Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-12

*NxNa with the proper
.....A...a..- fighting spirit
His debut in Gotham with Jim Stewart,
the Brooklyn trial horse, was hardly
what could be called impressive, yet the
lad scored hit with the immense crowd
present by his willingness to mix it up at
all stages and his gameness in absorbing
the punishment the more clever Stewart
administered.
Leaving the Garden after the contest
the other evening. / overhead a gentle
man who had witnessed the festivities
confide to friend that Luther has the
markings of a champion and is first
class raw material" He surely has the
markings" if 200 pounds of bone and
muscle and proportionate build are the
standard by which they are figured. And
he is raw material, all right Very
raw. What McCarty has to learn about
boxing is considerable.
Luther is very, very green, and ignorant
of many of the rudimentary rules of box
ing. For one thing. he has not yet
learned how to hit. His repertoire con-
sists of wild right and left swings, but an
occasional attempt to hit straight with the
left showed that his education had been
sadly neglected. The fighting spirit causes
him to force the issue at all stages, but
this spirit, unless backed with knowledge
of offense and defense, is of little use to
a boxer
McCarty's manager ought to put this
nne physical specimen through the
primary boxing school. A good teacher
Cthere are many competent men)
should be secured and the youngster
instructed in the elementary rules of
the science.
At present he would have little or no
chance with heavyweight of class.
He knows nothing but to rush and
swing wildly at his adversary. He is
what might be called wide open"
fighter, very much like AL PalZer, ex-
cept that the latter is even "scrappier"
and knows more about hitting. Palzer
is a bear at close quarters; McCarty
had dozens of good chances the other
night at mitigating, but did not know
what to do at any time.
/ would not advise McCarty's man
ager to insist upon Al Palzer living UP
to that promise to meet the SPRING
field yOungster at the present time.
Although big AL is pretty raw him
self, he knows more about the game.
And when he hits it hurts. Stewart
landed flush on Macs jaw many times
without actually distressing him.
With Palzer it would be a different
story. One or two of his fierce
polthogueS would do the trick. In a
contest between these huskies, with both
men wide open and of the Ito let va
riety, it would mean victory for the one
who could get the first effective wallop
straight punches would easily beat Mac
and his wild swings to the job.
When Sam Langford whipped Sam Nc
Vey for the second time within six
months he put that pugilist out of
the running for the championship stakes
and established the right to argue the
question Of superiority with Joe Jean
nette or any other boxer who may have
designs on the title to which Johnson is
supposed TO have relnquished all claim.
Dan Mckettrick has already filed for
Joe Jeanette. He bases his claim on the
ground that 1t was Jeanette who made
Johnson take it on the run However
Dan is trifle premature. \ title Is not
a thing for any one to pick up and claim
1t must be fought for and won honestly
At the present time there is little doubt
that Jeanette and Langford have a
shade on all the others. But the public
is from Missouri, and until Joe has
proven himself master of the tar
baby" in the ring his claim will not be
recognized Il valid one.
Now that Johnson has publicly pro-
ella lined he is through it is thought
I.angford may hurry homcward to pro-
tect his interests in the title claiming cele-
bration. When Sam left his native shores
he was accused of running out of tn.
country to avoid battle with Joe Jean
nette 1t was advanced for the latter
that the men had signed to meet in Il
twenty-round contest in California, and
that Langford ran OUT on the agree
ment
Langford and Jeanette have met seven
times in all, but never over the full
course. All their matches have been short
ones. and the record book shows the pail
to be about even as to honors. Langford
is d better boxer than Jeanette, and
would be the favOrite in a short bout
but in longer struggle the betting would
be about even. Jeanette is Il bear for
taking punishment, and has the stamina
of half a dozen ordinary fighters. Lang
| ford might outpoint him all the way for
twenty rounds, but Joe would be there a,
the final gong. In a finish fight ! would
incline to favor Jeannette's chances for
| victory.
1t may be that Jack Johnson is on the
| level about retiring. and then again i,
may not. The champion certainly dog
ged 1t when Manager Gibson of the Gar
den Athletic Club of this city made that
special trip to Chicago to force the ne
| gros hand.
Johnson was offered $4,000 cash to put
| his signature to a paper calling for a
ten-round bout with Joe Jeanette, whom
he has steadily lodged since the occasion
of their last meeting about five years
ago. Jack has experienced no change
! in sentiment far as Jeanette Is con-
cerned as was evident in his refusal to
II
| sibly fearing the ante would be raised
| announced he would retire from the ring
without waiting for Labor day to roll
around as per previous plans.
During his earlier days in the ring,
| it is said. Johnson gave evidence upon
| more than one occasion of being the
| owner of a. well defined streak of yell
| low. Many who professed to know this
! weakness thought it would show in the
| Jeffries battle. and accordingly backed
| the Californian to win at Reno two years
ago. Unfortunately. Jeff's condition was
| such that the negro's courage was not
put to the test: at that johnson was a
very nervous and much worried appear
| ing fighter when he climbed through the
| ropes to begin hostiiities.
Johnson has made it plain that he is
afraid to meet Jeanette. McVey or Lang
| ford. the three leading aspirants for his
| title. Should he be brought to trial on
| the charge of cowardice and the case
presented to "a jury of fair-minded sport
ing men, he would be found guilty not
alone on testimony in connection with his
refusal of the $4,000 offer to meet jean
nette at the Garden, but on his counter
| proposition to box AL Palzer for the same
| money. The turning down of the Paris
| offer Of $4,000 to box Jeanette thirty
| rounds. and Hugh McIntoshs magnih-