Evening journal., 1909-12-30
FIGHT PURSES
ON THE BOOM
JeffrieS- Johnson Bout Four
Years Ago Would Not
Draw Over $4,000
EVEN MONEY ON JEFFRIES

NEW YORK. Dec. s0.-Had Jim JEFF
fries and Jack Johnson ben matched
four years ago the sporting public
would not have taken tine match s0ri-
ously A purse might have ben forth
coming but IL would have been Jeffs
well known drawing powers that would
have prompted the promoters to make
the bid. Johnson's chances Of victory
would have ben considered very small.
and Jenries would surely have been
installed a pronounced favorite IN the
betting.
But time has brought about many
changes that alter the entire situation
and make the coming contest look more
even. II Il weren't for the equalization
the fighters would be lucky TO receive
the offer OF a $4,000 purse instead OF
the 100000 which almost everybody
believes Il will take 70 ultimately land
tho coming bout. As for the pictures,
| n Il Is stubbornly contested battle
lasting anywhere from fifteen rounds
up. with Jef the winner, they should
ho worth a fortune. with Johnson the
victor they wouldn't be worth nearly
so much. but even at that they might
show a profit.
/ IINIH AIN EfN"N "a A'hNNhn WHY N
match today between Jeffries and John
son looks fairly even on paper, whore
four years ago IL would have been con-
sidered jug-handled AFFAIR. The Call
fornian has done absolutely nothing In
the fighting line. when a fighter Is
idle for long stretch he generally
goes back" It Is very much like
ascending a steep hill. Az long as you
are plodding along with all your force
you continue TO ascend. But when you
stop climbing, even for a short while,
YOU slip back. slowly but surely. 1t is
hard 10 stand still.
JEFF has done no lighting, while John
son has been plodding. plodding. When
race horse faces ele flag a score OF
times runs a dead heat or two, wins an
the others. never losing they pay some
attention TO him. even though his fields
were not always composed OF stake
horses. The spectators figure that he
is a consistent winner and that perhaps
he has not shown all his speed.
That is the way II has been with John
SON. During the past four years he
has started more than twenty times.
He boxed a draw with Joe Jeanette,
made a miserable showing with Jack
O'Brien for six rounds and won all the
rest pulling up lie was In lamentable
condition with OBrien and was prob
ably thirty pounds overweight The
draw with Jeanette IS not hard 20
understand--they speak the same LAM
guage.
In those four years Johnson beat some
good men. Hc had a big weight ad-
vantage, but that doesn't alter the
/ fact that Kctchel. Burns, Kaufman
/ Iangford Ilynn and Fitzsimmons had
class. During none of-tho bouts was
| Johnson really extended. lie won
without using whip or spur, and had
he cut loose a. Is likely some OF tho
battles would not have lasted as Ions
as they did with Jenries retrogradine
and Johnson coming lilsc a whirlwind
never showing his true FORM the opoin'
ion that the bout looks fairly even OF
paper today. and that the betting today
should be around evens is not an I'm.
reasonable one.
That some Of tho sports figure the
same way f. evidenced by the fact
| that in the West considerable money
has been offered on Jenries at eyens
! That should be the price today. The
| hoiiermaker's condition viii either
! long hen or shorten tho odds IN the
| future. sut MS tru. condition can
not be known until he starts in real
/ training He cannot know himself
until he has had few weeks Of the
real thng.
Sam Berger Is sincere and really be-
/ lieves Jef can get back I'm shape. IL
isn't because he Is associated with him
and IS influenced by friendship. IL Is
because he has been working ard box
I ing with him.