Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-12-29
Looks like JOHNSON IS
THROUGH WITH PRIZE RING

San Francisco, Cal.-When Jack
johnson Atst talked OF retiring many
thought 1t was merely one Of the
champions whims, and that he would
be back In the game with both feet
the first time proper inducements"
were made to him.
New corrobative Testimony is forth.
coming that Jack Is through with the
frivolities of the ring and that he II
plagued with ennui to the extent that
he does not care continental who
succeed to the TIE.
He valves all rlsnt to voice in the
bestowal Of the laurels and says he
has no suggestions to make as to the
heavyweights best fitted to wear
them.
This is bad. It means there will BE-
cloud on the heavyweight cham.
pionship for years-that the man
who assumes the prerogative without
licking Johnson. will be regarded az
a pretender, q 1ackal masquerading in
lions skin.
There must be continuity in thing
Of this kind. Each succeeding cham.
pion Is merely C. link in chain Of
destruction. The newest manor the
latest model. one might say-licked a
champion who licked another cham.
pion and 30. link BY link, we trace
our latest prize ring here back to some
dim and distant champ" Just as q
race horse traces to, the Byerley
Turk, or the barley Arabian.
When q broken link appears, there
is blot on the escutcheon of the
man whose reputational pedigree We
are investigating. and so 1t will be II
Johnson escapes from the game I'm.
licked and some one grabs his title.
This line Of argument is easily
proved sound. John l.. Sullivan de-
feated Paddy Ryan, who defeated Joe
Lewis; Jim Corbett defeated Sullivan;
Jim Jeffries defeated Jim Corbett;
Jim Jeffries defeated Bob Fitzsim.
mons and Jack Johnson didn't do
thing to Jeffries.
Just think of the mental suffering
OF the sporting editors Of the future
while trying to explain to old sub
scriber and constant reader that the
old line Of champions ended with
Johnson, and that the new breed IL
only kind Of q Manchu dynasty.
81
Something must be done to stall Of
the confusion that threatens the fistic
historians Of the coming years. We
must drag johnson back at any price
and this goes both ways" as this
slangster says-and have him trounced
to the queens taste.
1t should be done to keep the REQ
ord straight, and come to think Of it
twill be merely what some call poetic
retribution."
The Jefries that Johnson licked
was merely the husk Of the Jeffries
that used to be, and Johnson has as
much right to hearken to the come
back" cry as Jetfries had. especially !
II he prizes his right.
There's another angle to the ques-
ton which is bound to engender bit
terness of spirit. | refer to the racial
angle. If Johnson Is allowed to rest
In peace there will come time
and then succeeding time-in which
the men with the dark pigment be-
meath the cuticle will say:
"The first negro that was given
chance became the champion Of the
world. They couldn't defeat him, and
so as not to block the wheels Of
progress, he stepped aside and al
lowed them to arrange a fresh deal
The chain Of destruction which BE-
gan with Figg and Mendoza ended
with Jack johnson"
Joe Jeanette, through his man
ager, Dan McKettrick, Is the first to
lay claim to the crown left on the
bureau Of Jack johnson. McKettrick
says that he has shown himself su'
perior to Sam Langford on various oc-
casions, and that 1t wasn't so much
Australian gold as desire to evade
Jeanette that sent Langford scurry'
ing to the land Of the Kangaroo.
This is the first; shot In the new
campaign and Jeanette probably has
as much right to fire It as any Other
man.
But how are things to be brought
to focus! With Johnson on the re-
tired list, astute Hugh Mcintosh IS
sure to bill the impending Sam Lang I
ford-Sam McVea fight as worlds
championship struggle. and who IS 70 70.
gainsay him? n.
Maybe the best thing for Jeannette
to do is begin wedding out at MS
end. Let him hook up with jim
Flynn, who seems to be regarded az
the best Of the white heavies. and e
the winner Of that affair journey
Australia or coax the WHINE OF
McVea-Langford bout back to III
city. Then he will begin to get I'M
on the situation.
Tom O'Rourke, or some one pacA
in New York. has expressed the oplu
ion that white man would be cnam
pion Of the world again before lon III
II is not easy to see how the conclu
sion Is arrived at. If there is Wni.s
man In the lists at present VINO :
capable Of defeating Jeannette, Lans
ford and McVea, he Is kept unoe'
cover. .3..5
No, sir! So far as the palefaces az \
concerned, there is little hope IN "
outlook right now And the sfauo.
Of johnson is liable to fall ana thWa !.
the prospect any time during the ns .as
few years. Jeffries on the occas'v :.