The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-06-17

ate for Jeffries that he did not take |
to the game at such an early age. In !
the three years that followed his fight |
with Griffin Jeffries developed great |
ly and with maturity also came a
more level head.
Jeffries, under Gallagher's coaxing
finally decided to shake the dust of
the Los Angeles boiler shops from his
feet and hike to San Francisco and
the fighting game. Gallagher who
was also quitting, had been matched
to fight Danny Needham in San Fran
cisco and he took Jeifries with him
as a handler and rubber.
Jeffries worked like a Trojan for
Gallagher The Needham fight came
off and Gallagher went to a draw. He
drew down his end Of the purse but
skipped and failed to hand his friend
and handler, Jeffries, cent.
Jeff was fiat broke and in way
| had to fight. OF course, he could
look for a job at his regular trade, but
bhe decided he wanted to fight, and got
one with Dan Long. Jeffries had
proflted by Gallagher's teachings. He
was not the crude, unscientifc fight
er he was when he fought Griffin.
He had mastered the first principles
of the game, and Long lasted only
two rounds.
It was at this time that Jeffries met
Harry Corbett, the San Francisco
sporting man and brother of James j.
Corbett. Harry introduced Jeffries
to Billy Delaney, who was training
Jim Corbett for his fight with Fitz-
simmons. Delaney engaged Jeffries
as a sparrng partner for Corbett.
Jeffries helped Corbett train for the
fight with Fitzsimmons, and was with
Pompadour jim when he went down
before the Cornishman in the memoir
able bout in Carson City.
Championship Career Begins
After the Corbett-Fitzslmmons fight
Delaney, the champion-maker, TOOK
charge of Jeffries The big fellows
real championship career had begun
Ieffries was matched with Van Bus
kirk. The former amateur champion
was as a toy in the boilermaker S
hands and jeff knock him out in two
rounds. Then Henry Baker of Chic
ago. known as slaughter House"
Baker. was brought on as Jeffries'
next opponent.
The Baker fight was held a month
and ten days after the go with van
Buskirk. The mill came off in Wood
wards Pavilion, San Francisco, Joe
Cans and Mike Leonard fighting in
the same ring on the same night.
Cans wanted his bout put on as the
main event A coin was tossed, and
fate decreed that Cans and Leonard
should box the semi-windup to the
Jeffries- Baker mill.
Baker gave Jeffries a tough go,
coming in all the time and never
backing up, despite the fact that JET
fries sent him to the boards half
dozen times before the knockout in
the ninth round.
Then Jeffries started on tour OF
the East. but hurt his hands on Bob
Armstrong in their ten-round go at
the I,enox Athletic Club in this city,
and went back to California to get in
condition.
Jefries' first New York appearance
was disappointment. The big fell
low was matched to meet Bob Arm
strong and Steve ODonnell In the
same night. lie won from Armstrong
in moor exhibition. smashing mis-
left thumb and making It impossible
for him to fight O'Donnell.
Jeffries went back to California.
His hand mended quickly but II was
almost a year before he was matched
again. this time for a battle for the
worlds championship with Fitzsim
mons. which he won in the tenth
| round
? His next battle was not so auspic
I ious for Jeffries. Tom Sharkey was
3 his opponent, and the majority Of tho
4 spectators at the fight in Coney lslanC
b. were of the opinion that Sharkel
S won. or at least earned a draw. Re
e fierce Siler. however, az the end o
!. the twenty-fght round awarded tn
O fight to Jeffries. The decision wa
3 poorly received.
s Jeffries' career after the Sharke
n battle was a blaze of triumph. H
s knocked out Jack Finnegan in on
n round in Detroit and then put III
a Quietus on jim Corbett, stopping hil
in the twenty.third round of the
10 Coney Island battle. Jeffries the
IS went West and met Hank Griffin
n Los Angeles-the same man
e. fought in his first professional a
n pearance. This time II took Ii
a. champion only four rounds to Ia
a away the negro, Joe Kennedy WI
IL knocked out in two rounds and the
ne Jeffries took on Gus Rubin, vii
w whom earlier in his career he hS
Id gone twenty rounds to a draw. III
o. Akron Giant lasted only five round
Nv Bob Fitzsimmons and Jim Corbe