The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-28

tCopyrieht. 1923. in United States and Great Britain. Cuba. Japan and South America by North tmorlean Newspaper Alliance Tor The Age-Heraid. All Rights Reserved.)
 By TEX RICHARD
 I was sitting in my office at Gold field reading a newspaper when my eye came across an item about a fight between Joe Cans and Battling Nelson and the chances of finding place to hold it.
 Always, I have been a reader of newspapers, and I have made a point of reading them all the way through. Up to the moment my eye fell on that item had never so much as thought of even seeing a prize fight-a big one, mean.s
 All of us had a great pride in Gold field as town and had tried numer- ous means of getting outsiders 5nter- ested.
 On the spur of the moment I threw the paper aside, walked over to the telegraph office and sent a message to Nolan, the manager of Battling Nell son.
 How much would you want to hold the Gans-Nelson fight in Goldfieid?" wired. It never had occurred to me to con suit others up to that time. My train ing in Alaska had taught me to act
 
 I doubt if Nolan ever had heard of Goldfield. but he replied, saying that $30,000 would be the price. Up to that time nobody ever had heard of that much money being guaranteed for a fight. I had no idea what one had cost or would cost. The moment I got Nolans telegram. though. it struck to have people all over the country talking about Goldfield I had vague idea, of course, but never dreamed of just how much at- tention the affair really would attract. With the telegram in my hand. ran into Al Mayer up the street. He was in business in our town.
 $80.000 Safe In An Hour
 "I'll take five thousand of this, AL" I said to him, smiling. "You want any "I'll take five thousand" he said. That's a big idea"
 Further down the street I ran into Graham Rice.
 "It's a great notion" he exclaimed. "Ill take five thousand or any part of it. If you don't see anybody else, I'll take all of it.'
 I walked around talking about my scheme and I did not find a single man unwilling to put up some part of the guarantee. In less than an hour I
 
 That afternoon I telegraphed Nolan, accepting his proposition.
 In another "A hours my name was known all over the country. Goldfield was famous in less than a week.
 Gave Town Laugh
 At first the sporting men were in- cIined to give our little town the laugh Every time any cracks were made about us being able to stage a fight, though would offer to put up the money in gold. That was never necessary. To tell you the truth, not one of those men ever had to put up a cent.
 A man who did much to establish me with the sporting world, Including the newspaper men, was Bat Master son, now dead. Bat had known me in Texas when he was a sheriff and a dead shot. Later he became a writer and a fight authority.
 T don't know much about Gold do know that if Tex Rickard says he will guarantee $30.000. the fighters can bank on getting paid. Richards word Is as good as gold"
 always appreciated that more than ever could make Masterson under stand. My standing was good enough in the mining regions, but in the east somebody had come out and vouched for me.
 Cans Dickers For Himself
 Of course. had had a vague notion that holding championship fight in little out-of-the-way place would ap- peal to some people as a novelty, but honestly, hadn't the slightest idea of just how far that would go.
 I was in for the busiest month of my life, dealing with things that knew nothing about. Until man gets mixed up with a thing like thai he hasn't the slightest notion of how many irritating details can come up They kidded us around the country