Show RING BA BATTLES MEASUREMENTS AND GOSSIP L OF JAMES J. J JEFFRIES AND JACK JOHNSON When James Jame J. J J Jeffries was born ty ty years ears q ago oso April 1 17 last a first class fighting man wits WHO created He was endowed en en- en endowed dowed doved with everything that g go goes s to make u ur un a a. tighter fighter right from tho the start He HP did not need to train and school himself to toan an any great extent H He He- had both tho the brain brainand brainand and ond the tho brawn brAn and ond all 11 he lacked was the tho ambition to win fame as ns a 1 tighter fighter Vh When n that ambition did dill come to him It required I but two years ears for or him to vanquish overy lighter fighter worthy worth of or consideration and make the tM championship title one of or his Ms personal assets Once Once- he secured It It tho the only way ho could find tind of ot ridding himself lt of ot the burdens hur- hur dens It Imposed was to give It away That ThatIs Is what Jeff Jert did with It Ho lie looked over th the Held field of ot worthy orthy heavy weights with witha a view to adopting one of or them as his heir hell Eight years after his first tight fight ho decided that Marvin Hart was tho the h heir lr ap apparent and abdicated In Harts Hart's favor tavor One Ono of or tho the striking thins things about Jeffries Jot Jef fries tries is the fact that It took took a great deal of or Ar argument to convince him that ho he was wasa a fighting man at all an Despite natures nature's generosity to him in the matter of ot size and strength ho had a 0 strong suspicion all the tho time that he was Intended d to be bea bea a 1 farmer armer Through his early lifo me ho displaYed displayed dis dis- played great reat fondness for getting dose close to nature via a fishing rod or a 0 gun and spent quite a a. bit of ot time among the mountains He developed a decided fondness fond fond- ness neu for Cor country countr life lire and when he re resigned ro- ro signed his high state as champion having having hav hav- ing annexed enough money through purses moving pictures picture a and stage appearances appearances appear appear- ances antes to do what he ho pleased he hastened to a a. farm Carm In southern rn California with the tho intention of ot ending his days days' as a sort of ot country squire Had fled John Arthur Johnson John John- John Johnson son and the color question not interfered with his plans ho he would In all an probability probability proba proba- have carried out that tion Fought Jeffries was way born in do Carroll Ohio in 1875 1815 hut but his parents came to California so soon after his arrival that ho he Is looked upon almost as a native of ot that state Little is recorded corded of his doln doings s prior to 1897 1597 beyond the fact that he ho was a mighty hunter a a. good ROod boiler maker and anda a rough and tumble fighter with whom few fow cared to mix He or ne was an nn amateur amateur amateur ama ama- fighter r. r Tho The first time he entered the ring rhu- he did so on the spur of or the moment accepting the challenge e ofa of or a colored 1 fighter fight er cr named Hank Griffin because of ot the tho money he would get et by defeating th the tha 1 challenger Tho The fight occurred In Los Angeles An An- J geles les Cal In 1893 and Jeff accomplished the defeat of or tho the colored manin man In fourteen rounds round winding up with an artistic knockout While this victory did not seem to arouse rous Jeff Jert to any ambition as a fighter it attracted the attention of fighters to him as a valuable training partner He seconded ed a middle weight named Billy Gallagher r. r in San Francisco two tx years cars later and Gallagher got sot him a 3 match in lS 1896 6 with Dan Lon Long of Denver Den There was a 1000 purse up and Long Lon went to sleep In tho the second round when Jeffs Jeff's left encountered his nose I It rt was as shortly att after r this that Jim Jin Corbett Corbett Cor Cor- bett began to prepare for or his fi fight ht with Bob Fitzsimmons which gave the latter the championship Harry Haro Corbett Jims Jim's brother who was as on th the lookout loC for or sparring sparring sparring spar spar- ring partners sent Jeff up to Carson City Nov Nev ey to join Jims Jim's training staff start Corbett hammered the big fellow unmercifully but Jeff was was absorbing knowledge of or the fight fight- In ins jr game Jame through every ery pore These were his first real re-al boxing lessons and he took them from Crom a master muter of the craft cratt Within With With- in three weeks after afler Corbetts Corbett's defeat Jet was nas In the ring again on his own hook doln doing away aay with the tho aspirations o of two promising heavy weights In quick succession in 1897 So much had Jeff b benefited by Corbetts Corbett's training that he was as marked as a coming tl fighter at once and a match was ar arranged ar- ar ranged for tor him with Gus of or Akron Ohio which was fought in San Francl Francisco co coIn In 1897 The fight went nent twenty rounds to a a. draw dra Was a a. Boiler Maker In the same samo year jear J Jeffries fought Joe a tW twenty round draw He re recalls recalls recalls re- re calls this fight particularly he says S be because because because be- be cause landed on on his jaw yaw the h hardest rd st blow