The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-16
SPORTING NEWS.
Some Early Experience of JEFF
fries Is Related.
Hank Griffin, the California
Giant, Opens Up.
CHAMPIONS FIRST BOUT
Big Boilermaker Wanted tt
Quit But Seconds Said No.
Actually Had to Throw Him
Back I'm the Ring.

Cincinnati, July 16-Hank Griffin, the
California giant. the man who beat
Jack 'Munroe and stood off Jim Jeffries
several years ago, was in town this
week Griffin whipped Munroe a short
time after the latter had won the anna
teur heavyweight championship. This
caused Jack to become disguised with
the fighting game and go back to the
mines He never put on a glove again
until Jeff visited Butte. Mont, with the
Fitzsimmons combination It was then
that Jack got the fighting fever for the
second time, and his bout with the
heavyweight champion in which Mum
roe won the decision after four rounds
is now matter of ring history. Grit
nm was the first man of reputation to
fight Jeffries
Without casting any reflection on
Jenries record I can truthfully say
that that am the only man who ever
fought the champion so hard that he
wanted to quit" said Griffin II was a
prtzehghter long before JEFF ever had
on a glove Both of us are from the
same town, Los Angeles, and I am well
acquainted with the early history of
Jenries- He beat me once in IL rounds.
The other time met him it was a
stand-on. 1t was in the fight that Jim
won after II hard rounds that 1 made
him sick of his job. In the second
round knocked him down twice good
and clean, and again f1oored him in the
third round. JEFF being a new hand at
the game could not see any glory in
sight for him. He went back to his
corner, and tried to pull off the gloves.
His seconds actually had to throw him
back in the ring when time was called,
and he was so big and strong that 1
broke my hands trying to whip him,
and as a result he whipped me- John
Brink, Referee Harry Stuart or Young
second
verify what say.
"Jeff is a great fighter. There can be
no doubt about that. 1 think Munroe
is the only man who has a chance to
whip him Jack will give him a hard
tight because he is strong and rugged.
IL takes a man like Munroe to trim JEFF
fries. The best a scientific or fast man
will get against JEFF is a pair of broken
hands and a good beating. When I
whipped Jack Munroe at Jacksonville,
Cal. after 20 rounds, I got a pretty
good line on him, but he was new to
the game and has improved greatly
since then He had just licked a fell
low named MCGEE for amateur heavy
weight honors, and our fight was Jack S
first attempt in the professional line
He was so sore on himself after the
declared he would never again put on
glove He went to work in the mines.
and I thought that would be the last
of him, but here he is now fighting for
Griffin has had on the gloves with
nearly every big fighter in the business.
He whipped Jack johnson and also
fought MIN two draws 1t was Griffin
who first brought out Sam McVey, who
was touted at one time as the most for
midable aspirant for the title held by
Jim Jeffries. Griffin also put the Dixie
Kid on in the game Il remember
Dixie" said Hank. HE used to come
around to the back doors of the fight
clubs in Los Angeles begging to get in
He is a good fighter, and can lick the
best of them"
Griffin had a talk with Bid Albers,
the manager of the Admiral club, last
night. and he may come here to box
Jim Fields whom he fought to a draw
at Richmond, Ind, some time ago.
Charley Marshall. who now has Crit
fin in charge, was formerly a boxing
promoter in the Indiana gas belt. He
is willing to back him against any
heavy weight in the business excepting
Jeffries.