The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-02-09
SPOR IS
WHEN JOHNSON
SAW JEFFRIES
(Bv Tad.)

II,
moochod In 10 see Jeflries fight Rubin
in Frisco way back in 1901. 1t was the
FIRST time Johnson had seen the big
fellow work and at the time coffee
md douchnuts was n rare treat with
the colored FELLOW He mad never been
given a fat purse, ana as Tor an auto
he never dreamed ol one.
Jeffrics and Rhulin fought in Me
chanics' pavilion. Next door to tue
big pavilion wan an annex, where the
small clab held weekly bouts. 1t was
cinch to beat your way into the
pavilion II YOU could only make the
annex, so upon the day OF the fight
Eddie Hanlon. Harry Foley and JACK
Johnson got In TO see sam Pruitt, an
other colored fellow who was boxing
instructor and janitor'
They stuck around awhile and kid
ded Sam and then about o'clock In
the afternoon hid beneath the ring oil
the annex. Mr. Pruitt started TO lock
up at 6 o'clock and with his big Ian
tern made the rounds. Everything
was fine No one was around to steal
the gloves OF bags and everything
was spic and span. Sam started for
the door to slip the lock, when he
heard u sound of glgglinG. 1t must be
burglars. he thought no, 1t might be
robber. and then again II might
be rats He listened again and made
the rounds once more He started
around with the lamp and after he
had tried all tho lockers and the
rooms thought there might be some
hidden under the ring. He looked.
end sure enough he piped a bunch of
gold teeth and two others.
Come right out heah, you black
Jack Johnson and you big Harry Foley.
Come right OUT" The trio told Sam
H. hold the light there a moment and
they would come right out. While he
was holding the torch like Miss Lib
crty The three came out the other side
Of the ring and before Pruitt could
find them again they were hidden In
n room which was shut off from Me
chanics' pavilion by thin wall Pruitt
hunted al over the gymnasium for the
bunch and while he was doing the
Diogenos thing they pulled out two
boards and climbed into the big pa
yilion under the bleachers.
There they saw Jeffries and Rubin
enter the ring and fight Que o! the
most disappointing bodfs OF the year
Jellries was right at his best then.
He had beaten Fitz and Corbett and
was confidence personifled Ruhlin.
who had a few years previous fought
jeff n draw at the same club. told
the sports that he would beat the big
fellows head off Billy Madden. who
had Rubin at the time felt the same
way. and, of course. hundreds of dol
lars changed hands on the fight. jeff
never felt surer OF anything In his
life than he did of beating Rubin
Moving pictures were to be taken of
the thing. and there owas a tremen-
dous house. 1t was cinch for JEFF.
He was in superb form He felt like
fighting that night and could hardly
wait for the bell TO ring. He played
with Rubin that night He was
younger. stronger. full of ginger and
longed for a slugsing bee Rubin
backed, stalled. held and ran jeff
didn't get a chance to mix at all For
three rounds II was a joke In the
fourth he held his LEFT hand high, IN.
citing Rubin TO come In and belt him,
but Gus stayed away at safe dis.
tance and tried to box. Jeff followed
him around and whenever he did gel
near enough TO Gus hooked him in
the stomach In the fitch he hooked
Gus right again and the latter flop-
ped with an agonized look on his face
Billy Madden threw up the sponge as
much disgusted and disappointed az
any one else.
The writer, along with some others,
saw JEFF in his room after the fight
and the big fellow was chewing the
gum that he entered the ring With
Il was Just longing for a fight to-
night he said. as he pulled on HE
shirt, but | couldn't get the fellow
to come near me even held up my
hand for him to hit me, so that I
could get him close, but then he
backed away. Oh I was prime TO-
night and | felt as rotten about the
flasco as you fellows do about about
wasting all that training for nothing. -
The moving pictures proved fail.
ure. They wouldn't have drawn 20
cents anywhere.
That was the first time Jack John.
son saw Jeffries fight He saw jeff
when he was at the height of his car.
Ger and when he looked and felt as
though he could put up the greatest
fight OF his career.
Whether he is as good now as ne
was then remains to be seen Jack
Johnson. the same gent, Will be the
first to know.