The San Francisco call and post., 1913-12-26

length and breadth of the land ar
o0at Smith of Philadelphia and Al
OF the pale faced giants. The tw
and Sam Langford- thousands
the Atlantic. and nobody seems
TO be bothering their heads about
them any more.
TT is, therefore. golden oppor-
tunity for Smith and Pelkey.
There are no black clouds in
the pugilistic skies to bother
them, and the men of their own
color who happen TO issue chai-
lenges viii hardly be taken seri-
ously for the simple reason that
none of them has been able TO
make anything like a respectable
showing OF late.
X
T He general belief is that the
winner viii make the pill
grimage to Europe and at
tempt TO settle the issue with
johnson. Pelkey, through his
manager, Tommy Burns, an
nounces that Johnson is posi-
lively the only coon he will fight.
Jim Buckley, speaking for Smith.
says that the Gunner viii not
only fight. but that he will lick,
every coon in sight.
~ HE New Years mixup be-
tween the big fellows Will
mark the most important
heavy weight battle that the
country has known for a year
and half, or since Johnson won
on foul from Jim Flynn down
in Las Vegas on the afternon OF
July 4. 1912. That was a real
championship fight. but it result
ed in a disgusting exhibition for
all the spectators.
TLYNN went back so far in
the meantime that nobody is
paying any attention to him.
Smith cleaned up the former fire
man in three rounds back in New
York. and Johnson has not en-
gagged in a bout of Importance
since Smith has kept busy,
beating all corners, while PeIkey
crowned himself white heavy
weight champion by stopping
Luther McCarty.
KTOBODY can say that the
~ Gunner is not entitled to
rule a 10 to or a 10 to
chance over PeIkey. His record
stamps him as such. He has been
fighting everybody in sight, while
Pelkey has not done any ring
work since that one victory which
made him world famous.
x
c TILL. it is strange and pecu-
liar. indeed. that a so called
champion should enter the
ring against a so called chal-
lenger and command the favorite
price. Despite the fact that his
record does not figure with that
of Smith, the Canadian has a
better claim to the heavy weight
crown. and if precedent were
followed in this case he would
have the call in the wagering.
But traditions are upset this time
STT OMNY BURNS says that Pei
key is the hardest hitting
heavy weight he ever saw
and he does not except Johnson,
either. According to Tommy, the
Canadian has a better left hand
than Johnson, and his right is
just as good as Smiths. If one
were TO believe Tommy, then Pei
key ought to be to shot over
the former enploye of Uncle Sam.
y \ =
TH fans of San Francisco
know what Smith can do.
but they have not been able
to get a line on Pelkey. He may
be all that Burns claims he is.
and he may be even stronger, but
that does not get him anything
with the bettors. They insist
upon a fighter showing them the
real old time stuff before they
will risk any of their hard earned
coin on him.
TYUCH will depend upon the
lVs gameness and the stamina
ava OF Peikey If he can stand
the wallop and display some of
the spirit with which Nelson used
10 startle the hstic world, then
lust tab him as a very dangerous
contender But IL his jaw is of the
glass variety, then get ready for
n quick getaway and bank on the
Gunner.
NTH is without doubt the
hardest hitting big white
- man who has shown here in
many years His right hand con-
tains the necessary stun to stop
the man who is not gifted with
unusual powers of resistance. He
49, 80
he knows how TO bring that old
maker over to the jaw when
the other fellow least expects it.
= ONE of the eastern experts
have recently been raxing
= lightweight champion Willie
Rifchie over the Goals because OF
HIS attitude in the weight ques-
ton. They claim that he is not
a legitimate lightweight when he
holds out for 135 pounds, and that
he should be compelled TO do 1873
hounds ringside, just like Wal
CAST and Nelson did.
kH CONTEND that I am right
and 1 hope to prove it to the
world" says the little title
holder. 'McAuliffe, Cans, Erne and
the other lightweight champions
used to fight at 133 pounds or
thereabouts. Nelson was the
man who insisted on 1913 pounds
ringside, just 10 weaken Cans for
their fight in Goldfield. Then
Wolgast followed his example.
=
IkYAN make this mark, too,
but. naturally, it is easier
for me TO do 125 pounds. I
think that this weight is the
...nrcr onc fnr 2 lighfMeight bat