The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-11-26
SPORTING NOTES

Every once in a while some o1 the minor baseball leagues speak Of breaking away from the majors un- less some impossible concessions are A-,Erar,ted Reports from Peoria during the recent minor league gathering told of some such talk among those present It is very amusing to hear such talk from those who for many years have depended to a great eX- tent on the big leagues for financial assistance. The majors controi one or more clubs in every one or the smaller circuits and if it wasn't for the money obtained for players elth- or by purchase or draft from the ma for leagues the bank roll of the mi hors would look very sad. The re- curing threat to withdraw from the protection of the national agreement is looked upon as mere bluff % op- tain certain ends or just to get them- selves talked about.
 Ten years ago this afternoon, 1t being Thanksgiving Day, 1908, Stan ley Ketchel and Billy Papke faced each other sn Jim Coffroth's arena at Colma to decide the middleweight championship of the world. It was the first time this title had been fought for since Kid Mccoy defeated Dan Creedon in 1897. Twice before Ketchel and Papke had fought. The first bout, a ten round affair fin Mill waukee, resulted in a victory on points for the Michigan fighter. Tn the second battle, fought at Vernon, Cal, with the middleweight cham pionship of the world at stake, Papke knocked out his opponent In the twelfth round. The third engagement involved the worlds title and S20,- 900. of which .S12,O00 was to go to Papke, win or lose. The men weigh ed in at 15S pounds at 11:30 a. m. Some boxing authorities insist that the legitimate middleweight limit is 154 pounds, and that the middle weight title has never been a bona fide claimant since Bob Fitzsim- mons, but this argument seems a lit. tie far fetched.
 Papke was a decided favorIte wher he, entered the ring at Colma. Theil two previous bouts had resulted 1T , had feeling between the men, and the! went at each other without the for rnality of shaking hands. The frs blow was landed by Papke, bu Ketchel was not slow in replying witt a stiff right to the jaw. A smash ing punch in the stomach took som of tn, wind out of Papke's sails am marked the beginning of the end. al though the Illinois man had far iron shot his bolt. He came back stron in the second, and 1t was decisivel Papke's round. Tetchel seemed a bi groggy in the third. but recovered and led the fighting in the fourth. I the fifth a Imaginable incident occur red. Both men stumbled and fe through the ropes, and lit on tn heads of the newspaper men seate at the ringside. Crawling back int 1he ring they went at 1t again. with ut even thanking the scribes fo breaking their fall
 Up to this time there had been II gore shed, and the men set aboi to correct this oversight. Stanle sent one to Papke's nose that SCI the blood streaming down his fac and Papke immediately retaliate with a smash to Netchers beak I the tenth it was all Ketchel, and the following round two stiff ones
 the stomach, followed by another
 the jaw, sent Billy down for the cout of nine. In a few seconds he we
 down againf TO the full count, al Ketchel was worlds champion.
 Owen Moran knocked out Battlil Nelson in the eleventh round at s; Francisco just eight years ago toda By this victory the British boy prov
 that he was entitled to rank amol the top notchers of the lightweig division. Tho Dane had lost t
 Hshtu,aizht title to Ad WnIsast nn