he ever received It was wasa a II right hander and had so much good goodwill wilt will behind It that Jeffries never forgot It That punch was one of the things that made Jeffries call Cho to his aid aid when ho he decided to return to the ring to fight Johnson During the next year Jeffries began to find out how strong he really was as He knocked out Joe Goddard of ot Australia a 1 ahardy ahardy hardy fighter with man many victories to his credit followed that up by knocking out old ole Peter Jackson In thre rounds and making Mexican Pete Everett quit In lest lesl than three A twenty-round twenty draw with Tom Sharkey came In the sam and then wont to New Now York where he was matched to ft fight ht two to men in one evening Tho The first of ot these was Bob Armstrong Arm- Arm strong colored and Jeff Jett damaged his hand against the big black to such an ex extent extent ex- ex tent that he could not meet Stevo Stev ODonnell ODonnell ODon nell neU the other man much to tho the delight of O'Donnell's friends During this time Bob Fitzsimmons was retaining tho the championship against all comers comeTS A match was U made between Jeff and Bob at Cone Coney Concy Island 1899 It W was S looked upon as a a. joke as the man who had gathered Jim Corbetts Corbett's scalp In decisive decisive de de- II stylo style W was S thought to bo be able to play with the big green hand Jeffries Fitzsimmons did play with him him for for nine nino rounds If It there was an any 1 part of Jeffs Jeff's head ho he did not bit hit at will nobody at the ringside c could d' d locate the tho place lace But In Inthe Inthe inthe the tenth Fit Fitz tired and in in the eleventh after going down don twice ho he was to get gel t up a third time and Jim Jeffries was as champion of ot the world Five months later Jeffries met Tom Sharkey again In a a. twenty round fight at Coney Island Jeff Jert got a a. decision over o the sailor but he ho declares that Sharkey Is the tho gamest earnest man who ever en entered entered entered en- en the ring Bis Hie 1 Battle attle With Corbett Corbett b by y this time was eager caRer to geta get geta a match with his hie former sparring partner The fight was arranged and for twenty twenty rounds Jeffries took a 11 terrific amount o of punishment Ho utterly failed to reach Corbett with his gloves loves although Corbett battered t him around around so so freely that the bin fellow enow looked foolish Jeffs Jeff's seconds told him that he was an champion ex-champion be beyond beyond be- be yond ond doubt unless he did something and sett Jeff Jett went out to do It in tho the next round He tore after Corbett minding the storm of blows that met net him no more than h ho he would mind so ISO many raindrops His left reached Corbetta midsection in In the i third ty-third round and a moment later his right ended tho the fight tight with a short arm jolt jolt to the jaw Jeffs Jeff's next fight tIght of ot any Importance was with his old opponent Ruhlin After five rounds rounda Ruhlin quit Jeff Jert had learned too much for or Ruhlin between their meetings Probably the greatest amount of punishment punishment pun pun- nt Jeff Jen ever took took and and he took a lotof lot lotof of It first and last S was in his second ht with Fitzsimmons The fight took place In 1902 and Fitz threw throw all his cleverness cleverness clev clev- erness and strength th Into the tho first th three e rounds Jeffs Jerr face was badly cut by his blows and while FlU was fresh tresh tho the champion champlon looked like a a novice beside him But he could not keep it up and he could not seem to worry Jeff Jert to any extent In the eighth Jeffs Jeers right cau caught ht the old oM champion in the stomach his left Jelt went to the jaw jw and Fitzsimmons was classed among th the has has-beens to for for good Tho The second fight with Jim Corbett was waa as Jeffs Jeff's last important tIght light In that tight fight Jeff showed that bo be bad hod at last learned the tho boxing game He outfought Corbett the admitted ma master ler of ot glove work and foot work at every point of tho the game and andIn andin anlIn In tho the eleventh Corbett went down for forthe forthe forthe bent the count This was Cor ott s last appearance appearance ap ap- in the ring Just prior to his retirement Jeff fought a e. round four draw with Jack Jock Munroe at Butto Butte It was wu a Go stay four otter offer and Munroe by clinging to Jeff all the time Munroe Munro after alter the tight fight claimed he had knocked Teti ert doWn don As a matter of ot fact thi th big man slipped d and fell 1111 but Munroe boasted boasted of ot his alleged triumph until Jeffs Jeff's an anger or was aroused and another another another an an- other fight arranged They met in San Francisco and Munroe wont went down and out cut in the second round I In his preparation for his fight with Johnson Jeffries his has s' s done the hardest training work he ha was ever known to un un- dergo erco Ills Ifs methods have been peculiarly SKETCHES OF JEFFRIES AND JOHNSON Jeffries J es Johnson Age 35 r 32 2 Weight Height n 6 ft l in 6 G ft It 1 in Neck f i 1 18 Chest normal 46 3 39 Chest e expanded t 50 42 42 B. B Biceps f. f 15 le U 1611 1 t l-t l Forearm 13 13 14 1414 A. A Wrist Vrist S 8 Reach Rc ch V 75 75 72 Waist 36 31 34 31 Thigh l. l 0 23 