Dffi ia,rn ipiri q
III u. .l