Evening journal., 1915-04-05
BY BARRY FARIS.
United Press Stafi Corresponds

United Press Staff Correspondent.
RINGSIDE, MIRAMAR RACE
TRACK, Havana, April 5.-YOuth met
experience for the heavyweight cham
piOnship of the world today beneath
skies mOmentarily threatening rain.
Only about 10000 spectators assem-
bIed TO watch the battle of the MastO-
dons-Jess Willard, Kansas cowboy,
and white hope, 245 pounds Of Cau-
casian Drawn, against John Arthur
johnson, titlc-hOlder, with 93O
pounds Of ebOnlzed muscle, and the
advance sale of 100000 claimed by
the promoters looked mythical.
The crowd, save for that In the
cheaper priced seats, was slow in
assembling. The gates had been
opened for the general admission
seats at Z a. m. These were filed
with 5000 fans at IL o'clock, an hour
and half before the big battle Of
giants was scheduled to start. The
reserve seats were slower in filling,
only a few hundred fans being seat
ed at 11.SO. The big arena showed a
vari-cOlOred mass, struggling in each
entrance. An hour before the fight
a few wOrkmen still worked fever
ishIy putting the finishing touches
on the temporary seats.
Directly in front Of the judges
stand on the track stood the twenty
foot squared circle. A tarpaulin was
ready to be spread instantly if trop-
ical shower came.
At noon mutuel betting machines
showed Johnson a 10 to favorite.
The betting was very light at that
time.
No championship battle of the hands
has ever been staged amid such pic
turesque surroundings. Over the top
of the fence enclosing the race track
was the dense green of tropical verdi
ure. The air was close with the scent
of foliage. The race track grandstand
formed the main grandstand for the
fight. Four thousand spectators were
massed here-the only ones in the
10000 protected by a roof from the
threatening skies. Five thousand
seats filled the race track on both
sides from the ring. The cheaper
seats we're massed in the center of the
circular track.
Halt mile away royal palm trees
quivered in the faint breeze.
At 1905 there were at least 2O'
women in the grandstand. All were
gaily dressed. Their strikingly coloreC
dresses formed background to the
duck suited dandies of Havana, or tho
black suits of the American spectators.
Armed soldiers OF the Republic o.
Cuba, picturesque in their uniforms, pa
trollcd every section of the enclosure
keeping splendid order.
At I2.l0, it was apparent that th'
fight would be late. All officials wer'
at the ringside, but the principals ha'
not shown. At that time nearly all tin
seats were taken, but there was never
ending stream of humanity still pressin,
forward from the entrances.
The movie men and the newspape
photographers at 1925 began setting "
Their machines to prepare for the en-
trance of Willard and johnson.
Johnon got his 100000 share Of tn
money an hour before the fight wa
scheduled TO start, in accordance will
the agreement by which he accepted tn
challenge of White Hope Willard
Mrs. Johnson, the white wife of the
negro champion, was shown a seat al
the ringside by Tom Flanagan. John.
sons chief second. at 1890 o'clock.
President Monocal of the Cuban
Republic, entered a box in the grand
stand about 1880 o'clock. He was ac
companied by party Of Cuban off
cials.
The Cuban fight fans gave Presi
dent Monoc9l a noisy welcome.
II was announced that johnson re
ccived $4,000 for his services in cur
rency in his dressing room. He ha,
previously received $1,000. making tn,
$4,000 guaranteed the champion
when he accepted Wllard's challenge
The officials we're introduced 10 ihl
crowd during the wait for tho fghteri
70 put in an appearance. The movie
mon put their machines into actor
and clicked off several feet of film
While the officials bowed.