Omaha daily bee., 1915-02-21
PUGS SEE END AT TENDER AGE
If Johnson, at Thirty-seven, Beats
willard He viii Accomplish an
Unequalled Feat,
FEW FIGHTERS PASS so MARK


NEW York. Fob. n.--should Jack
johnson succeed IN defeating Jess Willard
at suareH he will have accomplished
feat that has not been cqualied In ring
history. The nearest approach 10 II was
when Bob Fitsssnmons at the age OF s..
conquered Jim Corbett NJ Carson City.
Whatever may be said against willard.
Il Is a fact that no Is tho best white
heavyweight who has come TO the front
during tho last ten years. Yet a suppos-
odly dissipated negro at the age OF 81 Ia
picked TO beat him. On the e<ue of Il
there must be something wrong with
such a conclusion
In order TO win Johnson must perform
what past pugilintic history shows 10 In
the nature OF e miracle With the excep-
tion Of Fitzslmmons. who was an ALI
around freak. no ring champion since the
time OF sullivan has been. able 70 defend
hls title az tho age OF 81. and even Fits
simmons met defeat AZ that age. Today
there "a not first class man in any divi-
sion as old as Johnson or even near his
age.
There are very few men now before the
public who are even 30 years old. None
OF them u anywhere near his bost form
Among the heavyweights Joe Jeanette
at IS IL the oldest. For years Jeanette
has been going hack, He Is no longer a
card and he devotcs his attention TO
fourth-ratera. He has not stopped a good
man for 80 long that his last decisive
victory has been forgotten. Sam Mcvey
at 90 is next. Mcvey Is Htill formidable
fighter, but he reached the height OF his
career several years ago. The rest OF
the heavyweight stars are under the so
year mark.
CouIon slips ut 2B.
The other clnsses show an even greater
scarcity Of a0-ysar men. Johnny Coulon
at rs was forced TO relinquish the bantam
title. Abe Attell now 81. IL out Of the
ring. He was only IS when he lost his
title and he had been slipping for sew
eral years before that.
Matty Baldwin OF Boston 4 one OF the
oldest lishtwolghts stu In the ring. Bald
win is a. The turning point In this vet
Grams career came five years Rgo Since
then he has not won an important VIC
tory. Among the men who have held and
Lost the title Of this class ara Ad Wolgast.
q, and While Richie. a. Battling Nell
son, now "a, has retired He lost the title
at ~ Freddie Welsh, the present cham
pion. IL 81 and Is about ready 70 fall.
Judging BY his recent form.
The only prominent weltarweight OF any
age al present IL Peckey Mcfarland. who
has retired. Mcfarland is only q, but he
must have seen the handwriting on the
wall or he would not have dropped out.
! Only youth Is represented Ia the middle
weight division. Frank Klaus. %. retired
two years ago. and Billy Papke. %, has
not donned the gloves for an equal length
OF time. Mike Gibbons IL q ana Jimmy
clabby q. while Eddie MeGoorty Is %.
John L.. sullivan was X when ne sue
cumbed 10 Father Time. aided by the light
taps OF Jim Corbett. Sullivan was a
physical wreck at that age and would
have lost the honurs years before he did
had he met a first class man.
corbetts finish came when he war 81.
corbett continued IN the ring for some
years after no lost the title. but the rest
OF his pugilistlc career was marked BY an
almost uninterrupted list OF defeats.
FitEsimmons Loaf AZ 81.
Bob Fitzsinmons, the most remarkable
figure IN ring history, came into pos
session Of the title at s5 and lost Il at 81.
Fitz was the exception that proves the
rule in the case, But even this mighty
warrior found Il impossible TO guard the
honors after reaching the a-year marx.
Fitzsimmons lost 70 Jim Jeffries. a
giant, whose size youth and strength
more than offset the veterans cunning
ring generaIship and terrific hitting. size.
youth and strength are the qualities upon
which Willard viii rely TO prevent John
son from SURPRISING Ruby Roberts won
derful feat
Jeffries was % when age and rapidly
accommodating flesh warned him that Il
was time to retire. Six years later when
be was dragged out OF retirement 60 face
johnson he was a pitiful wreck and fell
an easy prey. Now Il Il Johnson's turn.
Is he SO great that he can outdO all the
champions Of the past and presently