The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-21
JEFFRIES AGREES
 ID FIGHT JOHNSON Announcement Creates Excite
 ment In New York JEFF FIT AS A FIDDLE Former Champion Declares He Never Felt Better and Has Been Waiting
 Until He Was Perfectly
 Sure of Himself.
JEFF FIT AS A FIDDLE

New York, April 2o-"I will fight Jack Johnson; I will defend my title unde-
 feated heavyweight champion of the world"
 Before an audience that packed the
 American Music Hall and in which there
 was as many women as men, James J.
 Jeffries tonight made this formal an-
 nouncement. It was a signal for great
 joy. Excited men leaped from their seats,
 shouted and cheered and many women in
 the audience applauded. Their shrill and
 excited cries of approval, as they stood
 up and waved their handkerchiefs, and
 even their peach basket hats to the pom
 derous, lowing and blushing "undefeated champion" added picturesqueness to a remarkable scene. In the street were hundreds of persons
 who did not get into the theatre although high premiums were offered for seats Early in the day Jeffries had promised
 to give his deossion tonight. These wait
 ed for Jeffries and the police had to clear
 way for him to his automobile, or he
 might have been captured and borne of by his admirers. After his sparring exhibition with Sam Berger the audience shouted for Jeffries to come out and make the statement he had promised. The big fellow soon ap- peared. his bathrobe or dressing gown only revealing his shaggy head and great red fists.
 House Goes Wild. The house went wild literally ard Jeff | fries stood near the footlights, smiling and bowling and raising his hands for | order. After several minutes the audi | ence became reasonably quiet and Jeffries started off:
 Ladies and gentlemen:"- Cut that out Jeff; come to the point" cried a voice in the gallery. T thank you from the bottom of my l heart-'
 l Never mind that; are you going to | hght?" came another voice. "I suppose you want to hear something i else." continued Jeffries, only smiling at the interruption.
 men.
 Well, am satisfied. after about seven weeks work"
 Quit your kiddingt' came another in- l terruption.
 that I get in just as good
 condition as I ever was. and I will fight l Jack Johnson"
 1 If Jeffries had anything more to say l he could not have been heard. He ran 1 off the stage, while the auditorium be- | came a bedlam of noise and cheers.
 Proposed Conditions. There were several provisions attached to Jefrries re-entry into the prize ring. | First, Johnson must defeat Ketchel Then | Jeffries cannot sign articles for possibly l ten months and he insists that the fight shall take place in this country and that | it shall be unlimited as to rounds. 1 He made these conditions known orally | to the newspaper men when he handed | out the following written statement: T will say that l never felt better. I | have held off making the announcement l until I became sure that I was absolutely 1 the same Jeffries as when 1 retired four
 years ago. did so then after defeating 1 every possible contender for the title. 1 There was no one left for me to meet The present heavyweight situation is | the only thing that could have brought me from retirement I have all the money | will need, and there Is no monetary con 1 sideration that could tempt me into the
 ring if was not sure that I could easily
 defeat any challenger for the champion 1 ship.
 Johnson's Tactics. "As for Johnson the tactics which he l has employed, presumably to attempt to l force match, have only been such that i felt that I would only lower myself by replying until I felt I was prepared to | say I would fight | At the expiration of my contract with | William Morris which positively forbids | my signing any contract, pugilistic or | otherwise, I will be ready to discuss terms | for an unlimited round contest "A1l I will ask is sufficient time to thor 1 oughly condition myself, and should John | son care to challenge me for the titls 1 will do what think I owe to the pub | lic-that Is to defend my title as unde- l feated champion of the world l Jeffrfes' theatrical engagement has five months yet to run with an option of five | months more.
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