The herald., 1896-08-19
JEFFREYS IN A BAD WAY
The Los Angeles Heavyweight Sick With
Pneumonia
nc VIII Not Be Able to Meet Van Buskirk
Evidently Over-reached Himself
In Training


the National Physical Culture associa-
ton. have about come to the conclusion
that pandering to the public appetite
for pugilism Is not what it is cracked up
to be, says the San Francisco Examiner
of Sunday. The sport promoters named
made quite a success of it when they
brought Sailor Sharkey and Pompa-
dour Jim Corbett together at Mechan-
les pavilion, but since that time Dame
Fortune has been rather niggard with
her smiles.
The National experienced it's first set
back when through the unkindness of
the supervisors in the matter of a per-
NIT it failed to put Peter Maher and Joe
Choynski in the ring. 1t will be remem-
bered that the city fathers withheld
their sanction until very late in the day,
and in the meantime Maher departed for
Pittsburgh, there to vary San Francis
co.'s reputation of being "jay town" by
referring to the sporting fraternity here
as community of knockers %
Nothing daunted by it's loss of the
match in question, the club looked
around for other attractions, and in
due time announced that it had secured
Billy Gallagher and George Green for
some date between August 21st and 25th
Everything was going smoothly when
it was learned by the management that
Gallagher had quietly taken his depart
ure for Los Angeles. Some were unkind
enough to say that he had no intention
of keeping his engagement with Green,
but so far his backsliding has assumed
no more alarming proportions than a
request for an extension of time in
which to train.
The club of course was forced to COM
ply with Gallagher's request, and it be-
came necessary to produce other star
bruisers for the August entertainment.
Choice fell on James Jeffreys of Los
Angeles and Theodore Van Buskirk. a
pair of heavyweight novices. who are
at present commanding a good deal of
attention from patrons of ring events.
August 26th was decided upon as the
date of the meeting, and the club was
congratulated by all and sundry on hav
ing matched such promising colts. ~.,
Now it is said that Jeffreys is down
with pneumonia at one of the road
houses near the Cliff. and unless some
miraculous change in his condition takes
place within the next couple of days the
National club will have to hustle around
and find substitute for the Van Bus
kirk Jeffreys go. .3a
Jeffreys began training few days ago
and he seems to have overreached him
self. He has done extra heavy road
work in company with his trainer, Aus
tralian Billy Smith. and it is surmised
that the big heavy weight has exposed
himself too much to the fogs and ocean
breezes while in heated condition.
In any case. he is very sick man, and
while the doctors are said to disagree as
to whether his ailment is pneumonia or
not, there is no doubt but that he is in
a state of high fever. His case will be
definitely diagnosed today. but it is gen
orally conceded that there is not much
hope of his being able to face Van Bus
kirk at the appointed time.
1t Is thought probable that Jack Stelz-
ner the heavy weight who trained Fitz-
simmons in Mexico, will take Jeffreys
place in the Van Buskirk match. and
that Henry Peppers, the we'll known
middle weight, will be pitted against
Frank Purcell on the same evening.