The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-23
SEES HOME FOLKS
Willard Discusses Cattle With
Friends From Kansas.
Champion Plans to Have Big
Feast After Fight.
BY LESS WILLARD.

New York, March 23.-I awoke at
o'clock Wednesday morning feeling re
fFeshed. The delay in arising was
caused by what the medicos call
''nerves.'' due to the steady, rigorous
training with nothing to break the
monotOnY. Every time tighter
reaches the pink of condition he be-
gins to-becOme an annoyance to every
body around. particularly his trainers.
once out of the hay, we went for
walk. It wasn't the pleasantest OF my
many walks but il enabled me TO MI
my lungs with fresh air.
About Z o'clock we returned to the
hotel For half an hour l went
through my morning work and when
it was finished l was perspiring freely
enough to enjoy a dry rub. This was
followed by the regular hot bath and
than a cooling massage prepared me
for the descent before the table.
Being on what may be called diet,
I~didn't dare attack anything out the
soft boiled egg meal with a glass If
milk on the side. While mentioning
this l will add that Saturday around
midnight l am going to treat myself
toeOne Of the best and heartiest meals
any big man ever sat down to.
SEES Kansas Friends.
A few friends from Kansas were
waiting to see me after breakfast and
for an hour we discussed cattle. About
=. o. clock I started off on another
walk along the drive and showed my
places of interest. At noon every
body but myself sat down to a com
f0stable repast and an hour later we
started for the Pioneer club.
When l stripped for action 1 felt
like doing "A lot of real fighting.
For few minutes l pulled away at
the pulleys Just enough to timber up
my muscles. Then for a few rounds
] did a little shadow Sparring, so when
the partners were ready so l.
Jack Hemple climbed through the
ropes first. Jack was all fired up and
started off like the Bull of Bashan.
He kept his left arm extended IA
Moran and made desperate attempts
to wallop me around the body with
his right. He did get his right in sew
eral times, but I was so far away that
the blows didn't have the slightest
effect.
While all this was going on 1 had
the opportunity to see whether my left
worked according to the rule. 1t struck
me that few of the left hooks missed
the mark. Hemple went along for
two rounds and fought to the limit,
but he was more exhausted than 1 at
the finish.
George Rodel' took up the work of
Hemple and the Boer went at his
task with a will. For 10 rounds he
slugged at me and sometimes hit me-
No matter how 1 stuck my gloves in
to Roders face, he wouldn't back up
an inch. This was a swift workout
and had me in great shape for Mona
han.
Though Monahan is my chief train
er, he tries harder than the other two
boys to slam me. He figures that
this is the only way to make a man
settle down to real work. The two
rounds I went along with Monahan
were thrilling enough for anybody
Rodel then went on for another
round and when that was over he and
] pulled and tugged each other all
around the ring. This finished. L
spent a few minutes developing my
abdominal muscles by the floor eXer-
else and bending backward over a
stool.
From the way 1 felt after being rub
bed down, I am satisfied that 1 am
about one or two pounds from my
regular fighting weight. If those few
pounds stick, it won't worry me, how
ever, for l am in good enough condi-
ton to fight any man in the world
over any distance.
My real strenuous work is over.
That is, the hard boxing end of the
program. Today 1 will do some work
at the club but only enough to keep
me in good shape. 1t may necessitate
a little drying out for me the last two
days of training but it will not be
arduous because 1 am so close to my
best weight