The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-01-22

alieving that he has a chance to
out of the ring and against the
at Toledo.
Joe Ruddy, a former champion
athlete and member Of the board OF
directors OF the New York A. c., is
physical examiner for the New York
city civil service. In twenty years
he has examined not less than 500,
600 men. He is without question
one of the greatest judges of pl1ysi.
cal condition All his life has been
given to athletic pursuits and to the
study of the human body.
That Rudy is right when he says
Willard is over thirty-six is proved
by the former champions own state
ment made April 8, 1919, when, dur
ing the world war period, he de-
clared he was close to forty. Ac-
cording to a tombstone which marks
the resting place of Wizards father,
the latter died in 1879. and Jess
~ lnust be at least f0rty-thrse years.
-. Concerning his height, the fact
has been verified that he is actlI-
~ ally 6 feet by referring to his
old trainer. Tex O'ROurlke. Jess
always gave out his height shy
one inch. as he was rather sensi-
tive ON the point that his oppO-
nents were generally so many
inches shorter than he was.
,is AS to the great difference in
poundage from the 265 pretended by
Jess. he has thus far absolutely re-
fused 10 get on the scales in the
presence Of the newspaper men.
Bat if he thinks Rudy is wrong at
- placing his weight at around 800
pounds, Joe is perfectly willing to
give him the chance to prove to the
contrary.
>. This is the main argument with
: Willard he is not playing fair with
y.fhe public And he tries to fool
z the public not only in the matter
- OF his age and weight, but he is
s'not square in his intentions as well.
He came on East a week ago
with assurances that he would do
anything to prove his right to an
Nther chance at Dempsey and then
y He refuses to get on the scales
to show bis actual weight.
He SHES at going through the
only genuine test that would ex-
rikss his meeting Dempsey-a
n fight with. some prominent con-
tender for the heavyweight crown.
me +kn4s1G0 00WAl u SSOsWWO WA4CA
to meet Floyd johnson.
= $500 $500
Il think I can just about tell
you what would happen. said
BUDDY, eff Willard went up against
any Iair heavyweight after a good
:. siege Of training such as would
make him thirty pounds lighter
n than he is today.
His breath would be gone in
two rounds and, in another round or
two he would hardly be able to hft
aol1is Most any one could
then beat him in short order.
:. .As To fighting Dempsey, 1t
wouldn't be necessary for Jack to
hit him: all the champion would
have to do would be to make Jess
miss and the big fellow would wear
himself out
al defy Willard to subject him.
self to certain fairly simple physical
tests would prescribe, and think
g would soon be convinced him
self that he is through SO far as
, any further ring activity is con-
eerned."
Frank Menke, a sports writer
who has seen Willard In action a
number Of times, wonders that the
= wItat a poor excuse for fighter
~, willard was before he became
champion by beating down the
aneient Jack Johnson; then over.
weight, spent by years OF dissipa-
fien and with little left Of the
y once great fighting machine.
And yet it took him twenty-five
rounds to beat this fistic wreck"
Ignoring the fact that Willard
fought only thirteen rounds during
the eight years that followed from
the time ne won the title. and con-
ceding he was spurred by no in
centive to work into his best ply
steal condition-what did Willard do
before he became champion that
should today give him a chance
against Dempsey.
Gunboat Smith and Tom Nc
Mahon, a middlewefght. beat Willard
before he bested Jack Johnson.
y3ig and powerful as was Willard
> his knockout record was worthy
-of little note and his record, COM
. pared with that of Dempsey. up to
1.-THE time they faced in the ring at
Toledo. was decidedly in favor OF
Dempsey
H, Nevertheless, there are some who
would try to figure that the Willard
who was not in the class OF Demp'
7Asey. as fighting man in 1919. as
was so decisively demonstrated in
7nJuly OF that year. might today have
"a chance, in spite of his four years
e'of idleness and his burden of years
against man who is at least
Fifteen years younger and a better
man than Willard ever was.
NAVAL ACADEMY NOT TO