The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-01-11
Johnson First COlOred
Man to be Champion

When tho police leader OF the force
that surrounded tnc rings at Sydney
~ S. w. held up his hand IN signal u
Referee Mcintosh to stop the battle be
tween Jack johnson and Tomm
Burns, and when, a moment later
the referee awarded the honors
TO Johnson, all ring precedent was I'D
set The decision made a colored
warrior the champion of the world for
the first time In ring history.
Johnson, the first negro 10 get the
chance, made good In impressive style
Strictly speaking, the gentle art OF
boxing dates back only about decade.
for prior 10 the sudden burst into fame
Of John l.. Sullivan the sport, II such Il
could be called at that time, was IN a
mighty bad way. II was patronized by
the toughest element In tho land, and
was hardly a department Of sport that
self-respectng man would care TO
be Identified with IN any way.
Soon after the mighty Boston boy,
John l.. Sullivan, took the coiors OF tho
Troy giant Paddy Ryan, In a battle
with the raw 'uns, as bare knuckles
we're termed In those days, John and
some OF his crafty advisers saw the
deSiTability of establishing the game
on q flrmer basis. II was, | believe.
Billy Madden who conceived tho idea
Of making Sullivan tho glove onam-
piou" OF the day. The padded mltt, Il
was figured. would take some OF the
curse on the game and lend to 1t q lit
tic tone. The figuring of Sullivan and
Madden was expert and finished. John
SO popularized the game OF boxing with
heavily padded fists that instantly the
Boston man and his ideas sprnng into
high esteem-a degree OF popularity, II
may be added. that the famous old
whlte-haired warrior holds at this mo-
ment, though his lighting days have
long since passed.
Dating back, then. 10 the day that
Sullivan whipped Paddy Ryan down In
Mississippi Clty-it was on February
2. 1SS2-ald the few months imme-
dlately following that famous mill, we
find that the QueensbuTy code and the
new schome OF deciding championships
in ell divisions of pugilism found i'm
mense favor. Progressiveness of the
age, eIemplif1ed by Sulliyan's ideas
about gloves, dictated that affairs with
bare bnuckles and ehn.1ght gloves,
and even the old style of two-ounce
gloves. be relegated to tho dark ages
OF the past Exit such as they, as
Mickey might say, and onter tho lnarm-
lcss-looldng but club-like and sleep
producing f1veounce NIT. with three
ounces OF the padding SO placed as to
produce Tho bones of the boxers
wrists,
Getting down to cold facts and flg-
ures, then, We find that up TO the time |
that Jack johnson became champion
OF the world. just twenty-six years, ten
months and nineteen days had elapsed. |
Sullivan did not win his title with !
gloves, but Immediately after-e1actly |
how long II would be hard to say-he !
became recognized as the greatest |
gloye-wfelder In modern history. Dur
Ing tnat time O colored man was per- |
soma non grata, osuanized and showed |
aside. Few were given a chance TO |
rise above mediocrity, let alone being |
given chance TO meet a champion. J
When good one bobbed up the /
White man promptly drew the color |
line, another modern institution. and |
from one champion to another the bars
were thrown up against those of AT
rlcan blood.
Sullivan would have none OF them, al
though the famous dispute he had with !
Peter Jackson and his equally famous
cdict OF: White men $4,000 each.
nlggers double price," is still we'll re-
memoered, however many times 1t may
be disputed by Jonn LIS friends. Yet, |
during the Sullivan reign OF upwards
OF Ten years, he never let the gate |
iown TO the d.ngy brethron.
So II wns with Sullivan's successor.
James ]. Corbett. Although the latter
had fought Peter Jackson TO n stand
sul before he got the chance at Sui |
ivan, Coroetts ideas changed after
mo historic battles In the sand in New
Orleans, and colorcd applicants for hls
ntie were told gently but firmly to
seok other fields.
30, too, II was with Bob Fitzsim-
mons. who snatched the heavyweient
crown from Corbett In the valley at |
carson City one St Patrick's day |
nearly twelve years ago. Perhaps Bob |
would not have been too particular
about the colored Idea had good can.
1idate OF that blood appeared on the
.cehe. But tho fact remains that he
didnt risk his title that way.
lhcn along came James ]. Jeffries.
who reigned from June 9, 1899 10 a |
rather Indefinite time. On July 3, 1905.
Marvin Hart and Jack Root fought in
Keno. New. In what was laughed at !
~ the time asR championship battle.
tiart knocked Ms man out In the 18th |
round and by virtue of that victory |
cimmed the title. Jeffries was referee
~ inc contest but declined 10 commit |
on the proposition Of handing
over the title TO the winner that dav
CAN BE CHAMPION VERY EASILY
Or Roller Enters the Ring at Most
OppOrtune Time