The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-07-31
ONE LUCKY BLOW
SENT THE GAME OLD GLADIATOR
TO DREAMLAND.
Champion Jeffries. Ripped to Rib
bons by the Clever COrnishman,
Manages to Land a Punch That
Gave Him a Battle Almost Lost,
and the Championship.


ing all but beaten in every. round James
J. Jeffries, champion pugilist of the
world, won out over Robert F.tzsim-
mons by merely 1uke in the eighth
round in the presence of the largest
audience ever assembled in San Francis
co to witness prize fight.
The champion received the most
severe drubbing that he has ever exper-
fenced in his career. The lanky Corn
ishlnan landed at will on his head till
the big Californian's face was perfect
mass of bruises.
The decision of the referee created
the widest excitement. The crowd
Kissed, yelled and hooted and it took
the combined efforts Of large patrol OF
police officers to preserve order. 1t
was by mere fraction of second that
Jeffries won the fight. Fitzsimmons
was off his guard for second when
Jeffries was in distress speaking to the
big fellow, and in that time the cham
pion landed a left hook on the jaw
The Cornishman dropped on the mat
and laid there for eight or nine seconds.
Then suddenly reviving, he was almost
on his feet when the gong was sounded
and Referee Graney declared him out.
Fitzsimmons was smiling when he got
up, and appeared to be much the fresh
er of the two. He appeared to be far
from out and was apparently ready for
another S-round battle, but he was a
fraction of second too late in getting
to his feet and so lost the fight after
having all but won it.
Fitzsimmons would not at first be-
lieve that he had lost the fight, but
when he became aware that it was all
over, he became all but frantic. JEFF
ries walked over to his corner and was
shaking hands with his manager and
second with one hand, while with the
streaming from almost score of
wounds on his head and face, inflicted
by the man whom the referee declared
he had just defeated. The only injury
apparent on the person of lanky Bob
was Slight abrasion on one cheek.
Fitzsimmons stepped to the center of
the ring. threw his gloves into the crowd
and announced his retirement from
the ring. Wild and frantic cheering
greeted the game old gladiator, and he
left the arena really the lion of the
nour. while the crowd behind regretted
the departure of the gamest, strangest
fighter the world has ever known.
San Francisco, July %. - Jeffries
spent the night and day in the Nam
man baths. He shows the effects of the
terrible punishment administered him
in the fight, his face being cut and
bruised, his nose broken and both eyes
so swollen he can scarcely see.
Fitzsimmons passed an uncomforta-
BILE night and became delirious at 8
o'clock in the morning from the pain
resulting from his knockout jolt. The
doctors state his case is not serious. He
bears no mark of the contest. The
story published by the Examiner to the
effect that the fight was fake, Fitz
purposely pretending to be knocked out,
is not generally credited by the major
ity of those who saw the fight and is
vigorously denied by all concerned.
Mayor Schmitz will prohibit all fn-
ture contests if he becomes satisfied it
was fake.