The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-04-13
tBy JAMES j. CoRRETT,

Jim Jeffries is still a worlds cham
pior--at the la savate style Of box
ing. Jack Johnson took the Queens
bury title away from the wonderful
Californian in Reno, but Jeff still owns
the crown which no won in Paris.
Back in 1900. q few months after
Jeffries won the championship from
Bob Fitzsim mons, the big Californian
decided upon a brief trip TO Europe
He went to London. made a big hit,
and then jumped over TO Paris and
opened in the Folly Marency theater.
with his brother Jack acting as his
sparring partner.
The exhibition Of the two Arneri~
cans delighted the Partisan audience
to a certain extent. but at that time
Frenchmen were not thoroughly fami-
liar with the intricacie and the beau
| ty of Queensbury boxing. La savate
was the kind which they favored
and which enthused them. They adj
mitted Jeffs supremacy in his own
line of boxing endeavor. but it was
their freely expressed opinion that II
Ia savate warrior could put Queens
bury boxer to sleep in n hurry.
Matched With La Biah.
/ All OF which created an idea in the
mind OF the enterprising manager Of
the theater. Why not match JEFF
with La Blah the worlds champion
at la savate. each fighter to wage bat
| tie according TO his own particular
style? The proposition was put to
JeT.
What is this la sayate STUFF"
Queried the big champion.
"Oh, under the rules governing that
style Of fighting a man can use his
feet to kick as well as his hands to
I he
You mean that I'm to fight guy
who is privileged to kick me IL he
wants tor" demanded Jeff
Yes. but don't let It worry you.
Jim" cut In John S Barnes. who was
one Of Jeff's party on that tour. This
La Blah is a 14o-pound frog cater
and he can't kick hard"
Barnes then pointed out TO JEFF
that If ne greed to such match the
admission prices on the night of the
fight would be doubled and left would
be given 50 per cent Of the gross
gate"
Grab the match" advised Barnes
IT'S easy money"
And JEFF did.
JefrricS Weighed 220 Pounds.
The difference in size between the
huge eco pound Jeffries and his tiny
French rival. elected gasps of aston
jshment from the audience. But, Just
the same. the Frenchmen were con
fdent that their countryn1an would
! triumph over the burly American.
| They didn't know the power OF Jeff's
! punches and they reckoned only upon
the acrohatic ability and the kicking
power of La Blah.
The two rivals walked to the center
of the ring. shook hands. and JEFF
fries at once assumed his famous
crouch. Then Frenchie stood away,
and folded his arrns-an action which
surprised JEFF considerably. Jeff took
q step forward and tented twice La
Rlah jumped back and folded his
arms once again. JefTs face was Il
study. What kind of fighting was
this
Suddenly. La Blah rushed toward
the ropes leaving jeff standing in the
center OF the ring looking after him
in a perplexed sort of way. As he
reached the ropes, Ia Rlah whtrled
around and then made a wild dash at
JEFF Four or Eve feet from the
amazed American the la savate artist
lcaped high into the air, jumping clear
over Jeffries. In doing SO he swung
his right leg and ii struck it's target
the Jaw of Jeffries.
Go< Kick I'm jaw.
The impact of the Frenchman's shoe
gainst the head of JEFF was heard
in every part of the theater. Al once
! q great cheer broke forth for La
Blah He had scored the first blow
Ha, Ha! Ia BIah was vinning--la "a
waite was triumphant over Queens
bury.
Meanwhile, FERRIES was rubbing his
wounded jaw, looking first at the
F'renchman who stood with arms
folded on the far end OF the ring. and
then at his own seconds with an ex-
preston on his face which seemed
TO say:
What sort of a game arm up
against ?"
For a half minute or SO Jeffrfes