Grand Forks herald., 1917-02-16
NORvAL BAPT|f
WILL GET | RACE
Otto Mathieson, Worlds II
tie Holder, Not Afraid
of Dakotan.

Will Otto Mathieson, worlds cham-
pion ice skater, risk his title in a race
with Norval Baptie?
His manager, Julian T. Fitzgerald,
secretary of the Nestor Johnson Man
ufacturing company Of Chicago. cross
ed the state of Minnesota from Du.
luth, arriving here today, to say that
e'he will"
Mathieson Not Afraid.
The rumor that has been circulat-
ed that Mathieson feared a race with
the Dakotan, who for several years
held the worlds championship for
speed, Is untrue. claims Fitzgerald.
Baptie is the only worlds title holder
that North Dakota has ever produced.
and as a result he has thousands OF
followers who would like to see him
Baptie comes from Bathgate, N. D.,
but for several years has been per-
forming in Chicago and New York. He
IS now in the latter city, and accord
ing to reports, he is in perfect phys
ical condition for a clash with the
Norseman.
Baptie Favors Grand Forks.
Baptie wants his title back. and
there Is no city on the face of the
Mathieson than in Grand Forks,
where he will be surrounded by his
many friends.
Mathieson is now in st. Paul. where
ne has just completed performance
PIT the Hoppodrome. He has only
been in this country few months.
and was brought here by his present
soil has revived the rivalry on the Ice,
which for several seasons has been
dormant. Every man who has donned
the skates to oppose him has failed to
even force him to exert himself He
Is lauded as the greatest speed demon
ION the ice to ever appear in America.
,Bedecked with medals, awarded to
him by the crowned heads of Europe
for his wonderful work In competit-
i've events in the old country, he came
to the United States in search of new
1aurels. So far he has not even met
a dangerous opponent.
With Baptie it is different The Da-
kotan Is the one man who might con-
quer the foreigner.
Slipped One Over.
Because Grand Forks has practi-
cally landed the race, promoters in
every section Of the country have ex-
pressed their surprise. 1t has been
the ambition of every rink man in the
United States to land the go between
Baptie and Mathieson, but it has been
a ten to one bet that the two would
not be brought together.
It took Ted Schumacher Of this city
to get the race for Grand Forks. Schu-
macher wired Baptie, asking him if he
would meet the Norwegian. The Da-
kotan offered to break his engage
ments in the metropolis to come here,
providing a reasonable guarantee
could be assured.
Mathieson was next communicated
with: but a satisfactory agreement
could not be reached, and because Of
the financial demand for guarantee
asked, the rumor that he was afraid
OF Baptie was given birth. When
Mathieson's manager heard of the
challenge from Baptie. he packed his
grip and headed for this city.
Fitzgerald Willing.
To show that Mathieson Is not
afraid Of Baptie, and according to his
own statements that the Norwegian
can skate circles" around any racer
in the world, he is willing to sign a
contract. Following a conference with
shumacher here yesterday, he left for
Minneapolis, where he will put the
proposition up to his protege and en-
deavor to force him to sign up.
When asked if he thought Mathie-
son would sign a contract, Fitzgerald
declared that he was positive that he
would. When speaking Of the rivalry
between the two men. the manager
said:
When I tell Mathieson that Baptie
thinks he can beat him, he will not
hesitate to sign any agreement to
prove that it cannot be done. Otto is
great skater and he knows it, be-
cause ne has proven it SO many times.
The race will be the greatest skating
feature Of the year and once and for
all will decide as to who is the fastest
ice skater in the world"
Mathieson has many personal
friends In this section Of the state
may also tend to get his signature 70
the cont act
The bringing Of the two great skat-