The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-10-20

ed. both as to age and physique. each
man being a veritable giant.
As the professional highway is COM
paratively strange to the feet Of these
youthful huskies. there is ample rea-
son for assuming that both OF them
are bubbling over with ambition and
that they are thoroughly innocent of
devious methods.
1t is the belief that they are as
deeply imbued with feelings Of rival
ry as two young bucks on the noun
tainside. That lends snap to the
match. for since prize fights are to
be. 1t is but reasonable to expect sim
cerer efforts from the younger bloods
OF the sport that from travel-worn.
purse-hungry bru:sers who have de-
cidei that the championship is good
deal OF will O the wisp.
So far there is just one false note
in the Berger-Kaufman so. and that
is Gerger's demand for 10 per cent
bonus There is no reason on earth
why he should be paid more than the
other man. unless as some one sug-
gests, 1t be on the score that he dress
es better than his opponent and has
more expensive habits generally.
1t has become q common thing for
a fighter with a long record of VIC
tories to show a mercenary spirit in
framing the terms Of a match and his
excuses for doing so are that he risks
his all, in the prestige and money
earning line and has to be recon-
pensed by heavy insurance. as 1t were.
An untried man, like Berger, can
avail himself Of no such defense. how
ever. The only explanation possible
Of SANS tactics is that he is less
eager to fight than Kaufman and is.
therefore. better able to drive a hard
bargain. The man who is willing. as
rule. has to knock under TO the
man who is holding back.
Now that one OF my elimination
bouts has come on the boards should
like to see the other arranged. Refer
ence is made to a Johnson-O' Rrien
contest. an affair the making OF which
will hardly follow rs closely on the
heels OF suggestion as did the Berger
Kaufman match.
II wonder at YOU bespeaking con-
sideration for Johnson" said men,
Der of the fight trust-the "asphyxi-
ated club" as Norris Levy calls it
to the writer. WHY no one criticised
him more harshly than you did over
his showing with Marvin Hart"
Granted, frank friend, and it ma"
be my privilege to criticise him harsh
~ again. Meanwhile. get to think
Ing occasionally of more than one
clever fight on Johnson's part of which
| was witness and thenI wonder if
the big negro should be bounded all
his life because of a couple OF wretch
ed performances. The color bar is II
terrible handicap of itself, and in this
particular instance it seems to have
accentuated faults or shortcomings
that have been condoned time AMI
again in others. One thing is GER
tain-if the old Biblical standard still
prevails it will be easy enough to
count the heavyweights who might vie
for the distinction OF throwing the first
stone at Johnson.
l could never satisfy myself thor
oushly as to what was the matter with
Johnson when he failed to extend HIM
sell. 1t may have been yellow
streak" or it may have been fighting
10 orders. Assuredly his contests with
Sandy Ferguson and Marvin Hart
were frights and they were all the
more distasteful to the writer because
h. had previous knowledge OF what
Johnson could DO when the fighting
mood was on him.
At Los Angeles l saw him handle
that dangerous customer, Frank
Childs. like q thorough workman, and
saw him dispose OF big Sam Mcyey
IN an almost equally artistic fashion.
He came out of Mount Zion hosp;-
boxed George Gardner, the same night.
| was there to see. and the way Carl
ner was baffled and cuffed at every
stage OF a fairly fast contest was in
terestins to watch.
Ii johnson was cut OF the pugilistic
game entirely and l was asked to re-
view his career, should say he was
fellow who. while always possessing
championship mettle. fought like
demon. one time and like dub the
next
AS proof that he loafed in his DOC"
lights and wasn't really mastered,
should point to the fact that he never
Oh the ring with him.
But he isn't out of the game. He
wants another chance and at the risk
outer once again l am willing to be
party to the scheme for restoring him
&c good standing.
He has ripping good fight in him
II it. could be coaxed out and the best
man 70 put him to thorough test is
Jack O'Brien.
OBrlen may or may not agree 10
meet johnson as long rs there are
mr. l.
the asking. Jack will no doubt defer
the day of reckoning with the negro.
He will hardly be able to advance as
an excuse. however. that he intends
journeying to Australia to box Bill
Squires, for the disquieting news is to
hand from Melbourne that the pugi-
listic jig is about up there.
1t was Bookmaker Wrens big pro-
position for the O'Brien-Squires and
other contests that fastened the day
OF reckoning. The matter OF prevent
ing puSilistic contests was brought up
in the legislative assembly and later,
alter meeting OF the state cabinet.
Premier Bent announced that it had
been decided to introduce in parlia-
ment Dill for the suppression OF prize
fights
Asked to define the meaning of the
term prize fight" the premier re-
piled: THE bill will be prepared so
as to prevent public exhibitions of
boxing"
Under the circumstances O'Brien
may thank his stars that he broke his
journey to Australia last month
The lightweight situation is cloud
ing up Cans will not say anything
mt for publication concerning the
Soarch1iUhf offar con nm g..