Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-24


knocked him out in less than half dozen
rounds: but that was the only time when
johnson took a nap within the rOped arena.
In 1901 he fought twenty round draw with
a negro called Rlondyke, who was at best
a fourth rater. Then he got decision over
Mexican Pete Everett in twenty rounds,
the fight. so-called. taking place in 1902
and Everett being general object OF
humorous criticism. Hank Griffin, a
raw-boned black man. also stayed twenty
rounds and got a draw with Johnson
Before proceeding with the record st Is
worthy Of note that Just four years prior
to these battles Jeffries. who had just be-
gun to attract attention on the coast, dis
posed Of Mexican Pete Everett in three
rounds and Hank Griffin in four, neither
Of them having a ghost Of a chance when
Jess began 20 punch In deadly earnest
During the campaign Of 1908 Johnson got
decisions over such third raters as Denver
Ed Martin in twenty rounds, Sam McVey in
two bouts OF that distance and Sandy Fer
guson in one contest Of ten rounds and an
other OF twenty. That was the year JEFF
fries knocked Corbett out I'm ten rounds in
California, and II anybody had suggested
then that johnson, McVey, Ferguson or
Martin was entitled to a match, with the
champion boilermaker there would have
been no end to the rldicule
one Punch for McVey.
johnson knocked Mcvey out in the
twentieth round in another fight held the
next year in san Francisco Whether It
was an accident or not Is a matter still
open TO discussion For nineteen rounds
! they struggled on even terms doing a lot
Of wrestling. clinching and blocking until
many Of the spectators were bored. As
they came up for the twentieth round the
referee said to them;
For goodness sake do some fighting!
This.is the last round and the people want
something for their money. So go in and
take chance!"
Johnson paid no attention to the ref
eree's command and opened the round
with his usual blocking tactics. McVey,
however. decided that the crowd shou d
receive some consideration from him, so
he opened up his attack and rushed. That
was just what johnson was waiting for
With terrific right hand uppercut he
met McVey as he came tearing in. The
blow landed like a sedgehammer on the
point Of the chin and Johnson scored a
clean knockout. 1t was the same blow
that johnson used on Burns and Ketche
with such disastrous results.
1t was in 1905 that johnson fought Mar.
win Hart in San Francisco. Hart was just
good second rater big and strong, with
lots of gameness and a terrific wallop
Johnson blocked and clinched, boxed and
slugged with him for twenty rounds and
when the referee said Hart was the winner
on scientific points. the Texas black mar
/ declared vehemently that he had beer
robbed But whether he was or not never
has been definitely decided.
Johnson wasn't cutting much Of a figur,
then and when Young Peter Jackson anC
Joe Jeanette, both negro second raters
fought draws with him before the end o.
that year Sam Fitzpatrick found very few
ring followers who were willing to lister
| to the negro's prospects. Johnson got
! decision over Jeannette in a fifteen-rounC
bout in Baltimore in March 1906, and thei
! he was asked to visit Boston to meet on,
Langford in a fifteen-round affair. John