The Anaconda standard., 1899-06-10


absence of any preliminary contest
gave the crowd a fight appetite. They
began calling for the performance at
$50 and at 9:45 were demonstrative.
Jeffries was the first of the principals
to appear. He came through the main
entrance and walked the length of the
hall at 9:20 to an accompaniment of
cheers, while Fitzsimmons, who was ac-
confpanied by his wife, gained the
dressing room by rear door The dis
agreement as to the conditions of
clinches and breaks was discussed and
settled outside of the ring and there
was but little delay when the terms
were agreed upon.
Theatrical Entry.
Fitzsimmons' entry into the ring at
1905 o'clock was made the occasion of
a rather theatrical demonstration. Jul
ian was first and then came the fighter.
The seconds were next in line and then
came two men bearing a great floral
piece thatWas almost funereal in its ap-
pearance. 1t was inscribed Good luck
to the champion but the flowers are.
wilted now.
Fitzsimmons bowed tremendously to
it. Jeffries was the next into the arena
and, like his opponent, got demon
strative reception. FitzSimmons looked
lanky and thin, but his skin was clear,
his eyes bright and his step elastic.
flags at. his waist. Jeffres looked
sturdy and massive and seemed a little
nervous. He got the worst Of the as
signment of corners, for the great lights
shone into his face and he blinked at
them in a nervous sort of way. Siler,
too looked colorless and i'll at ease.
There was no trying delay in the ring,
and the big gong sounded out just as
soon as the men had been presented
and gloved. When they squared off
Jeffries looked so pounds to the good.
The opening round was a try-out, pure
and simple, and not single blow of an
effective nature was landed. First one
was the pacemaker and then the other
essayed the pressing. They were almost
equally active and the clever work rec
ompensed the crowd for the lack of eX-
citement The second round began in
business-lixe way, with JeffTHes trying
his left Fitzsinmons then took a turn,
but was short. Just as the round closed
Jeffries downed Fitzsimmons with a
hard straight left on the jaw The
champion came up slowly in a dazed
sort of way and reeled toward his man.
The crowd cheered Jeffries, but the
gong ended the round.
Fighting ViciousIy.
Fitzsimmons rallied in the rest and
was aggressive in the third Fitzsim-
mons was bleeding but fighting vicious
y
Californians round. The fourth was
fast but not decisive. Fitzsimmons
made his best showing during the fifth.
He began the round with punch that
opened Jeffries' left eye and sent a lit
tie torrent of blood coursing down his
cheek. He forced Jeffries against the
ropes, but the Californian Slipped away
from him. He made Jeffries hug again,
but before the round ended Jeffries was
back and fighting. F>itzsimmons was
the aggressor in the sixth and that, too,
was his round. He tried all of his
tricks with his left and right, but was
unable to place them right. He closed
with a strong upper-cut but that. too,
was blocked. The seventh might be
said to have been Fitzsimmons', but he
did no particular damage with his
punches. The eighth saw the beginning
of the end, for Fitzsimmons never re-
gained his balance after that round.
Jeffries began the round with a straight
left on the face that again brought the
blood out of his opponents mouth The
Cornishman staggered against the
ropes, but came back for another facer
There was fear in Fitzsimmons' corner
and Julian yelled to Fitzsimmons to be
careful. Fitzsimmons planted one of
his lefts on Jeffries' jaw and staggered
him against the ropes. Fitzslmmons
looked like beaten man.
The ninth was all Jeffries'. He found
the Australians head with series of
lefts, put his right on the body and
| avoided any serious punishment Fitz-
simmons kept pressing forward all the
| time, however. but was unable to find
his opponent.
The tenth was in reality where the
fight ended, Jeffries rushed his oppo-
nent and downed him with left swing
Fitzsimmons seemed out and there was
a moment of the widest excitement
Julian ran along the ring side and
sprinkled water on his fallen idol. At
the end of seven seconds, Fitzsimmons
staggered to his feet. only to go down
again. He was up again and Jeffries
poised himself for the finishing touch
He shot in his left to the body and tried
for the head with his right He was
calm and collected. but the time was
too short. Again did the gong come to
the aid of the man who was then going.
staggering and dazed, to certain de-
feat. There was a frantic effort to re-
viVe the champion of champions but
he was cleanly gone and his seconds
could not restore him.
A Splendid Moment.
The fate-lille gong changed again and
the old fighter wabbled out to meet the
sturdy young Hercules who awaited
him. 1t was rs courageous and gritty
as a dash up the firing line in battle,
but it was hopeless They were to-
gether, 1t was a splendid moment and
full of dramatic intensitv that charac-
terizes a tragedy. Jeffries was as fresh
as at the start. There was a moment
of sparring and the giant arms of the
Californian shot through the air 1t
was left and right, and over. Fitzsim-
mons, limp and unconscious, dropped
to the floor. Jeffries stepped back, for
he knew the force that he had put be-
hind his terrible blows. The timers
called off the seconds that counted out
an old ring hero and heralded another.
but nobody heard them. The crowd
was on its feet bowling. There was a
rush for the ring, but scores of blue
coats barred the way. Ten seconds are
short, and when the tenth had come
there was a new roar of excitement To