New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-13
JESS WILLARD
MAKES HIS BOW
ON THE STAGE
Says 20 Words, Shows His
Huge Bulk and Does
Shadow Boxing.
TOM JONES ACTS
PART OF CERBERUS
Guards the New Champion Even
from Those Who Might Be
of Some Service.

As IN actor Jess Willard. the heavy
weight champion Of the world, is still a
white hope"
The Kansas cowboy who sent Jack
Johnson tumblng from his champion
ship pedestal at Havana. Cuba. one
week ago yesterday. has a terrible
punch with his left hand; is a terror
at infighting, while his mighty right
sent Johnson crashing TO the floor OF
the Havana ring. But little Jimmy
Britt, the former lightweight boxer of
San Francisco, who is on the same bill
with big Jess at Hammerstein's Vic
toria Theatre this week. could gain a
decision over the new champion of all
the hcavyweights at every matinee mad
evening performance.
Wizards entrance and exit from
Hammersten's was most mysterious
He was chosen to close the perform
ance, and it was shortly before o'clock
that a closed automobile drove up TO
the Seventh Avenue entrance 10 the
theatre. while several thousand per
sons were packed in Forty-second
Street waiting to catch glimpse Of
the champion.
Tom Jones. the Village barber" from
lard's affairs for the last few months,
seemed to be afraid the Kansas giant
would not survive the sight of a crowd,
so he struggled Jess through a side
door, took him up to the roof in the
elevator and then down back of the
scenes by a spiral staircase.
After this preliminary Loney Has
kell, the house manager of the thea
ire, stepped out on the stage and in
troduced Walter Monahan and Larry
Temple, Wizards sparring partners.
and Tom Jones. "who raised the Kan
sas Cyclone to the title"
Stage fright is not one Of Mr.. Jones's
fallings, and he at once started in 10
SAY his piece" After assuming a prom
inent position in the centre of the stage
the former barber of Spring Valley, ILL.,,
announced:
willard is ready to meet any white
man in the world, at any time or place,
but he will never box a colored man."
This statement met with thunders of
applause from a house that packed the
theatre from pit to dome. 1t was suf-
ficient encouragement for Jones, and he
started to take the audience into his
confidence Just at that moment some
man sitting in box formed cup with
his hands and beloved "NeXt!"
Jones Strengthened up like ramrod
and turned, as if about to brush of a
chair for customer who wanted a
shave and a haircut in a hurry. The
audience was loud in its approval of the
wtticism from the spectators seats
and Jones retreated and came forth
from the wings with Willard in full
ring costume.
4 roe
beseeched, and big Jess assumed a grim
look and spoke as follows:
81 thank you one and all for this re-
cepton, but when it comes to making a
speech I'm not there"
1t would be we'll to ponder this
speech carefully, for they were the only
words uttered by the big champion
while on the stage. 1t was a master
piece of brevity.
Willard proceeded to work on the
weight machines, the muscles of his
shoulder ripping back and forth like
wayelets. Next the Kansas cowboy
tackled the medicine ball with his part
ners, and after that did a three minute
bit of shadow boxing, while the spec
tators kept pace with audible comments
such as "Show US how you put it on
Johnson, Jess" and There he goes
down for the count of ten"
Willard then demonstrated how he
had planted the knockout punch on
Johnson's jaw, one of his sparring part
ners posing as the negro and Hopping
to the floor in realistic manner. More
applause, and Jess rushed for the
haven of the wings.
1t was impossible to see Willard after
his "act." Jones mounted guard just
outside the big fellows dressing room
and showed the anxious members of the
press ruthlessly away. He finally re-
Tented sufficiently to allow them to have
a peek through crack at Jess. That
was all, and then Willard was once
more hustled out Of the side door, while
a disappointed crowd still waited on
Forty-second st 'eet.
/ Jones t, ok occasion to say, in answer
to a question, that Willard was not tied
up with theatrical contracts, and that
his plans for tire future were "up in
the air"