Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 262, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 November 1915 — MORAN TO TACKLE WILLARD [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MORAN TO TACKLE WILLARD

Efforts Being Made to Secure Match for Big Pittsburgh Fighter With the Present Champion. Since the return of Frank Moran, the Pittsburgh heavyweight, from Europe, strong efforts are being made to match him with Jess Willard for a championship battle. Moran is a good fighter and a fine fellow, but there are other heavyweights in the country who are Just as much entitled to a chance at the title with Willard. Moran’s greatest feat, so it is claimed, was in going 20 rounds with Jack Johnson before the latter lost his title to the present champion. Moran lost the contest. There has been a great deal of notoriety connected with the Johnson-Moran match, the claim being made that Moran had agreed to “lie down” to Johnson, but after en-

tering the ring declined to go through with it. The claim was made by Moran’s manager that it was the only way they could get Johnson into a match at that time. Reports of the contest indicated that Johnson was in very poor form at the time and therefore had little chance of putting the Pittsburgher away. It proved one thing however —that Moran had considerable class, no matter how Johnson felt about it. Moran’s win over the British champion, Bombardier Wells, by the knockout route in ten rounds, was the occasion for a big boost, but Wells had lost the same way to A 1 Palzer, Gunboat Smith and Georges Carpentier. Moran’s latest win by a knockout over George Sims in six rounds was nothing to brag about, as Sims was considered only a third-rater over in London.

Frank Moran.