The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-05-24
NAUGHToN WAKES FAcETloUS.
Frisco Fighting Critic Cannot Believe
the Old Timers Are Serious.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 24.-"I'n
glad that the championship remains il
America" said John L. Sullivan as h,
stood at the ringside after being de-
| feated by James Corbett.
I'D get back into the game in a min.
ute if some foreigner defeated our bes
men and tried to walk off with the
title" said big Jim Jeffries a few days
ago.
The same old sentiment seeking ut:
terance after a laps of 13 years shows
plainly that national pride is strong ir
these big men of the fighting game.
But Jeffres does not dream that g
will ever establish right to the lau-
rels which go with the supremacy OF
the sport of the glove. Of course, he
does not list Bob Fitzsimmons as a
! foreigner. He considers that the
freckled farrier has cut loose from
everything in the line of early associa-
| ton except his strawberry hair and
| his sunspots, and he is now part and
parcel of this great commonwealth.
They had been telling Jeffries about
Gunner" Moir of England, and Bill
Squires of Australia, just before he
spoke of the remote contingency that
might bring him forth once more from
the privacy which enshrouds the life
of a country gentleman.
Il don't know anything about this
Australian, Squires, but judging from
the heavyweights there have turned
out there for the last ten years, I
should imagine that he does not
amount to a great DEAL" said Jeff.
Big Men Scarce in England.
Il think l have a pretty good line
on the Englishmen, though. When l
was over there a few years ago l fill
ed an engagement at the Royal Aqua
rum, and l boxed with a fresh heavy
weight every night. There was not one
among them VINO amounted to mill OF
beans. If l happened to jab one OF
them a little harder than usual, the
master of ceremonies would say for
nv benefit: Remember, gents, this is
honly a hexibition,' and of course, I'd
apologize and play lighter. l don't
think they have a good man of any
size in that country, and l doubt II
they have had one since Charley Nit
chell ruled the roost.''
the Jig is up, the die is cast, the fiat
has gone forth-the inevitable has hap
pened.
John L. Sullivan and Charley Nit
chell have signed to box Is rounds up
Tacoma way in September. AS the ar
ticles do not contain the reservation,
IF we are both alive" it is to be in
ferred that the two venerable piles are
feeling quite cotish and are looking
forward to fighting each other full sore.
And how they are working itup!
Every once in a while word comes
from the north that it is only by the
exercise of vigilance that Charles and
John are kept from falling upon each
other tooth and nail. The promoters
are just wearing themselves out trying
to delay the day of reckoning until the
old timers meet in the ring. One night
CO. 1xyi'' n.
Sullivan and Mitchell were within a
few yards of each other, and it looked
for a few seconds as if the rotund RI
walls would bump together and explode.
How innocently John L. tells Of the
way he is rounding to form. He is TAX
ing off 40 pounds of weight at clip
according to his telling. At this rate
of going he will be able not only to
| toe the scratch. but see it.
Back From the Boneyard
Well. by their wallops We shall know
them. If the two patriarcns or pugi
lism are simply embarking in little
commercial venture for mutual gain
! they had better sidetrack all that go
| gus bitterness and make a clean breas.
of it. Their meeting would then at
| tract attention on account of its mis-
torical significance, whereas it wouli
simply invite derision if exploited as
an athletic event.
| But if by chance one or the other
or both of the men should be in ear
nest, what is likely to happen? Sulli-
van, few months ago, weighed clos
! to 900 pounds. He says ne will weigh
about 215 when he faces the Britisner
The removal Of SO much bloat wouf.
! mean that Sullivan's vitality would bt