El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-12-03

San Francisco, Calf, Dec $50
Jack Johnson, conqueror of Jim JEFF
fries and proud possessor of the
championship OF the world, has de-
| veleped a case of nerves.
Too bad, isn't it2 But while we of
fer our sympathy TO ire temporarily
ratified ring hero. we arc wondering
whether 1t is simply a passing jar-a
little protest from overtaxed nature
or the beginning Of the end, so far as
Johnson, the fighter. is concerned.
1t viii take a little time to tell The
lives of other one-time celebrities IN
Johnson's line remind US that men of
| Drawn and boxing ability collapse very
suddenly sometimes i have known
them TO go to pieces like a circlet OF
beads when the string is broken And
in such cases all the kings horses and
all the kings men could not put them
back where they were before their
nerves" gave out
This thing of going to the woods for
rest ard recuperation-or going to the
mountains-sounds very well and has
a reassuring ring to some people, but,
as the young lady remarked when she
heard a friend rhapsodizing over
gin guzzler who had reformed, The
fellow who docs not have to reform
is a safer proposition"
Causes Much Conjecture.
Johnson's breakdown. whether pass
ing partial or complete, is a choice
morsel for the gossips just now. 1t
causes a number of questions 10 arise
ard the first of these is, What is the
matter with Johnson. anyhow" Is
it. as he says. too much work unmixed
with relaxation since his triumph at
Reno, or has the pace that kills.
claimed another victim2
The OaOpS of DuOiliStic history
make evident that the negro cham
pions cannot assimilate the rewards
of victory with as little damage TO
their systems as do the white kings
of the ring 1t is only necessary 10
recall the cases of Peter Jackson and
George Dixon to make this argument
stick, TO say nothing of poor Joe Cans.
who TFobably suecumbed to the wear
and tear of many training spells.
rather than to the effects of riotous
living.
But whatever the cause, many dusky
skinned fighters, whose records are
still in print. have passed away, while
the men they fought with are still on
deck and likely TO reach a green old
age
There is a report that fcndness of
champa gne is one of the contributing
causes TO Johnson's attack of nerves"
1 do not know Il that is so, but I do
know that Jack considered an occa-
sional sip of the vintage At least
such was his claim when explaining
the presence Of a pint bottle of the
Imprisoned laughter on table by
his side one night at his Ocean Beach
quarters while he was preparing rev
Jeff. And as other bottles were 10
ticed there on other nights. Jack could
claim TO be consistent if not sincere.
foundations Ara MANY
Now it seems reasonable to suppose
that fellow who considers the blood
of the grape beneficial as a training
beverage, would also pin his faith to it /
when battling with the discomforts of !
one night stands, to say nothing. of |
the difficulty in avoiding the seduc- (
tive stuff when being dined and supped 4
and paraded as the hope of the black !
race.
Here is another question: If John
son becomes dubious about the eOndi- /
ton of his nerves, what will it mean2 /
VIII he abstain from fighting entirely I
and in addition TO enjoying the dis
tinction of being the first negro 20 !
gain the heavyweight championship 70 i
down in history as the first champion I
of any complexion who went ont cf |
the game indicated?
There is something in Johnson's at /
titude toward Sam Langfori which !
suggests that Jack Is not what might |
be called a reckless matchmaker. and /
a suspicion exists that if he feel. he
has endured a physical setback he viii /
stay out of the ring and let .he CHAM
pionship go by default II lie follows
such a course he will be one man /
in a thousand. however. The cham
pion who isn't imbued with the belief
that he has "One more fight left in
him hasn't appeared on earth so far.
Sullivan, COrbet, Fitzsimmons. Jeffries
not a one of them was licked until
after he had been slowed down by
long service and impaired nerve force