Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-09-22

kxz&%E s&> the blacks are the
ESA down grade.
EEszzs1s2zA -M3z8 Recently Joe Jean
nctte, the man regarded by many experts
as best qualified to battle Jack johnson
for the heavyweight title, engaged in a
bout with Tony Ross at a local club. and
his work was very poor. He fought Ike
third rater.
Orlz :. short time before, in Pittsburgh
Jeanette had met light heavyweight.
also a colorei man, by the name of jeff
clark ana reports from the steel city
said Jeannettc had the worst of the
quarrel.
Little attention was paid to the story
at the time. and until he met Ross, Joe
was Still looked upon as one OF the class1-
est opponents OF pugidSm. In that en-
Eagement Jeannette's falling off III form
was startling. The only thing that saved
him q licking was the fact that Ross was
in miserable condition ard afraid TO hght
Had Al Palzrr been in front OF jean
natte on that occasion the negro would
nave been Il dead card in pugilisln to-
Gav That's my opinion. Tom o Rourke
has always conteuded, and the veteran
J. corhing good judge, that Je;tnnette Is
made to order for PalzeT. Tom was
pointing his charge in Jeannette's dircc-
ton when 81 decided to kick over the
traces and so il alone
Jearnette has not faced first-class
ford last year Not that it is his fault.
No one OF his class has shown a desire to
Ining!e with him III the ring Even the
doughty Lansford was accused or run
ming out of twenty-round match sched-
uIed for California last fall. Many OF
Joc's matches during the past twelve
months were more in the nature OF WORK
outs than ANYTHING else, but when he ran
across Jeff Clark it was another story.
Clark, a man twenty-five pounds nghter
and of little reputation. made matters
more than interesting for the ambitious
Jeanette
If Joe showed his best the night of the
Tony Ross match, and there is no reason
to think otherwise. he has gone back,
sure as you're born. So far back, indeed,
that he can no longer be reckoned
championship possibility. Ross was fat
and IN no shape to box and Yet Jeanette
could not hurt him. In the sixth round
Tony was ready to drop, but from ex-
haustion and not from any punishment
Jeanette inflicted upon him. When Joe
met IaESford last he had a hefty punch
particularly u straight left that would
Jar tn, Boston negro every time it landed
lie pulled the same blow on Ross. but
there was little force to il. And his moo Ks
and swings went wide of the mark when
they were not blocked In fact. Ross was
holding his own up to the time he COL
lapsed from weakness, and Tony is no
hulI moose When fighter hits the de-
cline lie goes pretty fast as a rule. and. to
Judge from recent exhibitions Joe has
good start
I.augford and McVey. also members of
the colored heavyweight quartet that has
long had the Indian sign on the paeface
boxers, have been sojourning so long III
Australia that IL IS difficult TO get a cor
rect lire on their standing Ill the ranks
The two Sans have had the heavyweight
game cornered in that far-off country.
They have been holding sort of heavy
weight tournament. with themselves the
only entries. I'D To date the tar bafy
has "A shade on NcNey.
From the Published accounts of their
most recent meeting ! should say that
I.anSford. although winning the decision,
has started on the down grade. After
reading tic story OF the milling round by
round. / believe he has lost much of the
fighting spirit that featured his early ca
recr.
--~fhe Lansford that recall was wlls.
might be termed scientific -siugger.''
BY tiIat~I mean d boxer with good judg-
IuPut in hitting. wasting few blows, and
q punch that hurts when il lands. In this
latter respect Sam was freak. as his
hitting ability out of all proportion
10 his build.
The I.an;,ford ! read OF in the Aus
tralian papers was different sort Of in
diviGual vt 10 time during the mill did
he show fash Of the form that made
hiu tn" terror OF the l.eavvweights III
tbs country and EnGidnd-at least, so far
! could judge from the account of the
BATH" pcrused, 1t was q very tame
and very tired tar baby" that pulled
w victor after struggling through twenty
rounds with McNey. The latter was not
particularly dangerous at any stage of
tho milling and the Impression prevails
among Australian critics that he is all
In fighter of the first rank. But
J.angford was not equal TO the occasion
when opportunity offered chance TO
4niSn his opponent.
Jack johnson claims to have retired
from the game for good and all. l sup
pose that means ne Is through with II as
n \ ne F.tf f{a han ljg *
lu- proposition until that venture
needs advertising. Fog the present We
vii! have 10 take IL word that the
tlrrmcut l. on the level. EVEN should he
later ou change ais ,4ind. it is probable
he has seen MS best days in the ring.
JACn showed big decline in lighting
Skill III the Fourth cf July bout with Jim
Flynn. " Aen The state police stopped
that affair johnson. TIE champion was
holding his smaller opponent and holIer-
ING for help. Jim was too rough, he
claimed. In the previous meeting OF the
men Johnson toyed with Flynn until the
latter attempted to rough matters. Then
he put the finishing punch over. At Las
Vegas all Johnson could co TO protect
himself from Jim's aggressive methods
was TO grab and hold on for dear life,
the while appealing to the referee for
protection. He tired champion
when the authorities interfered, and l
reckon ne decided that day II was time
10 omit the game.
With the champion on the retired list,
Jeanette furnishing ample evidence that
he is already seated on the tobosgan. and
reports from Australia suggesting that
Iangford is no longer the BLACK demon
Of CID there is good reason TO believe the
white race has excellent chance of
again ruling the pugilistic roost within
the near future.
Luther McCarty made hit with Pitts
furgh fans and the sport public in gen
Cral by handing Chicago Jim Barry an
artistic trimming for SIX rounds. For
comparative novice McCartys work was
surprising. While Barry has without
Goubt deteriorated. il was thought his
knowledge and experience would offset
the Superior Youthful and physical ad-
vantaSes Of the latest heavyweight dis
coVe-y. A few wears ago Barry sus-
Iected of hiding championship possibili-
Ties somewhere about his person. but Sam
14angford contriyed TO change the public
opinion on that point. OF late Jim has
been meeting ali corners, with varying
success. Only recently returned from
Ea m ryn