Calf 1 17 i 1 15 Ankle t 10 9 s 01 Fights r 1 1 20 64 Lost 1 4 Purse Jeffries gets gets' win dray draw dr nv or lose os J Johnson Moving pictures cs estimated to each his own as a a. rule Ho He went In for tor bear shooting fishing mountain climbing climbing- and ond the tho like liko and his trainers s had little to say about what hat ho did Preparing for Johnson In preparing for Johnson however tho the retired champion has loft left no part of his training go for He would not agree to tho match until assured by trYout try tryout tryout out work and the opinions of oC phy physicians that he ho was physically physic able to got set into good condition Once assured of that he took up his quarters in the Santa Cruz mountains sixty miles south of San Francisco and drilled as he never ne drilled before In his camp Jim Corbot Corbett volunteer volunteer vol vol- 01 old aid reigned supreme Jeff Jett believed Jim was a 0 wise man on matters connected connect connect- ed with caro taro of oC the bod body and he heeded the former champions champion's words Joe Choyn ski was there also and Bob Armstrong All An three of or them were victims of Jeffs Jeff's handiwork In times past but they worked wonted hard to prepare him for his last great battle battlo Among unrecorded battles bat bat- is the defeat via a knockout of or Jack Johnson It was as during a three round fight tIght at Galveston In 1892 Farmer Burns Burn was another of ot the training squad HeIs He Ho HoIs Is a wrestler of considerable repute and not a day of training passed but Jeffries Jef- Jef fries engaged him In a a. struggling hauling haul haul- ing ins hefting belting match match- Eight years ago when Johnson began besan to loom oom on the pug pugilistic horizon he urged his managers to make every overy effort to arran arrange arrange ar ar- ar- ar ran range e for tor a fight with Jeffries Jeffries cans can's touch m me me was his boast even In those days and he fretted continually over the tho fact that until he acquired a reputation his prospects for tor a championship championship championship champion champion- ship battle were but as gauzy as the tallot tall tail of ot Halley's comet He says he e believed then as confidentially in his is ability to achieve the tho title as ha he ho did six years cars later when at last his opportunity to battle for or the supreme prize was realized It was not my tights fights themselves but my fight tight to get those fights that proved the hardest part of ot the struggle Io Johnson Johnson John- John son bon told the tho Associated Press in recountIng recounting recount- recount Ing ng his difficulties in reaching the pinnacle pin pin- nacle of his ambition It was WIlS my color They told me to got get a rep but bilt how was wasI I Ito to get a a. rep without meeting fighters of ot class But I made them fight me I just lust kept plugging along along- snapping up what chances to fight I could grab until by and by tho the top saw that sooner or later they'd have havo to take me WI on As s soon as I had shown what I could do do the fight tight public public most most of tho the fans anyway took anyway took sides with me and that help helped d a whole holc lot Johnson asserts that he has never been apprehensive of ot possible defeat In any contest he has engaged in None of or them hem them he declares had any terrors for him ilm Ills HIs four most Important bat battles lies have le been cen tou fought ht within the tho last year ear and a half haIr dating from his defeat of or Tommy Burns In Australia December 26 26 1908 1905 having wrested tho championship from Burns Bums he determined to meet and fend his title against all comers corners His fights tights Philadelphia Jack 0 OBrien n AI Al Kaufman and Stan Stanley Ie Ketchel followed In rapid succession On his tights fights two or three years ears be before be- be fore foro that had had brought him prominence and help helped d him along along greatly In his ca career ca- ca reer his contests with Sam Langford th the tho Boston negro Joe Jeanette Jeanetto Sam McVey Mc- Mc Vey Denver Ed Martin Jim Flynn and others Johnson lays no particular stress except his to regard them thorn as so many rungs of his ladder of or success Im looking for a fight tight Johnson In In which I really can let myself myself my my- self out and show the public Just what I Ican Ican Ican can do That's one reason Teason why h Im I'm so anxious to go up against Jeffries Johnsons Johnson's declaration sustains the judgment of numerous sporting writers who h have havo maintained for years eara that tho the bl big negro seldom If It ever extended himsel himself himself him him- sel self and was capable of or striking harder blo blows 8 than he ho has ever delivered In the Z ring It appears to have havo been a general belief that Johnson was holding back This was particularly noticeable in his recent re recent recent re- re cent fight with Stanle Stanley Ketchel In that bout Johnson toyed with his man all tho the w way He seemed to think the tho fight a joke until a slip and a timely punch brought him to his is knees and aroused 1 his an anger r. r Just what happened next has never been clearly clearl known It was wits too fast to watch and In an Instants Instant's time Ketchel Ketch- Ketch el cl was on his back and being |