The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-07-07
Events i'm the World of Sports

again beat him, both times in seven
rounds. In between his fights with
Mccormick Johnson defeated Jack
Lee.
His next victory of some conse-
quence was over a burly negro known
as "Klondyke," who came to Calves
ton from Philadelphia and was Je-
feated by Johnson after a grueling
battle of 20 rounds. Johnson was still
raw novice when he fought his
first really big battle with Joe Choyn-
ski. The latter was at the height of
his skill and Johnson was no match
for him in science. In the third
been pulled for some time was put
over recently by the Philadelphia
round Johnson was knocked out AID
lost the fight. 1t was the first and
only time that he was thus disposed
of by one of his opponents. This de-
feat proved great benefit to john
son, however. He and Choynski
were arrested after the fight and put
in Jail, where they whiled away the
time boxing. In those days Johnson
learned a great deal from his skilled
teacher
The second fighting year of his ca
reer, 1902, was big one for Johnson.
He was the principal in 10 contests,
not losing one and having four draws.
brother of jim, and knocked him out
after playing with him for four
rounds. One of Johnson's hardest
fights was with George Gardiner, the
middle weight champion of New
England. He defeated Gardiner east
| ly and thereby added greatly to his
reputation as fighter. After that
| battle Johnson defeated Fred Russell
and Denver Ed. Martin and finally
the negro Sam Mcvey. whom he de-
feated on points in 20 rounds.
The following day Johnson issued
challenge to Jim Jeffries, assert
ing he was the champions logical OPP
ponent. Jeffries evaded him, how
ever, saying that he had drawn the
color line after DNeeting Hank Griffin
in 1901.
Johnson won all of his battles in
1908, beating the ruggeu NcVey twice
on points. On April %, 1904 he met
| McVey again and koncked him out in
the goth round. He won from Frank
Childs of Chicago in six rounds In
March 1905 he fought Marvin Hart
of San Francisco and although he
made punching bag out of Hart foi
20 rounds, the decision was given fol-
Hart. In the same year johnson
| fought number of other battles, nev-
er defeated and losing but one fight
the one against Joe Jeanette, on &
foul. The list of his opponents ir
that year included Jim Jeffords
Black Bill, Walter Johnson, Jacl
Monroe, Sandy Ferguson, Joe Jean
nette and Young Peter Jackson.
The only man who made any show
ing against Johnson in the following
year was Joe Jeanette with whom
he fought several battles, without
these fights, however, clearly fell
that Johnson was master of the sit
uation at all times and could have
easily finished with a knockout haG
he wished to do so. In April, 1906
Johnson defeated Sam Langford al
Chelsea, Mass, which showed his
class, as Langford was and still is
considered one of the most danger
GUS opponents in the ring.
In the following year, 1907 John
son went to Australia and there met
j. Lang, whom he knocked out in the
ninth round. In July of the same
year he fought Bob Fitzsimmons and
knocked him out in the second round.
In November, 1907, he fought eleven
rounds with Jim Flynn at San Fran
cisco and knocked out his opponent
Johnson's victories over Tommy
Burns in December, 1908 at Sydney
n. S. W., and Stanley Ketchel at
Colma, Cal. October 16, 1909, are
still fresh in the minds of the ring
followers. He defeated Burns on
points in IA rounds and put Ketchel
to sleep in the 18th round. His fight
with Ketchel was the last of John
sons battles before the championship
contest with Jeffries was agreed up
on