The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-09-23

hH
JAMESJ.JEF
|[Copyright. 1910, by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate Copyright in Canada and
Great Britain. All rights reserved.1
CHAPTER XXI.
PUT BOB FITZsIAiMoNs AWAY FOR THE
SECOND TINE.
r TRAINED at Hardin Springs for
that second fight with Fitzsim-
mons and got into very good con-
dition. The bout was held at
Alec Greggains' San Francisco Athlet-
ic club, at Fourteenth and Valencia
streets. A lot of my Los Angeles
friends came up to bet on me. l guess
they brought up at least $4,000 or
$5O,OOO George Miller got down So
900 at the regular odds, which were 10
to 4 in my favor. Chalk Roberts
brought $4,000. Jim Hayes. the pro-
prietor of Hardin Springs, put up ST.
900 on me. Lots Of the other boys got
down smaller sums.
There was a big crowd at the ring
side that night. Fitzsimmons was in
ton. He was always well liked in
San Francisco, where he fought his
first fight after coming to America
from Australia. Bob looked in as good
shape as when he fought me at Coney
Island. He didn't even look a day
older, although he was thirty-nine now.
A challenge from Jim Corbett was
read, and the crowd cheered. I was
glad to hear the challenge taken so
well, for the heavyweight crop was
running out, and there didn't seem to
be many more fights in sight for me-
AS soon as we began fighting went
after Bob steadily. We. were both a
little cautious at first. l sent good
hard left into his body, and he took
it all right. Before the end of the first
round he had begun landing on my
head, and my nose was bleeding a lit
tie.
1 had found out something too. The
new ring platform was too lightly
built. Fitzsimmons could skip about
on it like Frisco flea, but whenever
| moved quickly the boards bent under
me. 1t was like trying to dance
around on springboard. 1t made my
footing uncertain and awkward and
took away half my speed.
In my crouching position the give"
Of the ring platform affected my foot
ing so much that I tried standing
straight up. FitZsimmons mixed it
with me. and we both got in some stiff
punches. The way the old fellow could
hit was a wonder. He was hammer
ing my face in. The blows We're as
heavy as any l ever felt. The jar
didn't daZe me. but l had never been
SO cut and bruised in fight before.
FitzsimmOns was 4 wonderful fighting
boxer.
Along in the fifth round 1 managed
to get over left hook that cut Bob
along the cheek bone. but a moment
later he stepped in with terrible
right that landed squarely ON my left
eye and nearly knocked my head off.
The blow opened a big cash along my
eyebrow. l was in pretty bad shape
for a champion now-all cut to pieces
and my eyes closing. When I went
back to my corner Billy Delaney was
mighty anxious. "Jim," he said, "you
close. Go after him."
/ crouched as / came from my cor
ner that time and went at Fitzsim-
mons with rush. He skipped out of
my way and laughed as he moved
around. l kept turning to face him
like bull in bull ring, and every
time he seemed within reach l rushed
him again. Once I cornered him on
the ropes, but he slipped away, and as
he went by me he landed a couple OF
hooks that made the blood run again
1 couldn't get him. He surely was q
slippery fellow.
You've got to do it soon," said De
laney again.
With my cuts all closed up and the
blood washed off I went out after BOZ
again as hard as l could go. ALI OF
my injuries were on the surface. In
side l was as sound and fresh as ever
l wouldn't think any worse of Fitzsim
mons If he had shown Encouragement
about this time. He had beaten me
enough to knock out any ordinary man
/ knew his right hand was gone, fol
once when he landed a heavy smash
on my forehead could hear the bones
crack, and. although he went right or
hitting with it. there wasn't the same
weight in the blows. He was jabbine
!. more and depending on the left. Fitz
simmons had great left. I think il
; was his best hand. He usually landed
knockouts with the left.
In this the seventh round I wen
after Bob hard and swung my left int
his hOdv than brought IL nm to his
head. The punches were well meant
but Fitzsimmons took them and came
right back with three hard left hooks
! on the mouth that started me BLEEDING
again and forced me to the ropes.
rushed and chased Fitz across thu
ring, punching him over the heart. A!
we came into a clinch Bob grinned and
asked "Well how do you like II r