Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-01-25
AUSTRA[|A'S
 PREMIER PUG Believed to Be a Fitting Op- ponent to the Irresistible James J. Jeffries-Dome Facts and Figures.
POWERFUL AND FAST.
Has Been in the Fighting Game for Five Years and Is Reformed Coal Miner, Weighing 1SO Pounds-Had to Be Urged to Re-Enter the Ring.

The great topic of conversation ill the sproting world is whether Bill Squires would make a fitting opponent for the heavyweight champion, James J. Jeffries, who is straining nervous ly at the chains that bind him to re- tirement. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown may be aptly ap- piled to Jeff. He resisted nobly all efforts to have him return to the squared circle until the frenzied finance purses brought visions to the sleeping giant, Then he sat up and began to take notice.
 A few facts from a reliable source about the fighter from the antipodean nation would be apropos. Australia is the land of the great unknown, about which there are so many misconcep- i tions and fallacies, one of the most common being that "the flowers of the land of the southern cross are odor- less and it's birds songless.' Who that has had the pleasure of visiting the sea-girt continent will for a moment deny the brilliancy of the plunage of our native birds or the sweet per- fume of our flowers, shrubs and blos- soming trees? The land of the upside where our spring month is October, and our winter June and July; Christ mas day, when the Christmas cards from the old country come depicting scenes amid snow and ice, and verse 1 telling of the tinkling of sleigh bells, we are usually found sitting under the friendly shade of the giant eucalipti, with the temperature ranging between 100 and no in the shade, dreaming of the old country and sleigh rides to the accompaniment of the tinkling of tcihee aiasng cmfwyp vbgkqjbgk of the ice against the sides of our glasses.
 Australia is proud of her athletes Tell me if there is an island that has sent out more world-famed athletes and when we give them the hall mark of public approval, show me one that has failed to make good, and this is the more wonderful when you con- sider that the populatio nof Australia, a land of the same area as the United States (eXcepting Alaska), is scarcely 5,000,000 souls. Every branch of sport we have invaded and sent our cham pions into foreign lands to bring back honors.
 Rowing Championship.
 We took the rowing championship from America years ago, when Will liam Beach defeated Ed Hanlon. We held it against all corners until Jake Gaudaur defeated Jim Stansbury on the Thames, London. Australia set about preparing new aspirants 70 bring home the pennant. George Townes worked his way to London as steward on one of the Pacific and Oriental liners and returned champion of the world, after defeating Jake Gaudaur, conqueror of Stansbury for l the title.
 Jeffries deprived us of the title by defeating Bob Fitzsimmons. Australia now says to Squires: "Go, return with your shield or on it." Will history repeat itself? We wait and hope.
 Facts About Squires.
 The following facts are furnished by Joe Sleight, friend and fellow worker of Squires in the collieries of Newcastle and amateur champion middle weight of Australia and South Africa, and at present visitor in San Francisco.
 SQuires was born about tWenty-eigh years ago in Walls End, a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales He is an ungainly looking specimen Of humanity about five feet ten inches, with broad, stooping shoulders, long arms, reaching almost to the knees, with immense hands, very narrow waist, weighing in the neighborhood of 1S0 pounds. Bill is coal miner by trade and was the first man in Australia to use the American patent coal cutting machine.
 Squires engaged in his first fight about five years ago. One night a prize fighter with travelling show was to give a boxing exhibition in Squires' native town, Walls End, but could get no one to go on with him. His gaze fell on Squires, whom he fasked to accommodate him, but Bill ldisregarded the invitation. Then the boxer commenced abusing Squires, using torrid language and winding up by calling him big stiff. Up to this time Squires had never had a