Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-07-09

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been selected for Fitzsimmons didn't
know how TO fight, and he made such
poor exhibition that Fftzsimmons
knocked him out In a round TO end It.
Nose La Fontlse. good little fighter
from Montana. who won a lot Of fights
all over the west. went on next and
knocked his man, some second rater
named Foley. out In round too.
That left only Munroe and me. II
wasn't much OF n show TO give with a
packed house out In front told
Fitzsimmons 1 was going 10 let Nun
roe stay as long as could and try to
give the people run for their money.
Don't you be a fool" said Bob
"You get IN there and finish him as
quick as you can. You're champion,
and you can't afford to fool around
with a dub"
thought knew best. so I went out
and boxed lightly and gave the miner
chance to make a showing. / was
careful not TO hurt him. Fitz was mad
as a halter when came back to my
corner after the first round. He roast
ed me 10 a turn and told me 20 go
out and end 1t. In the next round
spared easily again. but 1 bit MunrOe
I'm the stomach and dropped him hard.
er than I meant TO, and l was afraid
! he wouldn't get up. But he did. In
spite OF Fitz. who was almost raving.
l let Munroe stick until the fourth
round. Then I went I'm to finish him.
but every time I tented for an open
ing or stepped in with a punch he
dropped 10 the floor without being hit
and took the count He was on his
knees so much that I didn't have a
chance TO knock him out That was
all there was to the Munroe matter In
Butte.
That night Clark Ball had n falling
out with Fitzsimmons. He rushed over
and signed up Munroe and began wir-
ing all over the country, telling the pa
pers that Munroe had won a decision
over me in four rounds and had knock
ed me down.
Fitzsimmons was sore as bear. He
offered 70 fight Munroe and give him
$1,000 II he stayed two rounds. Nei-
Their Munroe nor Clark BAH could see
Il, and Munroe wouldn't fight me an
other four rounds for any amount Of
money.
On the 1st OF March. 1903. met Jim
Corbett In the Hotel Delavan TO sign
for another fight. Corbett had been
challenging me for long time. and all
the papers were full OF stories about Il.
We decided to fight twenty rounds
in California for the best purse above
$4,000 offered by any club. the win
ner 10 take 20 per cent and the loser
IS per cent. A little later we accepted
Jim COhroth's Offer FOR the Yosemite
club OF San Francisco. then the strong
est boxing club on the Pacific coast.
When the time came 20 train Cor
bett went 10 Croll's Gardens. In Ala
media. one OF the prettiest little towns
on the coast. just across the bay from
San Francisco, and / went back 20 Har-
bin Springs again. I like the Springs
for a training camp. / had Bob Fitz-
simmons with me now as n sparring
partner Friends OF mine came up and
stayed at the hotel and watched my
work every day. II was sort OF
family party. When ! was training at
the Springs for the fight with Fitzsim-
mons all the ladies and children at
the hotel used 20 come down 20 the
gymnasium and see us box We were
all good natured about IT, laughing
when we were hit hard They used 70
so away and say: "Why. there isn't
anything bad about fighting. It's just
game FOR big boys"
thought then I'd have ~ put of
The date OF the hght for a few weeks
after a bull pup that we had In camp
ehewed holes in my leg that I could
put my fingers into. My 'eg was all
black and looked pretty bad. So 1
told Delaney, and he telephoned Cof-
froth In San Francisco. Conroth came
rushing up on the next train 70 Calls
toga and took the stage over 20 Har-
bin.
'Jeff. you can't postpone the fight"
said Conroth. 1T will spoil the crowd.
Itll cost you $4,000 IL you don't fight
on scheduled time"
II don't care" l said. 'I'n not fight
anybody unless I'm in shape"
We argued and argued, and at last
Coffroth said: Jim. a lot OF your
friends have started 10 the coast from
all over the country. Most OF them
are business men who can't afford to
take another trip to see you fight
They can't stay over couple OF weeks
for another date either. You don't
want to throw them down"
IT hadn't struck me that way before.
"T'u fight" / said.
4 day or two after that the doctor
looked my leg over again and took the
bandages off for awhile. He said
there was no more danger OF blood
poisoning. and It was cheerful news to
the whole camp. The bandages were
replaced to cover the open wound. and
went Off hotfoot for the gymnasium.
For nearly a week the boys had been
loahng. l called them together now.
and we went at il for the hardest
days training I'd done yet. you fell
lows have had too much of a snap"
said. I'm going TO make you earn
all OF your money in a bunch now"
went after Joe Kennedy. and we had
a regular fight. He walloped mo on
the jaw as hard as he could, and 1t