The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-05


WRITTEN FOR H SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
Heavy weights win be next in order as
eenters OF national interest among fight
lovers. Next to the Young Corbett-McGov-
ern battle. the chief event Of importance
in the course Of last week was the award
ing Of the Jeffries-Jim Corbett battle to
the Yosemite Club OF San Francisco.
This fight IS set for the latter part Of
August. and the men are 10 be given their
choice Of a $1,000 purse CT 20 per cent Of the
sross receipts. Representatives Of the pair
VIII meet this week to settle the matter.
and it IS likely the percentage will be
chosen instead of the purse. The bout Is
scheduled for twenty rounds.
This clipping OF five rounds off the length
for which the 20 was originally carded IS
another point In Corbett's favor. In fact,
the former champion seems TO have the
conditions OF the bout decidedly in his IA
vo-. II Corbett can enter the ring in con-
dltion even approaching his form when he
fought JenrIes at Corey Island. he has an
excellent chance 10 regain the champion
ship.
Eastern sports are inclined to disregard
the bout and talk sbcEt the easy game
JeIries will have. The.. same Eastern
sports were down on IcGovern TO a man.
II Is said that Young Cc-bett money was
snapped up at any odds = New York. and
that the Denver man vas figured a sure
loser by all the Eastern experts" who had
probably listened to come Of Sam Harris's
talk. The opinion O; this crowd f. not 60
ing 10 affect the outcome OF the bout.
As a contrast to the sporting public. the
leading Eastern sport writer's gave Young
Corbett credit for having strong chances
20 win, before the bout OF last Tuesday.
These same critics now disagree with the
sporting experts" OF which New York is
full. ami the best-known -nen concede Cor
bett an almost even break with JefrIes.
It Is dIhcult to see how they can concede
anything else.
It is months too early 70 be making pre-
dictions about the outcome. as one or two
all-important Issues have to be settled be-
fore the men come together. One OF these
points Is the question OF a referee. It IS
something OF a commentary on the way
sports ara conducted to see that every one
admits the difficulty Of securing an ALSO
lutely honest official fer such a bout.
Jeffries will certainly insist. and insist
stubbornly. upon naming the official. If he
is given full sway in this matter. Corbett
might just as well not enter the ring at all.
Championships have never changed hands
on decisions in ring history. and Il Is Ger
tain that a man selected b. Jefnries would
fall back upon this precedent to keep the
title where Il IS.
corbett might have all the better Of the
bout. but IL JEFF selects the referee the bsst
no can hope for is a draw. Referees come
and go rapidly in pugilism. But II the bout
was carded for tho immediate future. il IS
likely that sentiment among fEhtgoers
would be in favor of Eddie Crahey. He
has given satisfaction OF late and has rem
dered decisions where they belonged. This
might cause an objection. OF course. from
Jefrfes.
In q twenty-round bout. Corbe;t has as
good a chance TO win as JeT-ies. IL the YER
dict IL given on its merits. 1t wiz bshooye
the former champion TO look well into the
cho.cs OF an official
Young cor5eit's victory over AIcGoYe-n
was a good thing for the pugilisiic game.
No suspicion has ever attached to the
champion. and he has behaved always in a
STRAIGHTFORWARD and gentlenianly manner.
He has never cast slurs upon other mem
bers OF his calling. Is rot lcad=Inouthed on
any matter. and IS ws,Iiag 10 hght-this
last point alone would cover a multitude OF
other defects. IL he >pes-essed them.
McGovern's record has ROT been free from
suspicion, as every one knows. Many OF his
bouts were won after the fashion In which
Benny Yanger is credited with occurring vic
tor1es-by fighting the dangerous men be-
fore clubs in which his manages had inhu- /
ence- His bout with Cans and that with
oscar Gardner snelt to heaven. II ever /
a man fairly defeated another. Gardiner
beat AcGovern In their tHo-round battle. as
ell Impartial spectators at the bout are |
agreed. McGovern was down fourteen sec
onds. it Is said. and the round was ended
more than a minute ahead OF time to save
the then champion.