South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-11
Richie UNABLE
To GET $4,000
BOUTS ANY MORE
Harlem Tommy Murphy Last
Foeman Worthy of Cham
piOn'S Steel and InCidently
the Last Remining Drawing
Card.
BY FRANK 6. MENkE.

NEW YORK. April ll.-WilIe
Richie. the we'll known punching per
son. il in a sorry plight
Since he has been champion Willie
has defeated three or the four best
Americans in his class The other is
7 ommy Murphy. who calls New No-1
his home. Willie tackles Tommy GA
the coast next week. and from ali the
pre-Scrap dope. Willie ought 10 win
boy a wide margin.
Ii he does. Willie viii have elimiu6t-
ed every native who has been a cham
piOnship contender That viii leave
nothing but second raters for hini 20
swap punches with. Willie has vow
ed and determined that he never
would fight for less than $4,000 as
his share OF the receipts. And IL So
happens that no fight promoter Wal
risk guaranteeing Willie tGsat sum Tor
a battle against such lighters rs Young
Shugrue, Jack Br-ttoG. Johnny Dun
dee and others.
And so it looks just now that 4
Willie wallops Tommy ana he can
arrange terms for q fight with Freddie
Welsh who comes from England, *
looks as if Willie will either have TO
bust his $4,000 or no night" vow, 'F
go hghtless. and eventually do what
Jimmy Jehries, q California farmer
did-retire.
Turns Down Offers
Ritchie has been offered $4,000 20
meet Young Shugrue in New York. hut
he has spurned that total And the
fight promoters do not feel justified Ia
offering more. as they think that win
Shugrue as Ritchie's opponent, the
house viii not draw very well.
An offer of $4,000 10 meet Jack Brit
ton in New York also has been made
to the champion. and he turned his
nose up at il in a disdainful manner.
similar offer TO Richie 10 meet
Johnny Dundee. the New York batter'
received similar treatment
"ScOtty' MOnteith, manager OF
Dundee. is so confident that his man
can take Ritchies measure. and. Incl
dentally, Ritchie's crown, that he prob
ably will agree to make up the dill
ference between the 5000 offered and
the $4,000 asked by Richie, out OF
his own pocket. But If Ritchie's n
nancial temperament Is Such tndt
many believe if Monteith volunteers 10
donate the extra $4,000, the champ at
once will boost his price 10 $4,000 or
$4,000.
May Revive Game.
Ii is possible that If the nghunS
game is revived at COney Island, New
York, and a pavilion erected, that the
promoters will attempt TO get hltchlo
and Welsh together for the opening
bout. But that action would depend
a lot on what happens TO Welsh When
he swaps punches with Leach cross,
the New York lightweight.
If Welsh knocks out Cross, or wins
from him in a decisive manner, the
public will clamor for a meeting be-
tween the American and British
champion. But if Welsh gets nothing
better than a draw from Cross, Richie
can murmur something about go get
a reputation" TO any of Welsh's chal-
lengers Richie, il may be remem-
bered defeated Cross in a rather de-
cisive fashion in New York IN NoVem-
Der in a ten-round bout, and many
are of the opinion that ne would have
landed a sleep punch against the Jaws
Of Cross had the bout gone several
rounds longer Richie seemed 20 be-
Just warming up TO his task when the
final gong rang.
The White Hopes.
While on the subject of famine. re-
tirement and things OF that sort, one
might pause for "A moment and con
slider the white hope persons. It's
almost time that somebOdy-besides
themselveS-felt sorry for them, with
the summer season coming on ana the
sporting public forsaking the closed
arenas for the open baseball stadiums
il will mean that a lean season D.
ahead for those who make their liVinS
primarily through appearing in the
prize ring.
Many OF the white hope persons
who have been grabbing off easy
money during the past winter by per
forming some sea-liOn antics under the
name OF fighting. will not get any more
easy money until autumn comes again.
Unless those chaps slowed away some
of the shekels they garnered last win
ter from a gullible public, they VIII
have 10 go back TO their old jobs az
NJ. hitewashing. brickla-ing. long-shcre-
ing. piano-moving and railroading, cor
staTve.