The Bee's Special Sunday
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he Omaha Sunday
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THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: FEBRUARY 23, 1919.
9 A
Bee
TEARNEY CHOSEN
AS PRESIDENT OF
VE ST E RNJ.E AGUE
John Savage of Joplin Club
Withdraws and Election
Is Unanimous; Schedule
Committee Selected.
Special to The Bee.
St. Joseph, Mo., Feb. 22. A politi
cal fight between the W. A. Rourkc
faction of the Western league and
the Jack Holland followers brought
about no decision early in the day
in the battle for the presidency of
the league, but later during the ses
sion the Ronrke satclites scored,
and A. R. Teamey of Chicago was
elected to succeed E. W. Dickerson,
who is in France.
The Holland faction had called
their candidate, John Savage, for
mer owner of the Joplin club, to
this cityin expectation of winning
the election, but when Savage with
drew, the magnates made Tearncy's
election unanimous. Savage was
the only other candidate for the
place.
A schedule committee, composed
of E. J. llanlon, Jack Holland and
Frank Isbell, has been named, but
cannot act until the magnates take
action on the opening game and
the number of games to be played.
Friction between the magnates. from
the northern towns and those from
he Southern towns early in the
Meeting prevented the naming of an
opening date. The Southern league
towns favor April 23 and the North
ern league towns favor May 1.
A schedule of 140 games will pass
as soon as an opening date is de
cided upon. E. j. Hanlon took up
with Mayor Whitsell of St. Joseph
today the matter of buying the St.
Joseph base ball franchise and he
has given the business interests
here a week in which to raise $14,
000, with which to buy the club.
He has received an offer from Lin
coln, but will wait until Saturday
before giving a final answer on the
Lincoln ofTer.
Today's session was slow in get
ting under way and the magnates
will hold sessions all day tomor
row in order to complete the busi
ness which must come before it at
this session.
Teamey Accepts Office.
Chicago. Feb. 22; Al R. Tear
tiey, for nine years president of the
Three I League of Base Call clubs,
in a telephone conversation with
leaders of the Western league to
night accepted their offer of the
presidency of that organization.
Mr. Teamey has long been recog
nized as a leading representative
of the minor organizations.
Stecher Meets Zbyszko at
" Sioux City Tomorrow Night
Joe Stecher beat Jack Bucksen
of Chicago in two falls at St. Louis
Friday night, and Saturday left for
Sioux City where he takes on Wla
dek Zbyssko in a finish match. If
Stecher wins and Earl Caddock
really intends to retire from the
wrestling game, Joe will claim the
championship and prepare to de
fend it against all comers.
With Caddock retired the winner
of a Stecher-Zbyszko match would
be the logical champion and prob
ably be recognized as such. In that
event it is likely that the winner of
tomorrow night's match in Sioux
City will be called upon to wrestle
Pesek at an early date for the cham
pionship. The Sioux Ctiy promotors are ex
pecting a delegation of Omaha fans
to witness the match and Gene Mc
Jfiiiy will probably head one party
to go over. Melady's interest is man
ifest because of his being the mana
ger of Earl Caddock. If Caddock
retires Gene will want to see the
crowning of a new champion and if
Earl remaim in the game Gene will
want to see the .probable opponent
of his champion.
Detroit to Have Large
Squad to Open Season
By International News Service.
Detroit Feb. 22. Manager Hugh
Jennings of the Detroit Tigers, an
nounces that the club has sent out
contracts to 50 players, the reserve
list being unusually heavy this year.
J.nnings intimated that a large
number of these players would be
disposed of before he sets out for
the Tigers' training camp at Macon,
Ga., next month. The Detroit club
was heavily represented in the army
and navy last summer, and some of
the players still are in the service.
