The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-06-16
3O.0O0 PEOPLE GREET JEFFRIES
 IN PITTSBURG WHERE HE BOXED 6 ROUNDS LAST NIGHT WITH BERGER
What Noted Sporting Editor Thinks of Condition of Great Undefeated World Champion Who Proposes to Bring Back the Championship to the White RaCe-he is Now Down to Within a Few Pounds of His Normal Fighting Weight.

Few Pounds of His Normal Fighting Weight.
 By Wm. P. Mclaughlin. | (Sporting Editor of New York World. | Pittsburg, June 16.-Well if any o1 the doubting Thomases saw James J Jeffries in his six-round bout with | Sam Berger, his sparring partner, here last night. he would lay his question ing aside and say it's all off with that chance Johnson thought he had to whiI Jeff.
 The bout last night was intended solely and simply to show the public The work that he and Berger have been doing of late has been a. candy brittle sort of thing, in which Jeff | would soak Sam and Sam would soak Jeff with great big dirigible gloves that gave out a dreadful sound, but the damage done was never more than a skinned nose or an excessive case of hair ruffling-
 from 40 to 50 seconds each. There was a rest between rounds of three or four minutes. All of which was indiffer- ence to the belief that Jeffries wanted it to be just so. But Jeff has grown ugly. He has got to the trained down stage where he growls as he eats, growls as he comes and goes and growls at his best friends, a sure sign that he is getting physically fit.
 HENCE THE SIX-ROUND BOUT;
 And so it came to pass that he ask ed for this six-round bout to show those. who want to see his real condi- ton. Six three minute rounds with intervals of only a. minute between is a far different line of goods from the stuff he has been handing out, and so ha ia who came to see it.
 Jeff was a physical revelation even to myself. Five weeks had elapsed since I had seen him in action before. Then he was a little soggy in move ment, although surprisingly fast for a big fellow. His waistline looked like that of an old-time cop. There was more of it before than behind. His der.
 Last night showed that he has abso- lutely lost his paunch. He has got down to 23S pounds. which is only a weight. He has speed and cleyerness that would do credit to the selusive Jim Driscol and he has a smash with the wallop that certainly did make that there MT. Sam Berger at one time last night cry out with feeling, 'Oi, Oi, Oi." which, of course, is an in Engagement on wurra, wurra, my tra- ditional exclamation when something unpleasant happens to SOmeDOQy-
 JEFF IS BACK.
 The bout, as a bout, was not in- tended to be for points or for a con- sideration. It was lucky for Sam that it wasn't. But it proved to the sat isfaction of everybody that Jeff is back, and that he never was very far out. Dick Barren was in Jeff's corner. He is a wise adviser. The failure of Jack Johnson to show up and say word at, the ringside in defiance of Jeff riled the Pittsburgers very much Many of them had bought tickets to see the meeting of Johnson and Jeff. nation that was printed yesterday to the effect that the big smoke would not be present.
 Mark me, it would have been a great sight to see if Johnson did try to butt in last night I don't believe that Jeff would lose his temper under most circumstances, but I am fully convinc- ring scene if Johnson were foolish enough to face such a possibility.
 But he ran out once more- The Pittsburgers are satisfied that Jeff is still the goods and the town is drink ing slanthas to him. In the after noon he was taken out in an auto with a party of friends.
 Much of the crowd of 30O0O that greeted Jeff the night before must have stayed awake all night because they were on the job early yesterday and they flocked around. the Hotel Henry, hungeriLg to get a look at him.
 When Jeffries appears at Bridgeport Thursday night, June IF, there is sure to be present many of his admirers from Greater New York It's a treat