Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-14
WILLIE RITCHIE LIKELY TO
FIGHT IN EAST VERY SOON
FIN COrbett Receives Word from
Lightweight Champion That
He COntemplates Trip.
MAY BOX YOUNG SHUGRUE
Former Heavyweight Champion
Thinks Jersey City Light
weight viii Be Heard From.
By JAMES J. CORBETT
tFcrmer Heavyweight Champion Of the
WorId.)

WOrid.)
The news has reached. me that Will,
Richie. lightweight champion. viii
probably box in the East before tack
ling Tommy Murphy in San Francis
CO next April Richie wrote me !
long and interesting letter last week
explaining just what happened &c
cause him to postpone the bout with
Murphy, and took occasion to COM
ment on the unjust and unfair atti-
tude Of the Western scribes in grill
ing him numerically for simply
taking a precautionary step that any
tighter in his proper senses would
have done under similar conditions.
However, Richie hopes to be back
IN harness within the next few weeks
and plans two or three limited round
engagements In the East. His first
match will likely be with Ad VOL
CAST, and Tom Andrews, the Nlilwau-
kee promoter. will stage the bout.
After the Wolgast match Richie will
come to New York, where several
nice offers await his con Iteration.
Among other propositions which ap-
peal to the champion is one calling
for q ten-round so with Young Joe
Shugrue, the Jersey boy, who is held
in high esteem by local patrons Of
the sport. The champion is not look
ing for marks it Will be observed
When he enters the ring he wants to
face . boy who can give him q bat
tie. In that respect he differs from
the average title holder.
Isitehie says the strained tendon
which put himA oGt of commission,
and made him the target for the jeers
of the fans and the poisoned arrows
of the seribes, was the biggest little
injury that could have overtaken
hinl. As any athlete knows q strained
tendon is an affair that demands alb
so'ute rest, and without it positively
refuses TO mend ut all. Ritchie was
forced 10 put in several weeks in
DOORS and unable TO put his foot TO
the floor. Otherwise he felt fine
physically and the enforced idleness
was particularly CALLING to o young
ster of his spirit.
Ritchie modestly adds that he
hopes his showing in the coming con-
tests viii convince his unfriendly
critics that their wires are crossed
when they accuse him of attempting
To avoid Tommy Murphy for fear of
the consequences.
WOlgast's Return Sensation.
I'd Wolgast's return to form is the
Sensation Of pugiisn. And Tom
Jones, who looks after Ads affairs.
in not giving the sporting editors any
chance to forget that the ex-cham-
pion has returned" Ever since
Adoiph trimmed Joe Rivers up Mil
waukee way Tom has been on the
Job, and his typewriter running on
the high" night and day.
Jones has right along maintained
That Wolgast had not shot his bolt as
j 1irst-class init artist, and predicted
that the former champion would some
day come back and make good. And
from accounts OF the battle with
Rivers it looks very much as il Jones
was pretty near right. Several eye
witnesses of the fray have written
me, and the tone of the letters are
exceedingly f1attering to the ex-
champion. From what my CORE
spondents say, Ad outfought the
Mexican at every stage OF the mill.
Rivers was given q good drubbing,
and at the end of the tight Wolgast
was as fresh as a daisy.
There is no denying that Woigast
IS a marvellous little piece OF fighting
machinery when in condition. We all
thought though, the operation for
appendicitis had taken most OF the
lighting out of him, but it now APP
pears that we were mistaken. Ad
says his ambition is to get Ritchie
IN bringing the boys together 1t ought
10 give US line on ADS chances of
recovering the title in a longer battle
But I think Ad will find Willie an
ent rely different proposition than
Rivers. Joe fights pretty fast at
times. but appears to be a fair
weather" scrapper; that is, every
thing must break his way or he cant
do his best
However, the sports will be pleased
to know that Wolgast is going good
again. Ad was never what could be
called popular with the rank and file
of ring followers when champion,
which feeling was largely due to Ads
own vain ways and to Tom Jones'a
bomDastic methods of securing pub
lefty; but the run Of hard luck eS-
perienced during the last year Of
Wolgast's reign helped to turn senti-
ment in his favor. Anyway, no one
could ever question his merit as a.
fighter, and everybody interested in
the sport will rejoice to sec him
among the headliners again.
At his age-twenty-six- is no
coed reason WHY Wolgast shouldn't
put up a stiff battle for his old tile.
If he is anywhere as near as good as
when he beat Battling Nelson. which
Is doubtful. he viii not encounter
much real opposition outside of one
Nj. Willie Richie, present holder of
the championship. The other fellows
Rivers. Cross. Murphy ct al.-hardly
look classy enough to hinder Ad much
on his return trip. Always figuring
that AID IS himself again, OF course.
Welsh Has Been Ducising.
Danny Morgan, he of the nimbie
tongue, who has made more money
the past year or so with q stable Of
second and third-raters than the
average handler of scrappers would
corral with a championship outfit,
rises TO the defense of Willie Ritchie
against the attacks of Freddy Welsh
and his manager, Harry Pollock.
Morgan, who, incidentally man
ages Jack Britton, wants to know
why Welsh should be permitted to
poster Richie when he (Welsh) re-
fuses to consider a proposition to spar
l3ritton, a boxer who figures q good
match. tut grsbs every easy-lookine
bout offered him. Morgan asserts
that every inducement has been made
the English champion to meet Brit