The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-31
By TEX RICHARD


 (Copyright 1924 in United States and Great Britain Cuba Japan and South America by North American Newspaper Alliance for The Age Herald. All rights reserved)
 Even after the Gans-Nelson fight at Goldfield I had no idea of ever get ting into tho game as promoter. That, naturally, gave me a lot of pub licity--unexpected publicity, as have expiained-and- to tell the truth. I was sort of nagged into the game. ' There had been much talk in the newspapers about the many offers for the Jeffries-Johnsop fight, and -+as to seemed, were in, e. deadlock. '
 Finally, an artist on q San Fran cisco paper turned out a cartoon show ing big jackass praying and saying, Where Is Tex Rickard?"
 A Slam on Tex The intimation to me was plain. I got the idea that they thought me sort of an ass-a fy-by-night fellow. It sort of nettled me. In fact, I took it as a challenge. think I can. safely say that but for thatgcartoon | never would have gone into fight promoting as business. I had to go to Duluth Minn., to see Thomas F. Cole, a copper magnate, for whom had been buy ing properties in Nevada. He is . prominent man in business affairs.
 Tex" he said to me, why don't fishtg"
 fact of a man of his standing suggest ing such a thing got me to thinking.
 On the way back I went to Minne- apolis to- meet a MT. Piper, another prominent business man. He asked me the same question.
 With these two suggestions on top of that jackass cartoon I got my neck bowed and started on the trail. ] went back to Nevada, though, and kept quiet. A little later I packed up and started east without saying a word to anybody.
 Starts on Hunt for Johnson
 It occurred to me that the only way to be sure of a fight was to nail one of the fighters first. That would be an ace in the hole. felt, of course. that Jeffries had been tied up in San Fran. cisco by omebody-probably Sam Berger. his manager. That later proved to be correct.
 Anyway, I headed for Chicago look. ing for Jack Johnson. I found that he was showing in Pittsburg. I went on there and found him. We talked for quite while and . learned that Johnson, as usual, was pretty nearly broke.
 Mister Tex" he said to me, "I'm goin' to tell you sumpn--they almost got that thing fixed up. There ain't none of 'em helpin' me, though. I'm teilin' the world needs help"
 Boss. if I could git hold of twenty. five hundred dollars, it would help . whole armful. I'd like to fight foI you"
 Makes Loan
 q think I can fix that" I told him and l took the money out of my with plenty of New York exchange checks.
 I told him that if he would agree to fight for me would be glad to helr him.
 "Yassuh. will, an I'm going to tell you sump'n. They're going to bid $1OO, 900 for the fight. Now, you put in a bid for $1O1 ,O0O and you'n Eit 1t sho."
 "Yes, if you1l agree to fight. for me and me only" I reminded him. ~' A I then handed him the loan oi twenty-five hundred dollars which he agreed to pay back-and he did, too.
 we started for New York on the same train and figured out an agreement which Johnson signed without hesita. tion. I now 'had my ace in the hole Whatever they did about Jeffries I had Johnson all sewed up. Nobody, hat any idea of such a contingency as this said nothing, though, and mad, Johnson promise to keep quiet unti the right time.
 One Glimpse Starts Talk
 l slipped into New York quiet lik, and thought nobody in the world kneN was there. At the Waldorf -Astoris hotel l ran slap into Vincent Treanor a well known sporting writer.
 What are you doing here 2" he asked surprised. ,, 'h. v. ~ |