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Show JOKE .'OF THE SPORTING 1 WORLD (By Mack.) From present Indications it looks as though all attempts to corral the coming match between Jeffries and Johnson . for . Ogdcn.-h&vc . been . drop-pod, drop-pod, as tho expected arrival of Rickard and Gleason, accompanied by Salt Lake sporting and business Interests failed to materialize, While It Is to be regretted that no more 6trenuous attempt than a halfhearted, half-hearted, tentative effort to get the big contest here was made, the fact that Salt Lake, after announcing positively on several different occasions, through its various newspapers, that the fight would' be held there, Is allowing the proposition to get past them is laughable, to say the least Since tho match was first considered. Salt Lake porting writers and other interested parties have been "boosting" for the capital city as the place to hold the match. Now, when things are beginning be-ginning to be straightened out slightly slight-ly It can be seen that the Salt Lakers wero strong on talk, and ludicrously weak on action. Only a short time ago it was said in the Salt Lake papers that the contract con-tract for the fight to be held at Saltalr had been signed, and that Rickard had bound himself to forfeit $101,000 if tho fight was not held on account cf official Interference. . It begins to look now as though this was only another of the wonderful pipe dreams of Salt Lake's notorious dispensers of Imaginative stories. It. may be that the flcbt promoter will hand over $101,000 should the fight not take place in Salt Lake, but while wc don't "come from Missouri, we had a postal card from that place once and we like to be shown. - - Wise to Press Agent. While It Is apparent to every one that Ogden has -not tbe facilities of Salt lakc to handle a large crowd. It Is likewise appnrent, as has often been Bald.that the logical geographical place for such a match would be Ogden. Og-den. It Is more easily reached from the east and west, and undoubtedly tho match, if held In this city would draw an enormous crowd of sport lovers from all parts of tho United States. About the best guess that can be made at present Is that Jeffries' preference for his native state will be the determining factor as to the place to stage the match. Outside of Rickard Rick-ard and Gleason, It Is probable that no one can say anything positive anent the ultimate location of the contest, and so many stories have been sent broadcast over the country and charged to Rickard and Gleason, that the public. Is beginning to get wise to the press aeeut behind all tbe talk Case Without Parallel. ' In the first place, It seems hardly reasonable that two men, partners In ,i venture Involving more than $100, 000, should- care lo fight the matter out -over the - press wires in dispatches dis-patches of a few words, when a few-hour's few-hour's conferenco would settle the matter one way or. another. Whatever What-ever the explanation of the riddle, and no matter how- it Is finally settled, the two promotors have undoubtedly gotten more -free advertising out of the long drawn out controversy as to where they would stage the match than anyone over got before. While a great deal of this is un doubtedly due to the prominence of the two fighters, there is hardly a parallel case In the history of sport-dom sport-dom where two men promoting a sporting event took such peculiar methods to settle their differences. Then, when Rickard and Gleason met in Salt Lake, according to what tho Salt l-ike papers say about it, there was not the slightest trace of 111 feel ing between them. If the entire story ever gets out there will bo one loud, hilarious laugh that will echo from coast to coast. While Salt Lake Is not the only com niunlty that "fell for" the lino of talk handed out by the Interested parties, Salt Lake undoubtedly "fell" harder than any other community, and the swift end of the laugh will fall where it should fall, on Salt Lake. It. is to be hoped that this will have a good effect on the overweening conceit and colossal solf-VHieem in which the average Salt Laker holds himself and his city, and that the public will be relieved for awhile at least of tbe assorted noises emanating from the: capital city, just now. holding a sore head nnd singing "I'm the Goat." |
