The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-11
SPORTS.
He PICKS CORBETI
Former Minneapolitan Watches the
Fighters at Work on the
Pacific Coast.
Says the Ex-Champion Should Get
the Decision Easily-Jeffries
in Good Shape.

Frank McGrory Of this city, who has
been on the Pacific coast during the past
Few months, In a personal letter to the
sporting editor of T h 9 j ourn al, gives
his impressions Of the coming fight be-
tween Jeffries and Corbett. McGrory has
visited the training quarters Of both fight
ers number Of times, and has seen them
at their work. He says in regard to the
fight:
Il saw report, credited to George
Sudhe1mer Of St. Paul, that the coming
fight between Corbett and Jeffries was on
the queer. or course that holler has been
raised before, and originated in the fer
tile brain OF a sorehead manager of a
dinky club in Los Angeles.
Il have been In California for the last
tour months, and have had the pleasure
of seeing Corbett work on several occa-
sions. TO say that was surprised at the
amount Of work he has been doing is put
ting 1t mildly. To tell the truth, his
weight, strength and ability to give pun
ishment should earn the decision readily.
l consider him the best short-end man to
back outside of O'Keefe, since coming to
the coast. II
Last Wednesday left, took trip to
Hardin Springs, and saw the champion
go thru his daily stunts. Jeffries GER
tainly Is In fine shape, but credited with
speed tho he is, there is no comparison
between the two in this respect"
With the fight only five days away, both
men are in the condition in which they
will enter the ring. The training is done
and it only remains for the fighters to
keep from going back, says special from
San Francisco.
In the maze of runors from the quarters
Of Jeffries some clear facts are found.
He did not begin to work at all until the
tight a akc of md ha
has not done conscientious training. He
has refused to follow any system and
only his own will has been his guide. All
suggestions and expressed desires of De-
laney have been ignored unless they fell
In with the inclination of the big fighter
He has not boxed enough to be worth
mentioning. He has kept no training
rules. Up to this very day he has eaten
and drank as he pleased. :. a ...-
Even liquor has not been left out of
his bill of fare. One story at San Fran
cisco is that a few days ago when he went
out on deer hunt he wound up at
mountain resort and while there con-
| surued six bottles of champagne. He has
gone to bed as early or late as he pleased
| and nothing that his trainers could say
influenced him In the least. The. irreg-
| larity of Jeffs work has been a source Of
dissatisfaction to those with whom he has
been working. One day he would take a
good deal of exercise in the gymnasium
and on the road and the next he would do
nothing. '
Photographs taken within the last week
show that he has fat about the stomach,
and, for that matter, all over his big
| body. His trainers profess to be salts
fed with the condition Of the champion,
but their actions and apparent anxiety
to get him to change his plans belle their
words. The plain truth is that Jeffries
holds Corbett cheap and thinks he can
win without training. He is a giant, and
this, with youth, he is counting on to
| carry him to victory. -..
| Corbett has worked most faithfully and
| so far as outside indications go he GER
tainly is in the best form of his life. His
legs are like those Of racer, while the
upper portion Of his body shows a muscle
development such as he never had before.
His work on the road proves that he can
go far and fast. 1t remains to be seen
how he will stand the strain In the ring.
EeH has for months been at work for his
battle and his condition shows it.
Interesting light on the opinion Of the
public on the outcome Of the fight is fur
nished by the replies to queries sent out
by the Yosemite Athletic club. Out OF
fifty-two replies from all over the coun-
try twenty-three express the belief thai
Jeffries will win. Three or four are non.
committal and the balance favor Corbett
Most of those who think Corbett will wir
the limit. The general view is that II
Jeffries wins it will be in the first twelve
rounds. Jeffries put in yesterday playing
croquet. FIe said 1t was too hot to dc
anything else.
p The latest news from Hardin Springs is
to the effect that Champion Jeffries now
weighs close to 230 pounds, but does not
appear to be feshy. Trainer Delaney is
confident that the mill with Corbett will
be comparatively a short one. -..
1.-THE champion" he said yesterday
! "does not intend to permit the bout t
drag along to an endless length. Jeffrie.
will fight with such strength and speed
that he will early bring Corbett down tt
his level in the qeustion of agility Wher
he once gets him there the battle can be
considered as over
When this statement was repeated tt
, Corbett the latter said:
$50 Jeffries expects to make the figh
short one, does he?" he inquired "Wel
I hope he tries to, he will find me on hand
'He will not have to chase me- either
for have invented a short arm defens,
which believe will prove an enigma t,
him. I am much stronger puncher nov
than I have ever been and I firmly be-
lieve will be able to put force enough in
to my blows to knock Jeffries down ant
out" .-s "-
, Wh1le betting Is rather quiet on the hi,
j fight in San Francisco, the lack Of inter
est in this respect is more than made u,
r by the enthusiasm which is being show,
all over the country in the contest TIL
(, sale of seats will be the largest In tn
o annals of pugilism in San Francisco It /
n said that more persons are scheduled t
travel a greater distance than they did t
: see Fitzsimmons and Jeffries last sum
mer.
n TENNIS