Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-08-10

The colored folks were happy on gem
eral principles and we don't blame
thcm either
The result OF the fight between
Bob Frzsimmons. white. and Jack
Johnson. colored. at Philadelphia.
Pa. July 18th. 1907 again sends the
thrills down the spinal column of
the average colored man who likes
this kind OF sport and causes a pa
tronizine feeling in the church-goirg
. elements. who while condemning
ibis Kind of brutality yet feel dis
posed 90 coudouo this kind of prac-
tice when the rieht fellow wins.
Jack Johnson is The logical sue
cessor of Peter Jackson. The latter
was the colorcd folks idol Had ne
gone in the pugilisdc arena against
JeTress and lost the haukruptng of
tens of thousands of colored people
would have been a moral certainty.
Bob Fitzsimmous was induced TO go
into The ring with Jack Johnson by
che size of the purse hung mp and
ihe no doubt needed the money.
Tie determined not TO take too
much punishment and the plea of a
broken arm was q convenient excuse
/ for him Co retire az the most opuor-
tune moment The story of the
rounds viii bear repetition:
The sporting fraternity expected
( to bo handed something tonight iu
+ the win1-up at tne Washington Sport
f ing Club between Bob Fitzsimmons
and Jack Johnson. but the uncertain
+ tv as 90 the manner I'm which it might
+ he handed ont aroused as much fine
tercst as did The fght itself
10 became uoised around the build
ing while tho first preliminary was
ou that Fitzsimmons had broken his
arm while boxing with Joe Jeanette
ou Monday. hut mo- announcement
was made of the fact until Tommy
Keenan,. after the men had put ON
their gloves. whispered something 10
Manager Mccartney and then left the
ring
He Immediately returned however
and made % brief speech. in which he
told of the prevailing rumors. and
declared that Doc would not oficiate
as referee unless Fit1simWons SUBJ
mittc3 to au examination at the
hands of tho club physician. There
was "a mild uowwow. and then Fitz
made "a liftlo speech. iu which De adj
uitted that The report was true: that
Doc had hurt his arm. and that n phy-
sici1n had performed three opera
tions upon &c.
'But that right arm is pretty good
at tnat.' Doe said iu conclusion. land
/ D ann willing to take O. chance"
Manager Mccartney then announced
I chat CAS- FitE was willing Co take q
/ chance. the bout would proceed.
Ir was plain 90 he seen that even
Do Ie was spelling. Fuz could hav,
done nothing with his right. and I'D
was obvious that Johnson was rot
COINS to make any too much use of
/ mis- powers. There wore not half q
dozen punches exchanged in tho first
round. and they were generally land.
fed by Johnson ON Fitz's body Fits
/ ala get his left to Johuson's jaw ou
/ one occasion. but &c did not discou.
Icert the big black man. There was
\ 90 great buzz OF talk among the spec
/ tators whom the ben sounded. and
many of them started for the exits
Iaurcipatiug what was coming Off.
There was LITTLE adding when On,
/ ben sounded for the beginning O..
{the second round Johnson swuni
his lcu for the body. and q clincl
I followed. suddenly Fitz went up So
the air sidewise and CAME down Iiz,
% skilled and lofty tumbler. Immed
lately there We're cries of foul
. from his corner. his seconds claiming
that Johnson had hackhccied him
/ Fiz finally reeaiued his feet and
/ Johnson made another pass az him
/ FiE went down. turned over. got
/ half up. then put his head ON On,
mat as though be contemplated turI
/ ing somcrsault Manager McCar
\ ney counted ten and the farce wa,
I over.
From the inception Of the bout II
/ was looked upon with suspicion b,
/ local followers OF the boxing game
They could not figure out how Fit.
could stay with Johnson six rounds
/ provided the latter would try. and
/ tlcy did not turn out 20 any extent
/ III, instead OF going through the fare,
/ In the second round Fitz and John
/ son had boxed three fast rounds. TN,
/ public would have been satisfied. "a,
could have shown his arm az the enc
/ OF the third round and admitted tina
\ he was physically unable 10 20 on
The crowd would have taken IL Will
/ far better grace than they did hi
/ fake knockout
Thus ended another prize fight {,
the satisfaction Of the pugilisti,
giant. who now stands ready to NEE
any heavyweight in the pugilisti,
world to-day.
Joe Cans. colored, is the light
weight champion of the world TO
day. Battling" Nelson who foulec
him has made repeated declaration,
that he is the superior of Cans, an,
that he did not foul Cans as was de
clared by the referee. came to grie
in San Francisco. California JUL
21st. 1907 in a fight with Jimm,
Britt, white. whom Cans had pre-
viously defeated. The most gallins
part of the performance was the
fact that Joe Cans was at the rims