The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-01-11
J[FFR|tS GIVES
HIS REASONS
RETIRED CHAMPION TELLS WHY
THERE rs NO CHANCE TO
COAX HIM BACK INTO RING TO
FIGHT JOHNSON.
BY James j. JeHries.


with the uproar that has been raised
in connection with the demands that
/ return to the ring and attempt to
retake the title that Tommy Burns
yielded up to Jack Johnson, the ne
gro heavyweight.
To begin with, / do not intend to
fight again-mark this as final.
have burned up many dollars In tele-
graph tolls during the past week or
so, telling different people in all
parts of the country that 1 did not
intend to reenter the ring. also
have printed many statements in the
newspapers to this effect. but the pub
lie seems to doubt my sincerity. 1t
seemed as IL every man was saying.
Quit your joking, Jeff. ). When are
you going to whip this negro and win
back the title?"
They seem to take 1t for granted
that all / have to do is to get my
hair cut. jump the rope about two
weeks. put on a pair Of boxing
gloves and go ana maui the life out
OF johnson. They never stop to think
that I have been out Of the game for
over four years, during which time
q gymnasium has had the least Of my
attention.
Sincere in His Statements.
repeat that l am sincere when
say that I never will fight again. If
a promoter were to offer me $4,000
for my end-win, lose or draw
would say No. will now tell the
public why / a undetermined to stay
out Of the ring.
have enjoyed my ring career, and
1t has been finished. am now enjoy
ing a title that no boxer ever held
before, and possibly never will hold
after me. I have my home. my wife,
my business, my health and my
friends. am not rich, but have all
the money I need. and will never
want for anything. II a disaster
we're to hit me and I was to be swept
on my feet, without a penny in the
world, then might try to retrieve
myself ami my position by fighting
again. As 1t is. / will go on as / am.
enjoying my home, my friends and
my everyday life. Why, IL it were
more money I was after I would not
have to fight for it. have rejected a
fortune In theatrical offers during
the past year.
To sum up the situation. am a
contented man; and why should /
reopen my ring career. upset my
business and home life for the sake
of a few dollars that I do not need
Another thing, do not believe that
the great American public wants me
to come out of my retirement.
believe that they would rather point
to me as am-the retired and unde-
feated champion. The hundreds of
kilograms that I have been receiving
are mostly from newspaper men who
are looking for a good STORY" AMI
from others who would be benefited
by my consenting to fight again.
Did Not Give Away Title.
Right here, l want to correct
wrong impression. did not give the
title to Jack Root. Marvin Hart, or
anybody else When I retired, I took
the title with me; and the fact that
these fellows claimed that I gave
them the title to fight for was press
agent work, pure and simple.
Now, a word to the well-meaning
people who believe that I could go
back in the ring next week and whip
Jack Johnson. l am not the Jim jeff
ries of four years ago. II have spent
these four years of my life in pro-
noting my business affairs Since
have been in the cafe business l have
played the part of good fellow"
/ have drank in moderation. / have
smoked every day. and 1 have kept
late hours. My place OF business
closes at 1 o'clock in the morning,
and many times I am the last person
to leave the establishment.
At the very least I would require
six months. possibly a year, to get
into any kind of condition, and 1t is
a question whether or not I would
be in anything like the condition that
/ was when quit the ring. Suppose
that after a year of training I should
re-enter the ring and that Johnson
should beat me. Then and the public
and myself would be in a worse pre-
dicament. The very people who are
urging me now to go in and fight
would be the first to turn their