The club also holds title to a num
ber of young players who have not
yet proven their worth as major
leaguers, Jennings has started to cut
down his squad, the first release be
ing that of the veteran catcher,
Hack Spencer, who was let out un
conditionally after Eddie Ainsmith
returned his signed contract to
President Frank Navin, of the Ti
ters. Detroit Pair Wins Doubles
Hand Ball Championship
Detroit, Feb. 22. William Micus
nd, Michael Maurer of Detroit, won
tiie national doubles hand ball
rhampionship tonight, defeating
Packman, singles champion, and
Groden, the former champion, both
of New York in straight games,
21-18 and 21-9.
Harvard Hockey Team .
Scores Another Victory
New York, Feb. 22. Harvard's
undefeated hockey team defeated
Princeton, 7 goals to 2, in Brooklyn
tonight.
Benson Juniors Win.
The Benson Juniors basket ball
team won its sixth consecutive vic
tory last evening, playing the Com
merce freshman off their feet. The
final score was 38 to 6. Chalbcrt of
the Bensons featured the game,
scoring eight of the Benson's 18
field goals.
INDOOR SPORTS
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PESEK TO SEE
SIOUX CITY MAT
eouT monday
Winner Over Steve Savage
Has Notion He Will
Challenge Winner of
Stecher-Zyb Go.
Wearing a smile like unto the
storied Erin that could not be ef
faced, John Pesek, conquerer of
Steve Savage, announced that lie
would leave Sunday morning for
Sioux Citv. Ia.. to "take in" the
Stecher-Zbyszko match to be held
in that city Monday evening and
probably challenge the winner. Pes
ek will be accompanied by his man
ager, Mart Slatterly, and his wrest
ling mate, Clarence ixklund.
Before leaving the arena Friday
night, Ecklund made the announce
ment that he would like to wrestle
Joe Stangl, the winner of the semi-
windup match at the Auditorium,
and will wager $200 on the side.
hailing to land a match with stangl
Ecklund will take on any light
heavyweight wrestler in the coun
try. Former Omahan Writing
Trapshooting Page for
New York Sporting Sheet
The New York Telegraph has
added another page to its Sunday
sport news, making trapshooting a
feature, in charge of Lt. Tracy H.
Lewis, a former Omaha club mem
ber. Lieutenant Lewis was instruc
tor of the Lewis machine gun com
pany in Omaha. Taking up his res
idence in New York, he shortly be
came indentified with trapshooting
in that state and now furnishes the
trapshooters with news of their
sport.
Known in Omaha as Lieutenant
Lewis, he is now known as Captain
Lewis, as the governor of New
York has appointed him captain in
the New York State Guards. Cap
tain Lewis' residence is now in
Longneck, N. Y.
University Freshmen
Team to Play Local Stars
Th freshman team of the Uni
versity of Nebraska, composed of
former Umaha Lentrai mgn -ana
Lincoln High stars, will play the
Omaha National Bank five on the
"Y" tloor Saturday night.
Without exeception every member
of both teams has a stellar reputa
tion back of him. Floyd Paynter,
Bob Russell and Austin Smith,
former Central Higlv champions,
with Jungmeyer and Munn, six-foot-civcre
frnm Lincoln Hich's 1918
quintet will engage the Omaha five.
Budd bmith and cypreanson, Lin
coln's famous "Cyp," are also on
the freshman squad. Costello and
Exter will be on the sidelines.
K. Klepser, Hird Stryker, Warren
Ritchie, Bob Koran, Virgil Rector,
formerly of Dartmouth, Barrett, a
member of the Mare Island team;
Dickman of Great Lakes fame, Mor
rison and Hawkins compose the
'ocal squad.
Horse Show Dates Fixed.
New York, Feb. 22. Tiif Na
tional Horse Show association an
nounced today that its 34th annual
exhibition will be here at Madison
Square Garden November 17 to 21.
Spiff y Sports
Piaylns a bne-!ded m on th "T
floor Ust nifeht, -Commerce hiRh' basket
Hull team trfunSed the Crl(hton high
five, 59 to C Weakened by the absence of
four of their first team players the plsv
era of the CretRhton high fiva had no
chance at the honors.
