The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-05-14
WHENJACK MUNROE
FOUGHT JEFFRIES

Here IS James !. Joffries own
story about his fight with Munroe in
| this city
Some time after our fight Fitzslm-
| mons and | formed combination and
| began touring tie country with A
show. Fltzsimmons was a good card
because of the great fight he had
given me. The show was success
everywhere we went. Around
through some of the western states
we met all comers instead of box
ing together. Some Fitz took on and
some | took on. II was In this way
that | happened to make Jack Mum
roe famous. ....
This Munroc was a miner working
in Butte, Mont. He had been n good
football player and amateur cham
pion boxer oi the Pacific coast.
Long before we struck Butte an ad-
vance agent had picked him out. |
didn't know thing about Munroe
The house that night was packed aud
all the people there expected to see
some fighting The fellow who had
been selected for Fltzsimmons didn't
know how to fight and he made such
poor exhibition that FitzsimmonS
Knocked him out in a round to end
H. Nose La Fontise, good little
fighter from Montana. who won a
lot of fights all over the west. went
on next. and knocked his man. some
second.rater named Foley. out In 4
round. too.
That left only Munroe and me It
wasn't much of a show to give with
packed house out in front / told
F1tzsimmons | was going TO let Mum
roe stay as long as l could and try
TO give the people run for their
money
Don't YOU be fool" said Bob
You get I'm there and finish him as
quick as you can. You're champion
and you can't afford 10 fool around
with 4 dub
thought | know best. so / went
ont and boxed lightly and gave the
miner a chance TO make a showing.
| was careful not to hurt him. Fitz
was mad as a halter when | came
back to my corner after the first
round He roasted me to a turn and
told me to go out and end IT, In the
next round | SPARED easily again but
hit Munroe In the stomach and
ulOnDtU uliu udlutl llldu ultdn L
to, and | was afraid he wouldn't get
up. But he did. In spite of FitZ.
who was almost ravlng. | let Munroo
stick until the fourth round. Then
/ went in TO finish him. but every time
I feinted for an opening or stepped
In with a punch he dropped to the
floor without being hit and took the
count He was on his knees so mucn
that ] didn't have a chance to knock
him out That was all there was 10
the Munroe matter in Butte.
That night Clark Ball had falling
out with Fltzsimmons. He rushed
over and signed up Munroe. and be-
gan wiring all over the country tell
ing the papers that Munroe had won
q decision over me In four rounds
and had Knocked me down
Fitzsimmons was sore as a bear He
offered to fight Munroe and give him
s. 900 II he stayed two rounds.
Neither DIunroe nor Clark could see
It. And Munroe wouldn't fight me
another four rounds for any amount
o, money.
In a day or two Ball and Munroe
started east. keeping the wires hot
all the way. Wlsen they reached
New York City they were received
with open arms, and the miner trav-
eled around like champion, with
everybody staring and following him
down the street. After / got over be-
ing sore, II was great joke for me,
Munroe couldn't fight at all In Butte,
All he could do was hug and wrcstlc
| and plump down on his knees.
Back I'm the east his managers wero
| wise enough 10 hold him back unlil
| they could teach him something, Hc
| was big and strong and did fairly well
after a while. He beat poor old Peter
| 3aher. although Peter nearly knocked
his head off In the first round. He
stopped some stevedorc named Lin
erick In Boston, and after year oil
so he fought Sharkey in Philadelphia
This was after my fight with Corbett
and | sat at the ringside. Sharkcy
nearly knocked Munroe out. but the
miner got MP and punched Sharkcy Oh
the ribs 80 old weak spot he got In
our Coney Island battle-for the resi-
| of the six rounds. and Tom was all In
al the finish That made Munroc
| aomething OF a reputation