Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-04-11
FAMOUS JOHN |.
ARRIVES HERE
Ex- Champion Comes to Free
land in Private Car.
Sullivan Tells a Tribune Re-
porter About His Show
and Picks Jeffries as Win
ner in Coming Big Fight.

The 9.12 Lehigh Valley train from
Mauch Chunk this morning steamed
into the Freeland station on time. At
tached to the regular train was the
private car bearing George H. Down
ing's Vaudeville Company, headed w
the former pugilistic champion, John
L. Sullivan.
After the car had been detached from
the train and put on the siding here a
Tribune representative went to the
car to see the big fellow When usher
ed into his presence he found the great
fighter OF other days, the once formid-
able walloper of men, the man whose
gaze was sufficient to frighten nine out
of ten wonld-be champions into fit OF
ague, comfortably seated playing a
game of solitaire, evidently trying to
beat himself.
Whom introduced he took the profrer-
ed hand Of the reporter in a friendly
grasp, and gave him warm welcome.
After introducing him to other memb bers
of the troupe he spoke very highly of
Freeland as he remembered it from his
previous visits here.
'How do | like the theatre business?
Oh, it's an old story with me. | have
been behind the footlghts off and on
fer the past dozen years, and 7 feel
quite at home on the boards Now
mind you l don't pretend to be an act
or. l never saw the prize fighter yet
who was a good actor, and l do not be-
lieve actors would make good prize
fighters"
THINKS JEFFRIES WILL WIN.
When questioned about the coming
fight between Jeffries and Ftzsimmons,
Mr.. Sullivan said:
Its Jeffres for certainty. That
young fellow is altogether too big for
Fitzsimmons, and although there Is no
question but that the old boy will give
him the fight of his life, Jeffries ought
to win without much bother. He has
got tremendous advantage over Fitz-
simmons in both youth and weight.
This Jsffries is barely 81 years old and,
in good fighting shape, will scale nearly
225 pounds. Ftzsimmons, according to
good authority, is nearly At years old
and will weigh under IFS pounds.
IN, rin
than Fitzsimmons, but Jeffiics can hit
just as hard. Again, 'Fitz" will not be
able to get in any fine work on Jeffres
body. That young fellow manage, to
keep his stomach well under cover with
that famous crouch OF his, and 'Fitz'
will be thousand times foxier than
give him credit for II he is able to con-
meet with the boilermaker's lower works.
And it Is In the most stomach that
'Fitz's' blows count most.
"You read OF Fitzsmmons putting
away a man with pinch on the jaw,
while Jeffries may have hit the same
man on the same spot number OF
times and not put him out, and you
would wonder how it Is. Clear as day
light. Fitz just delivers few hot VOL
lops into the other fellows stomach, has
him seasick In minute and makes him
a ready recipient for sleep producer
on the jaw.
III Fitzsimmons could get one or two
Of his blows on Jeffries' pantry there
would be a new champion in about two
minutes, but as | said Jeffries is right
onto his job and it would take q sheriff
with search warrant and a dark Ian
tern to find out where his stomach Is
located in fight"
SOME "REMINISCENCES.
Speaking of the old days in the fight
ing ring Mr.. Sullivan said: "Why,
ordinary dubs, who don't
know enough about the game to last
them over night, come in for purses
twice as big as the best men OF our
day fought for. Yet they can't be sat-