The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-03-20
jim JEFFRIES HAD THE MINERS GOAT

tablished as TO subsequent proceedings 4
that Munroe did stay the four rounds
The news that came out the next da,
was that he had not only stayed the foti
rounds. but had also knocked Jef down
This has been since repeatedly denied
and the best judges think that some
space grabbers' in Butte sent that par
of it out TO the press Of the country.
II you clearly remember the worship Of
Jeffries that was the prevailing note OF
the sport world at that time, II Is easy
to understand what a sensation this story
made. The fact that ne had stayed -four
! rounds was enough. and then the knock
down. Why. every sporting editor in the
country was adjuring the obscure Butte
| correspondent by his hopes Of big city
Job TO get all the "stuff" that he could
on Munroe and send it along. And the
| fight public cIamored for more,
The chap out IN Butte bad a good I'm
| agination. but It was provincial at the
best. and Munroe, after a feeble splurge.
might have lived and died IN Butte had
| 1t not been FOR Harry Pollok who had
had some experience as a manager of
heavy weights. SO had the heavy-weigfts.
As manager and press agent for Munroe.
Pollok displayed the Imagination Of a
Persian poet, the industry Of stevedore
and the gall Of a policeman.
He got Munroe signed up and ''manipu-
lated him after the fashion OF our &C
quaintences Of the late lamented Hooking
pool Slowly Munroe's stock went up and
Up until Il was given a final boost in
six-round fight with Sharkey at Phila-
delphia.
Sharkey was not at that time so dan
gerous that il would have taken the re-
serves OF more than one station to han
die him. lie was ruined as a fighter the
night that Jeffrles Caved in his mighty
ribs in the heat OF the arc lights at Coney
Island. But at that 1t Is hard to believe
that he was so bad that Munroe could
knock him down. Anyway that is what
happened. The Butte miner upset Shark
ey and the New York and Philadelphia
newspapers gave him the decision.
Some Great Press Yarns.
This was great stun Tor Pollok and
Munroe, and Immediately thereafter there
came numerous statements to the effect
that Munroe had knocked Jeffries down
and that the only reason JEFF wouldn't
fight him was that the champion realized
that it wouisi be g knockout IN longer
fight.
Pollok was also sending out stories that
indicated that Munroe's idea OF calisthen-
les was to grab the flywheel of = dummy
engine in the mine and wind It up the
reverse wsy. He used to do this instead
OF taking lunch every day or so until he
blew out a couple Of cylinder heads and
the company made him stop it. He saved
a lot of money on dynamite by doing
most of his blasting with his fists.
1t is quite possible that even all of this
might not have had the necessary effect
bad 1t not been for Munroe's undeniabIe |
size. He was certainly a big, overtower-
ng bum. with q ferocious expression and |
4 great hairy chest. He took" splendid |
y in photographs. and you can bet that |
Pollok didn't overlook these possibilities.
When Munroe began calling JEFF a cur |
)r words to that effect, it was too much |
The public was worked up 10 the point |
where II wanted to see the fight. and JEFF !
inally agreed to meet him There is no |
ioubt that the big champion. knowing
What the public did not know. was really
angry But If he could pay of a grudge
md get a few thousand dollars IN the
ame few minutes, why not?
Jim Coffroth, the Frisco promoter,
ooked over the publicity that the fight
lad received and decided that he Vould