Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-03
SPORTING COMMENT.
: BY j. ED GRILLO.

The movement against the Jeffries-
portions. The death Of Pugilist McCar-
thy last week as result Of a blow from
Owen Moran has had the effect to arouse
those who are opposed to the boxing
game. and there is danger that enough
influence may be brought to bear to
have the fight prevented by official inter-
ference.
1t does not require much to arouse an
antagonistic feeling against a fight OF
the Importance of the one scheduled for
July 4, though there is not much dan
ger of any serious injury being inflicted
to either of the principals OH that occa-
sion.
have seldom resulted in grueling battles.
Victories are usually clean-cut, and there
is not an instance on record where there
has been fatality In a championship
fight
Bouts under Marquis of Queensbury
rules are clean sport. There is nothing
brutal about it. The game Of today
diners greatly from what it was when
the London prize ring rules were in
vogue. There were no padded gloves
worn then. and bloody scenes were wit
messed.
Today a so-caIled fight is really nothing
more than a test of endurance and speed.
and 1t is rare, indeed, that when two
much the worst for an experience in the
ring. even though decisive victory be
scored.
Strength as a general rule has but little
to do with the boxing game. for expert
ence has taught us that a man Of no
great amount of strength in the matter of
lifting or the like might have punch
that might put man out every time 1t
landed. Jeffries is SO built that for
strength he should outclass Johnson in
every angle where this factor might tell
in contest of muscular power. From his
feet to his head Jeffries is a modern
Hercules in build. and If he and John
son were to lock arms in a rough-and-
tumble fight Jeffries would have the bet
ter of it.
In the coming contest there will be
nothing of the sort allowed, however. and
science must be great factor 1t Is
doped out by many that Jeffries Will have
the best of the clinches. and, Of course,
to do this he must be the stronger of the
two in his arms and shoulders. The feet.
too, have some part to play in this angle
of the game, but any man who is as
we'll balanced as Johnson would be a hard
man to get off OF his underpinning.
Jeffries appears to he confident that he
will win but there is no doubt that he
figures to do the job in as short a space
of time as possible. He cannot be too
confident that he can go a long route.
and 1t is this that johnson will play
for. The colored champion is almost GER
tain to do q, lot of clinching and staIlings.
hoping thereby to wear JEFF down. and
then come along at the end and win out
But. Of course. in Jeffries, Johnson meets
the only real heavyweight fighter of class
he has ever been up against. and he may
be forced to change his tactics If he
finds that Jeffries is his master in the
clinches.
While there is perhaps. no doubt that
on form Detroit must he figured as hav-
ing the best chance to again win the
American League pennant. Yet it is a
long route from now to October and
there does not appear to be any i'm
mediate danger of the Tigers making
runaway race of II. as was feared at
one time. The fight is going to be
tougher one than it has been in the past
Philadelphia is undoubtedly stronger and
the same is true of New York and Chi
cago. Even Cleveland may prove trouble
some If Mcclure can get his team to 60
ing properly. and as for Boston there is
no good reason why that team should
not make as good a showing this year
as 1t did last
To date. however, nothing but the re-
markable batting streak of the Speed
Boys has kept the team in the hunt for
the pitching. as was feared. is not of the
caliber that q pennant-winning team de-
mands. Just now it looks as if it was
going to be another struggle between the
Athletics and Tigers. as it has been in
two out of the last three campaigns.
1t took the national commission long
while to realize that unless it asserted
its power in the King case it would lose
cast with the public. Up TO the time that
the supreme court of base ball demanded
%1,@N %, H.,
be suspended for another year the recall
citrant catcher seemed to be bile to defy
every law which governs the game. but his
hurried trip to Chicago and the paying
of the fine shows clearly that King was
forced to realize that base ball laws must
be lived up to If the game is to continue
to progress.