Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-28
LITTLE SENTIMENT
IN FIGHTING GAME
Jeffries and Johnson Not to Be
Blamed for Making
Extra Money.
By Bill Blunt.
corres,ondepce OF The Star.

Special Correspondence of The star
NEW YORK, November p, 1899.
number of writer's, especially in the
wast have taken a fall out of Jeffries
because he decided to put in few weeks
an the stage instead Of Immediately plung-
ing into a strenuous course OF training.
They have absolutely no grounds Tor pan
ming him on that score. First or all IL
should be remembered that fighting is
business the same as ball playing Fight
ers are in the game for the money there
is in it and not for sentimental reasons.
II any of them have adopted the prores-
sion solely through noble or artistic reel
ings they have taken great care tnat the
fact did not become generally known. a
fighter is influenced chiefly by desire
to gain a monetary reward and 10 ado
to his reputation. Once he has the repu-
tation the money follows-but 1t is
Tough lob to gain the reputation. He mas
To do a lot of fighting for it II it is to be
lasting Here and there a lucky punch
in a fight may make fighter renowned
Int such fame is feeting. For instance,
like the time Jack Mccormick leaned
that haymaker on Kid McCoy's chin In
Chicago and made the whole sporting
world sit up In wonder. He did not nave
the ability to sustain the reputation nc
gained in a night, and it was but montn
heating in this city. The professional
life of the fighter is anything but easy.
and they are entitled to all they. get. II
is seldom they get any real sort money
In a fight
The money they get on the stage Is
easv in that they are not running any
1of GUS
tom for all prominent boxers to take
whirI at stage life, why roast JenrleS TOT
doing what every heavyweight o. hole
the past twenty years has done! Every
single one of them has picked up tLlls
stage money from Sullivan's time down.
II is generally looked upon as an emolu-
ment to which the prominent boxer IS
entitled between fights. Jenrfes ana
Johnson are supposed to fight July 4.
more than seven months off. What do
the the indictments expect JEFF to do be-
tween now and the date of the light
lounge about sucking his thumbs? Sure
Nv no one who knows the hrst ruu1mehts
of glove fighting can expect him 70 start
In training at this early day-that is, re-
pair to the training quarters and go
through the regular routine every day.
Such course would be suicidal. and by
the time the date for the nght arrived
he would be stale as a fish and more nj
for the doctors shop than the prize ring.
j
ing. or half that much. He has done a
lot of work so far in a quiet way, and
is by no means the numbering hulk he
was six months ago. He is doing some
work every day and his condition is i'm
proving every day. He will be in pretty
fair shape by the spring, and after he
starts in actual training 1t shouldn't re-
quire more than two months Eight
weeks will fit him as fine as he can get,
because he will have had the benefit OF
~ TO rQf
Seven months arduous training would be
downright ridiculous and would kill his
chances for victory as effectually as
though he entered the ring with hands
tied.
X X X 4 x
There is one angle to the coming fight
that has occurred to but few: 1t will be a
hard matter. barring accidents, to keep
Johnson out of the championship ir-
respective of how his fight with
Jeffries terminates: It is dollars to
though he defeated Johnson. Every
body knows the tremendous effort
it took for him to agree to fight this one
and the influence that was brought to
bear 1t isn't likely he would care to go
sake he won and then retired. AS ring
ethics would forbid him taking his cham
piOnship into retirement with him, there
would be but one thing left for him to do,
cast his title into the open and permit
the other heavyweights to battle for 1t.
That is where Johnson's chance would
come in He could lay claim to the cham
pionship and agree to fight all Corners in
its defense Today there doesn't seem to
be any heavyweight able to take his
measure. Looks as though 1t would be
pretty easy for him. He has beaten
ketchell, Kaufman, Burns. Ross. Jeanette.
Langford and about everybody else who
classes at all. There aren't any new
corners on the horizon who look promis-
ing and the present crop won't do against