East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-04-16


OF the ring experts insist that between
the ages OF IS and IS the best fight
ers are in their prime, an assertion
that appears to be backed up by the
records OF the great boxers OF Ameri-
ca. England and Australia. Jetirles'
probably the greatest pugilist the
world has ever seen, was "a when ne
won the heavyweight championship
from Fitzsimmons. He was 2S at the
time he Knocked Corbett out in ten
rounds al San Francisco, and It was
considered then to be at his best
That was Jeff's last real MILL al
though he met Jack Munroe AFTER
ward. When he is said TO have hand
ed his title over to Marvin Hart at
Reno, New, he was so years DID, ana
Is now but -, a comparatively young
man. Should Jeffries suffer defeat
AZ the hands OF Jack Johnson within
the next year, therefore, he could not
give old age as an excuse for his
downfall. for other fighters much
older than Jeffries is now have won
worldwide fame in the ring.
When Fftzsimmons Began.
Before Fftzsimmons was 20 years
old he was boxing for the fun OF the
thing. and when he became OF age
he was soon fighting for money. When
Fitz knocked out Jack dempsey and
won the middleweight championship
of the world he was just 80 years old.
Five years later he knocked Coroett
out at Carson City and was hailed as
the worlds heavy weight champion.
Robert beat George Gardner for the
light heavyweight title when he was
Al and when he was As he was stop
ned in two rounds by Johnson in Phil
adelphia, two years ago.
Sullivan a Champion at "a.
The year he won the championship
from Paddy Ryan, John L. Sullivan
was "a years old. He was 81 when
he beat Jake Kilrain and was "a when
Corbett stopped him in 21 rounds IN
New Orleans in September, 1892. That
makes Sullivan just so years old now,
and he is still hale and hearty in
spite OF riotous living for many years.
Jack johnson, the new heavy
weight champion with Jeff in retire.
ment), Is 81 years old. He is in his
prime now and cannot show much
Improvement. AS he is fond OF high
living and will have plenty OF money
to blow in he may not stand the pace
and retain his title for the next five
years or so. Peter Maher, an old man
now, in point of physique, though ne
is only 80 year old and still in the
ring. beat Paddy Slavin and Joe Cho-
nski when he was 81. Two years Ia
ter he knocked Steve O'Donnell out in
a punch. and was SO when he treated
Joe Butler to the "slumber wallop.'
Sharkey Begins Young.
Tom Sharkey began his ring ca
reer early. but it was not until he
was 26 years old that he gave Jeffries
the hardest battle Of his life in 25
rounds at Coney Island. Though
sharkey was very young at the game
then he received such terrific beat
ing that he lost much of his strength
and vitality. and at the age Of 81 he
boxed a six-round draw with that
pugilistlc joke, Jack Munroe.
Jim Corbett beat Sullivan when he
was 2e, lost TO Fitz when he was 81,
and was 81 when Jeff put him away
in San Francisco. Corbett is now Al,
and still thinks, for publication, that
he can fight well enough to beat
Johnson.
Jake Kilrain.
Jake Kilrain. a great fighter in his
day, was 2S the year he fought Jem
Mace 106 rounds on French soil. He
was 30 when Sullivan beat him in IS
rounds and was 81 when he met Sla-
win IN a bout at Baltimore. Joe Cod
dard knocked Maher out In three
rounds at Coney Island when he was
81. He was fighting all corners in
South Africa at 3s and tackled Shar-
key three years later.
Peter jackson.
Peter Jackson won the Australian
title from Tom Lees in a battle at
Sydney when he was 25. He beat Jem
at the age OF 2S. and was two years
older when he boxed a 61-round af-
far with Corbett, which was declar-
ed mo contest" Jackson was 81
years old when Jeffries knocked him
out in three rounds, his first defeat
in Is years.
Paddy slavin fought Jem Smith in
Baltimore when he was ~, and was
2e the year he beat Kilrain in Ho-
boken. He was As when he retired
after being whipped by Nick Binley,
a third-rater, in Victoria, B. c. Phil |
adelphia Jack O'Brien is 81 years old,
hence he was 20 when Burns double
crossed him and won at Los Angeles.
George Godfrey met Peter Jackson
when he was 35, beat Cardiff and Ed
Smith at 81, and was II when he
boxed Maher at Coney Island.
George Dixon after a wonderful
as featherweight champion lost
the title to McGovern at the age Of
80 years, but four years later in Eng
land he beat Spike Robson in eleven
rounds.
Dan Creedon fought Fitzsimmons
for the middleweight title at 26
years, was 81 when he won from Al
weining and was S5 the year he de-
feated Billy Doherty In Australia. !
Billy Smith was 28 when
he took Kid Lavinge's measure in
80 when he boxed Tom
Tracey and 80 when Walcott trim