The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-06-18
JEFFRIES SURE IS
 IN FINE CONDITION
dis Seven Round Work Ont With Sam
 Berger Last Night Proved This.
Crowd While not Large Was Most Ord' erIy and They Saw the Rings Great. est Performer in Action.


 eated champion of the world isn't in fine shape. If he intends to be better and stronger for Johnson than he was
 last night at smiths theatre, under the auspices of the Stratfeld Athletic Club, Sam Berger, his sparring part ner, would do well to suggest that
 they stop sparr,ing and that a carload
 Of steel rails be brought in for the
 champion to bend and break across his chest and knees. If "Misther John- sum- could have seen the California
 krizzly bear in action last night he
 Surely would turn white.
 There was. not a large crowd 10
 greet the champion but it was a very scattering of the fair sex in the aud fence The latter came out Of curl-
 osity to see this trojan who has been called back to the prize ring after ne had retired to the alfalfa with the scaIps Of all the big scrappers dangling from his belt. All of the pictures Jo1
 Jeffrdes in which he is shown to be as fat ias Mayor Tom Johnson of CleKe- land are not pictures of the Jeh who appeared here last night and everyone who left the theatre. last night, said he was, undoubtedly the greatest man in the world.
 rounds to, the great enjoyment Of the crowd. 1t was a twenty-foot ring ana 1t seemed as though there was not a single place in it where Berger could stand without the champion reaching him. The foot work of the big man was what attracted the attention or the men in the audience who had never attended a. boxing exhibition before, but who came to see the champlon. He was as quick as cat and to see this towering giant prance about with the agility of. g. healthy school girl skipping rope was marvellous --r
 when Jeff entered the ring there was a wild cheer and Sam Berger made a speech stating that there was a
 mistake made when it was announced that he and Jen were to box six three minute rounds as the champion nao intended to box three rounds only. He said that they could stall through the rounds and stay as long as they want ed, but in order that the audience would see some boxing, he and the champion would box six two minute rounds After they got started they boxed seven lively rounds, because the time keeper became so excited watch ing the boxing that he could not tell whether the fifth round was the fourth or the fifth. Berger said he would bet 6 thousand it was the fifth. but Jeff who was having a. lot of fun jabblns his sparring partner said, whats the difference"
 Before the bout started there were cries of speech, and the big fellow stepped to the center of the ring and said: 'I suppose must say something, I will say one thing and that is after several weeks of training I am satis- fled that I will get in as good condi- tion as I. ever was in my life, ana when the right time comes will deliver the goods. In the first round when Jeff brought his left over onto Berger's jaw in a playful manner. voice was heard to say.s 'Mr- Jenries. Mir. Johnson wants | yod on the telephone"
 RlrRer would weigh over 2OO | pounds as he appeared in the ring last | night, and yet there were three times in the break a;ways where the cham pion lifted him off his feet and set him. down as lightly as he would small boy.
 Jeff boxed in earnest and when he | had ahpished he was not winded in the | least, holding conversations with a l number of admirers immediately after the bout.
 In the neighborhood of 100 people | waited outside the theatre for the | purpose of getting a look at the cham | pions without paying an admission. | Shortly after 8 o'clock a coupe rolled | down Mains street with a big man | seated inside The kids spied him and they shouted, There's Jeff-there's | the champ
 Several adults joined in taking a peep into Sthe moving coupe and said. Gee he has certainly got some weight to take off" Five policemen were needed | to beat the crowd back from the car riage when it stopped in front of the | theatre. There was danger of the ve- hicle and the horse drawing it being | lifted in the air, if it was not for the | cops who beat path for thechampion.
 The door was opened and the big man who stepped out was Fritz Hart man, major domo at Bullen's hotel, who was accompanied by his brother in-law. Jimmy Butler. Fritz has been laid up with rheumatism in his feet so he rode to- the theatre. Jeffries had been in the theatre for over an hour at the time. The outside crowd | which wanted something violent for their money went to Seaside park to hear the first band concert of the sea- son. There were three snappy prelim- mary bouts between local anna ateu5.
 The first go was a three round barn | dance between Young McGuire of this city and Young Teddy of South Nor walk The South iNorwalk boy was the cleverest of the two and little | damage was done to McGuire. as he spent most of his time covering up.
 The second go, another three round | affair with Kid Hassett and Young Ross. both of this city. was one of the prettiest preliminaries- ever pulled | of. Hassett pulled off stunt three | times during the go that made a tre- mendous hit with the crowd He shifted his position after boxing half | the round, leading with his right and whipping the left, over to Ross jaw | each time that he tried it. After each fefnt With the right he put his l. left foot out and taking one step for ward he brought the left mitt across under the jaw. Both boys boxed clean and they were warmly applauded when they finished.
 The last of the preliminaries was a four round bout between Hank Griffin and Young Lange. Griffin had the best of it in weight and boxed with crouch delivering powerful blows when he punched. Young Lange who is A graceful and clever boxer xyaltzed around Griffin and peppered him with light blows and made mark out of him as a boxer. Frank Braithwaite made the announcements and intro- duced the talent Jeffries was given a most cordial reception throughout
 0AsTSE RIA.
 s..,,t tss >Ths Kind You naga Always Bcugh ssa.tu-. ~1AN@