Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-20
BURNS ASKS JEFF
FOR A BATTLE
WOULD PIT HIMSELF. AGAINST
THE CHAMP
Says That Jim Is Willing to Re-enter
Ring If $4,000 Purse Is Forth
eomins-Gardner and
Kaufman Ready

| "A
person by the name Of James Jeffries
has promised to emerge from the new
mown hay piles allow the porkers to
root for themselves and let the sweet
breathing kline wander home alone in
the cool of the eventide Tommy says
that Jeff volunteered yesterday to meet
him in the ring should some one come
forth with a $4,000 purse. Tommy tells
the following tale
IT suppose most people will think I
had my nerve to ask Jim Jeffries for q
, fight, but that is what | did this aft
ernoon, and Jim told me that | was
on, providing some one would offer us
$4,000. l saw Jim standing with some
friends in a cigar stand today and put
the question straight to him.
jim l said, L want to ask you
just one question. If | win decisiVely
from O'Brien and some one offers us
purse of $500 will you meet me i'm
the ring?' Yes, 1 will, kid Sure if
some one gives us that much money.
You are going east now, so you can
boom things along, and we will see
what may happen.
Tommy boosted the proposition to
James in the following persuasive and
kindly manner:
Jim, 1 think that you are not as
good as you were at one time, and l
believe that If anybody would have a
show with you L would have the best
look-in, that is, if / get O'Brien this
time, and l expect to do so. This fell
low Johnson who is hollering for a
match ought not to be considered so
long as l am il the game. Marvin
Hart beat him and you know what 1
did to Marvin.
'If Jack O'Brien gets his from me
h Hx-i11 no Of w IN c thnra
left? Nov, jim, 1 ann not calling you
out of retirement, but there are so
many rumors about you and Johnson
meeting that L want to put in a strong
bid in case you intend coming out"
Tommy says that he is certain JEFF
fries will meet him should a sufficient
inducement be given and figures that
would be able to last as long as any
one with the big fellow.
JEFF came in from his hunting trip
yesterday, bronZed, and carrying
great assortment of paraphernalia cal
culated to work destruction upon bird
and beast of the field. Jim was not
in humor to talk of the rumors in
connection with a match between him
self and Johnson, but again volun-
teered the information that he had no
intention of meeting the black man.
The referee question as regards Al
Kaufman and George Gardner, who
meet tomorrow evening, has not been
definitely decided, although it is under
stood that McCarey calls for Tommy
Burns. Billy Delaney, manager of
Kaufman, has entered a protest and
the matter will be thrashed out to-
morrow.
Harry Monahan has been spoken of
as third man and may possibly be
named. Monahan, who is an old friend
and sparring partner of Jim Jeffries,
possesses considerable experience, hav-
ing refereed many topnotch battles.
George Gardner was working at the
bag yesterday and went six lively
rounds with two sparring partners in
Lewis gymnasium. 1t is easily to be
seen that Gardner has been a fighter in
his day, and the question remains
whether his training time has been suf-
ficiently long. 1t appears as though ten
more days would round him into better
form. He did not perspire freely yes
terday until fifteen minutes banging
at the bag had been concluded. 1t is
claimed that Gardner was never a
SNOWY training ringster, and his rather
listless performance yesterday may not
have been altogether due to question
able condition.
Prof. Lewis, who is training Gardner
claims that the big fellow possesses a
punch which may down Kaufman at
any time. He said:
"This fellow may prove a surprise
dhen he enters the r g with Kaufman.
The chances are that if Al goes down
before Gardner he will not be up so
quickly as with Berger sent him to the
floor. George has a knockout punch in
either arm, and what is more he can
deliver it from any position. l believe
he has a great chance"