Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-04-05

is 3S years old; Willard is 2S, weighs
normally 20 pounds more than john
son and tops him five and one-half
inches, being feet inches tall. Not
within the history of the prize ring
had two such giants been brought to-
Sether before. The scene of the fight
was the Havana race track, ten miles
from the city Thousands made their
way to the track hours before the
time set for the opening of the en-
counter. Tickets to the amount of
SSO,O00 had been sold in advance, but
the SO seats were to be sold at the
turnstiles at the four gates to-day.
Sunrise found men waiting in line.
Some of them had been there all night.
Forty-fiVe rounds was the scheduled
length of the fight. but few of thou
sands who gathered entertained even
passing belief that it would go that
long. That would mean three hours
fighting, allowing for the one-minute
rest between rounds. Tex O'Rourke.
one of Wizards advisers. thought that
in the first rounds the advantage would
be with Johnson because of his supe-
rior skill. After this, O'Rourke said,
Willard would wear the champion
down. In thirty rounds or less, he
thought, Willard would win.
Willard Arose Early
Jess Willard popped out of bed with
the rising sun this morning and after
light arm stretching exercise par
took of his breakfast He then pre-
pared himself for a short turn on the
road. after which he said he would
loaf until time to go to the ring
Il am fit said Willard to a crowd
of admirers who came over to his
training quarters to look the cowboy
giant over. why shouldn't l be
ready? / have worked hard for sew
eral weeks and am down to my proper
of L,
just enough fat on me to burn off dur
ing the fight. | have studied Johnson's
style, understand his methods, and
have planned my ring campaign ac-
cordingly. | rather expect the fight
to run about fifteen rounds at least.
Johnson's condition will enable him
to carry fast pace for that distance.
Then the strain will tell and L will
push him to the limit"
johnson Confident
Jack Johnson smiled his famous
golden smile ut his headquarters this
morning while he idled away the time
before the fight. The black champion
took stroll before breakfast, but be-
yond that did nothing in the line of
exercise. Johnson is undoubtedly over
his best ring weight, and though he
said he would enter the ring at 225.
he appeared to be several pounds
heavier
"Ill be right there all the way"
laughed Johnson this morning. Il
know when ! have reached my best
condition. All this talk of my having
lost my punching ability is nonsense.
Just you ask my sparring partners
They VIII tell YOU. AS to Willard,
know ne Is strong boy, but YOU
know that old Fitzsimmons once said
tne bigger they are the harder they
iall.' III get him with a series of
blows that will put him under before
many rounds have been run off I Just
love that championship and 1 am not
going to lose it,
There has been little preliminary
betting, but there were indications that
wagering would become more brisk as
tne day wore on. Almost every one
win money to place apparently waited
Tor an eleventh-hour shift in the odds
IN the hope of better terms. johnson
was favorite with the odds at to r
and G to 3. These were the figures
obtained to-day at the Miramar Hotel,
Vhere the late arrivals from Key West
ana New Orleans nocked before the
fight.
Uncertainty as to Johnson's real con-
dltlon and Wizards ability are the
factors which have kept down the
Dettlng and there was as much specu-
iation regarding these questions this
morning as there was week ago.
Early estimates of the crowd which
began to gather with the sunrise
placed their number at 1900. They
came from everywhere. The hotels
emptied after an early breakfast.
The promoters went during the
morning to Johnson's headquarters to
pay him the 100000 which he was to
receive as his share of the gate re-
ceipts, win or lose Under the agree
ment Johnson was to receive also one
third of the moving picture privilege.
Wizards share was 20 per cent. of
the total receipts and one-third in
terest In the moving pictures.