The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-10-25
WAS JOHNSON
KNOCKED DOWN
Sport Writers Claim That the
Knock-Down Was
Fake.
fBY W. wv Nanchtonl

San Francisco, Oct. 25.-They are
still talking of tho Johnson tumble
in last Saturdays fight. and the
query, Did he fall or was he punch
ed?' is In fair way of becoming as
much OF prize conundrum as tho
identity of the party who discovered
the pole.
Critics are taking sides on the is
sue, and hard feelings are being en-
gendercd. THOSE who think the
knockdown bogus are In the majority.
but some of the others-notably those
who are declaiming against what they
consider an attempt TO rob Ketchel
of a little credit where his credits
were lamentably few-makc up In ve-
hemence what they lack In numbers
Personally, | see no reason for
doubling the impression which formed
In my mind at the time. | feel that
the Johnson fall was as stacy and un.
real as the dagger thrust with which
Othello ended his existence after
thrcttling Desdemona. ] might go
further and say / am thankful It was
no worse, and this involves an eXpla-
nation, When | saw Johnson droD
clumsily with a grip on his face, the
thought seized me that he was going
TO stay down and be counted out.
There would have been the swindle
OF the century SO far as the prize
ring is concerned, and it was a big
relief when he Sprang up again and
settled Ketchel with a couple of fierce
punches.
TO some 1t may seem like opening
old sores 10 be harping on this thing,
but around town the theme is as fresh
as paint. Some of those who are
close to Johnson. while not admitting
that he acted the buffoon for the sake
of adding variety 10 the pictures. are
champion may have done in the way
OF 'asides" was warranted as long
as he kept in view that he was a
lop-sided lavorite and protected the
money of those who backed him.
Hurry the Jeffries Bout.
In substantiation of this claim II Is
recalled that Ike Weir. the Belfast
Spider" and worlds featherweight
champion in the old years, used to in
troduce all kinds of funny stunts In
his milling. At times Weir would
scare an opponent across the ring
with an outlandish felnting and then
deliberately bend down and tighten
his shOelaccs. but Weir always kept
the victory in view, Griffo. the phe.
nomcnal Australian, was another
champion who was regular "cutup"
so far as pranks were concerned but
Critic kept his eye on the main
chance for all his clownish tricks.
Leaving unanswered the question
as to whether Johnson is entitled TO
work a few digressionS into his win
ming fights in the manner of other
celebrities who have had their day,
the moral of the Johnson-Ketchel
fight seems to be that the day of recll-
oninG between Johnson and Jeflries
should he hurried. The negro so far
out-claSseS all the other heavy
weights he has been sent against, or
Is likely to be sent against, that 1t
must be hard work for him to hold
himself back sufficiently to make the
exhibition interesting. Such being
the case, 1t is little use expecting sat
istactory results from any bouts that |
johnson may engage in before he
stands toe to toe with big Jeffries.
And in the meantime sports OF diff |
ferent shades of opinion in regard TO
the recent knockdown will seize the |
first opportunity of refreshing their |
ideas by a glimpse of the Johnson
ketchel pictures. Then the same old !
contentious will continue until some !
other prize ring event monopolIzes
interest, AS matter of fact it looks
as though the argument over the
knockdown will prove one OF the best
the pictures have had