Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-07-04
HART BEATS ROOT
Battle for heavyweight Honors
Goes TO kentuckian in
l2ta Round.
SCORES "A KNOCKOUT BLOW
Winner Had Advantage of 20 Pounds
in Weieht-champion Jeffries
Referee.

Louisville, won from Jack Root, of
Chicago, yesterday afternoon in the
18th round of a broiling battle.
The knockout came like a thunder
bolt, as clean a finishing wallop as was
ever delivered within four ropes. With
both men plugging along. fighting the
sun as we'll as each other. but with
neither having any decided advantage,
Hart shot his right around in semi
circle. Roots stomach was unprotect-
ed. The crafty song writer was of his
watch. Into Roots stomach muscles
sank the heavy fist of the big Ken
tuckian. Root doubled like a pair of
scissors. His knees gave way and he
sank to the mat, his face contorted
with agony, his whole body writhing
and quivering with pain.
He reached his arm up for the ropes
like a blind man reaching out into
darkness for he knows not what. His
fingers clutched the ropes and then
gave way from sheer weakness, and
he rolled over on the canvas.
Men Battle Desperately.
The fight opened with both men
fighting desperately, Root smiling as
Hart became angered at the infighting
IN the clinches. Clinches were fire.
quent. and. although the agreement was
that there was to be a clean break,
both men fought viciously with short
arm blows every time they came to-
gether, Hart striking for the kidneys
while Root smashed at the stomach
Before the end of the fourth round
both men were sweating profusely and
Harris right eye was almost closed.
Root seemed to suffer most from the
breathing with his mouth
open. He spat blood every time he
went to his corner, having received sew
eral vicious blows in the mouth. Sew
eraI times he was carried to the ropes
by the furious rushes of Hart, who re-
peatedly lost his head during the fight
ing in the clinches. and Referee JEFF
fries was compelled to break them by
main force.
Root Scores KnOckdOwn.
Near the close of the seventh round.
when the honors rested evenly. Hart
received a heavy right on the point of
the jaw, knocking him down. The gong
before the blow was deliver
ed. but no foul was allowed. as there
was evidently no intention to violate
the rules on the part of the Chicago
man.
At the end of the 10th round there
was no Root money in sight Root
fought viciously, but his blows lacked
steam, and, while he landed oftener
than Hart, it was apparent he could
never land a knockout.
Hart rushed his man at every open
ing, taking lefts and rights to the body
in order to land on the heart and kid
neys. Root clinched frequently and
held on TO his opponent, breathing
heavily. until compelled to break.
Finish Comes In Twelfth.
Both men responded with a rush at
he opening of the 18th round. Hart
led first and forced the fighting, rush
each rained blows to the body. 1t was
during the infighting that the knock
out came and not until Root recovered
was its exact nature known, Root say
ing it landed at the pit of the stomach
as he led for the head with his left.
Hart Twenty Pounds Heavier.
The men stepped into the ringside
with 20 pounds difference in weight. !
Root scaling 40, while Hart weighed |
800. The feature of the fight. aside |
rom the battle itself, was the appear
ance of James J. Jeffries as referee.
ior which function the retired cham
DiOn received $1,000. Harry Corbett.
he stakeholder, was at the ringside
with the clubs $1,000. which was split
IN the basis of Go per cent to the win
Ter and So to the loser.
The seconds of Root were Battling
Nelson, Teddy Alexander and Paddy
Nackey. Bill Gallagher. of San Fran
cisco, held the watch. Harris seconds |
we're Jack Mccormick. "Deafy" Thomp-
son, Jack Roberts and Lee Updike. |
Al Updike.