Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-24
NEGRO ALMOST
WHIPPED JOHN |.
0LD-TIMER RECALLS BATTLE
ON STAGE
GLADIATOR DID NOT DRAW THE
COLOR LINE THEN
Former Heavyweight Champion Nearly
Defeated by Giant Senegambian
While Touring Country in
Vaudeville Stunts
BY BILLY SUMMERS

The victory of Johnson over Burns
has stirred discussion among the fight
bugs relative to the color line, and with
it comes revival of tales about this
and that fighter who never would draw
the color line or who had drawn it re-
ligiously tight throughout his career.
Among the great fighters who gener-
ally are believed to have been consis-
tent advocates of the color line is John
L. Sullivan, and the average fan will
say very confidently that old John l..
is consistent in his criticism of Burns
for giving Johnson a whack at the
title or for fighting any negro. But he
is not consistent in that regard.
1t may have escaped the memory of
the old-time followers of things pugiliS-
tic, but John L. fought a negro while
he was champion and knocked him stiff
and cold in the third round. l know,
because 1 witnessed the scrap. 1t was
held in Philadelphia away back in the
sos, cannot recall the exact date, and
his opponents name was Sam White.
This was a misnomer, as Sam was so
black that tar would appear white in
comparison. Sam was no ordinary per-
son, even if he was a negro, as he was
such a fighting fool that he became a
real terror any time he went on a ram
page or got stirred up to the fighting
point.
Sam weighed about 2SO pounds,
stripped, and it represented only little
bone and lots of well developed
muscles. He was one of the freight
handlers working under me while was
foreman at the Willow street wharf OF
the Philadelphia & Reading railroad,
and he was the champion Of the yards.
Nobody who knew Sam would think of
taking chance in a fight with him.
Only a short time before John L.
visited Philadelphia with his show and
offered 5000 for any man who could
stay four rounds with him. Sam had
cleaned out a bunch of sailors who
tried to rough house" him, and he
whipped nearly an entire ships crew
before he let them get away from him.
This made him think very well Of his
fighting ability and also convinced all
of us who knew him that it would re-
quire the services of prize fighter
tn<trim him. We all wanted to see Sam
get a beating, as it would take some
of the swelling out of his head and
make him easier to handle in the dis
charge of his duties.
When Sullivan and his show arrived
and the 5000 offer was printed in the
papers, Sam began to study hard. So
did we. We talked considerably to
Sam about going after the 5000 and
finally the negro agreed. But nobody
really expected him to tackle the job
Several friends and myself were in
attendance at the opening show and
after John L. was introduced, the US
ual challenge to the world was issued
,obody responded for a minute and
it began to look like Sully would have
to pass one night without a fight.
Suddenly, however, g. big black negro
was seen ambling down the aisle. He
walked to the orchestra and addressed
Sullivan and the announcer about as
follows: "I guess, boss, dat I'd lax to
try dat game jes' a little" He was
helped onto the stage and sent to the
dressing room to be logged out in
fighting costume After a delay of
about thirty minutes, during which time
the audience became impatient and
started lots of noise, the announcer
appeared on the stage and made the
statement that Sam was so large that
none of the tights or shoes would fit
him and that messengers had been
dispatched to the sporting goods houses
for the extraordinary pieces of cos
tune needed.
1t was a long delay before Sam finally
appeared on the stage, and when he
showed up the crowd was in an ugly
mood. But Sam made such ludicrous
appearance that it put everybody in a
good humor at once No tights could
woman's bathing suit had been found
that would go on his frame by consid-
erable stretching near the danger point.
The bathing suit was Of screamy color
being white and blue skirt, and was
so tight around his big frame that the
edges sank deep into his hide, and it
seemed that the togs would burst
asunder if he should draw a breath.
No gloves could be found large
enough, SO crudely made affairs, re-
sembling pair of hospital mattresses
were fastened onto his hands. The
shoes looked like a pair of coffins. The
crowd screamed and roared at the
spectacle.
They were told to shke hands. and
as they did so, Sam made a swipe at
Sully's head with vicious swing that
might have caused the title to change
hands had it landed, but it resulted
only in heavy and very spectacular
fall for sam, as Sully ducked under it.
Sam meant business. For two rounds
he thrashed the air with his pondrous
fists with little effect, Sully contenting
himself with tantalizing slaps to the
face and allowing Sam to keep the
audience in an uproar of laughter.
Sully was a bit careless because he