The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-08-14
Ring Career of Jeffries.


James J. Jeffries his start in life.
This the sailor did in a twenty-round
Oattle at San Francisco May 6. 1898.
Sharkey was known as the rouehest
and toughest of the fighters of the
coast, and when the rugged young
boilermaker stood up before him for
tie limit, and won at that. the latter's
reputation was made. Jeffries was
then 23 years old. He was born in
1875 in Ohio, but spent the greater
part OF his life in California. Jeffries'
acted as sparrinng partner to Corbett,
when the latter was training for his
fight with FitZsimmOnS For several
years after this he met in succession
a number of prominent fighters. de-
feating some and getting draws from
others. Some Of those he went
against were Peter Jackson, Pete Ex-
erett, Tom Sharkey, Bob Armstrong
and Joe Goddard. He continued this
in and out fighting until 1899 when.
under the management of William
A. Brady, he went to New York AMI
secured a match with Bob Fitzsim-
mons. champion of the world. The
contest resulted, as all the sporting
world knows, in victory for Jeffries
in the eleventh round. The record
of Jeffries, principal fights is as fol
lows:
1897.
,~yx
Francisco, 2 rounds, knocked-out.
May 19.-Henry Baker, San Fran
cisco, 9 rounds, knocked-out
July 17.-Gus Rubin, San Francis
co, 20 rounds, draw.
Nov. 30-Joe Choynski, San Fran
cisco, 90 rounds, draw.
1898.
Feb. 2S.-Joe Goddard, Los Ange-
les, rounds, won.
March 22.-Peter Jackson, Los An
geles, 3 rounds, won.
April 22-Peter Everett. Los Ange
geles, rounds, won.
May 6.-Tom Sharkey, Los Ange
les. 20 rounds, won.
Aug. 6.-Bob Armstrong, New York
10 rounds, won.
1899.
June 9.-Robert Fitzsimmons, Co
ney Island. II rounds, knockout.
Nov. 3.-Tom Sharkey, Coney Is
land, 25 rounds, won.
1900.
April 6-Jack Finnegan. Detroit, l
round, knockout.
May Thames J. Corbett, Coney
Island. % rounds, knockout.
1901.
Hank Griffin. Los Angeles,
rounds, won.
Sept 24.-J Kennedy, Oakland, 2
rounds, won.
Nov. 15.-Gus Rubin. San Francis
CO. rounds, won.
1902.
July 25.-Robert Fitzsimmons, San
Francisco, s rounds, knockout.
Career of Corbett.
James ]. Corbett was born in San
Francisco, Sept. /, 1866, and conse-
uuently is years older than Jeffrles.
Corbett as a youth joined the Olym-
pa Athletic club at his home city and
took boxing lessons from Prof. Wal
ter Watson. He entered amateur
tournaments and won championship
competitions half a dozen times be-
fore his eighteenth year. His flrst
engagement as a professional was
with Dave" Eiseman, whom he dis
posed of in two rounds. Other pro-
fessionals he met adm defeated IN
those early days were Mike Bren-
man. Martin Costello, and Prof. John
Donaldson. This complete record OF
his fights after he attained proml-
nence is as follows:
1886.
Billy Welch, San Francisco, l
round, won.
George Atkinson, San Francisco, z
rounds, won.
June 3O.-Frank Glover, San Fran
cisco. 8 rounds, draw.
1889.
MAY 3O.-Joe Choynsh, Fairfax,
Cal. police interfered, contset post
poned.
July 29-"Dave' Campbell, Port
land. Ore. 10 rounds, draw.
June 5.-Joe Choynski, Bonlcla,
Cal, 27 rounds, won.
July 15.-Joe Choynski, San Fran
cisco, 4 rounds, won.
1890.
Feb. 1S.-Jake Kilrain, Ne" Ut