The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-05
nnnT UmnnVrn nm RUUl khOCktD JUL
 IN TWELVE ROUNDS
Gardner Gives the Chicago Lad
 a Fearful 0rubbing
SMALL CROWD SEES BOUT
Gardner Has Things His Own Way From the Start and Gives Ills oP- ponent Lefts to Stomach
 With Telling Effect.

Buffalo. July 4-George Gardner of Lowell. Mass, today defeated Jack Root of Chicago in the arena of the Interna- tional Athletic club at Fort Erie. The bout scheduled for twenty rounds lasted twelve. The men fought for the cham pionship of the light heavyweight class, a purse of s7O00 and a diamond medal.
 The crowd was not large. The expensive seats were bare. Manager Herman had banked on a s20,0O0 gate. but ne says he broke only little to the bad
 The men went into the ring for the main bout shortly after 4 o'clock, after a section of the roof had been taken off. A hot snn beat down on the rosined can vass. Referee Mcbride called the men to- gether and warned them about the Can adian law, and the necessity or avoiding hitting in clinches. The gong then rang and the men were at 1t. From the tap of the bell Gardner showed his superiority over Root. He forced the lighting, Root leading only to save himself. Gardner op- epcd with a wicked left to Roots face and followed 1t up with swings to the body.
 GaGl.er had Root weary when the round ended. The Lowell mans most ef- fective blow was the left to the stomach, and Root winced with pain every time it landed. From the first round to the ninth Gardner kept up the pounding on Roots stomach. The men rought fairly, but the referee had his hands full sepa- rating them in clinches.
 The End Begins.
 With the ninth round came the begin ming of Roots undoing. Gardner sent a smashing right to the body and Root came back with two rights to the jaw, but George rushed in and sent long right swing to Jacks jaw. Root was dazed Two smashes in the stomach brought his guard down and clip on the jaw sent him to the floor Root took nine seconds on his knees and when he got up he ran Into another smash In the wind and the gong saved him.
 Root was worried as Gardner came to him in the tenth round. Gardner was short in his swings and the two wrestled bit 4 left to the wind lifted Root off his feet and an uppercut shook him, but he fought back desperately. Gardner rushed Jack around fighting wildly in his eagerness. The round ended with Root much distressed.
 As the gong sounded for the eleventh Gardner sent a left to the jaw and Root came back with two swings to the face. Gardner rushed Jack about the ring, beating a merry tattoo on his ribs. Root rallied and sent in right and left to the head hard and his crowd cheered.
 Root Floored.
 Gardner seemed dazed. but in the clinch he winked a long-drawn wink to lis sec- onds and as soon as the clinch was brok- en he sent three rights to Jacks head. Root ran away but a long swing caught him back of the ear and he sprawled on the floor, almost rolling out of the ring He took the count. Two punches to the Jaw staggered him again and a couple of uppercuts sent him fiat on his back as the gong sounded. His seconds dragged him to his corner.
 As the twelfth round opened Root walt ed for an opening for an attempt at Gardner's jaw Root was almost lifted off his feet by a wicked one in the wind Another smash to the stomach made Root groggy and swings on the jaw sent him down. He took the count, got up and was hoored again. He got up and Gardner stepped up to him, aimed carefully and sent hls right through Roots weak guard to the jaw. Root was on his knees when the referee counted ten. He was up second after and put up his guard, but the referee sent him to his corner. The twelfth round lasted two minutes and twenty seconds