The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-09-08
Britt'S Temper
May Give Cans
Fatal Opening
Native Son Dead Game, But Loses Head
When Stung-Negro Trains Conscien-
tously, But Without Enthusiasm.
Real Lightweights Scarce.
By c. E. VAN LOAN.

day afternoon James Edward Britt and
Joseph Cans will collaborate in what
the small bills are pleased 10 describe
as "the battle of the century"
It seems rather es:ly in the century to
be so cocksure about IL. but San Fran
cisco fight promoters are nothing If not
confident. They have had four battles
OF the century" since 1902, and James
Edward Britt figured IN two OF them.
This makes the third time that the
recrudescent son Of the Golden West
has participated in the greatest battle
OF modern times."
After all, you must hand IL TO the ad-
vertising agent He beggars several die
tiOnaries in the course Of a busy season,
but people seem 10 like It and keep on
paying fancy prices 70 see the fights.
which, after all, is the supreme test OF
the effectiveness Of a press agent.
Lightweights Weeded Out.
All right Granted that It Is TO be an
other battle OF the century. What then?
Outside tire Memsic fight, where will the
winner turn? Has it occurred to you
that the lightweights are pretty thor
Oughly weeded Out7 Some have slipped
into the weller division, some have gone
70 the scrap heap, others have been
whipped and dropped from the first
flight Where are your topnotch, legiti-
mate OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES light
weights? Call the roll and you will be
surprised
Joe Cans. who has done a lot Of weed
ing IN the lightweight garden, says that
outside OF his Los Angeles date with
Memsic. ne has no fights in sight 1t
/ Will not surprise any Of Joe's friends
I II his retirement is announced within
/ the next six months.
Won't Wait to Be Licked.
IF anybody thinks I'm going to stick
/ around unul I'm forty years old. wait
/ ing for some strong young fellow to
I come along. and lick me he is mistaken.
I'm going TO retire one Of these days
That is what Joe says about It, and
( you notice that he - not worrying over
the possibility Of being defeated BY
/ Britt
! Should Cans win from Britt and Mem
| sic and retire for good. the lightweight
division viii enjoy a sudden return to
/ life. And there will be quite a scram-
bic for the vacated throne.
Seventeen Years in Training.
! Cans makes no Secret Of the fact that
I he Is tired Of fighting. Anyone who has
! seen him go through his training stunts
/ knows it without being told Cans works
/ like a well-ored machine. and with
about as much enthusiasm. He knows
I that a certain amount Of bag-punching
| IS good for him, so for a certain num-
Der OF rounds he thUmps the inflated
ball and between times he sits and
/ studies his feet, MS mind a thousand
miles away. There is never word out
OF him from the time he enters the
4 gymnasium until he leaves It.
/ Half Of his life he has been training
/ for somebody or other. He works De
/ cause he knows IL is expected of him
as a champion, but there Is no snap
and dash to his training quarters life.
/ He picks out the line of the least re-
sistance and slides along II with as lit
tie friction as possible He is never
| enthusiastic. but, on the other hand. he
/ IS never Grabbed. 1t is all in the days
work with him.
| Seventeen years is q long time 10 be
| in training, and the old master has had
enough OF It think II he had enough
money on hand TO buy red plush fuTni-
/ ture for that Baltimore hotel Of his
/ Joe Cans as a fighter would take his
/ place In history with fins" against
| his mans.
Champ Easy on Partners.
There is one thing about Cans train
/ ing which cannot fail 10 impress the
! spectator He never slaughters his
| sparring partners to make a holiday for
/ the bullnecks and lowbrows along the
wall. Once in a while the other fellow
/ is bound 10 run into a facer-Perhaps
! through his own clumsiness as much as
anything-and in such cases Joe always
/ offers his hand with an apology.
| KID Mccoy could apologize, too but
It was not on the level with him. This
/ kid was the boy who could knock his
| sparring partners crosseyed, and his
| apology was so humble that those pres
/ ent for the first time believed that the
/ knockout had been an accident. The
! sparring partner knew better - poor
| devili-for he got 1t every day.
Jim Jeffries used to waIlop his spar
I ring partners numerically. but not be-
! cause he wanted to hurt them or make
them howl. From his beginning as a
! fighter Jim never knew his own strength
and was prone to measure other fighters
| by his own standard. He could stand a
\ lacing why not they? He was always
/ surprised and q little Disguised when
/ his hired men held out the gloves 10
! have the laces united.
Needs No Trainer.
| Cans is consideration easy man TO
work with and an absolute dictator as
to his methods Of training. He requires
no handling In the ring or out OF IT,
/ When he fights he needs a couple Of
/ towel swilgers, a man to look after the
water buckets, and another TO handle
| the sponge. He IS used to doing his
own thinking, and It Is probable that
there is no man in this country COM
petent to advise him from the corner.
! The negro is in good condition for this
/ fight. Contrary to the general supposi-
tIon, he has had little or no trouble in