The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-11-12


y "reminiscences I have been in re-
ceipt OF letters asking me why l
failed to mention my fight with Gus
Rubin in New York, August 10, 1900,
as that was. according TO many Of
them, just as important in its way as
any of my other encounters. To tell
the truth, had not looked on that par
ticular fight as one of the most import
ant but since l have been recalling it.
perhaps 10 amounted TO more than l
thought, for in way it settled the
chances that Rubin may have had
Tor the championship. by showing him
that if he couldn't defeat me, he would
have still smaller chance with Jim JeI-
fries.
The fight took place in the evening
IL may be remembered, and perhaps
some of my good friends may remem-
Der that l took on Tom Sharkey with
in two weeks at Coney Island, and cut
him down TO Just where he belongs.
and thereby fixed the championship bug
so that il never buZZed again.
don't recall TO mind at this minute
whether any other boxer ever fought
two big battles inside two weeks. but l
don't believe it ever happened before.
except that one night out In Chicago
about two years before the worlds fair
opened in 1898, when l managed 10 drop
seven pretty heavy men, and that
wasn't any picnic for me, considering
that every one of them tipped the scales
at something over 200 pounds. That
was a pretty warm session, III admit,
and il made quite a sensation out in the
Windy City but 1t wasn't marker 10
the experience Of settling two would.
be champions inside two weeks.
You see. / wasn't sure just how much
beating Rubin would take He's
mighty big man, and he was weighing
considerably more than yours truly,
and then l heard from men who were
in a position to judge, that he was
strong proposition, and would take a
walloping that would mean hard work
10 make him quit Sharkey, of course,
/ had a pretty good line on, and l knew
just about how long he would take 10
trim. I'd been up against the sailor a
time or two before, and 1 knew Just
about where Ia have TO tickle him To
send him away 10 dreamland. When L
was training for my first fight with
Tom. a man jumped out of a carriage
out in Frisco, near my training quar-
tiers, came up 10 ME and said:
Don't punch Tom on the jaw. It's
paralyzed."
II paid no attention to it, but I
found out in that fight that he had
mighty tough jaWbOne, and in the fight
at Coney Island l pand a little more
attention To the other parts of Thomas
anatomy. However 10 get back 10
business, / hadl no accurate line of Gus
Rubin, and all / had been able TO find
out only convinced me that he was
tough young fellow, who would take
lot of beating Two or three told me
he had a yellow streak, but I'll say
right here that I never found that We
jumped into the ring that night, and I
remember a chap sitting near the ring
side in a box who made hit with me.
He was a nice looking fellow. and he
leaned over To his friend and said,
when 1 climbed through the ropes:
"FitZSlmmOns looks like the lean and
slippered pantaloou Of pugilism.' don't
he2"
got a smile out Of that remark, and
IL put me in good humor Tor the rest
of the night Well. After Charlie
White had given US our instructions,
] made up my mind then and there
Ia try a rushing tactic or two, and
feel Gus out. and thus give him a
chance 10 show how hard he could hit.
and just how well he could keep his
head when The going was fast We
went together right off the reel, and l
kept close 10 him, just failing away
and fumbling now and then TO give
him chance To show whether he would
take a fair shot if it was given him.
7 found him a hard, tough young fel-
low, willing TO keep right close 10 me,
and slug with all has heart. He hande
me a few choice swings that rocked
my head. and when busted him again
he stood right up and pushed me back
10 the ropes.
I'd got his measure by the end of the
first round. and i'm the second 1 began
10 try out his wind. [ knew I had him
from the moment the gong tapped, and
the hooks I tossed into his stomach
were warm ones. I kept this up during
the third. varying il with Il few straight
lefts and some few crosses until 1 think
/ had Gus wondering lust where he
Was going to set il next. / could see
he was weak from the punishment he
was taking, and he had hurt me little,
too. Gus has a punch OF sorts. II isn't
a championship punch, however. but II
viii jar Il good man just the same. l
couldn't escape all Of them. and l took
what was coming my way. In the fourth
round / took out after Gus and drove
him across the ring, just 10 rattle him,
and then / bluffed that ] was tired and
dropped my head "a bit. Some easy
mark ia Gus corner yelled out:
He's gone, Gus. Go after him.
And poor Gus did. That was where
] Strengthened up and pelted Afr. Run
lin clear across. the ring and brought
him down on the mat near the ropes
The gong saved Gus that time. but /
was in no hurry as / knew just where
Gus lived. and could call and get him
any time, In the fifth / played with
him-any one VIII tell YOU that. but
they don't know why, perhaps I'll tell
You right here ! could have put him
away IN the first ten seconds Of the
fight, but / wanted TO give him
chance to get himself together and
show what there was in him l held
him safe every minute. He couldn't get
himself together, however, and poor
Gust just swung and jabbed in a tired
way. as II he was hoping 10 catch me
OF my guard and finish me up that