The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-02-28
FIVE YEARS TO
BEAT JOHNSON
HIS ENMITY FOR JEFFRlES RE.
SPONSleLE FOR LATTER'S
DEFEAT IN RENO BAT
TIE.

IL will take five years To heat that
fellow" said Billy Lelaney, the great
trainer of fighters, as he squeezed out
the sponge he had used on Jack John
son when he seconded the Texan
against Jim Jeffries at Reno and
climbed out of the corner at the end
of the fight. The man he addressed
was his closest pal, Bob Deadly OF
Philadelphia, and now Delaney has
gone down the dark way from which
none return.
Delaney and Deadly were pals. They
were like John McGraw and Wilbur
Robinson, Ad Wolgast and "tIobo"
Dougherty or Eddie Collins and Bris
Lord. When Jim Jeffries refused to
tight Bill Squires after having agreed
to do so Delaney and the boilefmakcr
parted Delaney wired Deadly. who
walked into his own parlor and saw
the life-size painting Of Jim Jerfries.
lie sat a long time looking at the pic
ture Then he wrote Delaney that. no
matter what he did, he was with him.
Delaney" says Deady, always said
that IL was Jeffries who gave Johnson
the chance To be the champion. Had
he kept faith and beaten Sauires. then
Tommy Burns would never have had
the chance to whip the Australian ana
become the star. Jack Johnson chased
Burns TO Australia and beat Burns,
then JEFF had To come out and fight.
Delaney was the man who handled
Johnson from the instant that Jelfries
nun&ed out of that flpht. No one knew
it, but it was Billy who sent Johnson
after Burns. Delaney did not show his
hand until JefIries agreed TO fight
Johnson. then he came out in the open
and upset all arrangements by appear
ing at Reno. He would have bobbed
up in New York or California just the
same. 1t was on the cards for him To
do 1t. and Delaney never broke his
word. Had Jelfries known that Billy
vas back of Johnson he would never
have fought the Texan. for Delaney
was harder to beat than Johnson, and
Jeff knew IL.
There was never a question in the
mind of Delaney as To the better man.
My personal opinion is that the night
that Jim fought Jim Corbett he would
have beaten Jack Johnson. of today
Just as easily as he did Corbett, but
there is no way to prove that. | think
that Delaney thought the same. bat he
never would compare the past with the
present. lie bet his money and he
begged me to bet mine on Johnson, but
I could not bet against Jim. even if /
was with Delaney.
THE day that the fight came OFF
Delaney told me that II was the easiest
title ever won. and when he left the
ring he said that Johnson had even
been a shade better than he expected
him to be. and the reason that the
tight had gone so long was that he
insisted that the Texan take mol
chances and that he flag out ferries
"A syndicate of New York sports |
lid wire Delaney and they offered him
SIC. 900 To second Jeifries, but Delaney
wired them back, mo. not Tor the en-
tire Manhattan Island ! never knew
4 man who could love and hate like
Billy Delaney. lie was the greatest |
trainer the game ever knew. lie
handled three heavyweight champions |
linn Corbott. Jim Jeffries and Jack |
johnson. He had qui; the ga " son |
the Texan BEGAN to come 10 tao tUnt |
but he went back I'm To settle "a grudgc /
He had great hopes In Al kaufman,
4. f~f.
that disgruntled Delaney. and kaur-
man paid n heavy price for his tao
tics.
'Pily said that IL would take FIVE
years TO beat Jack Johnson, and I
guess he Is right. although don't see
"A man IN sight now, unless 1t is Al
Palzer. who can beat the champion.
II viii take Palaer another two years
TO be AT his best"