The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-19
GEORGE GARDINER
NOW IN THE CITY.
New Light HEAVYWEIGHT Cham
pion Arrived Yesterday, to
Remain for a Week.
ROOT WILL ARRIVE TO-DAY.
Lou Houseman Is in Town and
Will Remain Here for Week
Gardiner Looks Well.
ROOT WILL ARRIVE TO-DAY.

George Gardiner, tho new light heavy
weight champion. reached the city yester-
day and will remain here for several days
He Is quartered at the Planters Hotel and
held levee to pugilisttc friends yesterday.
Gardiner looks the picture Of health and
states that he never felt better in his life.
He can remain at the new championship
weight-165 pounds-without any difficulty
and is about at that figure just at present.
While his programme for the next few
weeks is not distinctly outlined, he may
visit San Francisco in time to witness the
Corbett-Jeffries bout.
Concerning Bob Fitzsimmons. who has
announced that he would like match with
the new title holder, Gardiner states that
he will be only too glad TO give Bob n
chance
Il will be glad to meet Fitz.' he re-
marked, land my manager. Andy Craig,
has $4,000 to bet that l can defeat MIN.
They say that Fitz don't want to fight I'M
til September. at the earliest. That will suit
me all right. l will say right now that l
am ready to defend the title against any
man OF the weight that wants try at It."
Jack Root. who was the vanqu!shed war
riol In the battle at Fort Erie, will reach
the city this morning His manager. Lou
Houseman. sporting editor of the Chicago
Inter-Ocean. is already here. He said last
evening that Root was in good shape and
that he would remain in ST. Louis for the
entire week
REPRODUCTION OF FIGHT.
Root made several claims to the effect
that Gardiner foued him In the Fort Erie
fight. These statements are hardly borne
out by tho pictures of the battle. private
press view Of which was given last even
ing. The films indicate that Gardiner had
the better OF the affair almost from the
start.
With the first three or four rounds show
ing Root as the aggressor. the fifth period
opened with Gardiner taking the lead. The
men fight clearly at a slower ratio by the
seventh round and the end comes with
Gardiner setting the pace.
Roots claims were based on two points
one to the effect that Gardiner violated the
agreements of the battle by hitting IN
el!nches. the other to the effect that Referee
Eddie Mcbride counted but nine seconds
after he was knocked down for the final
time
Jack has made the claim that he was on
his feet, ready to continue the battle at the
end of the count He may have been strug-
Cling to his feet but. judging from the
manner in which Gardiner lambasted him
about the ring for the last round. he could
hardly, have hoped to have the end other
wise than 1t was.
The claim. claims Of hitting in slnches seem
other stages of the fight, Gardiner does not
palpably. offend in this manner Root also
claimed that Gardiner. heidi him in the
breaks and refused to let so. Both men
seem to do this at stages OF the battle
BATTLE SHOWN CLEARLY
Lou 1iouseman explained the films as the
pictures were unrolled. In displaying the
first three rounds. a mistake on the part
Of the machine operator resulted In the film
being placed in reversed This made the
men appear to be leading with their rights
when they wero using their lefts ard Wei
versa. The defect was remedied at once,
however.
For the most part. the pictures show the
details OF the brittle clearly. In one round
the period ended clearly ahead of time
This was explained by Houseman. who
said that the tinekeeper had sounded the
gong ahead of time. The referee can be
seen In the picture. questioning the time
keeper anent the mistake.
Houseman said after the exhibition, in
explanation of the apparently few seconds
between the last few rounds. that the man
operating the machine at Fort Erie had
shut off the views between each round
This makes 1t appear. toward the end as
II the men remained but few seconds in
their chairs. between rounds
Brooklyn Tommy Sullivan, Tommy Feltz
ard some of the local puEilistic contingent
called on Gardiner yesterday. Quite a num-
Der OF the prize-riny cuterie were also at
the exhibition last evening. $685.