Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-08
JABEZ WHITE HERE
SEEKING BAT NELSON
English Lightweight Champion
Eager to Wipe Out Defeat
by Britt.

NEW YORK. February S.-JabeZ White,
the dapper lightweight champion Of Eng
land. and believed by Charlie Mitchell to
be the best man in his class that he has
seen in twenty years, is here in pursuit
of Battling Nelson. He comes specifically
under contract In another line, but he is
more than eager to meet the Dane and
will go to all reasonable lengths in fore
ing the matter.
White is with his manager. Thomas
Pritchard. They arrived yesterday on the
Celtic and lost no time in making known
that what they most desired was go
with Nelson-133 pounds at the ringsde or
at :: o'clock on the afternoon of the day
Of the mill. at any time suitable to the
Dane. before any reputable athletic club.
and the sooner the better
White Real Emphatic.
There could not be any mistakine the
practical air OF the busy and thrifty Brit
Usher. One could we'll understand as he
chopped out his crisp statements. how it
is that he is the owner of a successful
business in Birmingham. He was not so
voluble as was Pritchard-for volubility
is a managers prerosative-but he was
emphatic.
He hasn't forgotten how, in April of
1905, he first came to this country with
the clearest title and the cleanest record
in his own country that any pugilist ever
had. He had won sixty fights in England
before that time and never had had a de-
cison against him, and at the instance Of
Charlie Mitchell had come over here eager
TO take on Battling Nelson. Young Cor
bett or Jimmy Britt, or make matches
with all
A month later he was beaten by Britt
in Woodward's Pavilion in San Fran
cisco. 1t stunned him. for he couldn't
see how it could have happened. but he
now is back again and he believes he
is able to win the place he then sought.
He had beaten Spike Sullivan when Sui
Ivan was AS tough as hickory stick,
and he had measured all Americans by
that standard. That battle was one Of
the best in the great pugilistic tourney of
coronation week In London. Five years
before he had beaten Mike Sears Of Bos-
ton in twelve rounds.
Trained Aboard Ship.
He comes here this time with bigger
realization OF Americans. He trained on
the other side, and on the passage across
he was busy every day keeping himself
in condition. He recalled yesterday that
when he originally came here he had lost
weight on shipboard. and while he did
not offer that as an excuse, he said, there
ent condition and what 1t was when he
first landed in New York.
On the voyage in the forenoons White
walked between eleven and twelve miles,
and during the afternoons of the passa ge
Just ended toyed with the medicine ball.
His exercise afforded much interest for
the other passengers, some of whom, es-
pecially his athletic countrymen, daily
kept pace with him for a few laps. John
Robertshaw of Yorkshire was the most
tireieSS uacemaker White had.
Holds Many English Titles.
White started fighting when he was
eighteen, and weighed only ninety-six
pounds, the lightest fighting class, win
ming the English championship. Then he
took the bantam championship, and
later the feather and then the light
weight. with no one apparently able to
offer serious opposition. Nobody III his
own country ever succeeded in the half
dozen English championships he held
either in knocking him out or in taking a
decision from him.
White. who went to the Metropole, said
he would communicate with Nelson just
as soon as he got settled. and that he
did not anticipate any haggling over
terms--not that he has not an eye to bust
ness, but, as he put 1t yesterday, 'busi-
ness is doing the best you can