Omaha daily bee., 1919-04-13
Benny LEONARD
ENTHUSED over
HIS WORLD TOUR
Says He Never Dreamed He
Would Ever Make Such a
Trip; All Credit Due to
Billy Gibson.
BY JACK VELOcK.
International News Sports Editor,


New York, April l2.-Benn,
Leonard is going on some Joy ride
once he gets started on his world
tour.
It'll be some jaunt," said Benn,
the other day, "a trip that | never
dreamed | would be able to make
few years ago. Besides meeting tht
best available boys in different coun
tries, look at the sights I'll get t.
see. And to think" Benny added
Il practically fell into it through
skylight."
Leonard has Billy Gibson to thanh
for the fact that he is the world's
champion today, because il it hadn',
been for the fact that Gibson took
him in and gave him a chance in pre-
liminary bouts up in Harlem some
years ago, Benny would probably be
unheard of today, or at least nigh,
have just been gaining recognition
Under Gibson's capable manage.
ment Benny Leonard stands .
chance of making more money Out
of the lightweight title during the
coming year than any other light
weight ever made in the same length
of time.
Before Leonard starts from San
Francisco to Hawaii on the first leg
of his world tour next October he in
tends to make a swing around the
western states, where he has offers
galore. Benny's fistic activities were
curtailed because of the war, and
his recent ,jaunt to the Pacific coast
would have kept him away longer
had it not been for his desire to get
home to see his mother--for Benny's
mother is his best pal--and because
of the fact that Billy Gibson was
forced to return to Gotham.
But during May or June Leonard
is going to take "rattler" for the
west, dropping off at Pittsburgh,
Kansas City. Omaha, Denver, Salt
Lake City, Pocatello, Ida, and sew
eral other places.
In fact. Leonard is going to have
the busiest summer of his life.
Leaving this country October 10,
Leonard will first go to Honolulu.
From there he will visit Australia.
China, India, South Africa, France
and England, as each of these coun-
tries is mentioned in his contract.
Before he leaves the east it is ex-
pected that Leonard will participate
in several important bouts, meeting
Jack Britton and Lew Tender. Brit
ton and Leonard have met several
times before and have always put UP
rattling good scrap. But Leonard
has never met the left-handed Ten
dler.
From what Tender showed in his
recent bout with Joe yelling at
Newark, Leonard should have little
or no trouble with the Philadel-
phian. Tender is clean-cut aggres
sive little boxer, but his reputed
punch must have been locked up in
come Philadelphia vault when he
fought yelling. Tender hit Well
ing with everything he had and fail
ed to make much of an impression
on the Chicago lad. What's more.
yelling was weakened by making
weight, 1873 ringside, for Tender.
The former sailor lad was so close
to the notch that he was forced to
weigh in naked at the ringside, sur
rounded by attendants who made
screen Of blankets for him.
Leonard isn't losing any sleep
over Tender, and Billy Gibson tells
US that Willie Richie or anybody
else who thinks he is eligible to
take a crack at Benny's "bean" can
certainly have the chance. All Glib
son asks Of any boy is to make a
reasonable weight for the champion.