Show How I Discovered the King of While Hopes Charley Cutlers Cutler's Own Story of Mee Meeting With Champion Willard Jess Was Trying to C Cover ver H His Six Fo Six Six t-Six With Boys Boy's Coat and Pan Pants By CHARLES CUTLER American Wrestling Champion and the Man Who Discovered ed Joss Jell Willard I am nm Just as pleased over Jess Willards Willard's victory as S a n. proud father Is of his first child learning to tn walk When I first met Willard mard In St. St Louis Loul where whore I was waa wrestling Paul Samson about three years ago he Impressed me mo regardless of of hl hit ungainly aln appearance t He was apparently In poor circumstances judging by his hla clothing He wore a boys boy's size coat stretched over his his' long Jong but well proportioned body and his trousers lacked about four inches of reaching his shoe tops It looked rather I ludicrous for at that time it was not the style to push onos ono's feet quite so 10 far through ones one's trouser Legs logs Ho explained to mo me that he was determined to become champion of the tho world although he had hail traveled a rough Toad road up to that time I told him th that t I might bo hc able to help him get Ket started In the right direction J If he would come on to Chicago which ho did on the advice pf f Harr Harry Barry Morris the promoter of the wrestling bout I obtained a a. new outfit of clothes for Jess Seas and we started Upon arriving lnE In Chicago we went we-nt up to nm OConnell O'Connell the veteran gym owner and Bill passed favorably fa upon Jess I 1 had h a great deal 6 of f confidence In Bills Bill's Judgment as he has 1118 turned out but ut several champions from his gymnasium In his hi first workout I was made the butt of f many jokes andone and andone one ono spectator offered to get Bill Squires Squires' for or me mo and another volunteered to go and call up Ed D Danny Goodman a lightweight offered to Jo bet bot me 50 50 th that t ho co could ld boat Willard if I would assure him tija his right name was Willard and not Horr Herr Pla the man who fought Kid McCoy Willard Villard was vcr very awkward at first but determined to make good am and anel that determination won He Ho lacked ed confidence e In his own ability as he was Improving or I perhaps h he did not realize that he WAS VAS getting good tor for he was backward about having me sign him with men that I knew he could beat One point In Jess Jess' favor he did not tr try to knock out an any of his boxing partners and arll a was Just as safe from danger In boxing with the bi big fellow as he would be In Jail Jan This same trait led many to believe that he did not have any punch and I was unaware of its terrific force until I saw him knock Bull Young a man weighing pounds three feet in inthe inthe inthe the air lir and turned him over for a half somersault That happened in Fort Wayne Ind md It was in a bout with Willard in Los Angeles later that this same Young Youns met with an accident that ended falan fatally and came near depriving the white race of a ft man that was was- capable of wresting the he boxing crown from Jack Johnson as' as Jess was thinking seriously of ot quitting the ring for tor good at that time Managing fighters Is not m my business ss and although I was as loath to let Jet Willard Villard go o I 1 would ha have h been ln perfectly willing to hand handover over the manaJ managerial rl 1 reins to more capable hands had Willard expressed a desire that I 1 do so 80 as I realized that I had taken Jess as 15 far as I was ins capable My I mn newspaper friends all Joined In In Inand and gave save him a lot of ot publicity p I taught him what I knew about boxing and I 1 knew w w that his determination would ultimately make malec him champion While J I am the tim loser of ot many thousands thousand of ot dollars by not nots tying him up with a n. contract 1 I am glad that ho he won the title and that Tom Jones Is entitled to credit for far getling him the chance to fight Johnson |