Following Friday's victory over Belle
vue. Doane College quintet annihilated
the University of Omaha's basket tens
ers last niKht on the university's foor,
fO to S. Omaha's only score cane hen
Phelps, on a toss-up after a held ball,
threw a freak goal. Superior guarding- ar.a
shooting were the deciding fnctors. Goals
were made by Andrews, (12). Dredla, (10),
Johnston, ti) and Brown, 11)., r
Schuyler. Neb.'. fast little flippers add
ed two more victories to their string this
week defeating David City, 40 to 14.
there Friday nlsht and Fremont. U to 14.
Saturday night. The Fremont ettme was
close throughout with the score, to S
t the end of the first .tialf. tieorge
,rarrlsi of Omaha refcrecd
Coprrtght, 191, Internatlnn'l
Champion Billiard Player to
Entertain at Omaha A. C.
Upper World's champion
billiardist, Willie Hoppe,
executing a difficult shot.
Lower Hoppe's $50,000
left hand guiding his cue
for a master strike. .
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Willie Hoppe, Present Champion, to Play Exhibition
Majch Game Against Former Champion, George
Sutton. Both Master Cue Artists.
Arrangements have been made
for Willie Hoppe to stop off in
Omaha for a day during his touf of
the country and play a match game
with the former champion, George
Sutton, on March 1. In fact, Hoppe
and Sutton will play two games, one
at 3 p. m. and the other at 8 p. m.
The games will be played at the
New Omaha Athletic club. The O.
A. C. harbors a number of billiard
enthusiasts and it is expected that
quite a number of them will be
present to witness the exhibition.
The exhibition will be one between
two masters of the art, Sutton hav
ing been one of the greatest play
ers of the game ever known and who
would probably be the champion if
it wasn't for Hoppe. The latter is
considered the greatest player of
billiards in the world, and his man
ager, R. B. Benjamin, declares Wil
lie is improving daily.
There is no athlete in the world
that takes better care of himself
than does Willie Hoppe. He trains
only on the billiard tables with a
course of calisthenics before going
to bed to keep down any excess
weight, goes to bed early and rises
early, and then plays about eight
hours of billiards every day. Hoppe
likes golf and base ball, but cannot
indulge in either game, for he finds
that handling a golf club or base
ball bat is entirely different from
handling a billiard cue and destroys
the deliberate touch necessary to a
successful billiard player. Hoppe
has had his hands insured for $50,
000 apiece and never takes a chance
Drawn for
Nw Pervlcg
of having to collect the insurance.
He takes better care of his hands
than most people do of their bodies.
The result and reason for all this
care of hands may be seen at the
Omaha Athletic club when Willie
plays Sutton next Saturday after
noon and evening.
Texas Oil Man Wires
Lauding Boxing
Bill
Boxing fans from far off Texas
are interested in the passage of the
Melady boxing bill. Gene Melady
received a telegram this' morning
from Tommy Cannon, of Wichita
Falls, Tex., a prominent Lone Star
State sportsman and wealthy oil
magnate. The telegram was as fol
lows: "Gene Melady, Notice -Kan
sas City Post article about your box
ing bill. If they entrust boxing to
100 per cent square promoters like
yourself they will have some classy
boxing sport in Nebraska that will
be a credit to the state."
The Nebraska legislature will havfc
to pass the Melady bill in its pres
ent form pretty soon or there won't
be any Melady bill lett. It tiarney
Green and a few others that would
like to, get to making amendments
to the Dresent measure, they will
ruin the chances for the passage of
the bill. The army and navy
officials at Washington have issued
a statement commending boxing
throughout the United States. Our
soldier and sailor boys are going to
demand some such sport when they
get back home.
f n i
The Bee by Tad
LINCOLN FIVE
BEATS CENTRAL
IN FASTBATTLE
Team from Capital Outclasses
Local Quintet; Victory Prac
tically Assures State
Championship Title.
Lincoln, 26 1 Central High, 10.
Playing a wonderful game and
completely outclassing their op
ponents Lincoln High's basket ball
team smothered Central High, 26
to 10, in a one sided game played on
the Creighton floor last night.
