The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-18
TO Get The KALE
Fighters Do Not Necessarily
Have to Wear Crowns.
Near Champions Make as Much
as the Real Ones.
RY FRANK G. MENKE.

New York, May 18.-If you merely
seek kale in the pugilistic world, it
isn't necessary for you to become a
champion. Ring history shows that
aspirants, with good business heads,
have shared as many, if not more,
greenbacks than the title holders.
Packey Mcfarland never was a di-
vision king, yet the Chicagoan has
earned in the neighborhood of $780,
600 in the ring. Mike Gibbons, whose
'shakedowns' in the last three years
have gone beyond 100000, never has
worn crown. Leach Cross, who
grabbed off over 100000 during his
long ring career, never got out of the
runner up class.
Frank Moran, merely heir appar-
ent to the heavyweight throne, has
earned $4,000 during the past seven
or eight months. And he is sure to
add another $4,000 or $4,000 if he
goes through with his fights with Jack
Dillon and Carl Morris. Dillon never
has been a fully recognized champion,
although he claims the light heavy
weight title. Yet Dinon's ring earn
ings have been tremendous.
X. o. Brown Earned $4,000.
Battling Levinsky, who fought al
most continuously last year, earned
close to $4,000. Knockout Brown, the
lightweight, never was much better
than a good second rater. But during
the five years he was campaigned I'M
der the management of Dan Morgan
his earnings were $144, O00-an aver
age of nearly $4,000 a year. Johnny
Dundee, lightweight, is earning as
much per year now as the champions
of other days used to earn during their
entire regime.
George CLANCY isn't the feather
weight champion. Chances are he
never will be if Johnny Kilbane con-
Times i'm with n
Yet CLANCY is getting almost as much
for his services as is Kilbane, and his
ring earnings during the past two
years have been huge in the extreme.
If not a bigger-drawing card in the
west than Champion Freddie Welsh
And Whites annual earnings have run
well into the five figures.
So far we have touched on only the
topnotch aspirants. There are scores
of other battlers who never have been
and never will be champions, yet they
| are earning each year sums that ex-
coed those garnered by champions in
| other days.
| Dan Morgan Explains.
How do you account for it, we
asked Dan Morgan, the managerial per-
son. who has the reputation of being
! able to get bigger guarantees for his
nonchampions than many champions
can get.
Because a good northampton. in a
no-decision bout, often is a better
! drawing card than champion an
| swered Morgan. Furthermore a
! northampton will fight oftener-and
he will fight anybody. A champion
! doesn't care to risk losing his title He
fights infrequently-and usually Sc
iects lemons. champion-lemon fight
doesn't pack arenas.
/ The fans want 60 see men fight
| That's what they pay for. They know
that when two first class aspirants are
! fighting in a limited bout that both
men will battle to the limit that the
bout will be a real one. But they are
always skeptical about an affair in
which champion figures. Title hold
ers do not take unnecessary chances
Rarely are they on the aggressive, an6
| unless both men do offensive fightins
the bout oftentimes is farcical
"A good aspirant won't get as big e
guarantee per fight as a champion, bu
over years stretch he will earn more
than the king because he will figh
three and four times while the chamt
is fighting once