Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-24
Is Still in Dazed Condition.

There have been all kinds of rumors
since the battle at Reno as to the cause
of Jeffries' poor showing, etc, but the
following statement by jeff himself. after
he had recovered from the shock. will
no doubt be interesting. Regarding the
mill jeff said to me:
Up to this time / have hardly known
my own mind. l was in a dazed sort Of
way, kind of stupor. and could not come
out of it. 1t is all past and gone. and
that is what makes me feel so bad
There is no use trying to offer excuses.
for people do not care to hear them. but
they might as well know the truth.
am sorry. very sorry. about the friends
who bet on me and lost, but had known
the real condition l was I'm | never would
have permitted them to so ahead. 1 did
not realize it until too late to help them
Had the fight taken place two weeks
earlier / do not think Mr.. Johnson would
have the crown today. AT Rowardennan
l was on edge and fit as man could be-
and only waited the tap of the gong. |
had then started to ease off in my work
and did not look for any setback up to
July 4. However, when the report came
that Gov. Gillett had ordered 1t stopped,
it naturally upset me, and in fact all the
boys Then when it was finally shifted
to Reno my plans were all knocked out.
After locating at Monana Springs l did
not feel the same. The altitude and
water affected me, no doubt, and l am
positive now that the altitude had much
to do with making me logy and out OF
sorts. To add to this, / had severe at
tack of dysentery a few days before the
fight. and that was the real reason L
could not box more. 1t weakened me,
but 1 stopped it the day before the fight
and thought l was all right again. In
this / was fooled. for / was not right
although l did not fully realize it until
in the ring. Still worse was the fact that
I was nervous and fretted. which the
doctors tell me was nothing more nor
less than nervous breakdown.
Realized Condition in Ring.
appeared heavy and there seemed to be
no strength in my arms. 1t was then
that l first realized my condition, but
had determined to win at any cost, and
felt confident 1 could. In the first
round ] felt out the same as Johnson
did. but I could not work right. / said
to myself that l would be all right in
a few rounds and would then sail in
and mix matters. When l received the
blow on the left eye in the second
round the fight was lost. for the optic
nerve was no doubt injured. The eye
began swelling, and l could not see
we'll out of it, but that would not have
been SO bad had it not been Tor the
fact that / saw two men in front of me
all the time and could not tell where to
hit or how to hit. l simply saw dou-
BILE. I told my seconds about IT, ana
they worked on the eye. but could not
help it any. AS the fight progressed IT
became more apparent to me That l
could not win for my inability to judge
distance or time my blows showed me
only too plainly where the trouble was.
simply fought in mechanical way.
and only remember landing one stln
blow. That was in the ninth or elev-
enth round. when l reached his jaw
with my left and Jared him. Aside
from this 1T all appeared as dream
and 1 could not recall the fifteenth
round. when I went down. ! was all
in, and only feel sorry that L put up
such a poor contest.
being champion and "a splendid fighter.
Is not as good as many imagine. he Is
not SO hard to hit. l had any number
Of opening to get him, but Simply
40 strength to back it up. Two weeks
before I would have bet my last dollar
hat / would have beaten him. He won.
however SO give him credit. 1 am
through for all time with the ring.
Intends to Tour World.
AFTER rest with my wife at Catalina
island 1 intend to so to my farm for
u lille, and later my wife and l will make
| tour of Europe and probably around the
world. but only for pleasure. H. H. Frazee
II Chicago had made grand offer to
ne to tour the world II won. and 1 felt
sure of the trip. Even In defeat he
wanted 10 give me theatrical dates. but
declined all.
Il want to thank the people for past
lonors and feel sorry l could not carry
nut their wishes, but 1 could not. as L
allied to come back. i have been &C
FUSED of being grouchy around my train
ng camp, but it was no intention on my
part to offend people In any way. L had
,een under the strain for over year and
vas worried almost to death day after
law with the remark: We'll, jeff. you
rave got to lick that black man You
xnow you are the only white man to do
t. and all my money is bet on you That
was my dessert after every meal, and
don't wonder, when 1 look back, that
became nervous
Previous to my talk with Jeffries I had