Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-07-05


magnanimous enemy. despite color
or any other prejudice that may ex-
ist against the champion, he never
met.
That Jef had nothing whatever is
quite commonly agreed. What he
did have, and he showed plenty in
training, he must have left in camp
for the speed, endurance, strength
and everything else that seemed to
be necessary to q successful battle.
were his while working both a:
Rowardennan and Moana Springs.
In the very first round he showed
evidence of having lost everything
save confidence and courage. He
was slow Of foot, hand and eye.
was blocked with ease. could not
land a solid punch when he had che
opportunity, and in the clinches he
seemed as weak as a child. Some
Of his efforts in the early stages
were pitiful. As early as the third
to prod johnson in the stomach had
every earmark Of the fighter gone
for good-whipped but knowing it,
hoping against hope and believing
that if he could land enough Of the
puny blows he was essaying to send
in. he would work out the chance to
put over the finishing punch. But
it was not to be. JEFF was a goner
after the second round.
Whether it was due TO the loss Of
his goat" the punch on the eye or
just natural superiority on JOhnsOn's
part viii be questions to be figured
out for months to come. Jef may
have lost everything the moment he
stepped into the ring. but the fact
stands out that Johnson won-de-
cisively and with ease.
The one thing that stood out most
prominently in Johnson's fight wes
his failure, as in all of his battles,
and for which he has been constant
ly criticized, 10 carry the fight to his
opponent.
Conceded TO be the greatest defea-
sive fighter the ring ever knew, he
confined his best efforts to the
clinches, whipping up nasty upper
cuts with the report or crossing
snappy half hooks with the left.
With these blows he did great exc
cution and try as he would JEFF
could not avoid them. In other bat
Ties. for instance his with Corbett,
he showed that he could lay his
head against Gentleman Jim's best
punches, in OF out of a clineh and
give better than Corbett sent. With
johnson, who is undeniably clever,
but not the equal of Corbett. Je5I
showed the speed and judgment OF r
truck horse. His blocks were badly
timed. he could not get away from
a slow hook and the uppercut gen
orally found its mark.
Only twice in the course OF the
battle did JeH show any sign Of be-
ing dangerous and that was when
he sent two successive smashe to the
stomach. Both hurt, bringing
grunts from the negro. but the
black mans head was clear and
whatever damage the punches may
have inflicted was quickly shaken
on
The finish Of the fight was one of
the most dramatic, as well as piuful.
ever seen in the ring. At the end
OF the fourteenth round. the crowd
murmured "Jen's gone" Johnson
had battered him numerically. The
big fellow apparently could not see.
Every lead OF the black man found
its billet The One-time grizzly
found his chair in a daze and when
he came out for the fifteenth, it was
apparent that he could not travel
much farther He groped about. on
ly TO fan afoul Of the failing fists
Of the negro. Rights and let's
from every angle found a lodging
place and the giant toppled 10 the
aoor.
Only instinct brought him 10 his
feet after the timex eeper hadI
shrieked on eight" Right into the
teeth OF the storm he waded. only TO
be buneted with a bewildering mass
OF punches until he rocked like
ship In a tempest Then. utterly
helpless. there crashed against his
laws a straight left and q right up-
percut. and Jim once more toppled
% the floor. this time half way OUT
side the ropes. His battered mouth