The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-01-27
ROOSEVELT ON PUGILISM
Vice President Elect Gives Siler
Tips on Fighters.
THINKS jim JEFFRIEs is GREAT.

out-Discusses In an Interview at
Chicago the Shortcomings OF the
"ManIy Art" In New York.
Vice President Elect Theodore Roose-
welt was In Chicago recently for a few
hours on bis way to Colorado "for his
health" though II ever looked at a
healthier man do not recall 1t, says
George Siler In the Chicago Tribune.
There was vigor and there was energy
In his every moyement-ln every tone
and accent OF his voice. ! saw Mr..
Roosevelt In the lobby OF the Audi
torlum Annex, and he consented to talk
with me about sports and the hstic
situation In the state In which he has
just left the gubernatorlal mansion.
You love clean sport. and SO do l."
commented the ex-governor. "Now, on
that basis and understanding | viii
begin our chat by asking what you
think OF Jeffries as a fighterT
Il think he Is great" | replied. And
so do l." he said. Don't you know,
Siler, that boxing might have been 60
ing on In New YORK right now II the
men who had charge OF the clubs had
handled It with carer They made
mistake by not stopping contests when
they became brutal OF when II was
manifest to all that one OF the con
testants had no possible chance OF
winning. You know that as well as
do. don't your
OF course answered In the afiirma-
tive.
"Look at that Mccoy -Choynski con
test. Wasn't that enough TO Kill the
sportf'
told him I thought II was.
81 liked Mccoy" he continued. "and
thought he would best Corbett. He
is equally as clever as Corbett and a
harder hitter. lie has the right idea
of hitting. too. has he notY
told him | was sure he had.
"Well, then, If he is equally as sclen-
tifc as Corbett and n harder hitter he
should have defeated Corbett. ! guess
he sold himself out, so I've lost all
respect for him"
"Now, there's Fitzsimmons," Mr..
Roosevelt continued. Hes good,
honest fighter, don't you think sof And
Rubin is another honest fighter. and so
is Jeffries; but TN tell you. Siler, there
are only few Of them, and you know
II just as well as ! do.
"Now. about that fight between JEFF
fries and Sharkey. You know that
should have been stopped before the
end Of the twenty-hfth round. II be-
came brutal after the twenty third,
and. as Sharkey had no chance. you
should have stopped It."
ut was "A championship fight, Mr.
Roosevelt" / said, "and II had stop
ped IL in either the twenty-third or
twenty-fourth round the crowd would
have jumped into the ring and torn
me limb from limb"
'rorn you limb from limb. would
they? Wen, tell you, Siler. II had
been referee and stopped it they would
not have torn me limb from limb" he
said, grittlng his teeth.
"When ] was at the head of the po-
lice department In New York, | did
things some persons did not like. A
man must have the courage OF his
convictions, and | know you have,
told me numerons stories about vo,,
but let us 90 back 10 the boxInp
yhea I was i'm charge OF the nolIce I
witnessed the Maber.CboynskI 6gbt
That was a hard fight. but IL was so
evenly contested could not stop II.
1 did. however. stop one of the pre.
nmlnary bouts. not because Il became
brutal. but because one OF the con.
tostants was covered with blood. and II
looked bad"
You box and wrestle, Mr. Roose.
welt, don't your
"Not at present. Siler. | boxed a
great deal with Jimmy Dime and had
a professiona! wrestler named Dy,yer
q .hiuk tnat was his nane,. who called
on me several times week. and |
left Albany after working with mo