Norwich bulletin., 1910-03-18
JEFFRIEs' FIRST BOUT.
Was Pummeled Hard, But Scored a knockout-Wili He Be What He Used to Was.

| profess to believe that Jim Jeffries, in
 his prime, could not have beaten Jack l Johnson. Aside from suspicion that | these savants are attempting to boost
 Jolfnson's stock, it is difficult to see just how they arrive at their inter- 1 esting conclusion. Jefries, in his heavyweight that ever slipped between
 the ropes. He had three things which made him preeminent-nat- ural strength. tremendous bulk and | the speed Of a middleweight Jeff has , always been known as the fastest big man that ever laced a fighting shoe. l Now, as to Jeffries in his prime and his chances to best Johnson, there is an excellent line on the performances 1 Of the two men which does not ap- pear in the record book. For the sake of the dopsters the following is respectfully submitted, and the story l goes without comment. Draw your own conclusions. writes C. T.. Van Loan, the New York sporting scribe. About Fourteen Years Ago. Fourteen years ago. or thereabouts, q few Los Angeles sports began to hear talk of a young tank builder who lived on the east side. Los Angeles has an east side, not exactly like the one in New York. It is a quiet resi- dence section. inhabited by pepper trees and old settlers. The east side had rough and tumble fighter who l had whipped few of tho strong young men of his locality. and the
 
 had class. The sporting men. some of whom were interested in the bi- monthly bouts at the athletic club sent word that they, would be pleased and pass upon his merits. He was hairy young giant, and his appear ance amazed the fight merchants He modestly said he thought he could nght little. but was not sure. He was asked if. he was willing to fight professional in order that a line might be had upon his prowess. The hairy, young man said he would fight any local heavyweight, but stipulated that the fight be held in private, as he had relatives who did not approve of the boxing game.
 Hank Griffin Selected. This being settled. the wise men cast about for an opponent, and they old timer-such an old timer that few of the rising young men cared to tackle him. Hank knew too much. He was tall, lanky mulatto with he had right hand which was his chief asset. He could snap it over from any position, and it carried the sting with it. The veteran was quite willing to meet young unknown; fin fact. Hank regarded it as more or less of a picnic The meeting took place in private gymnasium, and . dozen sporting men were present.
 
 bringing a few tank builder friends to see him perform, and the prelim- inaries were soon settled. At this time Jeffries had done all his fighting with bare fists, under packing house rules. He was not familiar with the etiquette of the ring, but the referee instructed him while he was preparing for the fray.
 Griffin Administers Scientific Beating.
 "Timei" said the gentleman with the watch, and the young giant tore out of his corner, swinging his left as he came. He did not miss Hank by more than three feet, and the mu- latto let drive with a right handler which nailed the youngster on the roint of the chin. That was the whole story of the fight. Jeffries, who was so awkward and clumsy that he did not know his right hand from his left, tried to beat the clever, experienced campaigner with haymaking swings, and Griffin had no trouble in evading them and reaching the novice every time he led. By the sixth round the boys face was hammered to a pulp, and he was bleeding like a stuck pig. Griffin. going along like a machine. never wasted punch. and slipped away from the novice so easily that Jeff spent most of his time founder ing about the ring and recovering from his wild wallops.
 Jeff's Bushes Never Stopped.
 By the tenth round the spectators had had seen t,,a enough; ,IS They were wiling time. Hank was becoming sorry for his victim. It seemed shame to do it. The only thing which impressed the spectators was that no matter how hard Grimm landed. he was never able to stop the boys rushes, and the sporting men decided that the cham pion of the east side was game if he was nothing else.
 Jim Lands the Haymaker.
 
 Jeffries himself does not remember how long 1t lasted. He thinks the fourteenth round was the last one. smashed into his face and the blood | running from his mouth in a stream, | the novice fioundered around the ring | after the negro. and at last the one | punch out of the thousand which fle l had wasted went home to the mark 1 Griffin ducked into q swing and the | blow landed him flat under the ropes, | knocked out for twenty minutes. This | was the fight which started Jeff on | the way to the championship If the | battle had been stopped, leaving the | negro the victor. the big boy would | probably have gone back to his tank | building for keeps. As it happened, | his Los Angeles friends sent him | north to meet Dan Long and Van l Busiirk, both giants, and both were easy victims. The main point of this yarn Is that Jeffs natural strength,
 
 home the winner of his first fight.
 Griffin Goes to Draw With Johnson.
 Six years later Jack Johnson, just beginning to be talked about as a very shifty heavyweight. was matched with Hank Griffin. when the latter was we'll down the toboggan. John 'on had been fighting for about three years at this time, and he was then | clever in his speciality. r hat of defensive fighting. Griffin ought him to a standstil in twenty -ounds, and the result was good iraw. Later the men were matched ga In. with the same result. Now, if Ieffries, who up to the time of thct ight had never worn a glove in 'as fife, could beat Griffin by a knock nut, and Johnson already eAperi- need in the game. could not dupli- ate that performance in thirty five ounds, what does that argue2 The nen had rather common antagonists, ohnson allowed Mexican Pete Ev- rett to stay twenty rounds. taking he decision away from the white lan. Jeffries made Everett quit like sheep in the show after three rounds 'hoyinskf put Johnson away in three ounds, hut that was Johnson's first ght- The willy Joe went twenty ounds to draw with Jeffries.
 But in the words of that grand old