The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1916-12-29
HOW OLD
IS JESS
TODAY?
Dope Books Say 20, Some
Folks Say 35-It's His
Birthday Anyway

AS this is Jess Wizards birthday,
and as Jess has been talking lot
lately about fighting-or maybe it's
Just boXing-what more appropriate
than a special Willard number? 1t is
true that the advertising manager
kicked Il bit at first, because he
thought Jess was a pill or q predigest-
ed piffle of some sort. and ought to
pay advertising rates. Having hurdled
that difficulty, here are the horrible
details:
Willard was born in Pottowatomie
county. state OF Kansas. Dec. 20. 1887,
according to all the sporting dope
books, which makes him twenty-nine
years old today. There are some
folks who insist that Jess isn't quite
as much of a Juvenile as these figures
would indicate. They say that he was
born on the twenty ninth of Deem
Der. all right, but that he was cele-
brating his sixth birthday on the day
Of his alleged birth. In other words.
that he was born Dec. 20. 1881. instead
of 1887. and is therefore thirty five to-
day. Whether or not there is any
foundation for such an allegation. de-
ponent saNeth not. A special commits
sion should be DISPATCHED to Pottowa-
tonne county to investigate this vital
question. In the meantime. be that
as it may.
Wizards father was a native of Illi-
nois, and his mother was a Kentucki-
an. Jess was born in a house. but he
didn't stav in it any longer than alb
solutely necessary. The out o doors
appealed to him as strongly as to that
other eminent American. Col Roose-
welt, and not only his days. but often
his nights, were spent in the open.
AS a mere kid he became a cowboy
and "brOnchO buster" but he had to
give that up as he grew oder. be-
cause his feet dragged on the ground
and impeded the pony's progress.
1t was about six years ago that Jess
took it into his head to become a fight
er. He was then in Oklahoma where
Carl Morris was being doomed as a
coming champion and the chief hope
of the white race. Jess thought to
himself, why. If that little runt Of
a Morris. who is only six feet and four
inches or so. has a chance to bring
home the bacon. it oughta be easy for
a real man like me-"
When Jesss Dugilisttc ambition was
just budding. Jim Corbett was playing
a theatrical engagement in Oklahoma
City. Jess thought he would ask Gen
tlcman Jim'S advice. but his courage
ooZed out at the critical moment. and
he wrote a letter instead. Getting no
reply, he induced a sporting friend to
WTltt IO COTDGtI. Dul lndI 0plSllB dlSO
remained unanswered. II was a mighty
close shave for Jess. If Corbett had
taken him up Willard would have been
jinXed for sure. for every man that
the old champion has picked as a COM
er has proved to be a false alarm.
Willard did a little training in an
Oklahoma gym" where the expert
enced fighters took great delight in
using the good -natured cowboy as a
punching bag. His first ring bout was
with Louis Fink, in Sapulpa. Jess
took quite drubbing, for he was as
wide open as a barn door. and while
Fink's defense would have been easily
solved by a good boxer, for Jess it
was as hard to break as a habit At
length, in the tenth roupd, Jess man
aged to land a good one, and it
knocked Fink out OF the ring. The
referee said it was a foul. and gave
the victory to Fink