The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-02-10
is TEX RICKARD
ONLY FOOL|NG
Promoter Planning Another J.".
and Johnson Battle.
NEGRO SAYS HE is WILLING
II Men Are Matched Where Will Bout
Be Held?-PubIic Would Not Look
Upon It With Favor-Would Not At
tract Any Great Interest.
BY TOMMY CLARK.

BY TOMMY CLARK.
One finds it pretty hard to take seri-
ously the plans of Tex Rickard to puli
of another fight between Jack john
son and Jim Jeffries. Yet the Reno
promoter is not merely talking, but is
likely to go through with his scheme.
Rickard has given it out that he hold /;
Johnson's promise to meet Jeff at any
time that it might suit his pleasure,
provided the right sized purse was
offered, and Rickard is now working
hard to get Jeff's consent to arrange
the match. The fact that Jeffries has
repeatedly charged that he was drug
ged on the day he fought Johnson
leads to the belief that it will not be
difficult matter to induce him to
fight the negro again.
Jeffries recently stated that he
would not fight again. Still, it mus,
be remembered he said the same thing
when he was first approached to meet
Johnson after the latters defeat of
Tommy Burns. 1t is not necessary to
review unpleasant history which was
made when he changed his mind. 1t
is a possibility of similar reversal of
ideas that Tex Rickard and his associ-
ates are banking on at the present
time. Jeff's real friends hope he will
close the argument for all time with a
curt refusal to fight again, but this is
far from assured.
If the men are matched, where will
the fight be held? 1t surely will not
take place in San Francisco. And il
Rickard plans to hold it in Reno he
would lose a fortune.
Just what view the public would
take Of such match remains to be
seen. Right now the sentiment would
be against a return engagement, for
those who can figure Jeffries as having
chance are few and far between. 1t
would be looked upon as a mere effort
on the part of those interested to get
the public's money.
Jeffries and Johnson might make Il
fair amount of coin out of the bout,
thanks to the repeated hollers from the
California bear that he is positive
he was drugged, but it would be no
worldwide sensation. Outside of JEFF
fries, his immediate family and one
or two newspaper writer's who are
warm personal friends of the defeated
idol, no one even hints that Jeff could
come back, even with the most strenu-
Gus training.
If he was all in at Reno, why
shouldn't he be in worse shape, so far
as fighting is concerned, a year or so
hence? Fight enthusiasts might attend
because the sporting public sometimes
likes to be bunkoed, but the fight, in
all probability. would have the same
sort Of ending. But there would be
this satisfaction in handling the
match-Jetf would have to come down
from his lofty throne of indifference
and sullenness to make the match q
financial success. He would have TO
train under orders and be more agree
able to the world at large.
AS a defeated champion, and defeat
ed with no credit to himself, Jim JEFF
fries would likely discover the sporting
public inclined to treat him more
COiuly lueIt WOulu De less running
after Jeff and more necessity for him
to play the courtier, however painful
In signing for such fight the Cali
fornian would make it apparent that
he wants the money rather than, as
he once loftily put it, the glory of re-
claiming for the white race the heavy
weight championship. Nor will he be
able to lay the blame of forcing him
back into the ring upon the newspa-
pers.
The former boilermaker should un.
derstand once for all that public senti-
ment does not require him to get back
into the game. The public is either In
different on the subject or would op-
pose it if it had a word to say. JEFF
fries may fight for the sake of gold,
but that will be all. The proposed
fight cannot stand out by itself and
would be nothing more than a contest
between the recognized champion and
one of the familiar sights of the prize
ring-the beaten man who wants one
more chance.