The San Francisco call and post., 1913-12-22

x X
0MITH must be given credit for
having something. otherwise
~ he would not have made the
great record which he has made
during the last couple of years
or since Buckley took 1T upon
himself to guide the big fellows
destinies. They accused him OF
lack OF heart, but that accusa-
tion is surely false, for he never
could have climbed TO the top as
rapidly as he has climbed with
out the heart.
-HE Gunner was discovered by
Jack Johnson. All the local
n fans who scratch their heads
and think bit will admit this.
Johnson was training for the Ia
nous fight with Jeffries out at
the ocean beach. when the Gun
ner, then an able bodied seaman,
put in an appearance.
I'VE LOOKED like a big likely
fellow. and, as the black
sparring partners, he gave the
husky sailor a chance. Smith
worked out with Johnson for sew
eral days before anybody paid
any attention to him, and then
Johnson's press agent instinct as
serted itself and the raw recruit
got a little recognition.
K
OMEBODY started the story
that Smith knocked Johnson
on his back during the prog
ress of one of the practice bouts
and Johnson stood for 1t. He had
all sorts of nice things TO say
about the youngster and termed
him the hardest hitter he ever
faced. Some of the fans fell for
this and others refused. Anyhow.
IT served to give Smith publicity.
x
We WAS not a success in the
four round game, which he
- tackled shortly afterward.
They used to call him gutter
and a hound and a big stiff and
other names. Still. they had to
admit that he could hit, for he
showed his wonderful right hand
wallop against all his opponents.
But that one asset failed to make
him popular.
<r DON'T care how much they
roast me any more" says
y the former tar. Il have been
roasted all along the line. They
used to call me gutter, but / am
going good now. so it doesn't
make any difference. It's a cinch
] would not be where | am today
If I quit. But I'm not kicking. I'm
going to keep trying till / am the
heavyweight champion"
K
~ NTH surely will be put to the
test when he meets Pelkey. 1t
~ does not look at this stage as
If the battle will end quickly.
Too much depends upon 1t. These
men are not going to rush at
each other and take a chance on
a. quick knockout. No. indeed.
They are going to stall around
that ring and look each other over
for few rounds, at least.
ELKEY is a whale of man.
HHe is the most formidable
= looking of the white hope flock
so far. He has the natural build
for a fighter and If one is willing
10 fall for what Tommy Burns
saws. one will be quickly con-
vinced that he is the man to clean
'em all up and rule the fistic
world within the next year. Burns
is full of confidence.
X
IT'S too bad that the sports OF
San Francisco do not know a
= little more about PeIkey, for,
If they did, they probably would
appreciate him. He looks every
inch the fighter and he acts like
one in the gymnasium. He has
one Of the greatest tutors in the
business in Burns, so he is in a
position to learn everything that
is worth learning about fighting.
X
-ELKEY gained fame in one
fight, while Smith went up and
= down the line beating all COM
ers before he got into the big
money. This is where the Gun
ner has the edge His hard
earned, practical experience ought
to be a big boost to him when he
Stans in against fha Naxv vn0lond