Spapers, Lincoln's lanky right for
ward, was the star of the fray, shoot
ing five field goals with ease and
scoring on four out of six fouls.
The Lincolnites, towering above the
locals, had things their own way
during most of the game despite the
fine team work exhibited by Coach
Mulligan's men.
Central Weakens.
The Purple and White flippers
played a neat game, and during the
first few minutes of play seemed
easy victors, playing rings around
their opponents. When Shapers,
for only the second time during the
game, got a chance at the basket he
registered the initial counters. Cen
tral's defense seemed to weaken,
then, allowing several scores.
Konecky, Burnham and Clements
made Central's only score during the
first period within a few minutes.
Hopes of the Central supporters
fell when the Lincolnites initiated
a drive on the basket concludng it
when the half ended, 14 to 6, in
their favor.
Second Half Slow.
The second half was unexciting
save for the few times when a score
appeared possible. Lincoln kept the
ball down on its end of the floor
most of the period and made several
pretty baskets trom dilhcult angles.
Possibility of victory disappeared
when Captain Art Logan sprained
his knee. Despite his injury, he
played until the final whistle blew.
The victory practically assures
Lincoln the state title.
Lineup and summaries:
OMAHA. LINCOLN.
FO.FT.P. FG.FT.P.
Burnham. rf 1 0 2Shapers, rf 6 4 14
Clements, If 1 0 2Sougey, If
1
1
0
Logan, c (C) I V zuooason, e
Konecky, rg 1 2 4Smith, rg
Swoboda, lg
Mangold, rf
0 0 OLewellyn, Ig 2
0 0 OWyncoop, lg
Holland, It 2
4 3 10
Totals 11
Totals
4 26
Fouls Lincoln: Shapers (J), Smith,
Wyncoop CD, Omaha: Logan (2), Kon
eckv, Swoboda.
Officials Verne Moore, referee; Gene
Rusnum, scorer; Patty, timekeeper.
Time of Halves Twenty minutes.
Basket Ball Results,
Princeton, N. J., Feb. 22. Yale
defeated Princeton, 20 to IS, in an
intercollegiate league basket ball
game here today.
St. Louis, Feb. 22. The Kansas
university basket ball five this
afternoon defeated Washington
university quintet, 39 to 19.
Philadelphia, Feb. 22. Pennsyl
vania defeated Cornell, 39 to 24 in
an intercollegiate basket ball game
tonight.
Evanston, 111., Feb. 22. Western
Conference Basket Ball: North
western, 32; Wisconsin, 23.
Cedar Rapids. Ia., Cedar Rapids
High school, 54; West Waterloo
high, 13.
Bloomington, Ind., Feb. 22.
Western Conference; Minnesota,
20; Indiana, 14.
Lafayette, Ind., Feb. 22. West
ern Conference; Illinois, 24; Pur
due, 17.
Ann Arbor, Feb. 22. Western
Conference; Chicago, 25; Michigan,
22.
Grinnell, Ia., Feb. 22. Superior
team work gave Grinnell college a
25 to 20 victory over Iowa State of
Ames in a Missouri Valley confer
ence basket' ball game here tonight.
Ann Arbor, Mich., Feb. 22. Chi
cago defeated Michigan, 25 to 22 in
a western conference basket ball
game here tonight.
Great Lakes Swimmers Win.
Detroit, Feb. 22. Great Lakes
naval training station swimmers
carried off the honors in the Central
A. A. U. swimming championship
meet here tonight, winning three ot
the four events for men, and one
new association record went to a
sailor entry
i
PitnrTiN
NEXT
Woody is now popping along on the nimble ocean. He is gyrating
back to pipe if the Willard-Dempsey articles contain his fourteen points.
Between the peace conference and the heavyweight championship, Woody
is busier than a farmhand on market day. Soon as he scampers down tha
gangplank of the George Washington, the prexy will clatter on board the
Weehawken ferry scow to lamp the official documents. Then he will
ramble back to Europe and grab the international situation by the ears.
