The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-12
EXPERTS GIVE
THEIR OPINIONS
Many Will Not Bet Their Money
on Jeffries-J Johnson Prize
Fight.
TOM SHARKEY In EARNEST
in CHALLENGING WINNER
WoIgast Is First of German
Extraction to Win Light
weight Championship.
BY JEFF THOMPSON.
ased Wire to Tho Tribune.


, quarrel between James j. Jeffries and
Jack Johnson July 4 will either kill box
ing entirely In this country or else give
1t an impetus towards popularity It has
never had the good fortune to enjoy.
Much depends upon tho kind OF struggle
put up by the two gladiators who meet
In the ring.
The universal opinion Is that the fight
Will be conducted fairly and squarely,
IT IS not believed that either man VIII
be hurt, Ono will win with knockout.
Expressions from prominent athletes
the world over all agree that the struggle
will be splendid one and that II viii
be conducted above board and in strict
fairness TO all concerned.
John NORM, director Of public safety
In Pittsburg, whose duty 1t Is TO inspect
fighters appearing in the Smoky City,
''There is no doubt that the big fight
will be OH the level. Otherwise the pic
lures would be worthless. I don't know
who Will win but each man thinks he
can beat the other"
Joe Cans. former lightweight champion
OF the world:
while 7 wouldn't crfticlsc the JeffrIes-
Johnson fight. | will say that I will bet
none of my money on II. ! firmly believe
the battle VIII be fought on the square.
tell"
Harry Irving Green. well known anna
teur boxer and all round athlete OF the
University of Michigan:
while | am convinced that the night
Will be honest. ! think that Tex Rckard
| should not referee It, 1t looks suspicious
it nothing else"
Ralph Kinney Of Cleveland, o., former
Yale athlete. says:
'T see no reason to think that the COM
ing struggle win not be strictly honest
] believe X viii be"
Many others say the Same thing among
them such authorities as Joe Nolan. the
Cincinnati sporting writer; G. Connect
football referee OF the University Of Vir-
ginia; Ted Coy. tho great football player;
John w. Nickel. president OF the National
Athletic club OF Baltimore; John l.. Sulll-
van James j. Corbott. Eddie Hanlan.
formerly manager OF the Brooklyn base
hall team: Stakeholder Tim Sullivan and
many others
In Pine Condition.
Both James J. Jcffries and Champion
Jack Johnson arc now in tue midst OF
their hardest work. They arc putting on
the finishing touches. Both men Will
stop training practically July ! and do
Just enough work from then on 10 keep
tho muscles supple and Timber.
The training OF The men has placed the
preliminary work In prize lights upon
rev plane Nowadays training is a com
bInation OF work, play and theatricals
For Instance. Johnson has tcnt
stretched near the Seal Rocks hotol. with
n regular barker. The coon champion
was inside giving an exhibition and many
people paid real money 10 get INTO tnc
side show 10 sec the big smoke work.
Corbett put lot OF ginger Into the
work at Camp Jeffriea and he Is the most
confident man in the world that Jehrios
Speaking Of the approaching conflict
Corbett says:
johnson will not last over twenty
rounds. lie lacks the staying power, and
his footworlt cannot compare with Jcf's
lie cannot take the punishment which
JeffrIes is suro to innlct ,upon, him.
Johnson is a clever fighter, but he VIII
go up against a wonder on Independence
day. | am betting on Jeffrlcs, and so
are my friends. through my advice"
Tom sharkey,. who gave Jeifries the
hardest battle OF his career is really In
earnest about challenging tho winner
July t. Tom has already started 10 train
and he Will likely mako his future home
! I'm California. where the fighting Is good.
| Tom Is a sad sad mon when he thinks
| of the great sum OF money going To Jcf-
fries and Johnson, Sure. Tom has made
money with his Fourteenth street sa-
| loon but he canriot make 1t fast enough
Neither James Jcnries nor Hans wag
| ner Is satisfied with his present laurols'
| and both aspire 10 the same goal. They
| would rather be the worlds champion
| fisherman than tho foremost boxer and
| baseball player. Both Jer and wagner
steal away TO the favoTltc haunts OF the
| Gnnv fellows at every opportunity. AS
followers of IzaalI Walton they arc both
| star performers.
stanley Kctchel has ,forcsworn bis ia
NOUS red nghtIng trunks and now sticks
| 10 black. Kctchol wore red so that the
| stain OF blood would not show. Now he
Will wear nothing but black
| lightweight who IS now on the coast,
says that he VIII never again cumher
| himself with manager. Bronson has
some pretty good ideas on the managerial
| question evidently strengthened through
| the actions of Sam Berger and George
| Little. Bronson says:
| About the first thing that n celebrity
or a near-celebrity does Is Ia secure
manager. True, this Is not the case with
| the celebrities of every sport, but Tor
tho stars OF the hstic arena this Is In
This is the way / reason. particularly
| since having one or two unpleasant eN-
pericnccs by having my affairs ruled by
| another. / fnd that, after all, II Is for
| my own opinion To decide whether or
not I VIII fight, and as to whether the
| terms are satisfactory or not J also
| find that the average promoter knows
| whether he desires "A boxer as card or
whether he. as manager or not. Is 10
handle the transaction.
Some Top Notchers
Jimmy Britt became lop-notcher
| without manager and then he made
| his brother. Willis Britt. famous as his
| manager. Battling Nelson reached the
! top of the ladder before he secured Billy
Nolan. and Nolan became famous simply
carrying out the Battlcr's ideas. This
applies TO Tommy Ryan and Kid Mccoy
| and Tommy Burns And stars in 9TH
er sports are able to pilot their own des-
tinlcs, ! do not why the average
prize fighter cannot do the same as
frankly. 7 believe many managers arc a
handicap to the men that they repre-
sent.
Battling Nelson has finally quit the
stage and Is talking in Il business like
| manner OF his approaching battle with
Ad WolSast when the Battler will again
try TO lift the lightweight title and take
It back to Hegewlsch. Nelson has proved |
| about the best drawing card among the
puSllsl-actor folks and he Is already cN-