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Show JEFFRIES SHOWS SPEEDJN STAGE If Former Champion Has Gone Hack, He Does Not Show It. TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED PEOPLE CROWD COLONIAL Ilickard Announces lo Ihc People Peo-ple That Contest Will Be Held Here. James J. Jeffries, undefeated cham-'pion cham-'pion pugilist of the world, proved to 2500 enthusiastic admirers of the manly art. Saturdaj- night at tho Colonial theater the-ater that he is not in need of the Osier treatment just at present. More than that, he showed that he is still the fastest man of his weight who ever climbed' through the ropes and convinced the majority of those who witnessed his efforts that he will bo a.blc to put up tho argument of his life next July when ho moots Jack Johnson in a forty-five-round contest for tho hcav3'wcight title. "Tex" Bickard. Nevada mining man and boxing promoter, assured the crowd that the contest would bo held in Utah. But Bickard, blushing like a schoolbo-, and an3thiug but at case, declined to venture into the realms of extended oratory, or-atory, and after making tho announcement announce-ment that tho bout would be held in this 6tate, sought refuge in tho wings. Jeffries did not make a speech. The big fellow was nover noted for his prowess along this line, and with the exception of indulging in soinc dialogue with Jus manager unci sparring partner, Sam Berger, tho fistic idol fought, shy of utterance. Jeffries skipped tho rope with an caso and graco that captured tho house. His terpsichorcan effort was all to the sunshine and really clever when the weight and staturo of tho man is ta.ken into consideration. Then tho conqueror of Corbett, Fitzsimmons, Sliarke3' ct al. did a littlo shadow boxing, box-ing, worked with a weight machine and wound up tho show by boxing three rounds with Berger. Jeff in Fine Shape. Those who saw Jeffries when ho was in Salt Lake with his "Dav3- Crockett" company somo years ago noted the chaugo 'in the man when tho3 saw him stripped for action Saturda3' night. Tho excess baggago that tho ex-boiJonnaker carried in tho region of the waist lino was noticeablj' absent. Jeffries was not the suggestion of a skoleton he's a giant, and comes' by it naturally but he isn 't fat. He anuounccd Saturday I night that he is within fifteen pounds) of his preferred boxing weight. The fifteen fif-teen pounds will servo him nicely during dur-ing tho strenuous wcoks prior to tlio big bout. Tlie lines J lint never fail to follow a life of dissipation were absent in the faco of (lie champion Saturday night. There was nothing to hhow that tho big. fellow had wasted any time in riotous living as has been alleged since the Jeffries-Johnson contest became a cor-rainty. cor-rainty. Jeffrirs has the appearance of a mau In perfect physical health, and, do-spito do-spito the altitude, thoro was nothing about Die champioirs appoaranco after his athletic stunts, Saturda3' night,, to indicate that he is not read.v to go the Marathon route in the boxing lino with proper preparation. And when the big crowd tiled out of Iho Colonial theater afler tlie show there wasn't, much doubt, in the minds of the majority of the spectators that there will be a blondo champion returned re-turned next July. JeAVies was iho headlincr Saturday night, but not the whole show by any means. He was tho center o a. .constellation .con-stellation of stars, including Frank Gotch. world's champion wrestler, "Tex" Bickard, champion promoter, Farmer Burns, the dean of the wrestling wrest-ling fraternity, Dr. B. F. Poller, probably prob-ably tho cleverest man on tho mat toda' with the exception of Gotch, Ram Burger, Bur-ger, himself a one-titno aspirant for tho boxing crown, and others. aotch Is Ginut. ' Gotch .wrestled with Jim Asbell in nn exhibition match and showed., his claf-s. Mo is a giant of tho Jeffries. 13'po and occupies the same position in the wrestling world that Jeff docs in the fistic realm. Dr. Bollor made a speech on tho value of an athletic education and incident-ully incident-ully passed Salt Lako a number of compliments com-pliments on having landed tho big boxing box-ing contest. Afterwards he wrestled Continued 011 Page Twenty six. JEFFRIES SHOWS . SPEED ON STAGE Continued From Page Nineteen.. with Jack IU cCormack and the two Rave a profty exhibition, . Of us Anderson of Kansas City won AlOO when Im stayed fificen minutes with Parmer Bums. Tho bout. va6 replete re-plete with excitement and Anderson ovolted round nl'tcr round of applause by the cleverness ho displayed in get-ling get-ling out of tight places. At the conclusion con-clusion of tho match Burns dcclarod Anderson was a " tough youngstor'' arid gave tho latter a hearty slap of approbation. Stanley Knrp reforecd the wrestling bouls. Several people at the ringside were given a forced balh when the Glock-ors, Glock-ors, Charles and Anua, put on their water niggling act. After carefully immersing himself. Olmrles distributed a pailful of water along the tier of seats close to tho arena and included several prominent people in the vaude-villo vaude-villo baptism. Sam Bergcr was the official announcer, announc-er, arranged the different athletic, contests, con-tests, visited the box ofllco frequently, boxed with the champion and was easily eas-ily tho busiest man in the houso during j.up progress of tho show. The Colonial theater was taxed to capacity and hundreds were turned awa3' oil account of tho dearth of seats. At the conclusion of tho show, .TctTrics and "Tox" Tiickard journeyed to a local cafe lo liavo lunch aild were followed fol-lowed up Main Btrcct by -a eheeriug crowd of enthusiasts anxious to gel. a pcej) at two of the thrco central figures fig-ures in the world's championship contest con-test next duly. |
