The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-11-07

: Jeffries had only few battles
before he got his chance at the
championship, and when he did he
met q forty-year-old man, whose
hands were brittle and whom he out
weighed by about forty pounds.
At that, this forty-year-old man
with the brittle hands gave him the
hardest fight Of his career. and Jeff
ries had to be forced to take his VIC
tory by Billy Delaney, his manager
and second, for jeff wanted to quit
along about the seventh round in
that battle at Coney Island.
Fitzsimmons, the "old man." had
battered Jeff's face to pulp,
splintering his hands in the process,
and the hulking Jeffries wanted to
10 go on with the battle, and in
the eleventh poor old Fitz, his
hands entirely gone, was forced to
succumb.
Previous to this Jeffries had
had one battle with Tom Sharlxey,
twenty rounds, in Frisco, and
jeff got the decision. Peter Jack
son and old Bob Armstrong were
nero shells of their former selves
when Jeff beat them. True, he
fought CIlOynsli and Gus Rubin,
but he couIdn't beat them, both
these contests resulting in drawn
battles. As q matter Of fact,
Jeffries had 3 "pipe" getting to
the championship.
I viii say for Jeffries, however,
that after he won the title he ac-
suited himself well, for he did all
OF his best fighting while he was
champion, taking on Sharkey, Cor
bett, Rubin, Fitzsimmons and then
repeating with Fitzsimmons and
Corbett.
- OF course, John L. Sullivan had
no easy glide to the top. And;
perhaps, when 1t comes to actual
hard battling, his journey was the
rockiest. For John L. had not only
20 battle rough, tough customers.
bat he had to do it in the old bare
knuckle fashion. His contests with
John Flood, with Paddy Ryan, and
with Jake KiIrain are epics Of
fIstiana- But in this article I in
tend to discuss the champions uri-#
l der the Marquis of Queensberry
rules.
Jim Corbett had no einch, but
no real desperate struggle, his
hardest fights being, of course,
with Peter Jackson and Joe Choyn-
al<i. Kilrain was about through
when Corbett beat him, and John
L. Sullivan was in no condition at
an when Gentleman Jim wore
him down.
Next TO Jeffries, jess Willard
had the easiest path TO the heavy
weight throne. Willard was
managed into il, pilOted into it, IL
you win, by Jack Curiey.
willard was beaten by every good
man he ever met until he outlasted
lack Johnson in Havana. He made
n creditable showing against Luther
Mccarthy in Madison Square Garden,
hut. in my opinion, Mccarthy beat
him. It was a ten-round no-decision
affair. Aside from Joe Cox, Gun
boat Smith and Tom Mcmahon got
decisions over Willard. It is mat
ter Of record that du1ing Wizards
regime we had the poorest lot OF
lwhite heavyweight in the history Of
the game.
Jack Curley was quick to take ad-
vantage because Of his great,
phlegmatic strength, an insensibility
to pain, wonderful physical condi-
ton, and his opponents lack Of good
fighting trim.
Johnson, the champion, had gotten
himself into disrepute and i'll favor
in this country, having run afoul
Of the law. He was at this time 50.
1ourning in Europe, leading a gay
life, carousing and debauching to his
hearts content. The last thing in
the world he had any idea of doing
was training.
Curley procured the backing Of
Lawrence Weber. a theatrical mag
nate and a sportsman, and set out
after Johnson. Curley offered the
champion $4,000 to fight Willard,
closed the match, and THEN came
back to get Willard. This was easy.
Curley made Willard train, and it's
"