The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-21
SPORTING TALK OF INTEREST.
JEPFRIES DECLARES HE WILL
NEVER FIGHT JACK JOHNSON
but He VIII Meet Burns n the Latter Beats
O'Bricn and q sSO, 900 Purse Is Onered.
which Means Jen Is AFTER Easy Money
Cans = TO 4 Fayorite Over Herman.

WuANu NNCaAha ~NN - TNhANs Icy N~ssS
Gar = TO 4 Fayerite Over Herman.
James J. Jenries has been heard from re-
rarding the possibility OF his fighting again
and incidentally meeting Jack johnson. the
oolored hea vyweizht, for a $50. 900 purse
alleged to have been offered in good faith
~ TEX Richard. the Goldield promoter.
Jenries says with unmistakable emphasis
that under no circumstances will he ever
agree 10 fight johnson and gives as his reason
that he has drawn the color line and will
never change his mind. In declaring that
10 is against his principles to fight a negro
JeHries possibly forgets that the first time
he ever showed himself TO New York fight
fans IL was in a ten round bout at the o Id
lcnox 4. &. with Bob Armstrong. the negro
sparring partner OF Tom Sharkey. Jefries
At that time was glad to accept a match with
Armstrong, whom he failed to knock out
inside Of the limit. although he got the de-
cision on points. But len was only a novice
then and had no right TO dictate.
Ever since johnson doomed up among the
beayvweights J efYries has barred him. As q
matter OF fact. johnson. In view OF the defeat
be received at the hands Of Marvin Hart.
who was later an easy mark for Tommy
Burns, has done really nothing TO warrant
a meeting with Jeffries. But II johnson
could defeat the winner OF the prospective
Burns-O'B rien mill he would then be in a
posltion to demand recognition from the
champion Having eliminated johnson from
the situation, however. Jenries. tempted by
the big purses that are being of cred by the
dff erent Nevada mining towns. says he viii
come out OF his retirement and fight again
under two conditions. One is that his OPP
popent shall be Burns. IL the latter can de-
cisiyely defeat O'Brien. ana the other is that
a 5000 purse must be hung up. 1t is said
that Bruins. right after his recent mill with
O'Brien, asked Jefries II he would make a
match The hoilprmakp or is reDOrted to have
replied:
Beat O'Brien dscislvely first and you can
have a battle with me II a suitable purse Is
offered"
As Burns is considered a better man than
O'Brien and as the pictures Of their recent
mill, now on exhibition In this city. show
Burns to be the master of the situation at all
stages il il reasonable to suppose that Burns
has a chance to put O'Brien away In a fight
to a finish, provided one is arranged. In
that event Jeffries and Burns would come
together and the purse would probably
amount to $50, 900, or even more. as half q
dozen Nevada promoters would vie with
one another in a scramble for the match.
But would such a one sided fight pay? Jefries
in fighting trim tips the beam at go pounds
and stands 8 feet ~ inches in his stockings.
Burns is only S feet 7 inches tall and scales
about 10 pounds.
Jerries since he became a farmer near Los
Angeles mas Deen enjoying a rough OUTDOOR
life and is said to weigh now close TO $50
pounds. But when he met Armstrong here.
prior to tackling Bob F~itzsimmons. Jef
was a 240 FOUNDER. For the Fitzsimmons
mill the big fellow got thirty pounds OF. and
the day before the fight he tipped the beam
at 30 pounds in fighting toys. Since then
Jefries has never made so light a weight for
any of his battles. He weighed 2s when he
fought Corbett the first time and scaled at
22i when he met Sharkey in a twenty-five
round affair. When he tackled Fitz and
Corbett again in California he weighed about
?2S pounds. and was as fast as a prairie fire.
Provided that a Jerries- Burns fight should
be arranged to take place early next spring
the boiler maker would have plenty of time
in which to reduce and At himself for a hard
encounter. Fit and strong under those
circumstances Jenries would be expected
70 make a monkey Of little Burns and Incl
dentally pick up a chunk of very easy money.
In a word, a $50 900 purse would be regarded
as a gift pure and simple TO the scientific
boiler maker. Jeffries evidently regards the
proposition in this light when he agrees to
come back to the ring.
II has been definitely settled that Jefries
will referee the Gans-Herman finish fight at
Tonopah, New, on New Years Day. Herman
wanted George Siler of Chicago. but Cans and
the mana ger of the club prevailed on the
white boxer to take Jenries. in spite of the
fact that Siler is probably the most competent
and Trustworthy boxing referee in America.
Jefries was wanted as an additional dra wing
card, however. He will receive 81 900 and
expenses, and as he is thoroughly honest the
crowd can look for fair play. Cans is q 2 10 1
~favorite, but Herman says he will surely win
for the reason that he can put up a more az
gressive fight against the lightweight cham
pion than Nelson did and at the same time can
block the colored mans blows with more
cleverness than that exhibited by the Dane.
Cans has been training hard, in spite of
reports to the contrary. and has wired several
intimate friends here TO put heavy wagers on
him. The railroads are making arrange
mentS 20 carry hundreds OF fight fans to the
scene OF action, the mana cement being already
assured that there will be a great crowd on
hand when Cans and Herman shake hands.
Friends Of Terry McGovern, who was pro-
nounced insane re Gently and IL now In a
sanitarium at Stamford. Conn. have arranged
TO hold an athletic carnival and testimonial
benefit for McGovern and his family in Madi-
son Square Garden on Wednesday evening.
January %. George NJ. Conan, Samuel H.
Harris and Joseph Humphreys have the matter
In hand and ask that any contributions be
sent TO Cohan, treasurer Of the fund. at the
New Amsterdam Theatre Building. 2i+ West
Forty-second street. All Of the leading
boxers will appear at the benefit. in addition
to many actors and professional entertainers.
II Ia a worthy charity and should receive
ready response from the sporting public.
-
Walter Camp says he favors no radical
changes In the football rules. Camp declares
that the game as IL stands is balanced by va
rlous plays that not even the m ost expert
coach could have ~foreseen and also gives all
kinds Of men opportunities to develop. The
light. artful dodger is sought after. but he has
not wholly s~upplanted the big. powerful man
for the middle OF the line. The heavyweight
who may be too clumsy for other sports may
be Just the bulwark for the centre positions.
A fast man and a good kicker cannot be dis
pensed with. The long. accurate passer H.
also necessary factor. while a sure catcher Of
punts. clever drop and place hckers and good
tacklers must always be in evidence. With
such a we'll balanced game. developing these
different qualities and plenty Of spectacular
play. Camp says he sees no good reason why
the rules should be tinkered with. In this
opinion, incidentally. Yale's football mentor