Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-21
LITTLE DEMAND FOR
JOHNSON IN EUROPE
Clubs Passing Up Heavy
weight Champion on Ac-
count of Color Line.

PHILADELPHIA. July 31.-Jack John
son was only in Paris one week and
made hurried trip to London and in
that brief space of time discovered that
the boxing clubs Of Europe were not
tumbling over each other to have him
fight. Managers of the British clubs con-
sidered it almost suicidal to bill john
son as an attraction, and they turned a
deaf ear to his entreaties for matches.
johnson cannot be trusted. Under oath
before leaving the United States he
claimed to have paid more than 500, 900
in lawyers fees, that he was broke. and
his European trip was merely to recoup
his depleted treasury. He was only in
London a day before he denounced the
assertion that che was broke and to
emphasize the denial he f1ourished more
than $1,000 in bills of large denomina-
ton. European promoters should go
slow in booking Johnson. His past rec
ord is sufficient to show that he wins
when he chooses and can lose with equal
facility. Even had he SO elected. ne
could not have lost to James J. Jeffrfes
with any degree of comfort. In cOndi-
ton, skill, strength and endurance he
completely outclassed the former heavy
weight champion. The arrangements of
who knew what they were doing and
had the nerve to carry out their prear-
ranged plan. Jack Johnson had to box
on the level July 4. 1910, In that ring
pitched at the foot of the Sierra Nevada
mountains in Reno. If he had not there
is no question but that the federal gov
eminent would have been spared the an
noyance of the recent prosecution and
the boxing promoters of Europe would
not be in quandary as to matches Tor
the American champion.
Even with his three years absence
from the ring Johnson can outlook and
outpunch any heavyweight in Europe at
the present time The Partisan promoters,
are cognizant of the rapidly growing
aversion of the French people to inter-
racial contests. 1t started three years
ago when at the Wagram Club Marcel
ed out an American colored boxer in the
ninth round. Moreau Immediately be-
came the idol of France. Then along
came Georges Carpenter. who at the
time was but a lightweight. Carpenter
almost leaped into fame. In three years
Frank Klaus on foul at Dieppe, France,
June "a, 1912 in the nineteenth round Of
tWenty-round contest and to Billy
Papke in Paris. October q. 1912. In the
seventeenth round. Carpenter has grown
very rapidly. and. despite the fact he Is
only nineteen years of age, he has adj
vanced to the heavyweight class. and
in recent bout made short work of
Bombardier Wells in a London ring. He
is now regarded the premier heavy
weight of Europe.
This is the boy with whom Jack John
son is angling to get match. If the
Paris promoters should go against the
will of the French people and make the
match and John beats Carpenter, which
he is sure to do if he boxes on the
level. there is no telling what will happen
at the Cirque de Paris on that occasion.
The American heavyweight, since he
started to climb the pugilistic ladder,
has proved himself to be a crafty match
maker He will take good care to have
a substantial guarantee, win or lose, or
draw, and then the French sportsmen
will likely be treated to the spectacle of
seeing clever boxer draw his blows,
miss by the fraction Of an inch and un-
load what the trained eye would call a
"skillful exhibition II Jack johnson is
on the level going to Europe to defend
his heavyweight title. and incidentally
recoup his flattened purse. let the French
or British promoters arrange a match
between Sam Langford and Jack john
son and decide the much-argued question
which is the better man Of the two in a
twenty-four foot ring.