The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-06
MODERN CHAMPS
DICTATE Terms
Present-day Fighters Surpass
the Old-timers IN Get
ting the Coin.
VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS
Luther McCarty Is Unfolding the Fed
Grafton by Looking for
Easy Money.
VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS
BY w. W.. NAUGHTON.

San Francisco. April 5.-How do later
day pugilists compare with those OF
years ago?
This Is question frequently discussed
and never, for obvious reasons, settled
to the satisfaction of any one concerned
If fellow becomes involved in an ar
gument of this kind. the best he can do
Is hold fast to the opinion he started
out with. There is no way of putting the
matter to a test.
There is surely one direction, however.
in which modern champion stands
head and shoulders over his prototype
OF We olden days. He knows better how
to capitalize his ffghtig talents. When
boxing with gloves became an estab-
hshed indoor sport a champion was con-
tent to strive for purse. There was
winners and a losers end That way
there was an incentive to effort Now 1t
is all changed. A man who becomes
champion commands and exercises the
right to establish a scale of charges for
his services. For tackling an opponent
who in public opinion is considered his
most serious rival he will name a figure
that will make the promoters gasp. For
going against a boxer with a slightly
damaged reputation he will consent to
cheaper terms If asked to sign with
one who he thinks is really dangerous
he will name such an impossible sum
that the matter will be dropped.
McCarty No Exception.
Things are coming to a pass where
worlds champion is more of subject
FOR the commercial editor than for the
man whose speciality is sport jottings.
His quotations, is seems to the writer,
should appear in the column devoted to
the meat prices of No. 1 steers and grain
fed hogs. Luther McCarty, the newest
and shakiest worlds champion, is no
exception to the rule. Some one, pre-
sumably McCarty. has arranged sched-
ule of early summer activities for Lutte.
As a programme of sporting fixtures the
thing may lack merit, but as a financial
project it is all right
Here's how il reads: For six rounds
with Jim Flynn. at Philadelphia, April
10. McCarty will receive 5000; for six
rounds with Frank Moran, at Pittsburg,
April 20. McCarty will get S3000; for ten
rounds with Carl Morris. at Kansas City,
May 4. McCarty will be paid $4,000; for
gary. May Is. McCarty will receive $l0.
coo. perhaps more.
Cpholds the Federation.
Assuredly McCarty is upholding the
traditions of the iater-day champions
protective league IN naming MS terms
he has displayed the utmost daring. In
selecting his opponents, he has been COM
mendably cautious. The OILY thing about
1t is, that on basis of comparative
values, McCarty may demand a million
IL ever he is asked to fight Jess Willard
or Gunboat Smith.
In way Luther Is not to blame. He
certainly did not originate the existing
order of things. Champions have set
their faces against fair division of the
prize money for years and 1t Is so long
since there was winning or losing end
to a championship fight that the memory
of man scarcely goeth back to the oc-
casion. 1t was claimed. of course, that
Jeffries and Johnson fought seventy five
and twenty-five" but there are great
grounds for believing that the loot was
evenly split.
Bat Nelson. who always claimed to be
a second John L. Sullivan in the matter
Of honesty of purpose-and who updoubt-
eddy was so far as his work in the ring
was concerned-was as a tiger, who
scented fresh blood, when money was
We all know chow he held
out for and received the lions share.
or rather the VOLTS share at Goldfield.