If the job gets busier Woodrow will have to skip stop like a Farnam
and Harney street motorman. When interviewed by our phoneless wire,
the president had nothing to say, and didn't say it. That's where ho dif
fers from Bill Bryan like a barroom tenor and Jennie Lind. Get this
right. One sapp up in Meriden, Conn., buzzed his girl that she had a
voice like Jennie Lind and she knocked him for a row of Hottentot vil
lages and suburbs. She thought he meant a cantaloupe.
Jennie was a singer. Anyway, the president had nothing to say and
didn't say it. When Bill has nothing to say he always says it. He is an
orator. An orator is a bird who talks all day Tuesday just because it's
Tuesday. Bill was going to bust out into vaudeville, but the orchestra
pulled a no-beer-no-work strike just in time. Although the president
didn't spill any gossip about the big shindig, we could pipe from the way
that he had his high hat polished th;it he figured Jack to knock Jess flat
ter than an Omaha order trf wheat cakes.
On the other mitt, the democratic manner in which Woody hung over
the rail on the third day out convinced us that if Willard ever stretches
a knuckle octave on Dempsey's profile the world is going to look very
horizontal to Jack for about ten seconds. He will be wearing the water
bucket for a hat and powdering his nose with the sponge,
Clemenceau, Balfour, Lloyd George and the other outfielders on
Woody's team were too busy winding up the political barbed wire to
chirp much about the two-man war on the Weehawken ferry. Clemenceau
is a good judge of fighters, having managed a couple of million during
the recent tournament He is much opposed to no-decision fights. If
Yanks fight in America like they did in Europe, Clemenceau dopes that
the boys in the $5 and $10 trenches will get an eyeful. He doesn't buzz
whether he means fighting or resin. That's what makes him a statesman.
The Chink envoy to the convention hasn't anything to warble, either
in Chinese or Weehawken. His papers were swiped while coming through
Japan. He doesn't know who to suspect. A few years ago he would have
blamed Doc Cook. This Weehawken ferry business has the slant-eyed
diplomat more puzzled than a visitor looking for oysters in an Omaha
oyster stew. He ain't sure whether it is a naval skirmish or a land riot.
Balfour thinks that Willard will hang Dempsey over the hawsers like
the week's wash. Don't know how Balfy gets that way. You can't blame
it on the hot sun in the winter time.
When surrounded in Holland, the kaiser was boring holes in his
wooden shoes to let his corns out Refused to hoot anything about the big
scuffle unless he got a medal for it. The old boy ain't himself since they
shook him loose from his 600 uniforms. He wanted to know what the
Mongolian envoy meant by going to Paris via Japan. Savs that ain't no
way to get to Paris. Kaiser ought to
of not getting to Paree.
Prominent Bullshevists are knocked coo-coo by the Willard-Dempsey
thing. The fact that each man has an equal chance is what makes them
goaty. They don't do things that way in Bullrussia.
Until the president decides what twig he is going to light on for the
summer, dope on the big tussle is going to get all wet. The prexy is going
to touch second in Washington and then gallop to third base in Europe.
Dempsey and Willard will start training in their limousines so as to be in
shape when the referee calls 'em to the center of the purse for their
twenty-round auditing of the gate receipts.
Ring experts here figure that Woody won't sprain his chance of a
third crack at free White House coal by not being present when Jess and
Jack try to knock each other absent.
"LITTLE NAP'S"
POWER MAY SOOf
RIVAL CZAR BAN
J. J. McGraw Has Only Self to
Thank for His Continued
Success- in Base
Ball Affairs.
By JACK VEIOCK.
New York, Feb. 15. John Joseph
McGraw is getting to be a regular
power in base ball.
After years of hard plugging,
from the time he broke in with the
Olean, N. Y., Independents until
the present day, McGraw has never
once let the fires of his ambition
to be one of base ball's biggest men
die down. And his constant plug
ging and initiative have won results.
