The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-12-08
Jack Johnson Making Friends.

Jack Johnson seems to be making
friends nowadays. The big negro
pugilist evidently has received some
good advice from his manager and
associates. He has dropped the ov-
erbearing, loud talking methods that
caused a storm of criticism when he
arrived here from Australia after
whipping 6urns and is creating
more favorable impression wherever
he goes. At first regarded as
pugilistic joke, Johnson has COM
manded the respect of the sporting
public by whipping Al Kaufman and
Stanley Ketchel and by signing ar
ticles to fight Jeffries without rails
ing rumpus. In Madison Square
Garden Wednesday night Johnson
was loudly applauded by hundreds
of white men when he jumped on
the platform, and as he skipped
about the ring, showing remarkable
boxing skill, words of praise were
heard on all sides
Johnson's head was turned when
he won the heavyweight champion
ship from Tommy Burns. Prior to
that mill the negro did not have
dollar. Sam Fitzpatrick had paid
his way around the world to secure
that fight, only to be turned down
cold in the hour of triumph. Johnson
left Australia with less than $l0,-
coo in his clothes, but that was more
money than he had ever dreamed OF
having. He could not keep his head
from swelling as a result, and when
he set foot on American soil he
found that he was extremely un-
popular with the white men. Tt
made no difference where he az
peared in public, he was Kissed and
hooted- The night he entered the
ring in Philadelphia to box six
rounds with OBrien there was such
q hostile demonstration that john
son, usually good natured. was as
mad as a halter 1t was all ne
could do to keep from hitting out
right and left as he LETT me ring
and heard the abuse at every turn.
It was then that Johnson was ao-
vised to show the American SPORTING
public that he was not an overra.-
ed pugilist and could beat Kaufman.
ketchel or any of the other hear
weights who were hot on his trail.
Wien he made Kaufman look like
a novice in a ten round bout there
fore Johnson's critics paused in the
use of tue hammer. Then came tn
knockout of Ketehel, and The ne
gro's attempt to viudioate hin self
was eEen more successful. The fact
tAat as soon as actual negotiations
with feffries were under way John /
son displayed extreme fairness p
quality he has shown ever since
also convinced white men that he was
entitled to recognition. When bids
for the fight were opened on Wed |
nesday Johnson was upplauded when
be said:
u want everything done fairly /
and above board. The promoters
must have a square deal and when
the matter has been settled an Z
ask is a fair chance to beat Je /
fries in lie ring. I am not trying /
TO set the best OF anything by techni /
ealIJies and am anxious to show er-
eTybody ] am on the level
Johnson IS supremacy confident
hat he can whip Jeffries. He seems
to be over-anxious to set into the
ring with the former worlds cham
pion. He has stated all aIong tuat
it mace no difference who got the
fight or whether Jeffries was in with /
-he successful promoter or not
III win. and that means III get
lie big END OF the money" Johnson
S repeating from day to day. Many
;rifies who saw Johnson and JEFF
ries IN the Garden Wednesday night
we're positive in the opinion that if
he hen were TO meet within a week
he negro would win because of his
upeiior physical condition. Will
is true that Jeffrie.s has taken off