The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-27
JESS WILLARD LEAVES
FOR HOME IN CHICAGO
After Brief Stay Windy City Worlds Heavyweight Cham
pion Will Join Circus for Salary of $500 Per Day
and a Percentage of the Gate Receipts
BY I'D. CURIEY.

New y Ork, MdTCH @0.--JfSS WIZ
lard, our heavyweight champion, left
this big town fiat this afternoon. The
titleholder made fast tracks to Chi
cago, to greet his family. from which
he has been absent for four weeks,
His hurry to get home Is due to the
fact that an interesting event is ex<
pected to happen in the willard family
any day Willard was accompanied BY
Walter Monahau and Jack Hempie,
two Of his trainers.
Willard departed with his right
hand encased in splints. Immediately
after his battle last night the cham
pion rushed to his hotel where his
doctor was awaiting him. A thorough
examination disclosed that two OF the
small bones in his hand were broken.
They were set properly and then the
big hand was sandwiched between two
boards The doctor declared that in
about three weeks the hand will be
perfect.
His leave-taking was that of con-
quering hero. When he and his party
arrived at the Pennsylvania depot a
vast mob was on hand to holler:
"Good-bye." The big fellow. in his
usual modest manner. kept under
cover until it was time to enter the
I
macadam floor; scoot down the
stairs and Jess Willard was off Gotham
soil. He will arrive in Chicago about
noon tomorrow and will then rest up
until he has to go out on the circus
circuit.
Gets $500 Per Day.
His engagement with the circus
| calls for thirty weeks of work, for
which he will receive n guarantee of
$500 per day with a percentage OF
the receipts. The tent show opens on
April 20 and his engagement viii keep
him busy until the middle of Novem-
Der. His showing will be done in the
Middle and far West. His act will
be on the same order as last year---a
ride in the grand entry, two-round
boxing exhibition, and the leader of n
band of cow boys that drive off the
bandits in the stage coach attacked.
The runor that Willard was to bat
tie Moran again was denied today by
his managers. They claim his circus
contract would preclude any talk OF
| return match now. Also they are
| not anxious to discuss matches that
could not possibly be held until ten
months from now.
It Is probable that Jess Willard will
establish a record of being the first
! heavyweight champion that will re-
tire undefeated. His showing Satur-
day convinced the army of spectators
| that there is no dangerous rival in
sight. Again the champion declares
positively that when two years pass he
is through with fighting Only mir
acle will produce a worthy opponent
within that space of time.
Work Nonotonous Grind.
There is one other point about the
big fellow that will aid his retire.
ment. He is growing so immense that
| 1t Is certain he will hover around the
300-pound mark within a few months
He packs on flesh 50 rapidly that IL he
doesn't get steady strenuous exercise
he will grow out of the heavyweight
| championship. With the circus the
work is a monotonous grind and not
| anything that will keep the champion
from adding rolls of fat to his body.
When Willard fights again all in
d!cations are that 1t Will be twenty
round affair. probably down in New
Orleans. Before the Moran scrap was
settled the champion was practically
signed up to fight Fred Fulton in New
Orleans. A date has been virtually
promised the Southern promoters for
next winter, but mo- opponent has been
decided upon.
Moran is naturally clamoring for
another match. At the present writ
ing. he heads the list of eligibles and
1t appears as II he will cling to that
eminence for some time. If there In
q demand for a-FetiiFa match Willard
will oblige. The champion has said
right along that his interest I'm the
sport fingers on the financial side. All
he desires is enough money to keep
! the wolf away from the entrance.
Judging from his lucrative engage
ment ALI summer II looks as If he
won't worry over the price of coal
next winter