Omaha daily bee., 1917-08-26
HIGH FINANCE IN
FIGHT SPORT now
Second Raters Draw More
Money for Short Ring Bouts
Than Champs of Old Did
in Title Clashes.
Chicago, Aug. 2S.-With the West.
"Some Cf the duhs OF the fistic whirl

Chicago, Aug. 2S.-With the West.
Some Ct the dubs OF the fstic whirl
of today clean up as much money as
the champions OF the past"
That was the remark made by one
Of the modern" promoters few days
ago when discussing possible attrac-
tons for his arena in Wisconsin. In
this connection, it is worthy of note
that the promoter who voiced this sch
timent is not one of the kind who
may be placed in the class called
'crabbers.' He's been going along
with his bouts for several years, OF,
in fact, ever since the game became
legalized in Wisconsin. He has paid
out what the scrappers demanded and
seldom has been able to force them
to cut down on their end once the
boxers had been guaranteed a certain
percentage or certain amount OF
money for their services.
Stands Loss Without Complaint.
II it is true the promoter hasn't
reaped any great harvest OF golden
shekels. There have even been some
shows in which he has had to dig
down in his pockets and pull out
roll to pay off the talent when the
attendance did not come up to ex-
pectations and the show was bloom
er. That, it would seem, was enough
to make "crabber" of anybody, but
this promoter is OF the persistent, pa
tient type, and figures that in the end
he will come out on the right side OF
the. ledger.
He was asked why he continued in
the promoting business
I'm in the game because | like it,
for one reason, and another is that /
have confidence in my ability to make
a financial success out of the sport by
staging high class contests. VI course,
conditions right now are against sue
cess, due to the draft and warm
weather, but I'm not going to take
my hand out now that I've got it in.
Boxers Demand Big Money.
But even under adverse conditions
a promoter could make money, be-
| lieve, were it not for the exorbitaht
amounts they have to be paid to get
the boxers to- appear in BATH. They
absolutely will not listen to anything
less than four figures, and you've got
to come across at this speed or they
will not box. Such a thing as $500 or
$500 purses for windup is out of the
question. The boxers of today would
turn up their noses and walk away
| if that amount of coin was offered for
a bout.
Back a little more than a decade
ago it was possible to offer $500 for
bout with champions competing, but
nothing like that today. The boxers
get the money and the promoters take
the chances. At present nearly all
the boxers who appear for me work
on percentage, but they demand such
a pig percentage there is little left
after they are paid Off"
Many Old Timers Broke.
Pretty near all the high class scrap
pers of the past are working for liv-
ing these days. and that includes a
good number of ex-chsmpions. They
didn't get much coin, and what they
did get they let 60, never considering
the chance of a rainy day. One of
them may be cited as an example.
This boy, a Chicago lightweight, was
a topnotcher in his day and enjoyed
such success in the game that he
was able to secure a battle for the
championship. He was beaten. With
his defeat he about closed his hstic
| career. a..- ~.
He was in the game probably ten
years, and in that time he had many
battles. Although he was fairly care
full of his money he had less than
$4,000 when he stopped, 1t was up
to him then to find some other way
to make a living and he chose the
saloon business. He opened cafe
and saloon, and in a years time the
saloon failed. He was minus all his
coin and owed some money. saw him
the other day travelling around Office
buildings selling dictionaries. Ten
years Of fighting for less than $4,000
and all this coin gone in year through
failure in the saloon business.
Charley White Has Good Stake.
This former boxer might be COM
pared favorably in ability with Char
ley White of Chicago, the lightweight
who has had several cracks at the
championship and failed to cop. White
has been a good scrapper for prob
ably six, or seven years, and in that
time he has cleaned up more than
$4,000. A good part of that money
White has in his possession, for he
has been sensible enough to know he
won't always be card. So when
he is through he is going to have
plenty to round out the remainder
Of his existence. IT,
Two champions, one lightweight
and the other featherweight, fought in
Philadelphia the other day. They
were Benny Leonard and Johnny
Kilbane. Each of them drew $1,000
for his end for boxing six rounds.
Zowie! "