Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-08-01
THE PUGlLIsTS.
When Corbett Was Trainng For
 Bob Fitzsimmons.

Jim Jeffries Was One of His Punch
 ing Bags Harry Forbes and Frankie
 Neil Will Meet-Jack Root Hot Af-
 ter George Gardner.
 When Corbett was training to fight Fitzsimmons at Carson City he wore out five or. six men each day. It came to such pass that the then champion was forced to procure some kind Of protection for the jaws of his men. Otherwise the men would quit. This protection consisted of kind of rub Der life saver, which was strapped on the victims head so that a knockout blow, delivered by Corbett would not seriously hurt the recipient. The catcher's mask, the punching bag, the bunt,5 the muzzle or whatever you may choose to call the Corbett3 contrivance, was all that saved him from having a strike on his hands. His sparring part ner simply could not stand the force of his blows. Hence the need of pugi- listic Edison to invent the protector. This was at Carson City five or seven years ago. Among the hirelings who needed this protector was James J. Jeffries. When Corbett hit him he reeled to the wall and called for the life preserver. At the end of three three minute rounds with the pompa dour man hefwas as limp as rag, had to be revived by the camp followers and was generally played out for the rest of the day. Only by the most careful treatment was he able to get himself into condition to undergo an other bout with Corbett on the follow ing day. How times change. Jeffries, the champion, now boxes half a day without even breathing when he quits. He brushes aside Joe Kennedy as if he was an Alaskan Mosquito;'' he mows down all corners as though they were chaff; he puts it all over Fitzsimmons; skips the rope one million times; runs to Denver and back before dinner, and then wrestles three hours with all the champions of the west. After this a lighted candle is placed within an inch of his lips and there is no flicker No use talking, the older we get the better we are. There are also reporters with more superlatives than there used to be. and editors with more bugs
 Harry Forbes of Chicago, the ban tamweight champion pugilist of the world, has been matched to fight Frankie Neil, the Pacific coast cham pfon, for twenty rounds and the title. The pair will come together in Mechan- ics' pavilion on August 13, the night before the Corbett- Jeffries encounter. The weight will 115 pounds at p. m. Harry Forbes was to have fought Neil once before, but shortly before the date set for, the battle cry of fraud was set in circulation by the Forbes camp, they alleging that their man had been 'tdoped." Forbes, brother, Clar- ence, was substituted at the last min- ute and was knocked out by O'Neil.
 The following is the challenge sent to the Fort Erie club by Jack Roots manager:
 Chicago, III, July 29, 1903. President International Athletic Club,
 Fort Erie, Canada:
 My Dear Sir Herewith I hand you certified check for $1 GOO in support of the following challenge: s On behalf of, Jack Root of Chicago, Herewith challenge George Gardner of, Lowell, Mass, champion light heavy weight of the world, to a contest for
 
 any time after September 15, 1903. < Under the terms of the championship trophy fought for at Fort Erie on July 4 last, and won by Gardner, the holder must defend it against legitimate chal- lengers three times successfully before it becomes his property. This is le- gitimate challenge, backed up by for felt, which can form part and parcel of side bet of $2,5OO if Gardner insists upon it.
 Reasons for the issuance of a chal- lenge which upon its face is regular and in order are not necessary. Root in his last battle with Gardner was de feated by as foul combination of cir cumstances as ever clouded the acqui- sition of championship title. Gard ner, as the unerring eye of the camera will prove, fouled outrageousIy throughout the entire contest. He hit repeatedly in the clinches against the rules. He elbowed and he throttled. He back-heeled and he held on. I can show sixty-four separate and distinct infractions of the rules in the moving pictures taken of the fight. can show further, that Referee McBride's right hand went up and down nine times, in token of that many seconds, in the f. nal count-out and that my man was on his feet, ready to continue and full of fight, at what would have been the ten count, had the ten count ever been pro- nounced.
 do not impugn the motives of MT Mcbride; take umbrage at his meth cd, that is all. A referee may be per fectly honest and yet be incorrect. 1 Gardner knew that McRrida was 10th | to decide the battle on a foul and talk ing advantage of this, fouled from gong to gong. If Gardner elects to l fight rough-house rules, that will suit me. So will the clean-break rules; but whichever style is adopted, ref cree who will enforce the particular style is all ask for. do not want any the best of it. An even break is all seek.
 ! If this challenge is not accepted fvrn xrraolzS T. chol1 al fos