Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-05
Willard WRESTs WORLDS
TITLE FROM JACK JOHNSON
Battles Black Man For Twenty.Six Rounds
and Gets in Knockout Blow.

topped with palms. The fight man
ayers seeing the possibilities OF pic
| ture machines with telescope
lenses had guards along the sides OF
the track.
Several dark cloud banks hung over
the~sea and offered menace of rain
At II o'clock several thousand had
arrived and found seats.
Notables Arrive.
The first notables sto reach the ring
side seats were the mayor Of Havana
, and the speaker Of the Cuban house
Of representative. Matt Klingel. the al
ternate referee, came IN fcw minutes
after the mayor and began with the
final arrangements. BY this time a
number Of soldiers had taken up their
positions around me riEgside.
Yhe ring was finished shortly before
noon. While the strongest 1t was the
crudest ever erected FOR world
championship fight. The band in the
grandstand entertained the crowd. The
first tune it. rendered was by the
Beautiful Sea-"
Late arrivals at the arena told Of
many automobile wrecks along the
narrow and crowded road from Ha-
wanna, but up to noon there had been
no serious accident.
There were many women among the
spectators. Most Of them occupied box
seats and many Of them were Amer
leans.
No Big Betting at Rinsside.
No big betting vas reported at the
ringside, hut the betting machines
were freely patronized in small sums.
Before the ring was completed the
big gong had arrived and was placed
in position.
Bob Vernon, official stakeholder and
timekeeper, took his place at the ring
side at noon. Otto Floto, timekeeper
for Willard, and Sam Bennett, timer
for Johnson, sat on either side of Yer
non.
Cuban Prssidsnt There.
President Menocal, Of Cuba, arrived
a few minutes after noon, and took
q seat in box about one hundred feet
from the ring. He was preceded by
the commanding officers Of the Cuban
army and navy. At that hour the
crowd was pouring In rapidly.
The Cubans showed much excite
ment, even In anticipat atiOn.
johnson arrived at the track at 1925
but did not appear until later. His
wife. arrived In company with Tom
Flanagan. who was acting for john
son.
Attsndanes 5000
The attendance Is estimated at about
$4,000. Only few OF the $50 seats
are still vacant. The sun began to
nd oil II ov If
rain seems past.
At half past II Announcer Jim Mace
exhibited Johnson's receipt for SIS, 900
and the meaning Of these papers were
English.
johnson Enters Ring.
johnson entered the ring at 1:15.
He was applauded by the enthusiastic
Cubans. He was clad in a grey bath
robe and wore his usual golden smile. =
The negros first move was to ascertain
where his wife was located. Willard
entered the ring at 1920 p. m.
Yelling and cheering announced the
appearance of Willard. The crowd
went wild over the young giant. Will
lard wore a heavy red sweater, blue
trousers and black sOmbrerO. In the
challenger's corner were the following
seconds:
Tom Jones, Wizards manager: Tex
O'Rourke, Jim Savage, Walter Mona
han. johnson was seconded by George
Munro, Sam McVey, Dave Mills and
Bob Armstrong.
The two pugilists shook hands for
the movies. The ring gradually cleared
except to the referee, seconds and
principals
johnson objected to q woman spec
tator in the press stand and she retired
to an adjacent box.
The negro, stripping bath robe.
showed clad in bright blue trunks and
no belt.
Willard wore dark blue trunks and
an American flag as belt. The Sec
onds, carefully inspected the gloves.
IS Wizards weight was 2ss. Johnson's
225. e, sssss1
At 1928 the ring was ordered cleared.
The pugilists then shook hands. Time
was called at 4: 53 New York time.