The Washington herald., 1909-04-18
One Hope of Race Surprises
Followers by Silence.
LONG TIME SINCE LAST BOUT
Fight Fans Are Eager for Another
Look at the Former Champion in
AetiOn-Five Years Have Elapsed
Since His Last Battle with Jack
Munroe-Other Ring Gossip.


prevailed for some time that the big
fellow really didn't know himself whether
OF not he could get IA such physical
shape that he could put up battle that
would DO himself justice. Since Jeff and
Corbett boxed on the Coast six years
have elapsed, and it IS FIVE years since
the two-round affair with Jack Munroe.
Those were Jeffries' last bouts. Natural
". Il would be hard for him 10 find out
just how good he IS Berger says JEFF
can get back in shape, but as he is his
sparring partner. the statement is not
quite Sc convincing 10 the general public
as ii would be If it came from another
source. There is a way. however. by
which Jeffries could determine his physi-
cal condition IL he cared TO. and il has
been discussed more than once around the
resorts where sportsmen are wont 10 con-
gregate.
Let him try himself out with a less for
midable man than the giant negro john
son, who now holds the title. Then. If he
got safely by that one, It would be time
enough TO take on johnson. If his show
Ing were mediocre. he could call the whole
deal of and publicly retire. Bob FiIzslm-
mons worked that scheme to good advan-
tage ten years ago He was knocked out
by Jeffries at Coney Island in June, 1899.
Fourteen months later he thought he
would like TO have another Try at Jeffries.
but he took on Gus Rubin first. lie put
Rubin away In short order Then he met
Tom Sharkey al Coney Island two weeks
later, and settled the sailor IN a couple
Of rounds. Jefries was in New York at
the time, but would not give F'itzsimmOns
s. match He made him wait two years.
although Fitz was IN excellent condition
at the time. The Garden promoters Of
fsred 20 match Fitz and Jen, but the latter
said nay. When Jeffries and Fitz fought
their second battle in Frisco in 1902. the
former won I'm eight rounds. There are
several heavy-weights with whom Jeffries
could try himself out and ring patrons
would attend such a battle. They would
be just about as anxious 10 find out Jeff' 5
condition as the retired champion would
himself, and then the question could be
settled cOnclusively for all time TO come.
Young Otto is stiH hitting Il up at a
fast clip IN England and France. He is
hghtng about once in every two weeks,
giving away weight literally. and winning
all his Bouts by knOckouts. Word has
been cabled over here that he has signed
Up for two more matches. On April IS
he goes against Young JOsephs for twenty
rounds IN London. On May S he viii meet
Marcel Mereau for twenty rounds IN Paris.
JOsephs weighs 40 pounds and the
Frenchnan 10. But even with the big
advantage the two foreigners VIII have in
weight. IL would not be surprising II
Otto won both bouts. He has the physi-
cal ability 10 whip any lightweight in the
world, according 10 many. What he lacks
is aggressiveness, and in some cases con-
fidence. Any time he feels sure he can
beat man It is a good bet he will do so.
That is probably the way IL will be with
the two coming opponents. He figures he
can beat them, and II he does, he is worth
bet
Sandy Fergeson has cut into the heavy
weight game and mussed things up a
trifie. They thought he was entirely out
Of the running long time ago, but he has
fooled all hands by defeating Al Kubiak
and Jimmy Barry His manager. Hugh
Mclean. Of Boston, intends 10 demand
recognition, and If Sandy really does "be-
have" and sticks faithfully 20 hls train
ing, there is no telling just how things
viii turn within the next year. Fergeson
always could fight at a top-aOtch clip, but
IT was a difficult task to get him TO train.
lie fought many OF the best Of them, and
nobody ever hurt him a great deal Nc
Lean tells about Sandys reformation.
Christmas night was in Boston news
paper Office with Fergeson," said he,
listening 20 the cabled reports OF the
J0hnson-3urns fight. When he heard the
winner declared, and remembered that he
80 T-r,r c.. H.
went out, took the pledge, and has kept
On the water wagon ever since"
Leach Cross IS figuring on getting back
in the game after months lay-Off. His
last bout was at the Paramount A. c.. IN
Philadelphia, with Packey Mcfarland, and
what Packey did 20 him would be sad 10
relate. The dope is that Cross simply
can't reach the really clever fellows Ike
Jem Driscon and Mcfarland. Both OF
them made him look Ike a Ounce all the
way He can do better against the slow
hard-hitting kind He is a good mixer
and can take a hard slamming. but these
clever fellows get his goat by making
him miss. II Cross had a foxy manager
which he never has had he would be
steered away from the scientific lads
Three times within as many months Cross
has essayed 10 meet the clever ones, and
was smothered each time.
When the arena Of the Olympic A. C.
at Essing1on. Pa. was destroyed by FIRE
the other night, one OF the coziest and at
the same time handsomest clubs in the
country was put out Of business The
club was originally started about three
years ago by Tom O'Rourke, Dick Kain,
Billy Rocap, Tim OLeary, and con-
tractor named Prettyman. While they
put on q number Of interesting bouts. the
institution never Was a financial success
The authorities always made II hard for
the club officials and fought them at every
turn The fire, which netted a loss OF
Sl1.000, with scarcely any insurance, is be-
lieved to have been Of incendiary origin
II was in this ring that Hook Keyes
the Australian. and Amby McGarry
fought their twenty-rOund bout that sub
sequently caused such a difference OF
opinion among The writer's as 10 who was
given at the club The bettors relying on
popular choice 20 win or lose their wagers.
Felix BOehm, who owns the training
quarters at New Dorp, Staten Island, has
remodeled the place. and when he threw
open the doors last week a marked i'm
provement could be noted in several de-
partnents especially IN the gymnasium.
New training peraphernalia has been in
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