El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-09-21

IN HE signs of the times in pugi-
ism point toward the close Of
L the reign of the negro in pugi-
lism. AS our Wan street friends
would put it. the white market has an
upward tendency.
Or perhaps it would better describe
the situation to say that the blacks are
on the down grade.
Recently Joe Jeanette the man re-
garded by many experts best qualified
to battle Jack Johnson for the heavy
weight title engaged in bout with
Tony Ross at a local club and his work
was very poor. He fought like a third
rater.
Only a short time previous in Pitts
burg Jeanette had met a light heavy
weight. also a negro by the name of
Jeff Clark, and reports from the steel
city said Jeanette had the worst Of
the quarrel
Little attention was paid to the story
at the time and, until ne met Ross, Joe
was still looked upon as one of the
classiest opponents of pugilism. In
that engagement Jeannette's falling
off in form was startling The onl-
thing that saved him licking was tn
fact that Ross was in miserable cOndi-
ton and afraid to fight.
Had al Palzer been in front Of Jean
nette on that occasion the negro would
have been a dead card in pugilism to-
day. That's my opinion. Tom O'Rourkc
has always contended, and the veteran
is a cOrking good judge, that Jean
nette is made to order for Palzer- Tom
was pointing his charge in Jeannettes
direction Then Al decided to kick over
the traces and go il alone IN the fu-
Jeannette's Poor Record.
Jeanette has not faced a first, class
fighter since his bout with Sam Lang
ford last year. Not that it is his fault.
No one of his class has shown a de-
sire to mingle with him in the ring.
Even the doughty Langford was &C
cused of running out of a 20 round
match scheduled for California last
fall The majority of Joe's matches
during the past u months were more
in the nature of workouts than any
thing else, but when he ran across Jeff
Clark it was another story. Clark,
man % pounds lighter and of little
reputation, made matters more than
interesting for the ambitious Jean
nette.
II 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 a championship POSSIBLE
ity. Ross was fat and in no shape TO
box at all, and yet Jeanette could not
hurt him. In the sixth round Tony was
ready to drop, but from exhaustion and
not any punishment Jeanette infllct-
ed upon him When Joe met Lang
ford last he had hefty punch, par
ticularly a straight left that would
Jar the Boston negro every time one
landed He pulled the same blow on
Ross but there was little force TO it.
And his hooks and swings went wide
of the mark when they were not
blocked. In fact. Ross was holding his
own up to the time he collapsed from
weakness, and Tony is no bear cat.
When a fighter hits the decline he
goes pretty fast as a rule, and to
Judge from recent exhibitions Joe has
got a good start.
LangfOrd and McVey.
Langford and-McVey. also members
of the negro heavyweight quartet that
has long had the indian sign on the
paleface boxers, have been sojourning
so long in Australia that it is difficult
to get a correct line on their correct
standing in the ranks. The two Sans
have had the heavyweight game cor
nered in that faroff country. They
have been holding a sort of heavy
weight tournament with themselves
the only entries. Up to date the tar
baby has a shade on McNey.
From the published accounts of their
most recent meeting (Aug. 81, I should
say that Langford, although winning
the decision. has started on the down
grade. After reading the story of the