Evening journal., 1919-06-26
After Round Each With Jess and Jack
Our Betty Becomes Regular Faneife
By BETTY BROWN.

NE.A. Fight Bureau, Room AZ, Hotel
secor.
TOLEDO. Ohio, June 26.-Iye met the
worlds champion-Mr Jess Willard
and bless you he's Just folks
Hes also quite the biggest man ever
saw. There is something TO that giant
stuffl Mr.. Willard is one
And don't let anybody imagine that
this world champion fighter rs great.
b,s. ugly, terrifying brute person
Absolutely no on the contrary, he's
one OF the incest men ever met-jolly
and kind and friendly, and simple and
nolite snd-well. just generally nice
Ne-NTr. Willard and LII you please.
sat on the porclr at his Toledo house,
and conversed freely and smisbly about
his wife. his children his Kansas farm,
and his preference for lady spectators
who did not ask him. 'D0. you like
pickles.
It's rather terrifying 20 he ordered
10 Interview a worlds champion-and
write him up
One feels that one ought TO do some
ihing special about it-prepsre and
memorize -duestionsirre, or tunk up
clever remarks and leading questions.
And then, one may have gathered the
Impression that boxing champion is
vague sort n bold, bad man-haying TO
do with gambling, carousing and an
sorts OF indefinite iniquiues! II seems
a bit adventurous and thrilling to seek
out such a romantic figure and actu-
ally talk to him
50 today 10 was something OF relief
when the newspaper peoples taxi drew
in front OF a big. comfortable stone
house in one Of Eoledo's finest resi-
dence streets-and the sporting editor
said. "This Is Mr. Wiliard's house
come on In, folks we filed into
the Willard living room-and shook
hands with this huge quiet giant-asi
began to have a good time
Mr.. Willard had very sunday morn
ing air
He put down the morning paper TO
greet .us-and looked very freshly shaw
ed and dressed up-land hadn'tEet put
on that.stiff coIlarl His little gold
collar button shone pleasantly and
made US feel rlsht at home.
"Dld your wife ever see you flght2"
mo. she never did She never could |
leave the children and the house Ions |
snough--and she doesn't care so much |
about 10 anyway. she's home now TAX |
Ing care OF the garden--ve've got quite |
a earden-snd looking after the kids |
She hasn't really got time to come
SWAY
Does Mrs. Willard still cook and sew
for you. Mr.. Willard"
"she does and III say she's the best
cook in Kansas or course we have
help. And she used 10 make my shirts
for me, too before I could afford TO let
\ tailor do it,
He touched the tent-like eXpsnse of
striped silk that covered his famous
$50 600 arms each OF 'em insured for
$4,000 '-and gszing on the bulk Of
him one admitted that Mrs Willard
must have some seamstress!
Mr.. Willard likes the women TO at
tend his boxing bouts lie says SO
you ought TO see the ladies come TO |
my last bout I'm New Nork-eVening |
dress and everything and walked in as
quiet and polite as az theater. ] like
IT, There's no reason In the world wo-
men shouldn't enjoy IL as much as men.
It's a clean game The women natural
~ like a."
Then he posed for his picture with
me on the front porch steps and fol-
lowed us out 10 the car-pointing out
The Episcopal church opposite.
I'm going 60 church sunday even
ing he remarked-and know that
would not mark the FIRST time he had |
sat in a church pew.
Then. we went away-and smiled /
back at Mr.. Willard, the huge simple, I
kindly farmer man-champion boxer
and a gentleman.
Dempsey camp next said the sports
editor, and In few minuies.we drove
into the Overland Club on Maumce
3av
And Mr. Dempsey is also "iust folks
nice boy Of twenty-four-a bit Shy
ZIG. muscular, graceful tanned to a
ieep golden brown-quet. but conf
lent in the belief that he is about TO
attach the boxing title Of the world 10
he name of Dempsey.
He fights for the love Of II
II was Just six years old when ! be-
-an scrapping," he told men-"and I've
iever quit. love 20 fght I've fought
or a quarter. or a dollar, or anything
rot caring much-just so itrwas
lght7
Mr.. Dempsey gels fighting mad
Nr. Willard smiles. There will be an
Interesting test Of methods on July
test in which grin sn1