Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-02-20
FACTS REGARDING JACK
JOHNSON'S RING CAREER

JOHNSON'S RING CAREER
II is a surprising fact that Jack
johnson, the new heavyweight cham
pion. is known personally BY a COM
paratiyely few persons in the boxing
game. He has spent a greater part
OF his time boxing in the South,
East, and West, and has as a rule
kept away from the large cities. He
has never made an extended tour Of
America, as did Peter Jackson, Geo.
Dixon. Joe Walcott. and other noted
colored pugilists. But he has an in
teresting history just the same, and
is a character
Johnson is as black as your hat.
When he is in good humor his big.
round face lights up with a pleasant
smile. His teeth are perfect. and
he knows how to show them TO adj
vantage. When he goes out on
parade Johnson is a real swell "A
genuine treat for the colored frater-
nifty. He usually wears a large white
plug hat. plaid clothes. a noisy vest,
shirt OF many colors, green or gray
spats, pointed patent leather shoes,
and a big diamond headlight. He
also Tugs around a young tree for a
cane. and fairly covers his knotty
knuckles with jeweled rings. I'D to
the fight with Tommy Burns John
son did not have much money to
speak Of. but what he did have he
spent FOR finery. He always smoked
black cigars aud drank the wealthy
water whenever ne had the price.
But he never dissipated to such an
extent that he impaired his wonder
fui physical condition. He Is a six
tooter, as hard as nails. and weighs
about zoo pounds. stripped TO the
bun. His arms are unusually long.
like those of gorilla. and the mus
cles OF his back and chest are like
lunches OF steel wire
Born i'm Galveston.
Johnson was born In Galveston.
Tex. and will be 80 years old on
March 81. He has been in the prize
ring for eight years. but Il was not
until he met Joe Choynski. the Cali
fornia heavyweight. in the fall OF
1901 that he showed any real worth
as a pugilist. After that he showed
steady Improvement. and in 1903 he
was matched with Denver Ed. Mar
tin, one OF the finest built negroes
that ever crawled through the ropes.
They met In a 90 round bout at Los
Angeles. and after a grueling mill.
Johnson got the decision on points.
This victory was 80 well earned
and Johnson's performance was so
impressive that he was at once pitted
against Sam McVey. the big negro
now all the rage in Paris. McVey
was n tough proposition. n hard hit
~ Nn4w II.
battle with Martin johnson displayed
unusual skill and received the refe-
ree's verdict at the end OF 20 rounds
Then the California promoters tried
20 dig up some other man for John
son TO beat, but as that was
impossible. Texas Jack. as the new
champion is called, came across the
continent and tackled Sandy Fer
guson, rough-and-tumble mixed-ale
heavyweight, in a ten-round-bout in
Boston. At that time Ferguson was
declared 20 be n coming man,
possible successor TO Jeffries as cham
pion, but Johnson made him look like
n green amateur and got the decision
Johnson went to Philadelphia after
that and proceeded TO knock out Joe
Butler, a negro, in three rounds.
Sandy Ferguson wanted another shy
at Texas Jack, so they met in
six-round affair in the Quaker City.
Johnson having much the better OF
IL and Ferguson declaring after the
mill that both of his hands were
broken before he entered the ring. A
trip back TO California followed, and
Johnson stacked up against McVey
in another 2O-round bout as Los An
geies. the latter receiving the same
treatment as in the first encounter
Then Johnson wound up his 1903
campaign by getting a verdict over
Ferguson in a 20-round bout at
Colma. Cal.
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