The San Francisco call., 1897-08-21
SOLLY SMITH A
HANDY WINNER
Griffin Is Not the Stiff
Little Puncher of
Yore.
The New Brunswick Lad Was
Knocked Out in the Seventh
Round.
Patsy 0orrigan Gets a Decision From
Burns After Fifteen Very
Tame Rounds.

The 1000 lusty-lunged enthusiasts who
went to Woodward's Pavilion last even
ing will not find it necessary to hunt up
kinetoscope show in order to satisfy
themselves as to Just how Solly Smith
Knocked out his oId-time rival, Johnny
Griffin of New Brunswick.
A blind man would have stood a fair
chance of seeing how the trick was turned.
The punch which blighted Griffin's pros
poets of fighting Dixon for the bantam
cham pionship of the world came when the
seventh round was but half minute old.
Both men were fiddling for an opportunity
to lead. Griffin saw that the Los Angeles
lad was shaping himself for another OF
the hurricane rushes which had charac-
terized bis work all through the contest
and sought to un balance him by feintlug
with his left. 1t was most unluckv
feint, for the moment he executed it he left
his left side wide open" as the saying Is
in ring parlance, and Smith was too old a
hand at the business to let such chance
slip away from him. Like fash the Cali
fornian's right whipped across and his
glove landed with thump squarely upon
the point of his hapless opponents jaw
The climax was spectacular. Griffin's
hands dropped and he fell forward like a
slain steer, his face humping against the
heartless floor. There was all exultant
cheer for the victor, and the battle which
has had the sporting fraternity from one
end of the continent to the other a. Cos
siping for weeks was thing OF the past.
So tar as the management of last night S
physical-cuture entertainment was con-
cerned the spectators could not have
wished for anything better. There was
noue OF that too-frequent squabbling for
seats and no confusion at The doors.
The Columbian Club happens TO be one
OF the few boxing organizations that re-
allzes that 1t Is to its business interests
and popularity to accord the public de-
cent treatment. The matches given Offered
every promise of being great attractions
so much so that thousands of dollars we re
wagered on the results-and the fact that
they were rather disappointing in this
respect can only be attributed to the
fighters themselves and not the club.
Griffin was disa ppointment in that he
did not make the showing against Smith
that was expected of him. The little fel-
low has certainly "gone back" as the pro-
fessional trainer of pugilists would put it.
He seems to have lost all of his old time
steam and aggressive DASH and last night
tip-topper of the prize ring. When these
same two lads fought at Roby some three
years ago Griffin, it is true, got the loser S
end of the purse, but before he was downed
be gave the Californian great mauling,
and most of those who witnessed the mill
went away positive that II the little fel-
lows ever met within the ropes again the
boxer from New Brunswick would enjoy a
veritable walkover.
That performance accounted for the
heavy betting that favored Griffin s
chances in last nights encounter. Smith
was the favorite at the opening of the
books, being as high at one time as 10 to
6H. But the talk of the wiseacres as 10
Grlftln's prowess kept changing the mark
lngs until just before the men entered the
ring even money was being played.
Both lads looked to be in good form
when they doffed their bathrobes, al
though Griffin seemed to be a tritie drawn
and wore an anxious look on his face.
Both were said 10 weigh 126 pound s.
Griffln,s advantage seemed to be in his su.
perlor height and his rangy reach. But
even this stood but poorly in hand whe
the gong sent the boxers together fol
| BUSINESS.