Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-18
Jack Suggests a Special Class
for Men Over ESQ
Pounds.
CITES CASE OF WILLARD
Bob Moha Would Have Little
Chance Against Jess, Al
though a Heavyweight.
By JACK SHELLY

In perusing the history of fistiana l
find that the great majority of heavy
weight champions and near-cham-
pions were not ponderous, massive
giants of feet 4. or inches but
were nearly all symmetrically formed
and athletically built men noted not
only for their strength ana endurance
but also specimen not over six feet
in hefasn
1t strikes me that many of our
present crop OF both white and black
hopes are too mammoth, too gigantic
for quick, active, snappy work in the
ring-too phlegmatic and ponderous
for real championship form In the top
class Maybe We should have a spe-
cial class for these fistic monsters
who stand 6 feet 4 and over and tip
the scales at $50 pounds and more.
They in my opinion, belong in a divi-
sion by themselves.
What a ridiculous spectacle it would
be indeed to see, for example, enor-
nous Jess Willard. who stands feet
inches in height, towering over
Tommy Burns. only feet inches,
in battle within the roped arena. 1t
would appear like a burlesque. What
chance would Burns have of landing
on Wizards jaw unless he fought on
stills or was a regular jumping jack?
And yet Willard and Burns, according
to the rules and regulations of the
ring, are in the same class
Little Bob Mocha, feet A. is getting
too heavy for the middleweight class
and will soon be compelled to jump in
among the heavyweights. What a fine
ludicrous sight Bob would make up
against Willard. Carl Morris or some
other gigantic hope.
Oldtimers We're Small.
Old English ring records tell us that
the great Tom Crib was only 5 feet
7. Bendigo (William Thompson) was
feet ga inches; Jack Boughton, 5
feet IL; Harry Pearce ('the Game
Chicken'O feet 8; Nat Langham
(the "Tiptop Slasher'D, feet 10; Tom
Molineaux. feet 8; Jem Mace. feet
8, and Tom Allen, feet 10. | could
quote probably from the records a
hundred or more great heavyweight
champions and near-champs who
stood under six feet and were the best
men of their day in the ring.
John l.. Sullivan and Bob Fitzsim-
mons, according to my idea of fight
ing men in the upper division, were
built almost perfect for quick action,
endurance and speed. John L. in his
prime weighed only about 1870 pounds
and stood 5 feet 1015 inches. His
principal poundage was in the upper
part of his body, around the chest and
shoulders, with big powerful arms,
neck and head. His waist, loins and
! legs were slim. He was quick as a
Acat in action and could run a hun
dred yards in 1012 seconds. He had
the flash, fire, ginger and kick of a
\ phenomenal battler for about three
Wears, but he soon lost sall these
fand qualifications after he hit the
" and festive trail of the great
whiteway. Sullivan, in fine condi-
ton, had the most perfect fighting
physique of any big man ever saw
He put to sleep many a huge giant
by his tremendous, paralyzing wall
Iop. He had a wonderful punch with
his great right.
Fitzsimmons was not so graceful
and symmetrical in build as Sullivan
He was lighter in weight, long, lanky
and more freakish in general appear
ance But, like Sullivan, he had all
the hitting powers in the upper part
of his frame. There was never an
ounce of superf1uous flesh on his
body when in proper condition for
battle. He was a wonderful knocker
out but l think Sullivan had the
more powerful punch. Fitzsimmons
and Sullivan were two remarkable
fistic gladiators. There is no such
two or even one man in the ring to-
day to compare with either Sullivan
or Fitzsimmons as clean-cut, rapid
finishers. Fitz, by the way, stands
only five feet eleven and three quar-
tiers in height. They were both big
enough to K. o. any giant who came
before them.
Some other Tall Ringmen.
James J. Jeffries was a big fighting
man. He stands six feet one and one
half. Jim Corbett is six feet one.
Jack Johnson is six feet three inches.
Tom Sharkey is only five feet eight