Back in the days jf his green
youth when he first donned base
ball spikes, McGraw was glad to
get a few dollars a game for play
ing ball once or twice a week.
Today, as vice president and man
ager, as well as part owner, of the
New York Giants, he is drawing
down an annual stipend that flirts
around $40,000, and all the while he
is laying lines to make himself more
powerful and more successful in
the National league.
Charles Stoneman, the new presi
dent and principal stockholder in
the Giants, is a -ersonal pal of
McGraw's. And it was through
McGraw and Stoneman that George
Washington Grant became the own
er of the Boston Braves. The wags
say that Grant is merely a figure
head, representing Stoneman inter
ests, but this has 'een denied.
Be that as it may, the McGraw
machine in the National league is
getting up speed, and some of these
days Ban Johnson, now admitted to
be the unquestioned czar of the na
tional pastime, will find himself con
fronted by Little Napoleon of the
Giants, with all kinds of power to
fight for base ball legislation and
base ball reforms.
McGraw has himself alone to
thank for the position he occupies
in base ball, though it is something
of a cinch that he must have some
sort of lucky star or something, be
cause his rise has been so rapid and
he has been the one chosen above
many others guiding spirit of the
most powerful ball club in either
big league.
After the present year it will not
be surprising to see McGraw step
down and out as a manager, though
he will, of course, continue to di
rect the affairs of ..he Giants from
the business helm. If he can win
one more pennant with his Polo
Grounders he will be content to let
his managerial record stand.
Name Game Agent.
DeWitt, Neb.,, Feb. 22. (Special)
Saline county 'will have a special
game commissioner to safeguard
(hicks ana geese trom trie spring
nuniers.
- aTiiE -
ME
know. He is an authority on ways
Trap Gun Load Change
Urged by Association
Economic Measure
as
Scattergun experts who have lind
a favorite load with which they de
molish the elusive blue rock will
grieve to hear that in the near fu
ture the American Trapshooting
association will urge the adoption
of a standard load to be used by all
shooters in registered tournaments.
This will consist of three drams of
powder and an ounce and an eighth
of shot instead of the customarv
ounce and a quarter.
Economy is orimarilv the obieet
of this standardization, to eliminate
tne necessity ot making several dif
ferent varieties of shells and also
equalize conditions for all. The re
duction in the amount of shot used
will be recommended since it will
be cheaper and cause less recoil
than the heavier load, thereby mak
ing conditions easier for the novice.
While there will necessarily be
considerable opposition to this de
parture by persons who have be
come accustomed to certain loads
it is thought that on the whole, trap
shooters will recognize that there is
no reason why there should not be
a uniform load just as there is a
standard golf ball or base ball.
South Omaha Basket Ball
Team Defeated at Fremont
Fremont, Neb., Feb. 22. (Special
Telegram.) The Fremont high
school basket ball team continued
its winning streak by defeating the
South Omaha five here last night,
30 to 20. Captain Keith of the Fre
mont team was forced to retire
when he suffered a fracture of his
collar-bone. The team lineup
niont: Davis and Dana, forwards;
Christiansen, center; Keith, Johnson
and Thompson, guards. South Oma
ha: Nienian and Volz, forwards;
lledgren, center; Banner and Hod
gren, guards. Klepfer of Omaha
refereed.
Holke Traded to Braves.
Boston, Feb. 22. George W.
Grant, owner of the Boston Na
tional League Base Ball club, an
nounced tonight that he had obtain
ed First Baseman Holke from the
Cincinnati club, giving in exchange
James Smith, a utility infielder, and
a cash consideration.
moitc eoustis scs
WllHiipMwOflkccMileh
OMAHA
PRINTING
COMPANY
WWW (6tT
COMMERCIAL PRINTERS -LITHOGRAPHERS - STEEL DIE EMBOSSE
ioosc tXAr
VILLARDJOVlll,
ST BE III OLD
TIME COIJDITIOtl
Carrying Excess Weight Will
Mean Loss of Circus Own
er's Drawing Power
and Championship.
