Evening star., 1913-02-16

| ton come to terms before long. The
match is the only really important light
! weight cent in sight for the immediate
| future, and New Workers are hungry for
! something worth while in the boxing line.
The programs have been sadly lacking in
! hrSt-class material the last winter, and
| local promoters are having q hard time
arranging suitable attractions. owing to
the dearth OF classy talent in this To-
cality
| Willie Ritchie is due to arrive in
Gotham before long. When the cham
| pion alIghts in the big town he will find
| the latch strings out and welcome signs
on the door mats OF the promoters. The
! hst!c inlpreSarios have found out and at
| no small cost, that the sports have had
! an elegant Sufficiency.' Joe Hum
| phrieS puts it, of mediocre talent At
tendance at bouts has been poor re-
I Gently that several club owners have
! quit and one or two others are said to
be on the ropes. The expenses at
tached 10 the operation of a boxing club
| In New York are very heavy, and, since
the fight fans have made it clear they
want first-class entertainment in return
for their money, promoters are at last
| beginning to show 'loosening up symp-
toms.
Ritchie could not have chosen a more
propitious time To visit New York, and.
if not averse TO taking OF some good boy
during his stay, ,rill lind promoters more
than ready TO meet him half way. There
Will be sharp competition for his serV-
ices. and no doubt Manager Billy Nolan
will he able 10 drive a bargain that will
maintain his we'll known reputation for
shrewdness and financial astuteness.
Billy Papke has deserted us, and by
this time should be safely ensconced in
his training quarters in a Paris suburb
putting in some hard lic1s in preparati ton
for the coming fSht with Frank Klaus
for the midGicWoight championship of
Europe March >. Before Billy sailed he
put us ''hep" to the true state OF affairs
in the ranks of the middlewelghts, and.
take il from William. there is no mystery
concerning the identity of the perfectly
legitimate and lawful owner of the cham
pionship. The name of the gent is
PapEe.
Billy contends the title reverted to him
as previous holder upon the death OF
Stanley ketchel. Righto. Billy, but how
ABOUT that twenty-round bout with Cy-
clone Johnny Thompson in Australia, in
which the referee gave the decision 10
Thompson? And, stu later the twelve
round mix with Bob Moha over Boston
Wav cnG which was awarded to Moha?
AS for Eddie McGOorty's claim. Papke
can't see it with a microscope. lie says
r.ddies reputation has been made over
the short, no-decision route, ana that ne
never beat a good man In a Ions, bout.
Nevertheless il we remember right. Me-
Goorty TOOK about one minute to put
Dave Smith out of business, and the SAID
smith once earned a verdict over the
Kewanee man. True, I5iiy later Oh can
celed that by knocking Dave out I'm seven
rounds but the bril- ancy OF that rer-
fornance was overs..adowed by the short
but effective job MCGOorty made CT the
same task.
Papke allows that Klaus is the best
of all the "ruEners-up. but adds that he
confidently expects 10 beat Frank when
they clash carly next month After that
match, if successful. Billy will be pre-
pared to meet all comers, McGoorty pre-
ferred. But the fight must take place in
France and over the long distance.
Paris is at present an FL Dorado for
American boxers. Paplie Is guaranteed
S;,G0o to box Klaus. and given the option
of a percentage. which he estimates Will
net him about $1,000. As Klaus is every
bit as popular with French sports he has
probably been declared in on about the
same terms. So II will be seen that the
gay city" must be fight mad when Its
promoters can afford to guarantee such
large sums 70: contest between two
foreign boxers.
When is the clever Mike Gibbons to re-
sumo his ring career: Too good a boxer.
this ST Paul lad. to be permitted to desert
the game at this time when skill is at
premium New York sports would gladly
welcome the speedy Mikes return, and
turn out in goodIy numbers TO see him in
the ring with worthy opponent.
There has been some talk in the papers
of Gibbons coming here next month TO
box young I<UrtZ, a local welter, and
very ordinary one. / doubt IT very much
\ match of the sort would not appeal to
fight followers. and victory for Gibbons
would do him little credit
It is said that Mike intends to stick to
the welterweight division in the future.
There are several good boys in that class.
among them Clarence Ferns. Ray BrOn-
SON. Hilliard Lang and Spike Kelly, a
recent Chicago development. any one OF
whom could Put Up a much better fight
than Kurt. who would be a joke in Glib
bons' hands. Promoters will make big
mistake promoting s.ch ridiculously un-
equal matches.
Is the white heavyweight champion
(by grace OF Tom McCareyl afraid to try
conclusions with Bombardier Wells, the
English boxer?
IT looks like it. il the report is true that
McCarty turned down the offer OF a guar
antee of $1,000 and the privilege OF so
per cent of the gross to box Wells ten
rounds at Madison Square Garden.
Only last summer IcCarney and Nc
Carty were begging Billy Gibson, man.
ageT OF the Garden. for matches, and l
understand :hat it was Gibson who
ahled Luther 20 secure the engagement
with itau'rGsn. Flynn and Palzer.
II Mcfar:, X not too timid to risk his
iat;te : u q match with the Briton, it
ii.tSt ''- itt . dONiStu- ~ IcL-luOU-
ss:in-t'".iar guarantee for ten rounds is
pieEty soft rio1@v. The bout would draw
81: IL .he g;;rG.en. but ii is not likely the
feceiptS woU.d warrant the management
in paving one of the boxers more than
that amount.
Wells is the card os the pair in New
Yo~-. IcCarty boxed like dub on the
iwu occasions Manager Gibson gave him
the chance last summer. Jim Stewart
and jess Willard both beat him. The
iioInbariier. although knocked out by Al
Pa!Zer in three rounds. made bigger hit
with tile sports than his cOnquerOr. and
experts We're willing 10 lay odds imme-
diately following the bout that the win
ner could not repeat. Unfortunately
return match was never arranged.
!f Luther does not want to lose much OF
| his already waning popularity it be-
hooves him 10 get on the job And
from business standpoint an offer of
$4,000 for thirty minutes work is not to
be spurned.