New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-20

simmons iuugcd Onward AGAINST Cor
belt Body.
The clegeres. OF the boxers sank to
Tic mat paraly-cd ~ the new solar
plcyJs blow. SONG an claim that it
vas u lucky punch. but any blow which
ends a fight suddenly might be classed
Us d lucky punch. Fitzsimmons fought
his style Of fight. assimilating punish
ment and waiting for the chance. IL
came aud he took it. The heavyweight
championship reverted 20 fighter, aud
fighter who was regarded as almost
understood icr his class.
Abnorma. bulk figured in the heavy
weight champion ship question when
James J. Jefirios. the Ohio boilermaker,
began 20 attract attention. JcHries
broke into ;he pugillailc game by act
ing as a human punching bag or Cor
bett They used to laugh at the hulk
ing, shaggy breasted boilermaker in
those days.
But the stolid giant. who weighed
over 220 pounds, continued TO dispose
Of all the second-raters in his own
phlegmatic way He bore them down
BY the sheer force OF bulk. Finally
Fitzsimmons and Jeffries were matched.
For a while the Cornis hman hit the
grizzly with everything he had, but
JefFries continued to paw at the older
and lighter man until he wore him out.
Then abnormal bulk fgured Tor the
first time as an asset for a heavy
weight champion. The Eulking boiler
maker gave the lie % Fitzsimmons's
famous epigram, 1.-THE bigger they are
the harder they fall
II was bulk that made Jcfries sui
len Alexander OF the prize ring. After
q second defeat of Fitzsimmons, de-
feat Of Corbett and some minor affairs,
Jeffrics retired. The Grizzly went into
long period Of Information. The su-
perstitiol had grown that Jefries was
too big TO be beaten.
With the retirement Of Jefrics the
heavyweight title became matter OF
small consequence. II finally passed
into the hands Of Noah Brusso. Ca
madam. who fought under the name of
Tommy Burns. This title holder was
almost dwarf in comparison with
Jefries. He was only feet I inches
in height. but he was little bundle
of pugnacity. lie never received the
prestige OF title holder who had won
the honor in straightaway competi-
ton.
Against Burns was pItted the most
wonderful human fighting machine OF
them all-the negro Jack Johnson. The
black was clcverer than Corbett, had
as hard punch "a Fitzsimmons and
the strength Of Jeffries without the
bulk. He toycd with little Burns as
big ape would toy with a smaller ami
NAL.
With the rise Of Jack Johnson the
heavyweight title fell into disrepute.
There vas 2 nationwide clamor for
Jefries 10 come back ana restore the
title TO the white race" Like Bret
Harte. the fight ian wanted to know if
the Caucasian hand had been played
out"
The jingling of money awoke the
grizzly in his place of Information. a
Los Angeles cafe. Il WAS not the
healthiest place I'D the world for
bulky heavyweight 10 hibernate. In
the Reno fight Jeffries was she'll OF
the shaggy breasted boiler-maker who
downcd Fitzsimmons. while the negro
was at his best. Johnson demonstrated
that he had the undisputed title to the
heavyweight championship. II was sor-
rowful FOR the pslefaces to admit it,
but II was true
When ii was seen that the negro
had everything that human fighting
machine OF nearly normal proportion
could possess the belief in the power
of sheer bulk came back. \ group OF
promoters picked Jess Willard. the 81
gantic cowboy, the biggest man who
ever entered a prize ring. as the man
20 defeat johnson. IN spite Of the
deIision and the skepticism. Willard
did beat Johnson. or rather the bloat
cd wreck OF what was once the most
wonderful gladiator OF them all.
With the advent Of the present cham
pion bulk has once more come 10 b.
regarded as the essential Ia the heavy
weight division. With no desire 20
wound the feelings o. the heavyweight
champion r, is not safe pastime
We venture the opinion that his enor-
NOUS bulk is all that Willard pos
sesses. IT, me matter Of personality he
seems 20 be even more negative than
Je fries. lie mas nothing like the pug
uacity Of John l.. Sullivan. the clever
ness Of Corbett or the punch OF Fit.
simmons. Nevertheless. he is recorded
as conqueror of the greatest ring man
OF them all. rsere is no desire 10 take
any of the credit due there from him.
And now We come 20 Frank Moran,
the challenger for the heavyweight