The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-02-14

1 By James J. Corbett, Former Heavy ] Weight Champion of the World.) pion, will
 Special to the Fsarmer)
 l New York, Feb. 14-Willie Ritchie, light-weight champion, will ably box in the east before taclling Tom my Murphy in San Francisco next April. RitcIfe wrote me long and Interesting letter last week explain ling just what happened to cause him Ito postpone the bout with Murphy, land took occasion to comment on the lunjust and unfair attitude of the west ern scribes in grilling him unmerciful- l ly for simply taking precautionary step that any fighter in his proper senses would have done under sim liar conditions.
 | However, Ritchie hopes to be back l in harness within the next few weeks and plans two or three limited round lengagementa in the east His first match will likely be with Ad WoI+. gast, and Tom Andrews, the MiIwau- kee promoter, will stage the bout. Ar 1 ter the Wo1gast match Ritchse will come to New York where several nice offers await his consideration. Among 1 other propositions which appeal to l the champion is one calling for a iten round go with Young Joe Shugrue, the Jersey boy, who is held in high es- lteem by local patrons of the sport The champion is not looking for | | he enters the ring he wants to face 1 a boy who can give him battle. In that respect he differs from the aver lage tit1e-holder.
 Ritchie says the strained tendon
 which put him out of commission, and made him the target for the jeers | Of the fans and the poisoned arrows of I the scribes, was the biggest little in jury that could have overtaken him. As any athlete knows a strained ten- z---I -na-. . s. | rest and without it positively refuses to mend at all Ritchie was forced to put in several weeks indoors and un- able to put his foot to the floor. Oth- l wise he felt fine physically and the enforced fdIeness was particularly ga11- ing to a youngster of his spirit H Ritchie modestly adds that he hopes his showing in the coming. contests 1 will convince his unfriendly critics3 that their wires are crossed when theg accuse him of attempting to avoid ITommy Murphy for fear of the con- i sequences.
 Ad Wolgast's, return, to form is the sensation of pugllisnn- And Tom Jones, who looks after Ad's affairs. sI chance to forget that the ex-cham- : pion has returned. Ever since
 Ado1ph trimmed Joe Rivers up l Milwaukee 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 first class nitt artist, and pre-
 dicted thai the former champion
 would some day. come back and make good. And from accounts of the bat
 tie with Rivers it looks very much
 as if Jones was pretty near right. Several eye-witnesses of the fray
 have written me and the tone of the
 letters are exceedingly hattering to
 the ex-champion- From what my Mexican at every stage of the mill.
 Rivers was given a good drubbing and
 at the end of the fight Wolgast was
 as fresh as daisy.
 There is no denying that Wo1gast is marvellous little piece of fighting
 machinery when in condition We all thought, though, the operation for
 appendicitis lad taken most of the fighting out of him, but it now appears
 that we were mistaken. Ad says his
 ambition is to get Ritchie again, and
 if Tom Andrews succeeds in bring ing the boys together it ought to give Jus a line on Ads chances of recover ing the title in longer battle.
 But think Ad will find Willie an
 entirely different proposition than times, but appears to be a flair weath-
 er'' scrapper. That is everything
 must break his way or he can't do his tbest.
 However, the sports wiH- be pleased to know that Wolgast is going good again. Ad was never what could be called popular with the rank and file 5 of ring followers when champion : which feeling was largely due to Ads
 own vain ways and to Tom Jones r bombastic methods of securing pubIi. t. city, but the run of hard luck exper- l fenced during the last year of Vol. 5 gast's reign helped to turn sentiment
 in his favor. Anyway. no one cou1d - ever question his merit as fighter and everybody interested in the spor * 1 vii rejoice to see him among the head ' liners again.
 At his age26-there is no good reas
 on why Wolgast shouldn't put up {
 stiff battle for his old title. If h, M he beat Battling Nelson-whieh i
 doubtfuIhe will not encounter poucl N real opposition outside of one Mr VII
 lie Ritchie, present holder of tn N championship. The other fellows
 Rivers, Cross, Murphy, el al hardl, N look classy enough to hinder Ad mucl
 on his return trip. Always f1gur # ing that Ad is himself again, of course # Danny Morgan, he of the nimbI tongue, who has made more none . the past year or so with a stable O i. second or third raters than the aver A Haze handler of scrappers would corra # with championship outfit rises t H the defense of Willie Ritcl1ie agains q the attacks of Freddy Welsh and hi # manager. Harry Pollock.
 Morgan, who incidentally manage & Jack Britton, wants to know wh
 Welsh should be permitted to peste VI Ritchie when he (Welsh) refuses t T consider a proposition to spar Brittol boxer who figures a good mate . 6uaT-v Jorl l7oy,
 offered him. Morgan asserts that ev $ cry inducement has been made tn # English champion to meet Brittor ! and that Manager Pollock has turne down all offers.