Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-12-29
SPORTS OF PRESENT
 AND OTHER DAYS AS '
 RECALLED BY GRAVY
Battle of Australian Billy Murphy
 and Tommy White. Which Went to a Thirty.TWO Round Draw ib 1892.

Joe Jenkins, of the White SoX, one of the first players to go into the service after war was declared, won a commission just before the arnis- tice was signed. He was a sergeant before he left Camp Gordon, Ga., sav- eral months ago for France. During October Joe took charge of his con- pany when his superior officers were disabled and led the advance. Jenkins was complimented on the field for his ability and bravery and later re- ceived word that he had been con- mssioncd a second lieutenant.
 Gus Sandberg, the young catcher who went South with the Giants in the spring of 1916 and who is now on the reserve list of the Rochester club of the International league, has seen considerable service in the transport service of the navy. Sandy enlisted in the naval reserve force about a year ago, was trained at Pelham and assigned to the trans port Northern Pacific. He has made several trips to France, returning re- gently when the ship brought in q large number of wounded soldiers. Sandy expects to be kept in the ser vice until the task of bringing back the wounded fighters is completed. Jess WiIlardS Birthday.
 Jess Willard will celebrate his 31st birthday tomorrow, as he was born in Pottawatomie county, Kansns, December 29, 1SS. There are some folks who insist that Jess is six years older than the dope books show, and we would suggest that a com- mission be appointed to investigate 1 the matter so that this vital question may not longer worry the wondering world.
 Willard's father was a native of 1 Illinois, and his mother was from Kentucky. Jess, it is surprising to mote. was born in a house, but he didn't stay in it any longer than he i had to. The out of doors appealed to him very strongly, and as mere kid he became a cowboy and bron- cho buster but he had to give that up as he grew older, because his feet dragged the ground and imped- ed his pony's progress.
 l It was about eight years ago that Jess decided to become a fighter. He was then in Oklahoma, where l Carl Morris was being boomed as the coming champion and hope of the white race. After looking over Mor- ris, Jess decided he could do at least as well, and perhaps a little bit bet ter as a box fighter. Willard did a little training in an Oklahoma gym where the experienced fighters took great delight in using the good na- 1 tured cowboy as a punching bag. His first ring bout was with Louis Fink, in Sapulpa. Jess took quite a drubbing, for he was as wide open as d barn door, and while Fink's de- fensc would have been easily solved by good boxer, for Jess it was as hard to break as safe. At length in the tenth round, Jess managed to land a good one, and it knocked Fink clean out of the ring. The referee ] tory to Fink.
 1 Since winning the championship from Jack Johnson in 1914 Willard has been in the circus business and is at present engaged ir the oil in dustry in Texas. Ill fact, he has done a lot of things--eXccpt fight.
 Murphy.White Battle.
 Australian Billy Murphy anu Tommy White fought a 32-round ] draw at San Francisco on this date in 1892 Billy had won the world $ featberweight title about three years previously by landing his Mary Ann' on Ike Weir. the Belfast Spl- der, but soon lost the honor. White, Chicago lad, srever held a title, but he was better than lots of boys who This was not the first meeting be- have held the featherweight belt. This was not the first meeting be- tween Murphy and White, for the latter had been outpointed by the Australian in four-round bout at Chicago in 1890. On another occasion White was in the ring with Murphy. but that time Tommy was referee Of a bout between tho Australian and Sig Hart in Sioux City. Billy had the idea that he was great orator and he always insisted upon address ing the crowds before and after q fight. In the Sioux City affair Mur- phy put over his famous right wallop and then, thinking his opponent was done for, began his oration. Hart Sot up. and Murphy was so enGrossed III his flow of oratory that he didn't hear the bell ring, While he was spouting away. Tommy White count ed him out.
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