Show DEATH I CAME TOO SOON Was Trying to Come Back When the Tragedy Ended All AH AHBY BY IW W W San m Francisco Franc Oct 30 With the untimely taking off oCt of ot Stanley Stanle Ketchel the fighting game loses Its Ita most moat picturesque character The pity pIt ot of i ig is from the present outlook of things thing Ketchel at the time of or the tragedy was wae about to enter Into the simple aim pie life in earnest and endeavor end avor to atone to himself for the Ibe Inroads he had made on Oft his wonderful constitution tion non by careless living If It a letter received from not long tone before hi his death can be taken as aa an earnest ernest declaration de of ot his intentions he proposed to devote himself tu to the lumber Jumber business and to that ent eni had hd purchased a tract of at timber land near Springfield Mo to Ho lIo IntImated Intimate that he be was through with the games game of the gloves but Ill be bound boand if I Ketchel felt his hla dash returning after a sojourn In III the big tree country lie be would have been found fighting again and fighting the very best rise ri to tame fame was indeed meteoric A little over three years ago ao the youngster was unknown While Kill Dill Squires Squire and Tommy Tomm Burns were preparing for tor their Fourth of July con contest contest contest test in 1907 1901 Ketchel found his lila way into California and secured a maten with Joe Thomas the tile San Francisco favorite They were to box at Mary Marys Maryville villa ville and nd when Ketchel arrived in the town mentioned unkempt and unshorn some one raked p ked hos your tour trainer r Trainer Tr replied Ketchel Im lucky to be here myself He was more anxious about being sent to the nearest restaurant prop properly properly erly erl Ulan titan he was about Marysville training facilities and it might really be said that it was on square meals Ketchel conditioned himself for tor the match His iii HI confidence wits vas 8 intact He lie wrote me rom Marysville prior to the fight tight saying naively Invited Winching lI You dont know me but I want you to watch my career ard give me a Bit bitof Bitof of a sendoff if you eu thlik I deserve it Ketchel and Thomas fought on the same day as aa Burns Durna ant anO an Squires and when the world was ringing with hums Barns praises praise the wonderful showing of novice Ketche a compan companion ion topic Ketchel certainly certaIn I demol demolished demolished the California idol and so that there might be no DO doubt about it Jt ad administered administered administered ministered defeat to Thomas a second and third time I etchel wonderful natural fighting talents were quickly recognized lie He was compared to Fitzsimmons on ac account account account count of at his employment of ot the shift punch but it is doubtful if It mon monE in his days das over ever kept opt an opponent guessing guIng the way Ketchel did With his swaying twisting ac action action action tion his undulating shoulders and his feet almost aligned there was no tell teil telling telling ing which side the fearful shift was coming from roin and when it tt landed ii is was certainly a deadening smash It If Ketchel had only conserved his nerve force foree and stamina there Is Js rea rca reason reason son to believe that he would have be become become become come not only the hope of ot the white race but its reliance in the maintenance maintenance ance of ot pugilistic supremacy A gamer lad Jad never neer pe peeped ped over a glove gloe Many of the men who have at attained tamed greater heights in the pugilistic profession have shown unmistakable signs ot of trepidation In their early fights but to see this fellow tellow enter the ring was vas to know that he loved fight fighting fightIng ing for tor the excitement it afforded him If it ever came that he lie was sus suspected suspected suspected of avoiding a prospective opponent opponent opponent nent It was wac because of the common human falling failing that flint he had tasted the delights which hinge upon popularity and anti was averse to taking any an chance that might tumble him him from his proud position Others Othera Before Him III There were others other before him that felt relt that way wey about things when they became acquainted with the tho higher rungs of ot the ladder of ot fame lame and I have no doubt it was the same far tar baCk bark in the tIne misty past Many any a gladiator was spoiled when continued successes ses enabled him to lead the life Ute of ot a dandy Acquaintance with the tim and wine flagons converted him hint Into a thoughtful indi individual indIvidual vidual and allowed moral cowardice to usurp the place of physical courage Ketchel was vas a likeable fellow and will wilt bo be remembered kindly by all who I havo have taken an interest In the pugilistic happenings of ot the past few rew years I As a Que entertainer his work stood out in such fashion n that it I cannot be bo well forgotten It was be believed that he lie showed signs signa of ot im lm impaired paired stamina during daring the second of ot I his hili San Francisco fights tights with Billy but even though it was waR claimed i that the lure IUra of the automobile boule boulevards boulevards yards and nail the great White Ways ays of big cities would soon oon result in his down downfall I Ifan fan fall he managed to sustain his reputation tation as a u sensational slugger right up to the last time he ho donned tho tine gloves I |