Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-10
WILLARD STILL CONTENDER
FOR TITLE, SAYS CORBETT
"Gentleman jim" Declares Big
Jess Must Be Taken
Seriously.
PECULIAR IN AND OUTER
The Former Heavyweight King
Doubts II 0unboat Smith
Could Dispose Of Him.
By JAMES ]. CoRBETT


BY beating Tommy Burns's highly
touted fighter Arthur Pelkey. Gun
boat Smith has strengthened his posi-
ton as one Of the leaders Of the
heavyweight division. But until ne
disposes Of biz Jess Willard the prese
and public viii hardly concede him
the title OF white champion.
Willard in knocking out the Buffalo
aspirant, One Round Davis, and more
recently George Rodel. the Boer. has
done his snare In bringing the white
hope situation TO & point where bat
tie between Smith and himsen viii
satisfactorily determine the question
Of the best big man IN American
pugilism.
willard In and Outer.
Willard occupies q peculiar position
In the game. At times ne shapes up
as the best big man who has been
uncovered in the past three yeare'
and at others his work Is decidedly
mediocre. But the same thing can
be said Of his rival. the Gunboat
Smith shows flashes of real class now
and then, and also pulls an oecasloaal
performance that makes him look an
eligible FOR the bone head" club.
Against Carl Morris the Gunboat
fought like the Yeriest amateur. He
must have known that his rusnes
against a man outweighing him hfty
pounds would hardly help ms
chances. Still every round found MIN
taking a head-on collision with the
gigantic Oklahoman, and gradually
growing weaker from the EFFORTS II
cost him. Finally. and It was appar-
emily a lucky thing for Smith. the
eagle-eyed referee caught Morris nit
ting below the belt, and stopped
further proceedings. Very fortunate
for the Gunboat. Judging from APP
pearances. If ever boxer looked
readv to Law down and curl up for
the rest Of the evening Gunpoat
Smith was the gent.
Morris Had Smith Going.
Strange that while Carl Mor-'3 is
regarded as a big dub who viii never
know enough Of the finer points OF
the game to get him anything. he
manages to give the leading hopes an
awful time OF 1t when they get In
fine ring with him. He was fast wear
ing Smith down when he pulled the
"hone" and struck the gunner AMID
shipg, Not from punishment he hao
administered with his fists. for Carl
while possessing pair OF muscular
arms. never seems to know what "
do with them-but simply by torce OF
superior weight and bulk; by ieanlns
on his smaller opponent whenever the
onnortunitv offered-whieh was half
a dozen times or more in each round
Willard Under Rsps.
And when he clashed with willard
a few weeks ago Jess fought his
worst battle. It looked to me at
the time that Willard could have
ended the affair almost any time ne
cared to, but he refused to extend
himself. Now and then he cut loose
a few healthy wailops, and on each
occasion 1t looked like curtains ror
Morris. But Willard would ran 70
follow up his advantages, seemingly
content to win on points. Evidently
tie newspaper criticism leveled al
him must have had its effect, how
ever. for he has won two battles
with knockouts since then, stopping
One Round Davis In jig time and the
tough Boer Rodel. in nine rounds.
Smith After Ounces.
The Gunboat now announces that
he is going abroad after Jack John
son. If he does take the trip it viii
probably be In search Of easier game
Georges Carpenter is the man he is
really after: Johnson will keep. jim
Buckley, who manages SIN III, Is rar
! from a sucker in the game of match
making, and doubt II he would send
his man after the champion. even
were that gentleman in the mood to
consider challenges. while such q
soft proposition as Monsieur Car
pentier awaits.
Thinks willard InvincibIe.
I doubt If there is a white heavy
In the game who can decisiveiy de-
feat Willard. Jess might not lick
the Gunboat, but II IL extremely
doubtful that the Gunner can beat
him either. II willard can be taught
to realize that fighting Is business
and inject a little more aggressive
ness into his style of milling. ! viii
not be surprised to see him clean UP
all opposition. not excepting the for
midable Mr.. Samuel Bangford. other
wise the white hope destroyer. >
ed to make HIM g champion except
the fighting spirit 1t remains to be
seen whether he can he taught that
important part Of the game. If he
can he ought to become the cham
pion of the world in the course OF
another year or two.
Peikey VIII Not Do.
As for Pelkey, he simply will not do
I was not surprised at Smiths VIC
tory, although disappointed at the
length OF time 1t took. There was
nothing in Arthur's record on which
one could figure him a winner oyei
The hard hitting Gunboat. The I'M
fortunate accident which resulted II
Luther McCarty's death last May
gave Pelkey undeserved notoriety and
placed him in position to demand 6
match with the best Of the other fel.
lows. But 1t seems to me Tommy
Burns did not use very good judg-
ment in pitting Arthur against the
Gunner the first crack ont OF the box
in seven months. Since the McCarty
AFFAIR Pelkey had not been in the ring
excepting in friendly exhibitions witt
his sparring partner, or ir
training for the Smith match
A bout or two with men be-
low the Smith grade would have
helped him great deal more than al
the practise stunts, and possibly have
given him 9 confidence that would
have enabled him TO stick the route
with the ex-sailor. For. according e
report, the Gunboat did not cover him
self with glory by his victory. He wa:
very wild. and 1t was more through
Pelkey's lack of ability and endurance
than TO Smiths skill that success.
finally perched on the latter's banner
Advices from the coast do not indi-
cate that the Gunner made much Of 4