Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-13
John L. DuCked
Go with Jackson.

John l.. Sullivan ducked match
with Peter Jackson" said Sam Fitz-
patrick recently, as he sat casting fur
tive slances at the ticker Somehow
or other Sam expected a welcome word
from the new worlds champion across
the water. This is the truth about
Sullivan and Jackson:
II was managing Peter. having
brought him over from Australia. The
old California Club, then the star club
of the country, wanted to get the great
Boston boy to meet Jackson, who was
in San Francisco at that time. Sulli-
van demanded $4,000 as his bit. The
management jumped at the offer. and
when Sully found that they were 50
willing he made it $4,000. and again
they came through
Then Sullivan. who was never a
piker at any time in his career, said
make 1t 100000
"They might just as well have made
1t million. because John l.. would
have raised it another, for he had no
intention i'll the world of meeting the
great darby.
mot SO with young Jim Corbett. Jim
was dapper bank clerk and boxing
instructor of the select Olympic Club
out there, and he listened to the urg-
ing of his friends when they suggested
a tilt between himself and Jackson
Corbett's father, proud old Irishman,
was up in arms in 4 moment when he
heard that his boy was going into the
ring with a negro
'Corbett, with all his boyish en-
thusiasm, took the old man into cor
ner and said: Dad, this black fellow is
the greatest man in the world. l want
to be that man. I've got to shove him
aside. and I'm going to do it whether
you like it or no. II you try to pre-
vent me from meeting him here in San
Francisco, I'll take him on barge up
the river
THE old man never gave in. and
even on the night of the great battle
he tried to have the police interfere
Corbett jumped into fame in night.
A mere hoy. he stood off the unrivaled
Peter Jackson for 81 brilliant rounds
They stopped 1t in that round because
1T became evident that there wouldn't
be a winner. so evenly were they
matched That fight brought Jim Cor
bett finally into line for the fight with
Sullivan. in which he Won the title
sullivan once was matched to fight
another negro He was stripped for
action in the ring at Boston. and over
In the other corner stood George God
frey. The police jumped in and called
a halt before the men had chance to
toe the mark. Strange, isn't it. that
1 should have been manager for the
TWO greatest colored boxers the world
ever knew-Peter Jackson and Jack
johnson? Could Peter have beaten
johnson? I've often thought of that
before. You see, Peter had one style
OF fighting. straight as whip in ac-
lion and the most graceful. soft-gliding
poxer that ever stepped into ring
He moved about with all the cunning
OF black panther. He used a straight
ie1t that was a revelation to the
americans of that time. do believe
mat he revolutionized boxing in this
country with the wonderful effective
ness Of that lightning. heart-breaking
nlack arm. Those fellows took things
III d more mater-of-fact way says
bunalo Commercial.
You see. Jack Johnson is all that the
up-to-date fighting machine is and
more. hight between those two
great black fellows would have been n
truly wonderful affair johnson wifi,
ms great assortment of punches. would
nave worried the dashing Peter not n
nttle' 1 find it hard to say who would
nave won, but honestly do thin,. thu
Johnson's later day style would ha,'e
beaten jackson. What a pity that
tney never could have nett
gu. l am certain that Peter could
nave trimmed the greatest Roman of
. mem all John L. had sneaking idea
again with the best coIored NAV l., a.
world and the championship within our
t stssp. u the new holder will only keep
us word and give us chance"