The sun., 1919-06-15
WILLARD'S HITTING
] is NOT IMPRESSIVE
Champions Record of Knock
outs includes But One
( Man Of Glass.
THAT WITH JOHNSON
Big Kansan May Have Feared
to Strike With All His
Great Strength.
BY cross COUNTER.

BY CROSS COUNTER.
In summing up the chances of Jess
Willard in the title fight with Dempsey
on July 4 the adherents OF the champion
base their argument primarily on the
expectation the giant will get into the
physical condition essential to wagingil
n hard fight. With Wizards fitness
assured his admirers easily progress to
the conclusion he will win, first, because
his bulk and ruggedness will prove an
insuperable obstacle to even the hard
hitting Dempsey: second, Dempsey hav-
ing exhausted himself in futile rushes
at the champion will then be brought
down by the sledge hammer blows OF /
the title holder.
This presentation of the case presup-
poses ability on the part of Willard to
hit hard blows elsewhere than In train
ing quarters. glance at the' brief ring
record OF Willard furnishes an illumin-
ating answer to the query as to whether
the champion is or is not a hard hitter.
According to the record Willard began
his ring career in 1911, and he stopped
quite number of novices like himself
The only reverse he suffered in that
year was decision against him in favor
Of Joe Cox
The official decision was that Willard
quit in the fifth round. Willard, how
ever, claims the Sheriff warned him TO
get out OF the ring or be arrested, and
he obeyed the order. Cox later on when
Willard became better known, extracted
considerable publicity from his claim
that he made the Kansan quit. How
ever. Cox, who made an Eastern tour
few years ago. proved TO be a rank
counterfeit, thus indicating that
Wizards story of the affair was true.
Improved in 1919.
In 1912 Willard began to show class.
He scored five lnockouts and won two
ten round decisions on points. The
victims of the lurockouts were me iiocre
boxers. Two of the settling blows were
landed on Bull Young, a noted punch
ing bag. who was beaten by almost
every opponent, and who died in 1913
as the result of the fall occasioned by
his third knockout at the hands of Will
lard
Frank Bowers, Sailor White and
Soldier Kearns were tho other three
knockout victims of 1912, and none Of
them possessed class.
Willard got the popular verdict over
Luther McCarty in that year. and also
won ten round decision over Arthur
Pelkey. McCarty was a good boxer and
hitter, but Pelkey was a third rater
Willard began the year 1918 by stop
followed that up two months later by
knockout over Jack Leon. better known
as Ivan Linow. the wrestler. AS IL
boxer. Linow was a fairly good wrestler.
Willard got the test of his career
May 20, 1918. when he met Gunboat
Smith in a 20 round bout in San Fran
cisco. ...-
Smith weighed 17s pounds to $40
by Willard. but the coming champion
let Smith do all the forcing and lead
ing and never landed n blow to hurt
the Gunner. The result was that Smith
got the referees decision on points at
the close OF the 10th round.
Setback for willard.
In the judgment OF the experts the
result OF this bout removed Willard
from the championship competition, as
Smith was not regarded as a formidable
boxer, although having fairly heavy
punch. Wizards defeat by Smith was
followed by four round draw with
q third rater on the Coast named Char
ley Miller. 1t was tantamount to an
other defeat.
Willard then got decision in eight
rounds over an unknown named AL Will
iams and followed this up with a third
knockout of Bull Young. this time in
IL rounds. This was the bout which
Boer Rodel remained the limit of a
ten round bout with Willard. but Jack
Reed. novice, was stopped in two
sessions.
Carl Morris made himself very OBJ
nox.ous to Willard in a ten round bout
in this city. Morris not only remained
the zen rounds but treated the Kansan
90 roughly at close quarters that WILL
lard refused TO consider another match
with the burly OklahOman
Willard then found two victims to
his liking in One Round Davis OF glass
jaw fame, and Boer Rodel, original of
the poem, "The Face On the Ring
Floor" both of whom he stopped.
Caught Another Tartar.
Willard caught another Tartar on
March. 1914, when he boxed Tom Nc
Mahon IL rounds at Youngstown, o.
Mcmahon was a rugged chap, but with
out much skill and an Indifferent punch
McMahon roughed It with Willard and
by carrying the fight TO the giant from
start to finish, got the decision of the
referee.
Wizards next match was with Jacl
Johnson, and the knockout of the negro
in the twenty-sixth round appears TO b,
q good performance. In fact, 1t is the
only victory in the champions record Il
which is attached any evidence of class
All the other victims OF his punch were
second and third raters, who were accus
toned to being knocked out nearly every
time they entered the ring.
AS Willard was outpointed by TIVE
second raterS and held to draws by sew
eral others, the champion would. bu
q for the johnson decision, stand REVEALED
as a second rater himself.
There are too many suspicious cir
cumstances In connection with the Ha
vana affair to warrant its acceptance a!
a genuine test of the merits of the men
One significant feature Is brought to tn
fore by a description of the knockout o
the negro by a man who was at tn
ringsde. He said: johnson fell at full
, length, struck the floor on his side an,
rolled over fiat on his back. his arm
still rigidly extended In the guard posi-
ton. He didn't move even when tn
count was over. and his seconds dragge,
him to the corner and propped him u
In the chair"
>What the Camera Showed.
That description of the finish differ
radically with authenticated photograph
showing the negro on the ring floor
johnson Is shown lying on his back
but his knees are drawn up, and tn
soles Of his feet rest solidly on Tn
canvas. Instead OF his arms bein
rigidly extended. his right arm is at nj
aide, while his left glove is held owe
his eyes shading them from the glar
OF the Cuban sun
Boxers who have been knockad ~,