The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-05-30
Frnm the New York Sun.

and discuss the big mill between the ne
gro and Jeffries. 10 be decided at Emery
willie. Cal. on July l. In reply TO the
query you'll hear few alternatives. yet
Il seems to be generally conceded that
johnson. six feet one inch I'm height and
Weighing POS pounds at his best. will
prove formidable antagonist for the
burly boilermaker.
When Sam Fitzpatrick had johnson
under his wing several years ago the
big negro pugilist was regarded as
second-rater. He had taken part I'm ring
contests for more than eight years, yet
the followers of pugilism never regarded
him seriously.
Fitzpatrick, well liked. used to tell his
friends that Johnson really was some
thing OF a fighter. but when he turned
his back and left they laughed heartily.
Nobody put any stock IN Johnson's al
legged fistic prowess except Fitzpatrick,
the man who handled the great Peter
Jackson and developed the memorable
Kid Lavinge. Fitzpatrick said the Texas
negro could beat ordinary heavy-weights
but he never mentioned possible match
with Jeffries.
Dope on johnson.
So what is the dope" on Jack John
son that he should be regarded as a
world beaten and sure winner over
James ]. Jenries? That Is the universal
query set forth by white men who are
anxious TO have Jeff hammer the negro
into a cooked hat on Independence Day.
Joe Choynski found him an easy mark
nearly ten years ago when they met
down in Texas and knocked him out in
less than half a dozen rounds; but that
was the only time when Johnson took
a nap within the roped arena. In 1901
he fought a twenty-TOund draw with a
negro called Klondyke, who was at best
a fourth-rater.
Then he got a decision over Mexican
Pete Everett in twenty rounds. the fight
so-called, taking place in 1902 and Everett
being a general object Of humorous criti-
cism. Hank Griffin. a raw-boned black
man. also stayed twenty rounds and got
a draw with Johnson.
Before proceeding with the record II is
worthy of note that Just four years prior
to these battles Jerrries. who had just
begun 90 attract attention on the Coast.
disposed of Mexican Pete Everett in
three rounds and Hank Griffin in four,
neither of them having a ghost Of a
chance when JEFF began TO punch in
deadly earnest
During the campaign OF 1903 Johnson
got decisions over such third-raters as
Denver Ed Martin in twenty rounds. Sam
Mcvey in two bouts of that distance, and
Sandy Ferguson in one contest Of ten
rounds and another Of twenty.
That was the year Jeffries knocked Cor
bett out in ten rounds in California, and
II anybody had suggested then that John
son, McVey Ferguson. or Martin was en-
titled to a match with the champion
boilermaker there would have been no
end TO the ridicule.
johnson knocked McVey out in the
twentieth round in another fight held the
next year In San Francisco. Whether 1t
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 10 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 a 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 should
H.
he opened up his attack and rushed.
That was just what Johnson was wait
ing for.
With a terrific right-hand uppercut he
met McVey as he came tearing In. The
blow landed like a sledge hammer on the
point of the chin, and Johnson scored a
clean knockout. II was the same blow
that johnson used on Burns and Ketchell
with such disastrous results.
II was in 1905 that Johnson fought Mar
win Hart in San Francisco. Hart was
just a good second-rater. big and strong,
with lots Of gameness and a terrific wal
Iop. 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 man declared vehemently that he
had been robbed. But whether he was OF
not never has been definitely decided.
Meets sam Langford.
Johnson wasn't cutting much Of a fig.
ure then, and when Young Peter Jackson
and Joe Jeanette. both negro second
raters, fought draws with him before the
end OF that year, Sam Fitzpatrick found
very few followers who were willing "a
listen TO the negro's prospects. Johnson
got a decision over Jeanette in fifteen
round bout in Baltimore, in March 1906
and then he was asked TO visit Boston t.
meet one Langford in a flfteen-round af-
fair. johnson didn't know much about
Langford except that his first name was
Sam. that he was a negro, and a weller
weight
Many stories have been told OF this
Johnson-Langford scrap. but there is
only one that is true. Langford stood
five feet. seven and One-half inches in his
fighting shoes and weighed exactly 10,
pounds. He was five inches shorter and
nearly sixty pounds lighter than John
son In the first round there was such
an absurd difference In the appearance
Of the men that the crowd screamed and
howled.
But in the second round Langford. get
ting in close, put great left-hand upper
cut on JOhnson's Jaw and sent the bic
fellow to the floor in a heap. There are
several reliable persons available who
will insist that while Johnson was taking
the count mine" from the referee eight
cen seconds of actual time by the
watches OF these men elapsed.
Johnson got up. clinching TO the gong
| and for the rest of the battle he stood