New Britain herald., 1916-03-28

the average reign of the heavyweight king.
 Corbett, as heavyweight champion, l ruled five years; Fitzsimmons ruled 1 four; Jeffries' term of active service was five years, while Johnson main 1 tained his supremacy for the same l period.
 1 Five years seems to be the grand | average, and it will be at least four l years before Jess Willard is de- i tnroned-unless he gets too fat to waddle around the ring and is forced 1 tc abdicate on account of surplus 1 flesh.
 No rIatch in Sight. It would be foolish to match Full ton, Moran or any other heavyweight with the big l[ansan for some time to come.
 The Syndicate must stick to the C:rcus-either become part of the tnree-ringed show, the elephants and the pink lemonade or arrange a set up. In which case, if the public falls, it will very justly deserve the eminent stinging that will follow.
 You can take a cigar store Indian and headline him into plausible contender, but never into a cham pionship.
 Circus for Syndicate.
 No. it's the circus for the Syndicate now One May Be Born Every AIinute and there are 507,60 minutes to the year-but they don't all fall for the same kind of bunk.
 Frank Moran looked to be the next best man in sight He had one chance. That was to take an axe or 8 shotgun into the ring. Courage is 8 rare quality. But without the rest Of the tools it gets you little but 8 bloody nose and a sable eye.
 That is about all Moran's courage got him. He would have collected the s26,00 without it.
 If Moran is the next best man-and he probably is-Willard is so far be- yond all real competition that not oven the highly commercialized in stincts of Jack Curley and Tom Jones should have the nerve to start another affair.
 Whats the Use?
 Whats the use? Here is a cham pion fifty or sixty pounds heavier than the next real contender; champion who is faster, stronger, more skilful and fully as enduring; who isn't a great champion because he lacks the fighting instinct Of hls profession. but who has placid sort of courage that will take much and go far-the courage that comes with a sure knowledge of superiority.
 The man who beats Willard in the next year or two must be a DE man
 ~i,1or eral. who can take punishment and who can hit: man who knows now to use his fists and feet in a skilful way.
 Where is he? Answer: He isn't.
 The Lone Shadow.
 There is now but one shadow above Willard's gloom. That Is surplus flesh. He fought Johnson year ago weighing 245 pounds. He put III nVe weeks reducing for the Moran fight
 He started weighing PIP pounds in his clothes, which means about 262 pounds stripped.
 After five weeks of hard work he finished weighing 259 1-2 pounds at ringside. In those five weeks he was able to take off exactly 1-2 pounds. On the night of the fight he looked
  thick rolls of meat were still there.
 On Ahead.
 Willard is going to find it harder and harder to prune away this sur plus flesh.
 One glance at him five weeks ago was enough to know that he would rever fight at 250 pounds again.
 By the end of another year he will find it hard to train below 265 or possibly 27O.
 It was this extra weight that drove Hutch Schmidt out of baseball. Each season the Braves star found it harder to get in condition. His train ing weight went from 220 to 24O in two years, and then he decided the job was beyond him.
 It may be that within two years Willard will be forced to retire or give battle as a fat man in poor shape to go beyond ten rounds.
 The Penalty.
 Granting Willard his share of power and speed, it was bulk more than any other feature which gave him his crown.
 It would be one of the tricks of Fate if the bulk that did so much to lift him up should turn and be the main factor in dragging him from the top.
 And it would be no great surprise to see this happen. No heavyweight champion yet has retired unbeaten. Jeffries was going to quit, and so was Johnson. J But they both came back that one time too often. Yet Will lard may be the first to break this law of the game, especially as he doesn't care for the sport.
 When he begins to find what a job he will have slipping below 270, he may turn the crown adrift and volun- tarilv resign the sceptre.