TLS signed “W. R. Hearst,” one page, 8.5 x 10.75, New York American letterhead, March 25, 1916. Letter to Reverend Oscar Haywood, in full: "A widely advertised, largely attended prize fight, is to be held in Madison Square Garden tonight. The largest place of entertainment in the greatest city in the world is to be devoted to an exhibition that is both brutal and brutalizing. Thousands of young men will attend this demoralizing exhibition, and what is worse hundreds of women will be present. This exhibition is to be held partly under the authorization and protection of an improper law, and partly in violation and defiance of law, because Madison Square Garden is not the kind of boxing club that the law is mean to authorize. The newspapers will report this fight, but they do not approve of it. The newspapers report the facts of the Waite murder, but they do not approve of murders and they labor to secure proper laws and penalties and adequate police regulations to prevent murders and other criminal and immoral acts. I think the press should move to prevent these demoralizing prize fights. I think the newspapers should campaign to secure the repeal of the laws authorizing exhibitions of this kind. The far western state of Nevada has repudiated its laws which allow prize fighting and has taken a stand against prize fighting in line with modern progress and civilization. I do not think the metropolis of the nation, the metropolis of the world, should encourage savagery of this kind and I respectfully suggest that the pulpit and the press work together to stop prize fighting in this state and put this state on a normal plane equal to that of Nevada. I would be very much honored if you would see to express your views on this question through the media of the Hearst newspapers. A telegraphic reply has been prepaid. Thanking you for your courtesy.” In very good to fine condition, with creasing and light staining to the lower right edge. On March 25, 1916, at Madison Square Garden, Jess Willard made his only successful world heavyweight title defense when he defeated Frank Moran.
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