Evening journal., 1914-07-01
johnson FAR
FROM A LOAFER
He Chased Tommy Burns
Thousands Of Miles Before
He Won Championship
FITZPATRICK HIS
EARLY TRAINER

JACK johnson was born IN Galveston,
Tex March 81, 1878, and is therefore
36 years of age He is & feet IA inches
tall. When he won the heavyweight
title from Burns he weighed 1906 pounds,
25 less than he scales at present. He
began fighting as a professional in 1901
and in March of that year was Knocked
out in three rounds by Joe Choynski,
the only decisive defeat recorded against
him
Marvin Hart got decision over bim
IN Frisco, but the verdict was pro-
nounced manfestly unfair When
Choynski put johnson away the lat
ter was a novice.
Leo Posner, promoter OF the Calves
ton Athletic Club, was the man who
gave johnson his first boost up the
pugilistic ladder. Charley Brooks. a
masseur and boxing instructor, intro
duccd johnson 10 Posner with the in
formation that Jack was conner. Pos
ner agreed to match Brooks and John
son at his club and they met in 1901
johnson was tall, rawboned and pow
crfully built, and in two rounds he had
Brooks unconscious on the floor of the
ring. You'll do" said Posner.
Johnson's manager kept the pugilist
on the move constantly, the present
champion winning over all his dusky
opponents Finally on March 2S 1900,
johnson met Marvin Hart, the title
holder, in 2O-round battle on the
coast Johnson, according to many un-
! prejudiced witnesses, made Hart look
like fourth rater all the way, out
pointing him with consummate ease.
But the native sons had their coin on
Hart, and the referee enabled them 10
win il by the most unfair decision ever
recorded in California.
He fought several successful battles
in the east, during the latter part of
1905. Johnson's first scrap in 1906 was
Ground affair with Jeanette Then
he signally defeated Jcannettc IN -
rounds at Baltimore In April of that
year he went to Chelsea TO tackle Sam
] Langford, then a welterweight. They
were matched to 10 10 rounds In the
second round Langford landed a quick
/ left hook TO the Jaw and johnson went
to the floor. He took a count Of nine
! When johnson got up he was groggy
and hung on until the bell rang After
that he fought Langford at long range
johnson went to Australia in 1907
and knocked out Peter Felix in a
round. He also squelched Bill SQuires
I'm rounds and then came back TO
this country. He took on Fitzsim-
mons over in Philadelphia and beat
! the Cornishman down and out In two
I rounds.
Fitzpatrick Gets Him.
Sam Fitzpatrick who had managed
! Peter johnson and Kid Lavinge. was
! Johnson's mentor and he took the
! big negro to the coast, where he
knocked out Jim Flynn in II rounds
al Colma Tommy Burns had beaten
Hart for the title meanwhile and
Fitzpatrick was on his trial with re-
peated challenges on behalf of John
son. but Burns ignored him and went
to England.
johnson didn't have a dollar at
that time. but Fitzpatrick borrowed
money from several friends IN this
city and took his charge 10 London
where he again challenged Burns
Burns proceeded TO Australia with
all possible speed, and again beat
Squires I'm 13 rounds. Then he stop
ped Bill Lang In six.
In England Johnson beat AL Nc.
Namara IN four rounds. and knocked
out Ben Tyler IN eight. Fitzpatrick
by this time was determined to fol
low Burns In Australia.
When Johnson and Fitzpatrick ar
rived in Australia they we're inform
ed that they would have to accept
the latter's terms. They agreed read
lily. for they we're confident Of sue.
cess. so articles we're signed for q
2O-round fight for a $4,000 purse and
which Burns was TO get 100000 and
Johnson $4,000. They came together
in Rushcutters' Bay stadium on De-
cember 25.
As the fight progressed It was ap-
parent that Burns was a mere toy in
the hands of Johnson. In the four
teenth round, Burns was on the verge
of a knockout and Referee Mcintosh
was about ready to save the little
white man himself the Sydney police
jumped into the ring and stopped the
fight.
When Ketchel and Johnson got into
the ring at Colma to fight 20 rounds
many OF the spectators said il was a
shame. Johnson weighed 1870 pounds
anu helCntl lou. fOA ~ AOuhbo
Ketchel carried the fight to Johnson
who blocked his rushes and in clinch-
es fairly lifted him from the floor OF
the ring. whirled him around, and set
him down again. In the twelfth
round Ketchel landed a heavy hight
hand swing to the side of Johnson s
head. Johnson fell heavily TO the
floor.
Johnson got up; Ketchel wild with
excitement rushed in to finish him
Johnson set himself and shot out a
fearful right hook. The blow landed
on Ketchels mouth. sending him into
the Land of Nod.
BY this time the demand arose for
Jeffries TO come out of retirement
and wipe Johnson off the face of the
earth, but the battle of July 1910
did not go that way.
Idles For While.
After two years of idleness. John
son made match with Jim Flynn,
whose manager. Jack Curley, guar
anteed Johnson $4,000 for his end.
They met at Las Vegas on July 4,
1912. Unable TO land on Johnson.
Flynn lost his temper and butted
johnson at every opportunity, so that
the fight lost all semblance of box
ing match. The police ordered the
affair stopped in the ninth round. and
the decision went TO Johnson.
Johnson's last appearance previous
To Saturday nisht IN tha ring took