Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-20

facts, n not rumors and guesses, are
what Is needed to restore the confidence
of the host of baseball admirers through
out the country.
1t would be bad policy for the league
to attempt the 12-club league again.
with two such weak teams as the Cleve-
lands and the Louisvilles wandering
about the country giving burlesque imi-
tations Of the sport.
After all that has been said and writ
ten about syndicate ball, and the severe
utterances of some Of the magnates about
thedual ownership of clubs, 1 cannot fig
ure how the organization can afford
to go before the public with a 1O-club
league.
The 1O-club league would mean that two
of the clubs-Brooklyn and Baltimore
would be under control of the same
against syndicate ball. The baseball pub
lie is in no humor to stand another Bit
ter dose of this kind.
Did you ever read that grand old
story of 'Japhet in Search of a Father?"
If you haven't read it I would advise you
to correct the omission as speedily as
possible, says Macon, in a New York
letter. Jim Corbett in Search of a
Trainer could be written up fully as
amusingly as the adventures Of Japhet.
First he was to have Kid Mccoy, then
SeoAAA III "ooAA " AASA 00o was
to be his pugilistic mentor, and the last
candidate who is to develop him into re-
championship form is Tommy Ryan Of
Syracuse. This new mentor has been
chosen because he and Billy Delaney of
San Francisco are at swords points, and
also because there is no love lost at
present between Corbett and the afore-
said Delaney, though once they were as
thick and as fast friends as David was
to Jonathan or as Pythias was to Da-
mon.
There is not the slightest doubt in my
mind that Ryan did wonders in teaching
Jeffries how to circulnvent Bob Fitzsim-
mons. but 1t is an open question whether
he can now impart knowledge to Corbett
which will enable him to defeat his erst-
While sparring partner. l think that
there is very little pugilistic skill that
Ryan can impart to Corbett, simply be-
cause l think Corbett is far more skill
full than Ryan ever was or ever will be.
In my opinion if Corbett can get within
anything like IS per cent of the form he
had the day he defeated Charley Mitchell
at Jacksonville he will make Mr.. Jeffries
look like the small end of 30 cents struck
by lightning. But can he get into that
condition? That is the rub.
MIR. Jeffries did his most effective work
against Tom Sharkey in the clinches
when he threw the weight of his vast
bulk upon the sailor. firing him down.
through his efforts to free himself from
the crushing embrace. He did no very
effective punching until four-fifths of the
night was over, and he had Sharkey
weakened by his bearing down tactics.
Now, If Corbett is anything like the Cor
bett he was five years ago, his foot work
will enable him to prevent Jeffries get
ting hold of him. He will be able to
iab and hook the big fellow just as
Mccoy jabbed and hooked Peter Maher.
l know that a good many people think
Corbett is "a dead one" and hat his
vitality will be exhausted after eight or
10 rounds. In my opinion the result Of
the bout will depend wholly and solely,
banning accident, on the stamina Cor
bett is able to present when he goes into
the ring. I know that he feels confident
that he will surprise the great mass Of
Z those who think he is a lead one. He
has told me this in the same tone Of
voice, n with the same impressiveness
he told me that he would whip John l..
sullivan a week before he went to New
Orleans to accomplish the task"
AT all events the meeting will be a very
interesting one. and if I was only cer-
tain that Corbett would be as rood a
Corbett as was the man who so easily
defeated John l.. Sullivan, I would think
that he would have a two to one chance
of regaining the championship. I see thai
Robert FitZsimmons. who ought to be a
pretty fair judge of Jim's abilities, also
thinks that he will defeat the boiler
maker.