The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-23
JEFFR|ES Shows
SPEED ON STAGE
If Former Champion Has Gone
Back, He Does Not
Show Ii.
TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED
PEOPLE CROWD COLONIAL
Rickard Announces to the PeO-
pie That Contest Will Be
Held Here.

James j. Jeffries, updefeated cham
pion pugilist Of the world. proved to
$500 enthusiastic admirers of the manly
art Saturday night at the Colonial the
ater that he is not in need Of the Oslcr
treatment just at present. More than
that, he showed that he is still the
fastest man of his weight who ever
climbed through the ropes and convinced
the majority of those who witnessed his
efforts that be will be able to put up
tho argument of his life next July when
round contest for the heavyweight
title.
"Te1n Rickard. Nevada mining man
and boxing promoter, assured the crowd
that the contest would be held in Utah
But kickard, hlushing like a schoolboy,
and anything but at ease, declined to
venture into the realms of extended or
atory, and after making the announce
ment that tho bout would be held In
this state, sought refuge in the wings.
Jefrles did not make speech. The
big fellow was never noted for his
prowess along this liue. and with the
exception of indulging in some dialogue
with his manager and sparrlng partner,
Sam Berger, the fistic idol fought shy
OF utterancc. Jcffries skipped the rope
with an case and grace that captured
the house. His terpsichorean effort was
all TO the sunshine and really clever
when the weight and stature OF thc
man Is taken into consideration. Then
the conqueror Of Corbett. Fitzsimmons
Sharkcy ct al. did little shadow box
| ing. worked with A weight machine and
wound up the show by boxing three
rounds with Berger.
jeff In Fine Shape.
Those who saw Jeffries when he was
| in Salt Lake with his "Davy Crockett =
company some years ago noted the
change in the man when they saw him
stripped for action Saturday night. The
| excess baggage that tho ex-boilermaker
carried in the region of the waist line
was noticeably absent. Jetlrles was not
| the suggestion of skc1eton-he S n
| giant, and comes by 1T naturally-but
he isn't fat. He announced Saturday
night that he is within fifteen pounds
of his preferred boxing weight The ff
| teen pounds Will serve him nicely dur
| ing the strenuous weeks prior to tho big
| bout
The lines that never fail to follow
! n lifc of dissipation were absent in the
| face of the champion Saturday night
| There was nothing 10 show that tho big
| fellow had wasted any time in riotous
| living as has been alleged since tho
| Jetfries. ohNson contest became a cor
rainty. Jcilrios has the appearance Of a
man in perfect physical health, and, de-
! spite tho altitude. there was nothing
| about thc champion S appearance after
| his athletic stunts, Saturday night, to
| Indicate that he is not ready to 90 the
| Marathon route in the boxing line with
| proper preparation
And when the big crowd filed out Of
the Colonial thcater after the show
there WASH & much doubt in the minds
Of the majority Of the spectators that
there will be "A blonde champion re.
turned next July.
.Tcffrics was The headlincr Saturday
night, but not the whole show by any
means. He was the center Of CON
stelation Of stars, including Frank
Gotch. world 5 champion wrestler,
"TcxN Rickard, champion promoter,
Farmer Burns. the dean of the wrcst-
ably the cleverest man on tho mat today
with the exception of Gotch, Sam Ber
ger. himself a one-timo aspirant for
the boxing crown, and others.
Gotch Is Giant.
Goich wrcstlcd with Jim Asbcll in
an exhibition match and showed. his
class. He is II giant of the Jeifrics
type aud occupies the same position
in the wrestling world that jeff does
in the fistic realm.
DR. Roller made n speech on the value
of au athletic education and incident
ally passed Salt Lake n number of COM
ing contest, Afterwards he wrestIed
Continued on Page Twenty six.