Evening star., 1914-12-20
BY T. S. ANDREWS.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
MILWAUKEE,, Wis, December 10
Will Johnny (Tlid) Williams. bantam
weight champion of the world, agree to
make 116 pounds ringside for a title
match and side bet with Johnny
(Young) Ertle. the st. Paul younsster,
who has sprung into prominence
through his matches about the middle
west the past two monthso
Mike McNulty who halls from the
home of Mike Gibbons, is sincere in his
effort to get title match with Kid
Williams. and he is willing that the
match be made for the marathon dis
tance, naming New Orleans the
place to hold it. that being about the
only location where a real title match
could be held just now.
1T is not a case of looking for
notoriety," said Mike the other day.
after Johnny had trimmed Artie Arm
strong of Chicago in a ten-round bout,
but simply the belief of Ertle and my
self that the little fellow is the best
bantam in the country today at the
legitimate weight limit. l know Will
iams is a grand little fighter, and a
credit to the game, but do not believe
he can make the weight and beat my
bet of 81 ,090, which l will put up at
any time, and split the purse any way
he wishes. That should prove that we
are not after any short ends just to
get a match. Ertle can make 10
POI nds ringside and be at his best, but
he can also build up to 112 and then
give away a few pounds. He is one of
the greatest natural fighters ! ever
saw, and / think that all the boxing
fans who have seen him will agree
with me. We are after Johnny Coulon
for match first, but Johnny, In my
opinion. will not box the youngster.
eff he will make match, why, we are
5saay for him Wse at anS s%e but nof o9uon
into a buzz-saw. We would prefer to
meet Coulon first. If Johnny will not
re-enter the ring, why, then Mr.. Will
liams is the boy we want. If he can
NIT the same and advance into the
featherweight class. where he would
belong, and fight Johnny KiIbane for
the championship and we win take
ready and they say money talks If we
can make Il match all I ask is that
Williams put up forfeit, of at least
$1,000 to make the weight-116 ring
side-and we will do likewise. the for
felt to go as a side bet if desired"
Ertle has had three fights recently
around the middle west and his show
ing has been something wonderful. He
is one of the greatest little fighters de-
veloped since the days of Jimmy
Barry.
The claim is made in France that the
wonderful showing of the French SOL
diers in the terrible war now in prog
measure. to the introduction of ath-
letics of all kinds into the French
army and schools during the past
twenty years. One of the French Off
for ri ,,yit r
an athletic institution there and who
was a great supporter of the boxing
game pays quite tribute to boxing
in the building up of young French
his name mentioned at this time, In
writing to friend in this city, says:
You were right when you told me
that what we needed was athletics and
especially boxing. 1 would not have
believed 1t were it not for the fact that
the demonstration has been brought
home to us. Formerly 1 was opposed
to boxing, but now it will be my en-
deavor (providing I live through this
affair." to encourage 1t in all countries.
that Eugene Soldeville, who at one
time did a lot of boxing in Paris and
also in England and Austria. has been
proving himself quite hero. He was
the Aisne river. 1t is surprising to
know the number of boxers who have
enlisted in the army over here. There
are hundreds of them and every one
has been in the thickest of fights.
II was out to see Georges Carpenter,
the middleweight champion. who was
supposed to have been injured quite
badly. I found Georges TO be feeling
very well indeed and content with his
lot. When l left he was preparing to
go on a mission with one of the avia-
tors. SO the stories about him not be-
ing at the front are untrue. There
have been different reports abou:
Charles Ledoux. the bantam champion,
being killed, and 1 tried to investigate.
From what 1 could learn, he is at
Alencon and Is feeling very well.
Whether he has met with an accident
since then cannot say. Stuber. Glenn
ent and Brochet. all well known box
ers here. We're with LedouX and every
one of them had been severely wound
ed
1T may surprise YOU also to hear this I
Tom Linton, at one time famous BIZ
cycle rider. who raced in New York
several times, was killed in one of the
battles. I hope that this affair will
! soon be-ended and that We Will be able