Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-28
LEONARD AND WILLIAMS MUST WIN
BY KNOCKOUT TO GAIN RESPECTTVE
LAURELS FROM WELSH AND HERMAN
Titleholders Can Be Hammered From Pillar to
Post, But Their Crowns Remain Intact If
They Hear the Final Bell
BY LOUIS II. JAFFE

CHAMPIONSHIP ring battles are extraor.
| dinary dishes these days Titeholders
svidently cannot be bothered with chances
~ having referees verdict give some other
fellow the privilege Of entering upon a
reign Of puglistic supremacy Now it is
apparent that n contender can grab off a
championship only by power Of the
nroverbial knockout wallop.
Fred Welsh, who has been relegated to
6stlcs discard for many moons, but con-
tnues to bask in the hmelght as light
weight champion because of his wonderful
and superb ability to clinch through linn
tied bouts, again enters on the brink Of
dethronement That's about as far as Fred
allows himself to go-the brink.
Tonight, at the Manhattan A. c. New
York Welsh will he kind enough to give
Benny Leonard an opportunity to knock
the crown from his brow. But no matter
how badly Leonard may punish the foxv
Briton, Fred still will remain champion
just as long as he is able to hear the final
tlngle of the gong.
Herman Williams Here
Petey Herman will place his bantam
crown in jeopardy also in a no-decision
contest in Philadelphia on June 13. when
the New orleans lad meets Kid Williams
from whom Pete annexed his laurels This
contest will be staged as the second speciaI
Wednesday night show of the season at
the olympia Club. Benny Leonard and
Johnny Dundee performed in the other
advanced-price scrap earlier in the season
As in the case of Leonard tonight. Will
Hams, although he is figured the favorite
over Herman, will have to batter petey 70
the floor for the ten toll in order TO have
the bantam crown again glitter from his
blonde tow head. II il natural for a cham.
pion TO have the edge whenever he enters
the ring, but in the bouts of Welsh and
h., L.
on points. If not by knockout But, be
that as it mayor must-there Is little
doubt of either titleholder suffering a ten
second flop.
II Leonard were to cross the done in
tonights fracas-or maybe farce-and
knock out Welsh, it will be the first time
in history that native born in New York
has held a worlds lightweight title. Jack
McAuliffe, only undefeated retired light
weight champion, was Il resident of Brook
lyn, but a native of Ireland. George La
vgne was born in Michigan, as was
Adolphus Wolgast Battling Nelson came
from Denmark, Joe Cans from Baltimore
and Willie Ritche from California.
Leonard is product of the East Side
Considering the fact that he has never had
any tuition in the art of fsticuffs, his
progress has been little less than marvellous
Leonard did not enter the sport glare over
night. It took him several years to grad
uate from the prelim. class, until now he
has developed into one of the cleverest men
that ever wore padded gloves Also Leonard
has uncorked a wallop that has made him
famous as n knocker-out
II is generally conceded that no man lives
who can knock out Welsh inside of ten
rounds, but II any one stands out as the
probable disposer of the Engishman in a
limited contest, Benny Leonard is the man
$4,000 for Herman
For his bout with Williams here on the
18th Herman will pull down a fiat purse OF
G0QO The Baltimorean will box on a per-
centage basis, having agreed on 25 per cent
Prices of admission to this bout, although
not announced officially will range from
nifty cents to $2 And POP O'BRIEN WILL
REFEREE. The question of third man held
of clinchtng the match earlier in the week
but the clubs official referee finally was
agreed upon by Herman's manager.
While Jerome GarganO gave in on the
referee question, he won the other point thai
appeared as a hitch in arranging the con-
test sooner. Williams waited tie weight to
be 20 pounds ringsido. but Herman in.
sisted on 1lS. and this iy tho poundage al
which they will enter the ring.
McGOvern Not Disheartened
Almost every man who ever succeeded in
making a reputation for himself by the use