Bisbee daily review., 1911-12-21
RETIREMENT PLANS OF JOHNSON DON'T
 RING QUITE TRUE
Sporting Writer Picks State ment 10 Pieces and Finds Flaws All
 Through Ii
SHINE NOT IN EARNEST
lBy Harry B. smithl

tBy Harry E. Smithl
 Given fresh impetus by the recent dispatches from Chicago of the in- tention of the champion to relinquish his championship. the prospects of the retirement Of Jack Robinson have been given due consideration in sporting circles the last week It is possible of course. that Johnson is thinking of retiring as the dispatches would in- dicate, but you'll not find one sport ing man out of a hundred who will agree that the Chicago heavyweight will ever stay retired any length of time.
 It isn't in the blood of the average fighter to stay retired while he has his laurels with him. Jeffries came closer to it than any scrapper Of re- cent years. and even Jeffries' wasn't able to withstand the blandishments of his friends and urging of the news papers, so that after several years of complete rest he was back in the ring only to meet downfall.
 But, aside from the rule that in variably holds good, you have the personality Of Jack Johnson to deal with in this particular case. IT there was ever a chap proud of his position that chap is Johnson. and when l say that he values the championship even far beyond what it might mean to him in dollars and cents, it is no eXaggeration.
 Johnson knows that he is black, ap- preciates that the color line operates against him and for that very reason believes that the fact that he is the heavy weight champion of the world gives him power and prestige. There never was a fighter more affable be fore large crowds or more anxious to have the multitude staring at him. He fairly lives in the atmosphere of being one of the observed of all ob- servers.
 Time and again Johnson has dropp- ed remarks that would let you know how much he values his position, lt Twas this very thing that caused so many who had closely followed his career to believe that his bout with Jim Jenries would be above board and on the square They knew that it would take a lot of money, more, doubtless, than would have been offer ed. to induce Johnson to quit or take defeat.
 Can you wonder then that the idea of Johnson permanently retiring from the ring doesn't strike those who know him seriously. One couldn't blame him if he were to settle down for lengthy rest, for, with the lack of material at hand, there are no match es Of big magnitude in sight for him.
 Of course, the rest of some eighteen months that be has been enjoying, to- gether with the long wait that is un- occasionally in front of him, isn't gO- ing to do him any good. It may be exaggeration to say that Johnson is weighing geo pounds at the present time, but it would occasion no surprise if it were true. Johnson would still be hard to beat. but, if he continues living in the same fashion for the next year or so, he might go down before an opponent as easily as was the case in California with the Califor- nian.
 Sam Langford is the one man in the ring today who would be figur. ed as having any chance with John, son. Quite a number of the fans, 1 find have an idea that Johnson is lsfraid of Langford and therefore steering clear of him. That sounds a bit farfetehed. but in another F months it might be another story
 At all events, the heavyweight title isn't apt to be changing hands for some time Quite naturally, if John son comes home, and, to all appear ances. quits the ring and settles down to some humdrum business life, there would be a scurrying of white hopes and a process of elimination to deter mine the best man in the lists.
 And perhaps, just perhaps, that's what Johnson is looking forward to. He has a good head for business de- tails and may have it figured out that the sooner there is one white man who is credited with standing out over his fellows. the sooner there will be another genuine match for the crowd. And a big match of that sort, provid- ed it could be held without interfer- ence, would mean some money to J. Arthur