Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-25
HOLDS TITLE BY SUFFERANCE
ONLY
NOT SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED
Has Never Won Title From Holder
Thereof Nor Has He Ever Ex-
hIblted Requisite
callber


lovers of the sport and the voluntary
retirement Of the real heavyweight
champion in favor of Marvin Hart has
caused a cessation of interest in the
big game.
Hart has never fought any champion
holder of the title nor has he ever ex-
hibited the requisite caliber of a cham
zion. He claims to have won the title
from Jack Root over at Reno a few
weeks ago, but as Root was never
champion and never could be unless
he assassInated Jeffries while the lat
ter was asleep, 1t is hard to figure
where Hart won anything more than
the purse by the fuky victory over
Root
Yet, technically, and in Louisville
seriously, he is regarded as the "un-
beaten champion" 1t is his first title
and the cloud upon 1t mars the full
enjoyment thereof. Should jeff ever
get in an unhappy frame Of mind and
decide to annex his abdicated title,
Hart would speed for the topmost
heights of the tallest alfalfa field in ex-
istence.
Time to Grin
With such condition existing, that
is, with a man claiming to be the hold
er Of the championship title and the
public in possession of absolute knowl-
edge that another person is capable of
booting this champion" and all other
heavyweight aspirants from the pre-
cincts of a 24-foot ring at the same
time, 1t is time to grin at the sugges-
ton of Hart as champion of the
world"
The American public has become so
accustomed to owning a champion,
who is able to defend his title against
all Corners, until some other American
of a slightly better grade of punch
shows up, that they do not take kindly
to a champion who exists merely in
name and is not believed to be a cham
pion worthy Of the honor. All the
world yet recognizes Jeffries as the real
champ. and pays but little attention to
the claims of Hart.
Jeffries is a pride. He is the only
champion who ever graced the shoes
of Sullivan and demonstrated his right |
to the title. He is the only champion
whom the American people believe
could have whipped Sullivan at his
palmiest and as the champion, Jeffries
receives the idolatry of the American
public usually given to holders of that
title.
FarcicaI Retirement
For him to retire because there were
no others to be conquered and, by
neat little speech, hang the laurels he
has won and so ably defended on the
rail for two dubs like Hart and Root,
both obscure members of the oblivious
has-been fraternity, is farcical.
Any pair Of amateurs, pugilists or
otherwise, who possess the regulation
weight, had equally the same right to
fight for the championship as did Hart
and Root.
for the worlds championship? Top
notchers? Scarcely. Root, who is ad-
the best of the two, passed
into Oblivion years ago when he per-
mitted George Gardner, another NUT,
to give him a sound thrashing for light
honors. Gardner has been
lost sight of in the shifting of scenes
and will never be heard from again
The man he conquered so easily bobs
up a few years later and engages in a
farcical bout for heavyweight cham
pionship honors as a worthy successor
to the abdicatlng king of pugs.
Having all the best Of the fight with
another dub until the final round, he
shows his mettle and his championship
caliber by losing out ingloriously to
man admittedly his inferior at any
stage Of the game.
Hart Is False Alarm
Hart, the claimant to heavyweight
honors by reason of de-
feating Root, is about as much of
real champion as Brother Jack and it
Is like stealing money to bet that Jack
Jeffries could wallop Hart to finish
In six rounds.
And so 1t is that If Jeffries persists
In his determination to retire, some
English second-rater has the chance
Of lifetime to temporarily hold the
by getting Hart into
ring. Then 1t would be up to JEFF to
go out and bring the belt back home
and retire again. He can whip a barn
yard filled with Harts and Roots.
If Jeffries has retired and will not
re-enter the ring, the champion heavy
weight title should have reverted to
Lhe auburn-haired blacksmith, who
held IT until JEFF wrested 1t from him
and who is, despite his grandfatherly
age. recognized as the second best pugi-
list In the world today and every
American dollar bet on the mill would
90 on Fitzsimmons should he be en-
gagged with any other than Jeffries for
.