Omaha daily bee., 1913-10-26
TO MAKE NEW YORK DEBUT
Willie Ritchie TO Give Gotham Sports
First Sample Of His Work.
WILL BE TEE.RoUND CONTEST
Lightweight Champion WIN Take on
Leach Cross In what Promises 60
Ne a HotIy-staEed AFFAIR for
Third-CIass Honors.

Ing Tuesday night New York will have
It's first glimpse OF Lightweight Champion
Willie Ritchie In action and just what
Kind OF an Impression Richie will make
upon the eastern fight followers remains
10 be seen. Willie and Leach Cross are
TO clash in a ten-round bout Rltchie.
according 20 what has been flashed
across the wires. has unlimited reliance
In his ability TO handle young Mr. Cross
IN mastery manner. As Willic occupies
the proud position Of king OF the light.
weights. he could hardly be expected 70
talk in any other strain.
In difference TO his exalted station
champion has to radiate confidence as an
emery wheel emits sparks. ~ he failed
20 do so the public would siacken up lie
worship and Il may be the man he IL
training for will not come with that feel
ing OF awe which from time immemorable
the under dog IL supposed TO labor under
when he finds himself IN the presence Of
fugilistic royalty.
. Ritchie ts n ThinIer.
Apart from all that. however. Willie
Rhchie Is a thinking individual and he
probably recognizes that the coming test
viii prove a serious one.
10 begin with Leach Cross has sps-
cialized over the ten-round distance and
II Thoroughly NJ home In q bout Of that
length. lie has started on 80 many ten
round Journeys that he tnows--or should
inow-how fast he can rate himself with
ont ovor-taxing his condition.
This ls something that works both
ways. u enables a man to tell n the
other fellow is crowdinR on more sail
Nhan he will be able TO carry. Fortified
with powers OF discefnment OF this kind
man who knows the short bout game
from TO y can contrivc to keep some
thing IN reserve and make Il decidedly
uncomfortable for an opponent who has
fought himself into state OF WEAKNESS.
Then, again Leach IL a tricky fellow
In the matter OF sending IN a singing
nunch when least expected he is a verita-
hle surprise package. There is no par
tlcular continuity to his work. az he
shows 10 poor advantage occasionally
against mediocre boxers and performs
brilliantly In high-clAss company He is
not TO be gauged by what he did In his
last battle or the one before and he
sandwiches good showings In amongst
bad IN such way that the highest tribute
one can pay him is 20 pronounce him
dangerous man.
A san Fra ncisco Product.
While Willie Rltchie ls to all intents
and purposes "A product OF San Francisco
four-round phase OF boxing. II cannot be
said that he shows TO advantage over
short distances. There II a story extant
for that matter that he recognizes as
much and that he recently decided TO
take leaf out OF Bob Fitzsmmons'
book
Bob IN his later fights around New
York found that he could not timber up
90 satisfy himself and he inaug,nnted
practice OF warming up In his dressing
room with one OF his sparring partners
before entering the ring. Richie. II is
said. believes that course OF that kind
would enable HIM 10 get down to his bear
ings more quickly after the starting gong
rang. and he told some OF his friends
that he intended 70 20 In for loosening
up exercise In the manner OF Fitzsimmons.
Maybe the coming bout with Cross will
mark the beginning Of this new order OF
things so far as Ritchie IL concerned.
Far be Il from the writer to disclose any
mans scheme OF battle. but as Willie
has made public property OF his system.
no condolences are betrayed in this espe-
cial instance.
Just watch out. Leach. n Willie comes
into the ring with his face flushed and
his forehead moist with perspiration, de-
pend upon Il he has had spirited set-to
with one Of his aides back In the dressing
room.
II was the fight with Rivers that con-
WINGED Willie he would have been the
better for little warm-up prior 20 taking
the ring II also convinced the spectators
that Ritchie is slow 10 get going. II
did more. Il made fellows who had bet
heavily on Ritchie feel for a while that
they had parked up the wrong tree
Little wonder, for OF all the bedr6egied
worlds champions that were ever seen.
Ritchie was the worst In the early
rounds Of that match. His knees hit the
ground; his hair came down over his
eyes. and his head snapped this way and
that under Rivers pestering fire. But
Rivers gave out and Il came all right
after awhile.
Not n Fair showing.
The four-round bout with Ad Wolgast
was about the only match IN which
Hitchie got TO work quickly. He stag
gered Wolgast with well placed rights,
bNA Ven NHit was NNit0onC4 On Oic nltfN
that Il was woigasts first essay after
his operation, the argument being that
he at the time was more a subject for
sanitarium than a prize ring.
In his match with Joe Mondat AZ New
Orleans. Ritchie was very late In putting
IN his best licks. and. striking an everage
Of his performances he is more at home
IN long bouts than shorter ones.
Richie albeit his ring work Il not
of the scintillating kind. IL a hard man
10 down. lie h game beyond question
ahhough you might not think so on
account OF the extreme caution he dis
plays in making OF matches
lie has far greater assimilative powers
han might be supposed after making a
study of his physique and his facial
characteristics. and he has shown that
le can stand an kinds OF wear and tear
and still retain stiffenins right hand
punch.
aaff ~ R-Esaf ~rasafa- na.a.