Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-16
BIG OFFERS FAIL TO DAZZLE Il
WILLARD-IF THERE is FIGHT n
HE WILL BE HIS OWN PROMOTER
Champion Jess Ready to Battle Any Logical
Contender, but He'll Manage Affair if
Red Cross Rejects Offer @
By ROBERT W. MAXWELL

TESS wILLARD'S offer to box for the
81 Red Cross evidently has been thrown
into the discard, for We have heard
nothing about II for week or more
The big champion made his little speech.
stated that he would meet any logical
contender selected by the proper au-
thorities and every cent OF the proceeds
would be turned over to the war funo'
Fulton was the man to contest his title.
he believed, but Fred has not been
anxious to sign up nor has TIE Red
Cross received willards offer with en-.
thusiasm. In fact. conditions are about
the same as before anything was said
, However, several promoters have
horned into the public prints with huge
purses as an offering for the match, but
these impresarios have not passed the
conversational stage. They SAY theN
will hand Big Jess bundle OF coin all
for himself if re will meet Fulton IN
fifty or sixty round battle. get their
names in the paper and walt for develop
ments. It's great life II you don't
weaken.
Wellman Out With Offer
i The latest blurb comes from N'Yawk,
where Mr.. William wellman holds
forth. william has promoted motor
races and successfully staged six-day
bike events and now has the pugilistic
bug Ee SAYS he will give Willard
$500 II he meets Fulton in Reno or
Carson City, New, on July in iorty.
five-round battle. Nothing is mentioned
about the Red Cross. so we must assume
that the worthy charity must struggle
along without any aid from tie cham
pionship fight.
However, II is safe TO say that an
tn, IN
of the show II Willard decides TO take
part of the gate receipts for his serv-
ices. II the battle Is fought Tor
keeps" none other than big Jess himsel
will be the man behind. Willard. you
know, is Snowman. He owns a big
circus, has studied every angle or the
game for the past two years. and IL
capable of doing his own business
Furthermore, he is too much of busi'
ness man to stand aside and allow an
outsider TO grab off a pile or dough
He has the inside track on the other
promoters because all he has to do is to
do business with himself.
Willard Likes Florida Site
\ couple of months ago Willard took
his circus to Jacksonville, Fla, for
the winter. He loafed around in the
sun for a couple of weeks, and con-
ceiyed the idea of staging a champion
ship battle in that section of the coun-
try. He was to be the principal attrac-
ton. and the man behind the coin, and
the only thing left was to select all OPP
ponent--meaning Fulton. While he was
making plans for the bout this Red Cross
benefit came up. and he dropped every
thing to offer his services TO that Or
ganization. He figured that he could do
more for his country by making 1t pos.
sible to raise anywhere from 100000 to
100000 than to accept a job as box
ing instructor in one of the camps or
take some other harmless job.
1t is safe to say that Willard will go
through with his recent idea or he will
stage the show himself. He is sincere
In his offer and told me the day l in
terviewed him in Chicago that the
money could be split up among the other
war charities such as the tobacco fund.
the fund for athletic equipment, the X
of c.. the Y. NJ. G. A. and others. He
Is not bluffing, and the only thing now
remaining Is to sign the papers and
select a site for the championship mill.