The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-26
JOHNSON TALKS
OF WHITE Hopes
Thinks Carl Morris Is Huge
Joke and Won't Make
Good.
CAN'T LEARN FROM BOOKS
Fighting Must Be Learned in
Ring, Where Hard Knocks
Bring knowledge.
CAN'T LEARN FROM BOOKS

San Francisco, February 35.~-Thcra
10 no telling, OF course. what a year.
or even Sew months. may bring forth.
but for the present the puGilisttc stu
alton. SO far as It affects the heavy
weights, has boon completely nettened
e out by one Jack Johnson.
On the part OF the public there Is
neither interest nor speculation In the
doings OF tho big fellows The notion
has crystali!zed. apparently. that ) John
con Is unbeatable. and until something
crops UP TO create doubt on this point,
the question Of the worlds champion
ship may be regarded as something
that has been laid away In lavender.
For proof OF this bark back TO tn.
way Johnson's coming TO San Fran
cisco was handled by the San Francisco
papers. There were comparatively
lneagre reports Of the champions ar
rival the morning after. Since then
there has been no mention OF him, I'M
less maybe a brief reference to an
arrest for speeding. Johnson himself
seems quite content to have II that
way. Fighting is the thing furthcst
from HIS mind. and strange though II
may seem, he IL not counting pub
lic!ty.
Enjoying His Long Hest.
He has bungalow out by tho sad SEQ
waves, but 1t Is merely q starting poir,
x for automobile trips. It Is very sell
dom that he iE to be found there. For
Jack johnson now tho world Is ono
bis boulevard. and he has discarded
his boxing gloves for goggles. HI is
arrested go frequently that sonle one
has advised him to inquire into the
Il feasibility OF securing season ticket
or book of nne coupons. 1t has been
pointed out to him that no could hand
n coupon to each park policeman who
stops him for fast driving and thus
do away with the necessity OF getting
UP early In the morning to attend
court.
johnson g tho dullest subject an
interviewer ever tackled-thnt is, If
the interviewer is after fight talk"
In order to get the big black man to
discuss with briskness and intelligence
any question relating to pugilism one
has to lay a foundation for such dis
cussion by posting him as to what Is
IN progress without such stimulus
his mind IS blank. or, at any rate.
his lackadaislal manner would lead ono
to such a conclusion.
Finally Opens Up.
johnson was finally persuaded to dis
DUES the outlook day or two ago by
quizzing him about the largo number
of practically untricd3 heavyweight hts
that were being 30 extensively adver
tised johnson had not spoken a
dozen words before It became appar-
ent that he considers the hope indus
try a huge joke. He warmed UP slight
~ TO his subject after g while aud
prattled along without further ques-
tioning.
"Ths fellow Carl Morrir. who has
been taken In nand by an Oklahoma
millionaire, Is the biggest Joke Of the
lot" said Jack. When he was first
spoken OF was slightly Interested,
and made up my mind TO watch his ca
recr; but I see he is not to have any
career for a while. They are going to
coddle him and try and bring him along
under cover. They won't allow him TO
meet even a third-rate man. II my In
formation Is correct, but they are go
. ting to employ trainnr5 and .coachcr.
and give him private rims education
That settles Morris. in my opinion. be-
cause you can't make q fighter that
way. Experience Is the most valuable
part OF lighters stock In trade. and
tho only way you can gain experience
is by giving and taking hard knocks
IN real fights.
Must Have ABILITY.
ABILITY, OF course. is the first essen
iial with a fighter. but all the ability
IN the world Is useless unless YOU have
learned by experience how to employ IT,
There Is very little difference between
pugilist and horses. have had
something TO do with horses. You cail
take the clessieHt two-year-old that
was ever bred. and schco!ed. and he
Will be beaten every time you ask him
to hook with n four-year-old. know
what am talking about. and when
read that this fellow Carl Morris was
to I've kept out OF the game and not
allowed to gain his knowledge by talk
Ing the rough with the smooth. as the
rest OF US had to do, 1t did not take
inc long TO decide that ne would neve:
he heard from as a championship fac
tor. II addition to teaching him how
Il 10 handle himself, experience breeds
confidence. * man who expects 20 get
TO tho top Of the pugilistic ladder with
out experience or confidence is a fool"
Johnson holds that the most sue
cessful fighters Of modern days arc
born. and not made, and feeling that
way about it, he is all the more In