Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-11-01
GIBSON KEPT GAME CLEAN
Famous Boxing Promoter Instru-
mental in Boosting Sport Up.
NOT PROFITABLE PURSUIT
Between Purses to Contestants aud
His General Expenditures for
Uplifting, His Net Money
is Small.

NEW YORK, oct Sl-when Billy Glib
son announced a few days ago that other
business interests made Il compulsory
to retire as a promoter Of big glove con-
tests. tho belief became general that Glib
son had made big clean up" on box
ing. and, finding that it was no longer
profitable. was getting out But after
looking over the books of the Fairmont
Athletic club, which has been in exist
ence for six years. It is plain that the
man who did more to keep the sport
clean than anyone ever connected with
1t is fortunate to break even financially.
The only recompense for hard labor and
the loss of many hours Of sleep is that
he has achieved his ambition, having
paced the glove game on clean and
sportsmaniko foundation
Entertuins Thousands.
Since his connection with boxing Glib
sen has entertained more than 10000
people at his CLUB. and the receipts were
about $4,000 The first show was con
Quoted May %. 1908. and with the excep-
ton Of four weeks there has been at
least one show each week. In the three
years that the boxing law has been on
the statute books the state has received
from this club more than $4,000 In revo-
nues. This alone means that upward of
900 has been handled in admissions
at the Fairmont Athletic club since the
Frawley law became operative and in
dicates an attendance of about 100000
people who paid to see the boxing exhi
biuons One can easily add 10 this 10000
people who didn't pay tor enter.
Under the club law" the Fairmont
Athletic club showed In exhibitions some
Of the best known and cleverest boxers
in the world. 1t played TO capacity time
and time again and the receipts during
these so-called war times amounted to-
about $4,000 CHANGING at these figures
one not familiar with the situation would
expect enormous profits. But there were
no profits 1t all went back into the
mill and fell into the hands of the boxers
and the large force of help that was
maintained, rent bill, light, heat and
NUch e. ~ RoNerS.
ont of about $45OO 900 handled during
the regime of the Fairmount Athletic
club more than g. per cent went to the
boxers. The balance went for expenses
and to cover deficits on many shows,
where the guarantees given performers
were oiNeU b"lNS 40 i'i 90 10 ~
CENTS.
Mr. Gibson, in talking Of his exper-
fence rs a club owner pointed out that
he expended close to $500 for legal
foeG.
Packy Mcfarland leads all boxers in
amounts received for services at the
club. He received about $4,000. Leach
Cross was handed more than $4,000 for
his work, and other stars who proved
q heavy drain on the receipts were owen
Moran, Jem Driscoll, Tommy Murphy,
sam Langford, Mike Gibbons. Freddie
Welsh Willie Lewis, Abe Attell and
Jack Goodman.
Big losses were sustained by the club
when 1t failed to conduct the Langford-
Ketchel bout five years ago and also
the Kaufman-Lang bout. Mr.. Gibson
called off both these events sooner than
have trouble with the police He re-
turned more than $4,000 in advance money
for the Ketchel-Langford match and lost
several thousand i'm forfeits posted to
assure the boxers that the bout would
be held.
In the case of the Lang-Kaufman match
the club was crowded to capacity and
the receipts were more than $4,000. When
the police threatened TO break their way
into the building Mr. Gibson called off
the bout and returned to the patrons
every dollar paid for tickets. His loss
on this event alone amounted to $500.