Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-05
.CORBETT PRAISES
EFF'S CONDITION
Former Champion Says Californian
Is Fit to Fight at Drop
of Hat.
VERY MUCH SURPRISED
AT HIS SPEEDY WORK
Thespian Says Boxing Stunts Will
Put Wind in Shape for Long,
Hard Battle.
By James J. Corbett.

Copyright. 1910, Icy TIE Tribune Compsuv1
Unauthorized reproductions OF this article WIN
be prosecutedl
SAN FRANCISCO. June 4-Aftcr VIVA.
might be termed an uneventful though
tedious trip ] reached ray native CITY ~
San Francisco on schedule time AS the
case has always been with me- few oe
my old-time ard most Intimate friends
went up the road some distance 10 NEE,
me. and l cannot deny that IL gave IN,
deep pleasure to see ard greet them
again.
We chatted on various subjects, such as
business, etc, wren OF a sudden Mr.
Smith OF the San Francisco Chronicles
reminded me of the fact that some OF the
newspaper boys had come quite q dis
lance in company with my relatives and
friends in the hope OF nearing me say
something anent that most important 81
all subjects where l am concerned. IT,
Jeffries-Johnson fgnt. RE aided that he
hoped L would be considerable enough 10
give them some expression OF my views
on the matter.
After assuring lin that ] would gladly
do SO were ii not for the fact that had
not seen Jeffr.eS since he went into
active training. 1t was agreed that [
should postpone such expression until
such time as I should see Jehries at
a better position to talk more intelligently
of this great fighter, whose task has been
long and hard effort to get in condi-
ton.
About this time, or rather while t!s
subject was still Under discussion. tho
train pulled into the. Oakland mali.
where Frisco passengers board the huge
boats for San Francisco Unmindful OF
ausht else but to climb aboard and get
Whit OF that most pure. fresh, Yet pierre
ing salt air as it swept its way across
the broad Pacific, / might have passed
by the bunch of boys who had decided
on second thought TO cross the bay and
extend the hand OF welcome.
Tex Richard, Jack Gleason, Sam Ber-
ger, Jim Coffroth. Eddie Graney, Mat
Larken, Jack Welsh, my brother Tom
and many others were among those pres
ent, ard the first bit of news given 10
me was that .Jeffries, who was TO APP
pear that night in a public boxing eahi-
bition. was late i'm reaching the city, his
intention being to greet me on my ar
rival.
1t was Immediately decided by one and
all that We should repair to the. other
depot and await -Jeff's arrival, and sort
happened that / met Jeff instead OF him
meeting me. Our greeting, of course,
was most cordial and both of us were
glad that the time was at hand when
the boxing end of his training would be
in full blast.
] did not sec him again till that night
at DTcafDlaHG flnh, Nlen he boxed three
rounds with Joe Choynski and three with
his brother Jack. This public exhibition
was gotten up merely TO let the people
see Jeffries-in action that they might
judge for themselves as TO his condition
1t was huge success.
Huge Crowd to See JEFF.
The place was jammcd TO suhocatIon.
and in passing l might mention that Oh
being introduced to the crowd, il gave
them immense pleasure TO see Zoe
Choynski and myself shake hands ard
bury the Ratchet. We are friends again
after twenty-five years, and many there
were III that vast audience whose menu
Dry. carried them back To our terrific
battle on a barge in San Francisco bag.
There were those present no doubt. who
were truly pleased at our shaking hands.
Now, / doubt If any one VINO saw JEFF
fries box was more surprised at his con
dition than l was Before I arrived i
had read considerable about his faithful
aiming at Rowardennan. But I told
the newspaper men on my arrival. 1
would rather sec him i'll action before
myself.
In some of the reports I had read L
feared that they had painted the lily
trifle whittier than il ought tn be. After
seeing him in the ring I can only say
the newspaper men have not INDUCED
in particle of exaggeration.
JeffrieS looks even better than ] ex-
pecttu 10 ma MN. tie Is IN reanty a.
revelation His appearance is convincing
evidence that he has trained carefully
and well. After looking him over care
fully, 1 could not find "A trace OF what
one might term superfluous flesh. His great.
massive muscles stood out prominently ali
over his body. He looked much like d.
carefully trained athlete as he did the
last time / fought MIN. OF course JEFF
looks somewhat older than he did then.
and for that matter he is older but as to
his condition / difference lie
simply looks immense.
He did not do enough that night to
show me how good his wind is His box
ing partners carried the work to him.
which did not necessarily make his ex-
hibtion difficult to do.
Johnson will not be as aggressive as
choynski and Brother Jack were or L am
in my man. While | have not
seen what one might term d great deal
Of Johnson, i am quite familiar with his
style of milling. and there is denying
that he is a great defensive fighter. But.
strangely unlike most fat-footed boxers.
le is not aggressive.
1 do not mean to say that fiat-footed
boxers are poor men in the ring. but am
simply pointing out popularity of the ne
gro. Nor has he shown a punch. 1t is
rue that he knocked out Tommy Burns
md Stanley Ketcheli. but they were both
small men. Why. when l fought and put
out Charley Mitchell they thought | had
1 wonderful punch.
o say was that il Jeffries' wind is right
here is no reason why he should not be
lble TO fight in couple of weeks Look
ng at him as he is, l should say there is
more danger of him being overturned
han undertrained July 4. We must guard
lgainst Jeffries doing too much.
He is one of those fighters who do like
o drill and. like most fighters who have
,een out of the ring for spell, there is
LANCER of his digging harder into his work
han lie ordinarily would. l have felt
hat / worked too hard for some of my
lights
Looking at Jeffries in this offhand way.
would say that all he needs to pet him
N edge would be little fast boxing to
one up his speed Before he leaves
he will have all the boxing
hat is necessary.
Boxing is a hobby with me, and | am
onfident | have enough left to give JEFF
sufficient amount of work along this
inc. ! am anxious TO get down TO Row
rdennan and put on the gloves with the
ig fellow.
At this date, however. can assure JEFF
ries' supporters throughout the country
hat they need lose no sleep ever his con-
ition. As ] said before. he looks im-
tense.