Evening journal., 1916-06-21
HECKLER Tells WHY
He DROPPED Willard
Big Fellow Refused TO Fight
With Big Purses in
Sight
FIRST BOUT WAS
WITH ARTHUR PELKY

w II nlN llON Il EAllA
NEW YORK, June 2l.--Billy lleci>ler
wakes fretful and becomes a bit gloomy
whenever anyone casually mentions that
Jess Willard Is rohing up a fortune for
himself and his managers.
"Once that bird was mine TO have and
to hold, Tor better or worse, richer or
poorer-and | let him loose walls
HecSler, who is nationally prominent
because OF his management Of ring
stars.
Along in the early part Of the sum
mer OF 1919 Willard came 10 New York
accompanied by Charlie Cutler, tho
wrestler" reminisced Eleckler. "Charlie
towed jess out to my brother-in- laws
Billy Gibsonl place and said that he
had been managing Willard, but that he
was too busy to handle him any longer.
"'You take him. Billy said Cutler to
Gibson But Billy had lot of iron, in
the fire, and Willard didn't look like
anythng hut huge bulk of flesh then.
So Billy said TO me;
"'Nou aren't handling very many fell
lows. now; take over this " Nillard fellow
and see what you can do for him. He's
big enough 10 be q champion If he ever
learns how TO fight
so became the manager Of jess
willard" continued Hcckler. Jess was
Hat broke mt the time. His shoes were
on the blink ani his clothes were on the
fritz. gave him little money 10 keep
him going. Then / hustled around and
framed a fight for him with Arthur
pelkey. Willard's first appearance in a
New ork ring provoked bursts OF mer-
riment. He was clumsy and still
clumsier. lie had a terrific punch even
then. but he knew nothing about deliv
ering IL, and be knew nothing much
about defense.
"The majority of the papers. if ] re-
member correctly, gave the decision TO
Willard in that bout. not so much be
cause Willard was good, but because
Pelkey made a miserable showing Will
lards share for that night yas around
Sl75. and when he got it il looked like
milian dollars 20 him.
"a shore time later l arranged the
Willard McCarty fight. After ! had
signed articles I went on TO tell jess
about il. When ] broke the news he
! suddenly announced that he wasn't
feeling we'll, and that he was afraid h'
couldn't 60 on with the bout. THAI
was the time when McCarty was in hii
/ prime But / coaXed Jess. along, boil
| stored up his courage, and he went oul
and fought McCarty and earned the
popular decision.
"Willard's divvy for that fight was
around 1919. and when Jess got it in his
hands and fingered it over he had an eN-
preston on his face like that of man
who had Just inherited 10000 shares of
Bethlehem Steel stock.
"rhe showing of Willard in those two
fights convinced me that the big boy
was conner; that with more expert
ence and plenty of tutoring he would be
world beater. But what I feared then
was that Jess didn't have the same
faith in himself. Not that he was q
coward. but he always was so solf-con
/ scious. He knew he looked awkward
in the ring and that he had little skill
and that was on his mind whenever Ia
got into an auditorium in those days.
after Wizards fight with McCart!
| got ouite a few offers TO match him
The clubs were keen about putting O
Willard Palzer bout Al was quite
hero In the Fast Just then and Tn
folks figured such a fight would dra'
, big. I put the thing up 10 less. but h
backed away from IT, lie frankly COZ
tossed that he didn't feel himself 10 b
, in Palzer's class right then. and that
he waited a year he might improve to
point where he could whip Palzer.
"Then Sandy Ferguson. Of Bosto
sent on n challenge. I was for maxim
the match, but Jess baked me. Jimm
Dime. of New Castle, Pa. wired Tor
match for his man. Dan DAILY. 81
again Jess declared he wouldn't hgh
and I became a bit peevish.
"a month or so afterward ! was o
fered a match for jess against Gunbo'
Smith The Gunner was breezing alor
quite merrilv then and | knew that
willard Smith match would attract
BIG house. But Jess once again decline
TO fight. The Gunner. ] guess locke
too good 20 suit Jess. argued wit
the big fellow, told him he might get
least Sc Oo0 for the scrap and that
was hie enough and knew enough aboi
tho game 10 heat Smith to a pup. ] Ill
everything possible 20 swing Jess to m
wav Of thinking. but I couldn't persuaC
him.
"That sort Of dise7isted me with hi'
and I quit trying 10 make matches +
him. Later on he drifted hack into II
West and Tom Jones grabbed him OIL
and nabbed a gold mine at the sam
time