Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-07-05

and temper within reasonable con-
fines.
Reno. New, July 5.-Perhaps Il
was a case Of youth being served;
perhaps it was something psychOlog-
ical; perhaps il was a piece Of luck.
At any rate Jack Johnson tOdav
stands forth as the greatest heavy
weight in the world. with none 70
dispute his title unless it is sam
Langford. equally black and fully as
confident as Jehries was yesterday.
that he can take the measure Of
Tommy Burns conqueror. The
serving Of youth may have been a
factor in the downfall Of the hope
OF the white race; PHYSIOLOGY may
have entered very largely. and luck
also may have figured. but TO get
down to the real nubbin OF the
thing, is as complex as the many
excuses offered for Jeff's defeat.
In the first place, there is no de-
nying the fact that johnson showed
the greatest speed. strength, judg-
ment and skill. His remarkable de-
fense was ever to the fore and Jefrs
best efforts we're turned aside as a
ducks back turns aside water.
But was It the negro's superior
fighting quality that won the battle
for him; was it a lucky punch or
was it strange pail that seemed to
come over Jeffries the moment he
stepped into the ring?
Fair minded critics will not take
anything away from Johnson for the
victorious battle he fought. He
fought cleanly. cleverly and with
his consumate skill he combined the
qualities of a gentleman. so far as
gentlemanly conduct can go in the
prize ring. where the principal aim
Of each contestant is 10 knock the
block of" OF his honorable opponent
Jack never transgressed the rules.
He took no undue advantage while
the referee was not looking but
Iashed out squarely and when he
landed il was a fair punch.
Getting down to brass tacks. JET
lost everything ne showed in train
ing the moment he stepped into the
ring. He had absolutely nothing.
Cold as a fish, his hands more like
icicles than the great bone and girls
tie mallers that sent so many men
70 defeat He was nothing like the
JeT whose training stunts made the
great trainers marvel and say he
would make mince meat out OF John
son. Why he should have bone 10
pieces upon entering. the ring. as
Sam Berger, Jim Corbett and Billy
MuldoOn say he did. is an intangible
something that may come under the
head of psychology. Psychology or
whatever you may call It. johnson
seemed TO have Jeh's goat, and no
matter what the power or influence,
johnson won easily and fairly.
The lucky punch talk made its
debut in the second round. johnson
bounced a sizzling straight left OF
the white mans eye. Instantly 1t
began to swell. The punch did not
rock Jef but his eye was In bad
shape. The moment the punch
landed he looked dazed and stepped
into the easiest sort OF punches 10
avoid His Judgment Of distance
went to pieces and he began to fight
ike a vasheTwoman. To the men
IN his corner the answer was appar-
emily simple. He had been symps-
thetieally blinded. The punch on
the right eye had hit the sympa-
thetic nerve and the left eye was as
useless as it's mate.
Il can see two Johnson's" said
Jen 20 Roger Cornell, 10 whom had
been entrusted the task OF taking
care OF the cuts and bruises. when
he big fellow took his chair az the
end OF theseeond round Il bit az
one and miss. and then the other
man hits me-"
From that round on. Il Is claimed
IeB as practically blind and when h
'ashed out Il was merely instinct
He could not see but knew that the
negro was before and not behind
him
Blinded or no. too long out OF
ne ring 20 come back a victim q
nerves or what not. Jen was
whipped, and fairly. and a more