Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-01-14
W. W. Naughton, Sporting Al.
thOrity, is of the Opinion lie
Will Not.
CHAMPIONS ARE VERY SCARCE.
Dearth fPrze Ring Recruits Is Re-
markable 10 View OF the Enouments
Attached TO the Game

1t may be, that the men who handle
pugIlistio attractions do not bother
about taking stock at the end OF one
year or the beginning Of an other II
they do follow this useful mercantile
custom II must have dawned on them
by this time that there ia very thin
array Of wares with which to carry on
business. what Is worse, there is ylr-
tually no material--elther raw or man
ufacmred--to replenlsh from.
ON this subject, w w. Naushton, a
fportng writer OF authority on the
coast has the following interesting
comment:
This dearth Of pr2e-ring recruits Is
remarkable In view OF the emoumentS
which attach to the practise Of llstl-
cuffs. II Is evident IN fact that the
old axiom Of supply being regulated by
demand doesn't hold good In puglllstic
pursuits.
II has frequently been shown that
capable Fighter can command an IN
come thai makes the salary Of a bank
president look like u miserable pittance.
Jimmy Britt. In all probability, has
cleared $4,000 by his ring achievements
during the past year. His last ma a.
that with Battling Nelson-brought aim
$4,000. There were 20 three minute
rounds 40 that Britt received $500 per
minute for the services rendered. JIM
my may dcmur TO this way of figuring,
on the plea that the one minutes rest
between the rounds caused him 90
spend an additional 10 minutes In the
ring but In all conscience he shouldn't
expect to be paid for the time when he
wasn't working
Nowhere rs the scarcity Of champions
ship timber more marked than In the
heavyweight division. James j. Jeifres
became king of this class nearly six
years ago by defeating Titzsimmons at
Coney Island New York and he has
defended his title successfully on six
occasions since then.
|; can safely be said that no known
heavyweight has triumphed as often as
JeGfrles In bona hde championship
events. Jim Corbett the first Of the
Qdeensherry champions, carried his
laurels safely through one engagement
after defeating John l.. sullivan, Ref
erence Is made to his affair with Char
lie Mitchell IN Florida, Fit2simmons,
who took the tItle from Corbett at Car
son, lost IL to Jeffrles at his first at
tempt TO defend It.
In order TO maintain his prestige, and
incidentally to keep the pot boiling.
Jeffries has been compelled TO give re-
turn engagements TO the majority OF
his opponents. Shurkey, Rubin, Corbett
and FltzslmmOns have each faced the
bollermaker twice In the ring
The only new man Jeffrles WAS called
upon 10 meet since defeating Fitzsim-
mons IN June 1896 was Jack Mum
roe. Poor Jack was championship
candidate of mushroom growth, and
he proved the most helpless Tumble
Tom Jeffrles was ever called upon to
smash at The Munroe Incident Is still
fresh In the minds Of the sporting pub
lic and II also stands as a warning TO
the promoters not 10 be too ready to
lead Incompetent heavywcights up to
Jeffries' shambles for slaughter
There Is no doubt that a wonderful
physique has had much to do IN en-
abllng Jedrles 10 retain his fighting
powers, II can hardly be claimed for
him that he Is a careful liver, yet he Is
still al his very best as ringster.
while fellows who started out In the
fighting game about the time that JEFF.
fries made his debut are on the shelf.
Tho two most noted instances are Shar-
Key and Rnhlin They were rivals Of
blliiicNt ana lNl llluhDlc ones 100, nut
they are now IN virtual retirement.
while Jeflries Ia stil daring the world.
There IL evidence 10 show that Ruiz
lin and Sharkey have been sent To the
wall by much battorng JeffrIes' body
punches at Coney Island went far to-
ward uniting the sailor for active
service while II was the Fitzslmmons
left shift which worked permanent I'm
jury 10 Ruhlin nc Madison square. And
right here Is whore Jeffres' marvellous
physique comes I'm, No one supposes
for a moment that the big champion
has escaped scot free during AN the ia.
nous fights he he's been party to- lie
has felt the Fit2simmons fists. the Rub
lin fists ana the Sh0rkcy fists ON both
face ana body but hls massive Jaw
and his powerful frame seem 10 be as
little susceptible Of injury as the met
nj he used TO hammer ar In his prem
tlce days at the bOllprmukinp