By KID GRAVES.
The eyes of the entire sporting
world are upon Tex Rickard, whils
he is hunting for a site for his now
famous heavyweight championshii
battle, between Jess Willard, the
champion, and Jack Dempsey, the
challenger. The announcement of
the location for staging the affair
will be the signal for all the work!
to wager on their judgment of the
two men.
While Willard will have ths
backing of a great host of admirer?,
the majority of fans will favor
Dempsey, figuring his strength and
speed, together with his active pug
ilistic life recently, will more than
offset the tremendous advantage in
height, weight and reach that Will
ard will have. Whether or not these
advantages will enable the champ
ion to win, can only be told when
the men meet, next July 4. Will
ard's immediate friends say that the
public idea of Jess's idle life is a
mistaken one, claiming that the big
fellow has been doing light train
ing at his private gymnasium in his
home and that he has. not allowed
himself to become so fat that he
cannot get into fighting condition
again. ,
What Is Willard'a Best?
It has been said that Dempsey
could whip Willard, even if the
champion were at his best, but when
you stop to coSsider that Willard's
best has never b?n shown, this as
sertion is rather hard to believe. Big
Jess has never been extended since
he won the championship and even
in the bout in Havana, when he won
the title, he wasn't forced to extend
himself. He simply took all that the
"Big Smoke" could hand out and
grinned, contenting himself with
just wearing Johnson out with con
tinual jabbing. Before his bout
with Johnson, Jess never reached
his best. It took the coaching and
teaching he received in training for
this bout to bring him up to his
best and then he didn't have to exert
himself.
Bout on the Level.
The Havana bout was strictly on
the level. You can take that from
those that were there and saw the
scrap. Matt Hinkle, the famous
CJev-.eJ?,nd referee. Tom Andrews,
the Milwaukee sport writer, and Bob
Edgren, of the New York World,
all agreed with me that it was- ab
solutely on the square. Jess won
without being hurt, taking no
chances at all during the bout, lay
ing back for fear that Johnson might
have something that might end it,
playing safe and wearing his man
down until he got the signal from
his corner to try to finish it. When
the signal passed, Willard reached
out with his wonderful reach, as
though to gauge the distance, and
Johnson was in such an exhausted
condition that the blow, light as it
was, was enough to finish the bout.
Like Kick of a Mule.
When I say the blow was light, I
don't mean that it had no force at
all, for Willard was a man that could
not hit lightly if he wanted to. His
light blow is like the kick of a mule,
so it is no wonder that Johnson fell
over and was counted out. Jess has
stated numerous times that he was
afraid to hit hard for fear that he
would kill Johnson and for the same
reason, Frank Moran lasted his ten
rounds with the champion at Madi
son Square Garden, March 25, 1916.
It has always been the advice of
old time followers of the boxing
game to string along with the
champion until he is beaten and it
may not be bad advice in this case.
This is my prediction, if Willard can
get in as good condition as he was
when he met Johnson or Moran, h-.
will win. If he cannot get in as good
shape as he was for either of those
bouts, Dempsey will be the champ
ion. The result of the bout depends
entirely on the condition of the
champion when he enters the ring. .
Keep Coin in Pocket.
While not a betting man myself, I
can advise those that want to wager
on the result of the bout, that their
money will be safer in their pockets
than placed on either man at this
early date. Willard may be in bet
ter shape than is generally thought
and it is certain that he has time
enough to get in good condition for
the Independence day scrap if h;;
chooses. Whether he will or can
get "right" is yet to be seen. With
all due respect for Dempsey's fight
ing ability and an earnest desire to
see him win, at this time, I can
only string along with the champion.
New League Formed.
A new bowling league has been
formed to roll on the Garden bowl
ing alleys every Friday evening.
The league season will cover a
period of 12 weeks. The new or
ganization will be known as the
Boosters' league and will be com
posed of four or five-man teams,
Kohler's Autos, Omaha Hay com.
pany, Looney's Express and Har.
mony cafeteria.
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