New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-04
Comment ON SPORTS
The Peculiar Attraction OF a
Fight Between Men.
JOHNSON'S CHANCE TO WIN
News and Views on Live Topics
of the Day, Both Amateur
and Professional.

Reno today for what one considers the
honor IF the white race and for what both
consider fame elory-and 8 purse OF Slol,-
pa moving picture privileges worth sSac"
OF 50 more and 8 small fortune as music
hall attraction Before the sun SINKS To-
night over the Sierras the pugilisttc bat
tie of the century Will have been toushp
and won, and the question which has been
ag:ta-tng the minds OF thousands TO the
fu-thernost corners OF the earth viii be
answered. When the last blow has been
struck. when the victor stands. eNultinsly.
no doubt, over the fallen, ouiverlng oooF
Of his foe there will come 10 many VINO a
moment before had been shouting IN the
keen delight Of celebrating combat feel
ing Of sicken.ng revulsion- II could not be
otherwise But herein, perhaps, lies the
REGULAR attraction TO SO many Of SATISFY
ing lust which IN their sober senses Is
condemned and despised
The meeting Of Jim .Jerries and Jack
johnson IN the roped arena this afternoon
is G. fight pure and simple. and practically
g fight TO g finish. II Is utter folly to try
10 cover I'D and evade the question It is
rot q boxing bout in any sense of the
word, IS. unfortunately, there is only one
thought in the minds of the two men
that is 70 knock out the other in the
shortest possible time If Il were not q
fight. however, and & fight in which the
men VIII be ruled more or less by anger
and amnesty, il would not be so attrac-
tive, deplo-able such e statement is.
Nothing appeals strongly to the aver
age human a test Of strength and skill,
and the more so when the element Of
danger, even death, is involved Years Of
civilization have done much TO temper the
lust for human blood and human life, but
the harbarous instincts of the men who
turned thumbs up or thumbs down in the
gladtatorial arenas Of ancient Rome are
sull strong within US, even If controlled 10
q large extent A good friend Of mine re-
marked two or three DAYS ago: Just
scratch the skin Of human and youll
draw the blood Of an animal and he
was not far wrong. The exaggerated in
stincts OF the brute must crop out.
with al this. and laying aside at this
tine any defence OF fighting under the
suise Of the strong manly. vfrile sport of
boxing II may be said that there is much
about the meeting Of Jefries and Johnson
to-day which appeals TO something more
than the mere brute in US Some men are
born with love Of strife and eternal rest
lessness uppernost in their natures just
some are born with q, love OF peace and
enduring patience. Between these two ex-
tremes are those who, with the slumbering
instincts Of the animal, are easily swayed
one way or the other. and just at this time
they are being swayed TO a keen interest
IN fight between two men It must be
remembered, however. that these two men,
--abysnnal brutes,'' tigerish beasts. grizzly
giants or whatever one wishes TO call them
have been carefully trained 70 stand what
would be instant death to the average per
son who INDUCED in such q strenuous pas
Tinae Furthermore, II must be remembered
that the men will use natural weapons, and
that beyond the fact that each one is aim
ing 10 land q crushing blow, the battle
will involve an exposition Of skill, science
and cunning, under stringent rules and re
strictions, which fortunately remove it q
few degrees. at least, from the go-as-you-
please, rougt-and-tunable fight of two mon
archs OF the forest AT least there is no
rlurderous desire TO kill and even one who
abhors the thought Of two men in bitter
strife for glory or gain 70 satisfy a clam
oring multitude. some OF whom revel in the
fow Of blood, must needs admire the con
su7rate skin in the art of self-defence
which will be shown in its highest form.
Now, with everything else dismissed and
20 answer number of queries would say
that find il impossible TO offer predic-
tior based on 2 reasonable conclusion as
10 TIE probable winner Il strikes me, how
ever. that the weight OF money is the only
reason for Jeffries TO stand as he does. to-
day pronounced favorite for the light
His unbeaten record OF several years ago
he. 1fr-lo nv ring rha sri
ence and skill OF e boxer he suffered in
cc-nnarison with Fitzsinnlons and Corbett,
whom he defeated II was his ability to
stand punishment and his sledgehammer
blows that earned him the title OF cham
MON Of TIC world. Since his retirement he
has lived q life Of ease and luxury, and
while he has worked hard and conscien-
tiously Ter a year 10 bring himself back to
the physical condition which made him
what he was, thought must be given 10
the expressed opinion Of Mike Murphy. one
OF the leading trainers OF men Murphy
saws that inward fat, which is bound "a
accumulate around the vital organs, and
which, OF course. does not show on the out
side may sap the vitality on which he
depends Sc largely.
While Jetfries has been loahng, Johnson
perfect condition Further than that, the
negro has quite as much If not more, skill
;r the art Of boxing and carries with II e
punch which is quite likely to be dan
syerous even for such human OK as the
onetirr2e champion Under the clrcum-
stances. i seems TO me that the chances
IRE about even, and that those who are
offering odds on the outcome are being
spaved by prejudice sentiment. With
out anv outstanding reason 10 hack up my
opinion. I have a feeling that Johnson
with his skill and cunning viii be able to
wear down his rival, unless a lucky punch
ends The battle one way or the other in
short order
The YANKEES make one think of the old
tale of Robert Bruce and the spider. The
future King OF Scotland watched thai
spider climbing I'D, only 10 be dashed dowr
as II was near its goal time after time
The Yankees resemble the spider Every
tine they get near the top they lose G
double header 10 the Athletics and topplt
down again But. like the spider, they
climbed up again after their first expert
cree and il is 10 he hoped that they viii
do SO this time An excellent way 10 begir
would be by winning two games from the
Athletics to-day There is no reason Il
believe that the team will not soon find it,
self L has played a lot Of good baseball
10 the Athletics is unpleasant, II is by nc