The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-06-24


 J Willard and who was Instrumental in granting the Kansan the oppor- tunity of becoming worlds champion, is investing his money on Jack Demp- sey's chances. But Tom Jones, partner of Curley and also a former mana ger of the champion. selects Willard to win-and win easily.
 Curley contends that the champion has not the least chance of defeat in the challenger. whom he says is one of the best fighters he has ever seen- "Biquor in the quantities that of his defeat" says Curley. But how much truth there is in this statement we can not say.
 The fact remains that Jack Curley, because of the differences he has had with Willard, is naturally prejudiced against the champion and nothing that he will say against the Kansan will receive any weight, not from us anyway. We interviewed Jack Curley in New York no so long ago. He ac- cused Willard of practically every crime on the calendar except murder
 And now he accuses the champion of being a heavy drinker. Jack has been pedd1ing this yarn for some time. but few have given 1t serious consideration. Now he is using 1t as bait to catch suckers. Catching the un- suspecting and enrfching his bankro1l through their ignorance is a regular pastime with Jack Curley and the wonder of 1t all is that he is going ahead unmolested. Curley is making barrels of money fooling the public with fake wrestling matches.
 But this latest break" that liquor will beat Willard is about the rank est thing we have ever heard. No wonder Willard could never get along with him! Jess is human and like most people likes little drink, but far es certain interested parties have been able to learn he is NOT a heavy drinker. And any effort on the part of Jack Curley to belittle the champion as titleholder will go for naught with the intelligent folks. TOM JONES, too had his argu- ments with Jess Willard, but Tom is too game a sport to hurl any ridiculously unfair charges against the champion. Unlike Curley, Jones while not even on speaking terms with Will lard. has set down quite a pile of dough on his former proteEe's chances for victory.
 Tom gave out a statement the other day to a New York writer in which he, In part. had this to say:
 Nothing worries Willard Punish ment doesn't bother him and he's a terror when he's hurt. I think Willard 1s in grand condition from the waist up and as good ho needs to be for any 12-round contest. If 1 was 1n- terested in him I would like to see his legs better. He needs road work. It isn't too late to do road work now He could cut out boxing and go on the road every day and be better off. But road work or no road work, no man living can beat him the way he is. He isn't fat It's fact he weighed just 249 1-2 pounds when he beat Johnson Ills waist was no smaller than it Is now. He never had a small waist and is all he stronger for t' MEET YOUNG Griffo In New York 4V1 yesterday. We asked Griffo who he liked in the coming big fight and without moments hesitation he came back Jess Willard" Why ?'' we asked.
 T like Willard because Willard is a superman, a champion of cham pions." he replied. There isn't a man living today who can defeat him. Jack Dempsey will be a very busy man on July 4 and If he lives through the 12 rounds he will be a wonder He is no match for so tremendously big a giant as one sees in Willard"
 You can refer to history all you want, but 1t will mean nothing to me- Neither is it a case of a good big man is better than a good little man. That all sounds right, but means nothing. Willard knows too much for Dempsey. He Is too big for him. His /. reach Is longer and his punches hard CT. Why. I don't think Dempsey has a chance. And he's got one big nerve to kid himself into believing that he can be the next champion by beat ing Willard"
 And then Grifro laughed and invit- cd us to have a cup of coffee.
 TOE LEONARD. the clever New O York bantamweight, sports a cau1ff1ower ear, but said ear was not crippled through any effort of an op- ponent or opponents, take it from SiI- vey Burns Here is Silvey's explana- ton for the presence of that cauli- flower ear:
 Boxers are supposed to receive a cAuIiflower ear from opponents, but not SO with Joe Leonard. Joe has a pretty "tin" ear on the left side of his head and he has no ring opponent to blame for it's presence, as he present. 6Q lL tO nlInStlA WAcii hc len boxing.
 Tn one of his ring contests Joe was hit so many times on the left ear : that when the final bell rang, tka, member was literally the size of a toy Joe would have no doctor. He explained would have no doctor. He explained that he wanted a cauliflower cal right along 90 that he would look like . real fighter"
 Leonard didn't take care of the ear % today instead of having his head unmarred he has one of the finest looking ''tin" ears that ever "adorned' . pugilist."
 CDNoRATUIATTON TO A J. O Jackson on his entry into the fleld of sporting writers and the bes wishes to Jack Lennon upon his exit Lennon. who up to Saturday, was sporting editor of Bridgeports baby daily. The Herald. has decided to gc fnto fho sspresu agenting" end of the