The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-04-02
.PORT YARNO
BY THE VETERAN

O BY THE VETERAN O E ' ACK JOHNSON, who has given up W his liquid refreshment establish ! ment in Barcelona, Spain, to come to Mexico, where he hopes again to en- | ter the ring and get g. match with Willard or Dempsey, was defeated six times during his long career in the ring. One of these defeats was regis tered just fourteen years ago today in San Francisco, when the black man lost the decision to Marvin Hart after twenty rounds. In one of his early bouts Johnson lost to a boxer known as the Klondike in Chicago, and in 1901 he was knocked out by Joe Choynski in the third round of contest in Galveston, Johnson's home town. Hank Griffin, the colored fighter, won a. twenty round decision over Johnson in 1902. Johnson's next defeat was at the hands of Marvin Hart in 1905, and later in the same year he lost on a. foul to Joe Jeannette in the second round of g. bout in Phil adeIphia. From that time on until he met Jess Willard in Havan Johnson was never licked, a. period of nearly ten years in which the big black reigned supreme and 1nvincible.
 UGH interest has been aroused by the announcement that Jack Johnson the former heavyweight champion, in tends to reenter the ring. He is now in Mexico City, where he intends to set up as a pugilist, having reached there from Spain, via Havana, where he issued his now famous statement to the effect that he "laid down" to Jess Willard. Johnson wants to fight Willard or Dempsey, but he hasn't @ chance. Neither the present champion nor his challenger will accept a match with the former negro titleholder. Willard disposed of Johnson at Ha- cana in 1915 and rid the ring of it's most objectionable character, and that he will ever get another chance is unthinkabie.
 Y NHIRTY-FTV1 years ago today
 \ Jen Ward, one of the great est pugilists in English prize ring history, died in London. He was ia his 84th year when he died, and for several years had been an inmate of a hospital for poor and old tevern keepers. Ward retired from the ring and reliuquished his title in 1889, having held the belt for eight years. After that he was proprietor of pubs in Liverpool and London, but the old brutser was a poor business man, and all his ventures failed.
 In 1858 he decided to try his luck in America, and was taken under the protection of John Morrissey the for mer American champion, then a man of great wealth and a member of Congress. Jem was wined and dined and given benefits for g, time, but when interest in him waned he de- ctded to return to England. Ward was an artist of considerable ability, and his daugher became 8 prominent pianist,
 FIN BAsEBAIIL the cognomen x ''Rube" doesn't always mean what 1t implies. Two years ago, how ever, 1t just automatically flew onto 8 left-handed rookie pitcher in the Pittsburgh training camp at Coluna- bus, Ga. It did not take the critical eve of an aristocrat to see that "Rube" looked and felt very much out of place in a hotel lobby. No. 12 brorans. rnisft trousers and a low $ collar on a long 14 neck, just falrly shouted "Rube."
 IIa had left his farm IT the Ozarks of Missouri for the first time and this iand of Georgia might just as well have been in China for all he knew Lack of experience was his middle name, but that didn't keep somebody from recommending him to the club as a world beater-
 The first ball he pitched to the hitters in batting practice, he threw without winding up Alex Mccarthy said he just "chuck1ed Up-' Also the second. When someone told him not to be afraid to take his windup be- fore pitching, he said he had never learned that one.
 A little latter Manager Callahan had all the pitchers take turn in cov- ering first base on a ball bunted in that direction. When "Rube'' failed to do so two times in succession, Cal lahan asked him what was wrong.
 "I never kin remember bout that base being over there," answered the lad.
 He had never seen a movie show. so three or four of the boys corralled him and led him to "nickle shoot CT" After the show they asked him how he liked it and he said:
 ''I reckon that Charley Chapel walks funny. Hei He!'
 Frying into Rube's business affairs a team mate inquired about his farm in the Ozarks and discovered that he had a family of three at home Asked whether his wife could take care of the farm in his absence, he replied:
 Nope. got another man there Eov-."
 ''But-but aren't you afraid hell steal your wife?'
 "Nope-it's her brother A MEXICAN promoters are wrest-